College Football: Get Used To These Things
What makes college football so great? The game has a personality and drama to it the NFL just can’t duplicate.
After another weekend of great games, there are some things it is becoming obvious we will just have to start getting used to. Here is a sampling.
Top Teams Knocked Off
A top team in some poll getting knocked off each week. Alabama’s football team was the first to go, as South Carolina knocked the Tide all over the field in their game. Ohio State football only stood the stress for one week, much like Bob Stoops' Oklahoma team.
Now checking in at No. 1 in the BCS poll: the Auburn Tigers. Gene Chizik has his football team riding the legs of Cam Newton, and so far the results are an undefeated season.
The biggest challenge left for the Tiger looks to be their Iron Bowl date with Alabama in the last regular season game for both teams. Maybe this means the revolving door at the top will settle down for a few weeks.
Upsets Everywhere
Upsets will keep occurring. This is nothing new, but it sure seems the rate of teams being surprised is increasing on a weekly basis.
Start with Iowa State’s first ever win over a struggling Texas football team, and consider Saturday night was only the second time in 20 outings that Missouri has been able to beat Oklahoma in a football game.
The Big 12 is not the only place upsets have occurred this year. Others include South Carolina over Alabama, James Madison over Virginia Tech and Jacksonville State over Ole Miss. Illinois has even beat Penn State this year—the first win against the Nittany Lions in seven outings for Ron Zook as the Illinois coach.
Talented Second-Tier Teams
No matter what their schedules look like, get used to seeing teams like Boise State, TCU and Utah near the top of the BCS standings in college football. Some in the media have an agenda for a playoff system, and talented teams that can beat up on weak competition each week will get their attention as the tool they need for promoting their desire.
Does college football need a playoff? Well, why is it every other NCAA and professional sport can seem to figure out how to crown a champ? Of course it does.
While many think a playoff format will give the small guys a chance to win the crown, it might just have the opposite effect. It would be hard to imagine teams from the MAC, WAC and MWC running through a three or four-game stretch with the nation’s toughest powers. Playing physical football every weekend takes a toll on depth.
Another great weekend of college football is just in front of us with another great lineup of great games. Iowa will try to knock Michigan State from the ranks of the undefeated, and Nebraska will try to do the same to surging Missouri.
No matter what the record is, the annual game between Georgia and Florida is always fun football. When Oregon and USC meet, it just might be the last chance for a Pac-10 team to derail the Ducks' pursuit of a BCS national title game appearance.
Enjoy.
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