50 Things We Learned from the 2011 College Football Season

There were many valuable lessons that we had learned from the season, whether it was on the field or off.

Any way we want to spin it, college football just gave us one of the most exciting, entertaining and thrilling regular seasons we have seen in quite some time. There were several upsets down the stretch and there were hundreds of stories that grew into national headlines. 

There were several memorable moments that stuck in my head so without further ado, here are my top 50 things we learned from the 2011 college football season.

College Football Is Simply the Best

Make no mistake about it, college football is still on top of the world, entertainment wise—especially after the regular season we just had.

We had three top-five teams all lose within 24 hours at the end of November and it is funny since seemingly every crucial game came down to a last-second kick.

However, nothing beats the pageantry of college on Saturdays!

The Best Two Teams Will Play for It All, Again

The critics can complain all they want, but the BCS system always comes out on top. The best two teams in the SEC happened to also be the best two teams in America. Go ahead, argue that Oklahoma State is the better team (I don't disagree the Cowboys are deserving, but I want the two best).

The SEC stalwarts' defenses are remarkable and the coaching staffs are all worth the hype. They took every team's best shot every weekend and still found a way to beat up on the rest of the competition outside of themselves. Yet, here they are one more win away from claiming the national championship.

The BCS May Be Flawed, but No System Is Perfect

Just ask your wife or loved one, nobody is perfect. Not even the BCS!

Especially with its recent BCS selections, which I will dive into.

There clearly needs to be some tweaking and of course the contract ends in 2013, but the BCS has given us so many great moments this season that we should all sit back and be appreciative that more times than not the matchups have been worth it (though not so much this season).

The Regular Season Is the Best

Compared to any other sport, the regular season of college football is arguably the best, period. Every weekend there are highly anticipated matchups and the chaos has continued. Just when you think it is the year Boise State plays for it all, it ends up losing on another last-second field goal and somehow misses out on the BCS completely.

The SEC has given us a ton of great moments, but so have the Big 12, Pac-12, Big Ten and ACC . Even the Conference USA has been enjoyable to watch this season with Case Keenum and the Houston Cougars rolling up 50 points a weekend (that i,s until Southern Miss flattened them).

Despite Distractions, the Sport Keeps on Ticking

Even before the season kicked off, there were distractions over prestigious programs such as Miami, Ohio State and even LSU. Penn State entered the conversation though it had nothing to do with its own players.

Les Miles is the perfect example.

His top-ranked Tigers had plenty of off-the-field distractions and yet he was able to overcome them by still running the table and ultimately getting a shot in the BCS National Championship.

Championship Games Are Great

The expansions of conferences has allowed us to have even more conference championships. Adding more games to the final weekend is amazing for the game of college football, but nothing beats the SEC Championship in Atlanta to decide the winner of the best conference in America.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 is an addition, but simple games like the C-USA and MAC championships have helped add even more energy to arguably the most electrifying sport in America. 

New Uniforms Is Not Necessarrily a Bad Thing

If something that is not negative gets you to talk more about the sport, I have nothing against it. Some of the new uniforms can almost blind you, but it only adds more publicity to the sport.

Thanks to Phil Knight and his Ducks, collegiate players all around the nation are enjoying the sport even more thanks to the simple jerseys they put on every weekend.

The Big Ten Is on Its Way Back

Maybe it is because of Urban Meyer alone, but the Big Ten has 10 teams appearing in bowl games and Michigan is looking they are back to national relevancy.

Denard Robinson is likely returning for his senior season and the Wolverines defense gives the Big Ten some hope into knocking off the mighty SEC in the near future.

Michigan, of course, will get the Crimson Tide in Arlington next season, but the future is bright with the addition of Nebraska.

When Ohio State and Michigan are close to dominant in the Big Ten, it allows the non-SEC fans to think they have a puncher's chance because that is all that can be said right now.

LSU and Alabama Are as Good as We Have Seen Defensively

We have seen a few dominant teams, but maybe none better than these two. At least defensively speaking, these two are as dominant as it gets.

The NFL stars on that side of the ball have made others teams look weak in comparison, but LSU and Alabama have been able to beat up on every team in their paths to the BCS National Championship.

The Big Picture of the BCS Works Itself Out...or Maybe Not

Look at all of the teams that have had chances to play for the BCS National Championship over Alabama. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Stanford, Boise State and Oregon all had their shots and they all let their opportunities slip by the wayside.

Funny how things work out in the BCS, though that argument is not exactly used properly for this season's Sugar Bowl or BCS National Championship matchup, if you ask the average fan.

Most Anticipated Heisman Ever

Who is going to win the Heisman? Everybody has made their cases as to which player deserves it the most and has meant the most to his own team.

However, only one can hoist the 8.5-pound trophy and the winner could come down to the wire in what may be the tightest race ever.

September Heavyweight Matchups Are King

The games in September do not necessarily decide the national championship right out of the gates, but they certainly kickoff the season on the right foot.

They mean so much to the average fan because of how high flying the season starts, and nothing beats great early-season magic like LSU-Oregon or Oklahoma-Florida State. 

Year of the QB

The amount of superstar quarterbacks this season is nothing short of amazing. There have been over a dozen of stud signal-callers that have been able to thread the needle and lead their team to victory. 

Plus, we could be looking at a handful of quarterbacks who end up getting drafted in the first round in what may be remember as the most productive season for collegiate quarterbacks in recent memory.

Year of Chaos

Talk about a year of craziness, everything has gone bonkers this season. In a down year of the NFL, college football is at an all-time high right now in my eyes (this was pre-BCS backlash, keep in mind). It is not so much that the SEC is the king of the landscape, but more so the excitement is ridiculous. 

The unimaginable has happened this year with many top-10 teams losing, which only makes the sport better. 

Year of the Firing

We could do a whole slideshow on the Pac-12 with four different coaches being fired just in that conference alone.

Expectations are at an all-time high right now with huge salaries, and fan bases are not hesitant with what they expect, and that would be winning immediately.

Montee Ball Is a Beast

Whenever a player gets close to Barry Sanders in terms of production, it is remarkable. Montee Ball has done just that (though in two more games). He only needs two more touchdowns to break Sanders' single-season record of 39 total touchdowns.

Prestigious Programs Getting Closer

Florida State was ranked in the preseason top 10 and it was evident the Seminoles were not quite ready for the limelight. Notre Dame, Texas, Miami and Ohio State had some lofty expectations going into the season as well and none of them lived up to them.

Though a few of these teams may be closer than others, all of their futures could be looking bright due to the recruits they are all bringing this offseason.

RBs Are Going Bonkers

In the year of the running back we have seen more home-run hitters than ever before. LaMichael James, Montee Ball, Ronnie Hillman, Bobby Rainey, David Wilson and Trent Richardson were just a few of the players that have gone bonkers this season.

Conference Dominoes Will Continue to Fall

The SEC has added Texas A&M and Missouri and the Big 12 has added TCU and West Virginia. However, we will likely see even more dominoes fall. Pittsburgh and Syracuse are on their way to the ACC, so is Boise State next?

Will Boise State make a jump to the BCS conference, and who else is going to shake up the landscape of college football?

An Average Weekend Still Is Better Than the NFL

At least according to most NFL fans, college football has kicked their teeth in. Who knew Peyton Manning meant so much to the NFL, but college football has really taken off this season.

The popularity is increasing by the minute and the amount of upsets and prestigious programs has certainly helped. The SEC has made the hater hate even more and has made the average fan dream of a playoff.

However, at the end of the day all that really matters is that we are all watching, waiting for the impossible to occur every Saturday.

Hard-Hitting Action

The hits are getting harder and the players are unfortunately getting taken to the woodshed more often and the injuries are not decreasing by any means. It is the sport we all love and we are privileged to have collegiate athletes lay it on the line every Saturday.

Special Teams Making Higher Impact

Joe Adams, Tyrann Mathieu and Marquis Maze all brought back some sick punt returns for touchdowns and it has made a dramatic impact on many of these games down the stretch of the season.

Even muffed punts and fumbles has caught a few teams some ball games. There is one part of special teams though that has had a far bigger impact.

Kickers Can Make or Break Your Team

I am talking about the gosh-darn kickers!

Boise State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Oregon all lost vital games in the national championship race on the legs of their kickers. It is amazing how they all came down to simple kicks, but this is a game of inches.

Now, I am not putting all or most of the blame on those kickers, but similar to the quarterback position, this position is often either criticized or touted way too much. 

Parity Still Exists

At least in college football parity still exists. We continually see upsets every weekend and there is always doubt as to who will win (at least everybody LSU-Bama).

We think we know who the best non-automatic qualifiers are and yet we get fooled every season. Most know that the better team will win the majority of the time, but on any given Saturday the unimaginable happens. 

USC Was a Top-10 Team

Despite not being eligible to play in the Pac-12 Championship let alone a bowl game, USC has played better than any team outside the top two down the stretch of the season.

The Trojans have one of the most explosive offenses in the country and the defense has played lights out down the stretch. Even if QB Matt Barkley leaves, the program is actually in good hands under Lane Kiffin.

Russell Wilson and Montee Ball Are Devastating Duo

The two have accounted for 67 touchdowns (pre-Michigan State), which is the most of any two teammates. The two have been unstoppable, and if Wisconsin's defense would have shown up against Michigan State and Ohio State, we would be talking about the Badgers perhaps playing for it all.

Urban Meyer Cannot Resist Coaching

Meyer tried to broadcast and become an analyst for ESPN, but it was not in his blood. He could not resist staying on the sidelines and we should be proud of him coming back.

He said he made a mistake leaving Florida and some are upset he left when things started to get ugly in Gainesville (least for their standards). However, he always spices up college football now that he is back in his home state.

Bobby Petrino Despises Les Miles

Hopefully the two can put away their differences or else we could see issues in the near future. After Les Miles was throwing a few too many passes that resulted in a field goal towards the end of regulation, Bobby Petrino muttered a few choice words to Les.

We could blame the BCS as to why Miles was running up the score, but in reality the game was already a blowout. Arkansas has become a solid program and has the potential to be even better next season, and time will tell if the two (actually, it is just Petrino, arguably) can show some sportsmanship in the near future.

Les Miles Can Do It All

Even when a few of his top players have been ripped apart by the media and the NCAA due to suspensions, Les Miles still found ways to rally around his troops.

Miles is a tremendous coach, but this may be his best season regardless if his team wins it all or not. The team has dealt with a ton of distractions and has had to earn every achievement. To take on and defeat three current top-10 teams is remarkable.

Boise State Is Human After All

Chris Petersen had never lost a home game during his tenure at Boise State until the Broncos took on the Horned Frogs this season. The 36-35 loss snapped a 35-game winning streak and it was also just the sixth loss for Petersen.

He has shut down rumors of him going to UCLA, but there may be even more rumors with a few more job openings. It will be interesting to see if Boise State jumps ship to a BCS conference, which would only entice the Smurf leader to stay because he wins wherever he goes. 

Houston Couldn't Dance with Big Boys

I didn't include Houston because the Cougars were only two-touchdown favorites, but they were expected to take care of business against a team that had lost to UAB.

Case Keenum and the offense came in averaging 52 points per game and yet they could not block the relentless pressure put on by Southern Miss.

Austin Davis had quite the day in the upset victory, but Southern Miss won this game like it had won its previous 10 games.

The Golden Eagles came in with 11 non-offensive touchdowns and they scored two more against the Cougars to secure the 49-28 victory. The blocked punt for a touchdown was a game-changer and the pick-six just put the icing on the cake.

Kellen Moore, Case Keenum and Andrew Luck Will Be Missed

Case Keenum set numerous of passing records (total offense, passing completions, yard, TDs) and Kellen Moore became the winningest quarterback of all time (49, one game left).

However, Andrew Luck deserves to be on this list since he decided to come back after a season in which he likely would be No. 1 in the NFL draft. He carried Stanford on his back and made the 2011 season of college football one of its best in years.

It is players like Luck, Moore and Keenum that make this sport filled with so pageantry. 

Bill Snyder Can Defy All Odds

Most "experts" gladly ate some crow this season on the Kansas State Wildcats. Nobody expected them to finish 10-2 and nobody really knew who Collin Klein even was. 

The defense was good enough and the offense seemingly never turned it over. They did the simple and little things which perfectly explains Bill Snyder.

He never lets his emotions get the best of him and his calm demeanor always reflected upon his team. The only question remains as to where coach Snyder will finish in the Coach of the Year voting?

P.S. He better win the award since his team was a shafted in the BCS.

Being Old Isn't a Bad Thing

Brandon Weeden may be an old quarterback for college terms at 28, but he had a sensational season.

Sure, he struggled and threw three picks in their loss to Iowa State, but the Cowboys still had a great season (we can argue more deserving than Alabama, though I feel Tide would win seven of 10 times on neutral) since they are appearing in their first-ever BCS bowl.

Pac-12 Was Loaded with Superstars

LaMichael James, Andrew Luck and Matt Barkley may be three of the greatest collection of stars the Pac-12 has seen.

Maybe James will not be a Hall of Famer in the NFL, but he was quite exciting in the college game and it should go without even saying. USC was down in the dumps just last season and Oregon-Stanford both reached national relevancy mainly because of these future legends.

The MAC Can Put Some Points on the Board

The MAC may not play much—if any—defense, but it knows how to put some points on the board. The teams often entertained us during the weekdays and Chandler Harnish proved to back it up in the spotlight.

Harnish averaged 337 yards of total offense (prior to MAC Championship), which ranked seventh in the country. He threw for more than 200 yards a game and also averaged 112 yards rushing per game (most for QB).

Eric Page and Jordan White were two studs for Toledo and Western Michigan that could start on nearly any team in the country. The MAC is not better than any of the BCS conferences, but it could compete with any of the non-BCS conferences on any given Saturday.

The Big 12 Is Balling Hard at QB

Robert Griffin III, Landry Jones, Collin Klein, Brandon Weeden and Ryan Tannehill were just a few of the stud signal callers that gave us something special every weekend. The Pac-12 may have the top two quarterbacks in the country, but you could argue the Big 12 by far has the best collection of quarterbacks.

The due-threat ability by Griffin and Klein seemed unstoppable and it led to several signature victories this season.

Legends Are Human and Can Make Mistakes

Of course, the entire Jerry Sandusky albatross is ongoing, but the firing of Joe Paterno gives us perspective on how humans do make mistakes. We often look at players and coaches as immortals who cannot commit any fault.

We should be appreciative for what they have given or still do give us, but also we have learned that even (alleged) critical mistakes can be made. 

Spread Offenses Can Be Limited

Defenses are vital at the end of the day and many were wondering if anybody could slow down and limit the Oregon Ducks offense back in the preseason.

Well, LSU limited that spread attack with some talent and speedsters of its own. Great teams are built from the inside-out and it is apparent after closely watching the 2011 season.

Brian Kelly Is Playing Musical Chairs of QBs

The season started out with Dayne Crist and after a long delay against South Florida, coach Kelly went Tommy Rees.

It made everybody wonder what in the world he was doing all summer to just make a last-minute change because of some early-game struggles, but a coach does have to put his team in the best position to win.

After an early injury against Stanford, Rees was taken out for Andrew Hendrix. He is a talented youngster who has a live arm, but he can run the ball with authority.

If the Irish can get another big win in their bowl game, hope is that would finally springboard toward a BCS type of season.

Preseason Top 10 in College Football: Overrated

Every single season there are always a few teams in the preseason top 10 that cannot find a way to do anything but fall flat on their faces.

The Aggies of Texas A&M seemed to be more worried about what conference they were going to be in then actually worried about this season. Instead, Mike Sherman suffered several devastating losses that were lost in the fourth quarter.

Though Florida State was a bit disappointing, Sherman lost his job and the Aggies have officially turned into the biggest bust among top 10 preseason teams. 

Note: We can throw in the Oklahoma Sooners since they did suffer three losses and that is a lot when you ranked No. 1.

Big East Is Not Exactly Dominant

No kidding, but the BCS contract expires in 2013 and we should expect some type of rule where you need to be ranked in the top 14 or at least the top 16 to qualify for an automatic bid if you win your conference.

It is a great achievement to win your conference if it is among the power six, but if the winner of your conference is not at least ranked among the top 14 (or 16), most would argue the bid is not worthy. 

West Virginia is a very talented team for Big East standards, but it could not prove its national relevancy after losing to Louisville to Syracuse.

Youngsters Making Bigger and Bigger Impacts

Many coaches are willing to put their bets players on the field regardless of their class. Many coaches are put on the hot seat with such lofty expectations and the result has been extensive playing time for the youngsters out of high school.

Clemson Is, Well, No Longer Clemson

Clemson's future is bright, but some fans think it will be national championship or bust next season. Still, the wheels came off after losing to North Carolina State but it throttled the Hokies by four touchdowns in a game that was not even close once the second half got underway.

The team will be soaring high with confidence next season if it can end this season on a good note in the Orange Bowl.

SEC West Is Dangerous

Most fans argue that the SEC West alone is better than any conference in the nation. Last season five teams from the West (LSU, 'Bama, Auburn, Arkansas, Miss. St) finished in the top 15 of the final rankings. 

Though Auburn and Mississippi State were not nearly as strong this season, the rest of the teams dominated. At least Alabama and LSU did and for that the West Division remains as the most dominant in college football.

Playoffs Could Be Inevitable

After completely dismissing a playoff for the past decade or so, I am open to any type of playoff if it is going to help the current flawed BCS system.

I have always been in favor of a plus-one scenario, which technically is a playoff, but I would prefer to not have anything more than an eight-team playoff.

The Regular Season Is the Best

At the end of the day, regular season in college football is amazing to follow every weekend. The upsets and chaos was spectacular this season and though the bowl are amazing, it is the regular season sets everything up.

No sport can claim it is the best from an entertainment standpoint because the regular season and conference championship weekend are like nothing else.

Boise State's Kick Cost It Dearly

Another kick has cost Boise State a BCS bowl. However, one could argue that the kick cost the Broncos a BCS National Championship even. Well, maybe not, but at least they would been ranked inside the top four and been a lock to play in some type of BCS bowl.

The Broncos could not do the little things when it mattered most, but nearly every "expert" thought Virginia Tech could not hold a candle in comparison to the Broncos.

However, the Sugar Bowl had different thoughts, selecting a two-loss Virginia Tech squad.

The BCS Needs to Get Fixed

The BCS contract expires in 2013, but how the Virginia Tech Hokies received an at-large bid is beyond me. I understand some of the reasons, but they just are not logical when you want the best teams in the BCS.

Michigan at least is worthy of playing in a BCS bowl, but after getting thumped two times to Clemson I cannot find a reason as to why the Hokies are more deserving or even close to being better than a Boise State or Kansas State. 

There should also be a rule that states if you win your conference, you must be ranked inside the top 14 or at least the top 16 to make a BCS bowl. 

I never thought I would say it, but maybe it is time for a playoff (plus-one, maybe not completely against an eight-team playoff now) sooner rather than later.

Defense Wins Championships

Alabama and LSU own nearly every category in the country in terms of defensive statistics.

They hit you in the mouth for an entire game and often run roughshod on you when it matters most. They have the talent, determination and winning edge that has put them in the position to play for the BCS National Championship.