What USC and Notre Dame deserve

June 19, 2008 Note: This is a post that originally appeared on Golden's Football Rankings and is reproduced here for posterity.

-Ok, I have no argument with anyone who wants to cite USC’s resume for being in the championship game over Michigan, but the post game coverage on ABC and ESPN was ridiculous. In post game commentary, Lee Corso, Bob Davie, and Kirk Herbstreit, who is danger of losing his title as the world’s smartest OSU graduate (although he might just retain it for lack of competition), all stated that they felt the game wasn’t as one-sided as the score indicated, and Notre Dame had “earned” a Rose Bowl bid with how well they played. At the same time, they felt that USC was “clearly” the best one-loss team based on the win over Notre Dame.
-First of all, USC’s win over the Irish was virtually the same as Michigan’s. Both teams dominated Notre Dame. Michigan’s defense was more dominating, USC’s offense was more explosive. Michigan won on the road, USC at home. If you want to say the Trojans deserve the trip to Glendale on the basis of their strong non-conference schedule, or because Michigan had their shot at OSU, fine. But they don’t get the nod because they were more impressive against their one common opponent, they weren’t.
-Notre Dame didn’t “earn” a Rose Bowl birth. If they get a Rose Bowl birth, it will because the Rose Bowl thinks they will be a good draw, not because they scored a few cosmetic TDs at USC. I doubt that will happen. If the message boards are any indication, neither the Notre Dame or Michigan fanbases want a rematch, especially when they play in Ann Arbor next September. This is not like the Miami/Fsu rematch a few years back, neither of these teams are local. It is unlikely that either team will sell out their allotment of tickets.
-Assuming USC and Florida wins next week, the BCS bowls appear to be:
Champ: USC vs OSU
Rose: Michigan vs LSU
Sugar: Florida vs Notre Dame
Orange: ACC vs Big East
Fiesta: Oklahoma vs Boise State
-However, if USC and Florida lose, it could get very interesting. Right now LSU is #5 and Louisville #6 in the BCS rankings. Moving up two spots would guarantee both teams an at large bid. Combined with a Rutgers win over West Virginia, all four at-large bids would be locked up. In that situation, Michigan, LSU, L’ville and Boise would get the four at-large bids, leaving Notre Dame and Florida (as well as top 12 Auburn and Wisconsin) on the outside looking in.
-I wonder how much the downward direction of the Miami and FSU programs have to do with the emergence of new programs in the state of Florida. When their respective dynasties started in the late 70s and early 80s, Central Florida, South Florida, and FIU and FAU didn’t have football programs. Now these teams probably don’t compete for elite recruits, but they have probably diverted some of the lesser kids, and some fans and media attention away from the traditional big three.
-What a great turnaround for the Rice program. In early October they were 1-5, with four double digit losses, two by more than 40 points. Six wins later, they are on their way to their first bowl since the Kennedy administration. 1st year coach Todd Graham deserves some Coach of the year consideration.

Chaos

June 19, 2008 Note: This is a post that originally appeared on Golden's Football Rankings and is reproduced here for posterity.

After an unbelievable weekend of college football, that’s what we are left in the BCS. From Rutgers’ program defining win to Auburn’s destruction at the hands of rival Georgia, to Cal’s choke job in the desert to the deconstruction of Colt McCoy and the defending champs, the college football world was left spinning on its axis.

-Rutgers’ win on Thursday was a genuinely exciting happening, even if you aren’t a Rutgers alum or a resident of greater New Jersey. It’s the type of moment you just don’t get in the NFL. A long suffering program, one that helped create the sport, but hasn’t tasted any success since Herbert Hoover was in office gets its moment in the spotlight. I hope that Greg Schiano resists the calls from Miami, Penn State, or other higher profile schools and stays at Rutgers. There is a lot of untapped possibility there. The lack of a legitimate college football program in the Eastern seaboard is one of the biggest vacuums in sports. If Schiano can keep the local talent at home, and cherry pick a few from other areas, they could be a real player on the national stage for a while.
-If Rutgers runs the table, they belong in the national title game. No, they aren’t the second best team in the country, but that’s not what the BCS is really about. If it were, the Michigan/OSU rematch would already be set.
-Ok, I know that Florida State is struggling on offense, is very young on defense and is having a horrible year. But Wake Forest?!? 34-0?!?! At home?! We are through the looking glass here folks. Black is white, and white is black.
-I was glad to see Auburn get their comeuppance against the Bulldogs. Tommy Tupperville’s complaining rubbed me the wrong way earlier in the year. Don’t worry about the polls; just take care of the teams on your schedule. I think he still feels that he got screwed in 2004, which is understandable, but wrong (Oklahoma and USC were both better and had better resumes than Auburn)
-I’m not a Florida fan, but there is something just wrong about Steve Spurrier on the visitor’s sideline at Florida Field. He belongs at Florida, like Bear Bryant at Alabama, or Bobby Bowden at FSU. Him at South Carolina would be like JoePa quitting at taking over at Indiana. Urban Meyer seems like a bright guy. I’m sure he must realize that he doesn’t belong there. No one other than Spurrier does. Spurrier is Gator football, their best player, their best coach, and the very personification of what they stand for – run and gun, in your face, somewhat arrogant, but always entertaining.
-I’ve read some rumors on message boards that the shooting of the Miami player was related to the FIU/Miami brawl earlier this year. No sure if there is any truth to those rumors, but if there is, Miami should consider a one year hiatus for their football program. No game or program is that important. Of course, given the administration’s actions after the brawl, I doubt they would ever entertain that idea.
-Seriously, Wake Forest?
-California’s loss could hurt the Rose Bowl big time. I think the people in Pasadena were looking forward to matching up the loser of the UM/OSU tilt and the loser of the Cal/USC game. With the Golden Bears loss to Arizona, a loss to the Trojans will take them out of BCS consideration. If USC makes the championship game, the Rose Bowl has to replace two teams. The 2nd Big Ten gets one bid, who gets the other? Notre Dame? That would make an OSU-ND rematch or a Michigan-ND rematch. Boise State? Texas for the third straight year? Florida? Rutgers?
-I know this match-up is unlikely given the way the BCS is structured this year, but I would love to see a Texas/ND game this year. Both have good offenses and suspect defenses. That could be a 55-52 type game. Come to think of it, West Virginia against either of those teams could be entertaining.
-I think only seven teams have realistic chances of being in Glendale, and two of those teams are blocked by other teams in the chase. In descending order (assuming each wins out):
1 & 2) Michigan and Ohio State, Ohio State and Michigan -- Obviously the winner is in, but I think the chance of a rematch if the game is close is greater than people realize. Think about it, who would have a better resume, a one-loss Florida, or one-loss Ohio State? A one-loss USC or one-loss Michigan?
3) USC – If they win out, they will have three wins over Top 15 teams (Arkansas, ND, & California), and a couple more over top 25 teams (Oregon & Nebraska)
4) Florida – The big debate will probably be Florida or USC. The Gator’s biggest problem is that they haven’t gained many style points in their big games. Yes they could have won at Auburn, but they were lucky to beat South Carolina, and narrowly beat Georgia and Tennessee.
5) Arkansas – The Razorbacks look like the best team in the SEC right now. But they are blocked by USC. The only way the Hogs can make it is if USC loses to someone other than ND.
6) Rutgers – The computers love them, and if the Trojans and Gators lose, and they win in Morgantown, they could jump to #2 easily.
7) Notre Dame – They are blocked by Michigan, and to a lesser extent, Ohio State. No one in their right mind would vote a one-loss Irish team ahead of a one-loss team that beat them by 26 in South Bend. Likewise, given the beat down the Irish received at the hands of the Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl, and the fact that they have few marquee wins, it seems unlikely they would jump to #2.

And that is the last I will speak on any teams other than the Buckeyes and the Wolverines until November 19. The game of the day, year, decade is upon us. Perhaps the biggest game in the history of the greatest rivalry in all of sports. I will post a different item each day this week leading up to Armageddon.

The Beginning

June 19, 2008 Note: This is a post that originally appeared on Golden's Football Rankings and is reproduced here for posterity.

Not everything here will be directly related to the University of Michigan, but as a lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, an alumnus of the University, and a 25-year season ticket holder, it is a subject near and dear to my heart.

-Saturday’s game against Northwestern was as dull as the score suggested. Lloyd Carr is not one who believes in wasting points. If he could guarantee the other team could only score 3 points a game, he would never try to score more than 4. This year’s defense is about as close as you get to a guarantee, so there wasn’t much in the way of fireworks. I think they decided they were going to work on the running game only, despite what defense the Mildcats were in. With their top receiver, two top tight ends, and starting right tackle out, and with weather that was inhospitable at best, they didn’t run more than half a dozen different plays.
-The defense, meanwhile was as nasty as the weather. Hint to opposing coaches: don’t show your quarterbacks the film, they may come down with a 24 hour flu. For the second straight week, the starting QB from the previous week’s opposition missed their next game after Michigan (Morelli of Penn State last week, Tate of Iowa this week). This defense is the most explosive we’ve had in the 25 years I been watching UofM football
-I think it is pretty obvious that an undefeated West Virginia or Louisville makes the national championship game over any number of one loss teams. But what if the undefeated team from the Big East is Rutgers? Would a one loss team from the SEC, even one that doesn’t make the championship game or play a ranked team on the road (hello, Auburn) beat out a Rutgers team that closes its season at West Virgnia?
-I don’t think USC is out of the championship race. If they run the table and the Big East has no undefeated teams, I could easily see them beating out any team from the SEC, especially if Arkansas wins the league title.
-John L. Smith is not done at MSU. At least not yet. Not until November 7. November 7?!? What does election day have to do with Spartan football? Plenty when you consider that former MSU player, coach, and AD George Perles is a Democratic candidate for the MSU Board of Trustees. If he gets elected, you can rest assure that he, along with allies that he still has on the board will give Smith his walking papers (and maybe AD Ron Mason as well) and will get one of their cronies, like Eagles asst coach Pat Shurmer, in place.
-Are Miami and FSU going to make bowl games this year? FSU is 4-4 with home games left against Wake, Virginia, Western Michigan, and Florida. The game with the Gators looks like a loss, Wake and Virginia both beat teams that the ‘Noles lost to, and even Western is probably better than Troy, which almost won in Doak Campbell. Miami, meanwhile is 5-3, but has a tougher schedule with Virginia Tech and BC in the Orange Bowl, and trips to Maryland and Virginia. -So the big news on Michigan message boards prior to the game was a report by a Fox affiliate out of Columbus that the Columbus police department was issuing an arrest warrant for Michigan linebacker Prescott Burgess. His crime? Theft of some CDs from a store that has since gone out of business when he was 14. The report turned out to be false, as the Columbus PD has no plans to arrest any members of the Michigan team. But the fact that TV station would report, and that many Michigan fans took it seriously, at least for a little while, should tell you something about the nature of this rivalry. Any Michigan fan who has been to the Snakepit knows that you take your life in your own hands when you go there wearing the maize and blue.