Monday, December 04, 2006
Gator Nation
I said it five weeks ago and then kept violating my rule: You can never totally assess the BCS race until the season is over. I learned my lesson again Saturday when UCLA knocked off USC, which last week I (and many others) anointed as the clear No. 2.
This is a season that screams for a four-team playoff (or, this case, a Big 10-SEC Challenge). No one really knows who is better between Michigan and Florida. Both had great seasons; both have one blemish on their records. And as long as you have a loss, your chances for the BCS title game are up in the air. Moreover, I’d accept nearly any argument on the Wolverines’ behalf:
-) That their only loss was on the road, by three points, to the undisputed No. 1 team in the country
-) That they boast wins over two Top 10 caliber teams in Wisconsin and Notre Dame
-) That they were penalized for not playing the last two weeks, and also by the fact that voters didn’t want to see a rematch (though keep in mind that the computers had Florida No. 2)
All are true, and I’m in a 51-49 split in my mind, but I think the BCS (under its current configuration, which only rewards two teams) got it right with Florida. I’ve had the Gators ahead of Michigan since the Wolverines lost to Ohio State on the theory that if Florida won out, they’d deserve it over Michigan. And they do—barely. For me, it comes down to this:
-) Florida won its conference. Ever since the Oklahoma, USC, LSU debacle (when USC was left out), I’ve considered winning your conference as the ultimate tiebreaker. That year USC and LSU won their conferences and Oklahoma did not; I thought the Sooners should have been No. 3. This year Florida won not only their conference, but the best conference (by a good margin) in college football. If Florida had lost to Arkansas, I would have whole-heartedly agreed with Michigan at No. 2. I use the conference winner as a tiebreaker, not an absolute.
-) The Gators had a very impressive season, with wins over LSU at home, Georgia and Arkansas on neutral fields, and Florida State and Tennessee on the road. And don’t dismiss the Florida State win—UCLA-USC taught us that in-state rivalry games are no cinch. Their only loss was at Auburn in a game that was actually closer than Ohio State-Michigan.
-) Florida closed strong. Florida, Michigan and USC all controlled their fates down the stretch. Only the Gators came through.
I don’t blame Michigan fans for being upset. Personally, I’d love to see two games played two weeks from now: LSU at Ohio State and Michigan at Florida. All four would be guaranteed BCS bowl bids, and the winners would go on to play for the national championship. I’m sure Michigan fans would be upset at having to play in the Swamp, but at least they’d have a chance.
This is a season that screams for a four-team playoff (or, this case, a Big 10-SEC Challenge). No one really knows who is better between Michigan and Florida. Both had great seasons; both have one blemish on their records. And as long as you have a loss, your chances for the BCS title game are up in the air. Moreover, I’d accept nearly any argument on the Wolverines’ behalf:
-) That their only loss was on the road, by three points, to the undisputed No. 1 team in the country
-) That they boast wins over two Top 10 caliber teams in Wisconsin and Notre Dame
-) That they were penalized for not playing the last two weeks, and also by the fact that voters didn’t want to see a rematch (though keep in mind that the computers had Florida No. 2)
All are true, and I’m in a 51-49 split in my mind, but I think the BCS (under its current configuration, which only rewards two teams) got it right with Florida. I’ve had the Gators ahead of Michigan since the Wolverines lost to Ohio State on the theory that if Florida won out, they’d deserve it over Michigan. And they do—barely. For me, it comes down to this:
-) Florida won its conference. Ever since the Oklahoma, USC, LSU debacle (when USC was left out), I’ve considered winning your conference as the ultimate tiebreaker. That year USC and LSU won their conferences and Oklahoma did not; I thought the Sooners should have been No. 3. This year Florida won not only their conference, but the best conference (by a good margin) in college football. If Florida had lost to Arkansas, I would have whole-heartedly agreed with Michigan at No. 2. I use the conference winner as a tiebreaker, not an absolute.
-) The Gators had a very impressive season, with wins over LSU at home, Georgia and Arkansas on neutral fields, and Florida State and Tennessee on the road. And don’t dismiss the Florida State win—UCLA-USC taught us that in-state rivalry games are no cinch. Their only loss was at Auburn in a game that was actually closer than Ohio State-Michigan.
-) Florida closed strong. Florida, Michigan and USC all controlled their fates down the stretch. Only the Gators came through.
I don’t blame Michigan fans for being upset. Personally, I’d love to see two games played two weeks from now: LSU at Ohio State and Michigan at Florida. All four would be guaranteed BCS bowl bids, and the winners would go on to play for the national championship. I’m sure Michigan fans would be upset at having to play in the Swamp, but at least they’d have a chance.
# posted by EJ @ 9:19 AM 
