With nothing to date derailing the desired match-up of Texas and the winner of the SEC in the BCS Championship Game, the drama this season is in individual conference races. Of course one could not tell that from media coverage, which treated the USC-Oregon game as a battle to determine the best 1-loss team in the country and not a battle for Pac 10 supremacy, or spent minute after minute trying to sort out whether an undefeated Iowa or a one-loss Texas would get a BCS title spot (and that means you ESPN) if it came down to just those two teams (and if Texas lost a game) instead of an examination of the Big 10 race. Taking the lead from pro sports, in which one team is crowned champion and the rest are losers, the media is trying their damnedest to suck the life out of college football by focusing so much attention on both the two teams that will play for the title and the race for those spots.
Which is a shame. Now we all know about the fine seasons currently being enjoyed by Cincinnati, TCU, Boise, Oregon, Iowa and Georgia Tech. But how about Temple, who won for the sixth straight time yesterday and is leading the MAC East Division? Or Utah, who stands 7-1 but disappeared from the national scene after a seven-point loss at Oregon in September which does not look too bad at the moment? Or 5-3 Duke, who would win the Coastal Division of the ACC if they win out? Or Pittsburgh, 7-1 and determined to make their December 5 game against Cincinnati a de facto Big East title game? Or Arizona and Stanford, who currently stand in second and third place respectively in Pac 10 and both host Oregon in huge conference games in November? Or Nevada, still undefeated in WAC play and trying to stay that way until they meet Boise State on November 27?
I am looking forward to a great November, one that will be so even if Texas, Florida and Alabama win out.
Its amazing how many people now want to put Oregon at #4 or #5 in the country now that they crushed USC. "They're playing as well as anyone in the country right now" seems to be a common quote. Problem is Boise whipped them in Sept. Everyone is also quick to say something like well it was the beginning of the year and there's no preseason in college to get ready for the first game. Las time I checked it was the beginning of the year for Boise too and, by the way, Boise's still undefeated. No one else has beated Ore so that Boise team must be pretty good.
ReplyDeleteI hope LSU can go on the road to Bama and knock them off just to keep the "talking heads" and tv producers and sportswriters eating crow.
Even with 2 losses USC can still win out and have a chance to win another Pac 10 title so let's not bury them yet. If Ore can beat Stan, Arizona and Ore St, more power to them.