Yeah, I know. The bowl pairings were locked in a few days ago. But it is never too late to analyze the top match-ups nor complain about the total number of games on the docket this year and for the near future.
But let's first focus on the BCS title game, which will pit Alabama and Texas. With most everyone overrating what happened this past weekend, Alabama will be a decent favorite for the game. After all, Alabama looked very good in vanquishing Florida while Texas beat a solid-but-not-spectacular Nebraska squad by the slimmest of margins. But the Longhorns were bigger underdogs when they upset Southern California in January of 2006 and, overall, underdogs usually do well in this game. Another advantage for Texas is that defensive coordinator Will Muschamp knows Alabama coach Nich Saban very well from their days at LSU, although that, of course, cuts both ways. Another factor in the lack of love for Texas is that they do not have one signature win, in conference or out, this year. In 2005 they beat Ohio State on the road and faced a little bit better conference competition. We will continue to dissect this game as the weeks go by.
As far as the other BCS games, I would have preferred to see TCU and Cincinnati square off and have Boise take on Florida. Ohio State playing Oregon should be a nice game and since there is not much you can do with Georgia Tech and Iowa, it is better that they play in another Orange Bowl game that will draw little interest. From regular fans that is as I will happily watch the Hawkeyes and Yellow Jackets tangle. It sure beats watching regular television. The others? There are a few compelling match-ups, like LSU versus Penn State, Oregon State battling BYU, Stanford and Oklahoma meeting and Virginia Tech taking on Tennessee. But with too many games--34--there are naturally some bad match-ups as there are not 68 compelling teams in FBS football. I'll break down each and every game in the coming weeks.
An imperfect collection of bowls is no reason for a playoff system, however. What I would love is the elimination of the conference tie-in and the use of a panel, like they do in college basketball, to choose the pairings for each bowl. This panel would concentrate on producing exciting match-ups and delivering more fans and higher ratings to each bowl. This can be done and should be done. Eliminating 5-7 bowls would go a long way to improving the product presented to sports fans this time of year too.
My vote for best bowl matchup goes to TCU and Boise State in the Fiesta. The fact that neither team ever had a chance to play for the national championship shows how rigged the system is. All we ever hear is how we need a playoff system. (And today word out of Washington is that some lawmakers are looking into making it a law. I kid you not.) But what we really need to look into is the influence of the preseason polls. The polls are released even before a snap is made, and it's up to teams to fall out of the rankings rather than climb up them. In my mind, the polls only breed cynicism. How can I not believe that the tradition and big names of Alabama and Texas (and of course bigger TV ratings)aren't what made them the top teams? I hate this pre-ordained system. Teams are quickly punished for losses. but they don't receive any credit for wins. TCU and Boise State got a raw deal this year.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not you like the BCS title game and selection system we're stuck with it for the near future. What bothers me more is that New Year's Day no longer holds the major bowl games. They're all spread out over the next week.
ReplyDeleteThe pagentry and the glory is gone from the tradional New Year;s Day parades, celebrations and Bowl games. Games being played simultaneously kept coaches, players and fans from knowing how the outcome would affect their team's ranking. Now we slog though one game after another each night after a mediocre schedule on New Year's Day.