That was last year, right? Stanford beats USC, Colorado beats Oklahoma, Central Florida, BC, LSU all went down. The top 5 was a death sentence. While no longer shocking, (see below)
USC the best team in the country? Maybe, but we’ll have to wait until a bowl game to find out. Playing in that horrendous Pacifist 10 Conferrence, (and getting beaten by the likes of Stanford and Oregon St. with alarming regularity) doesn’t help. The Dragon // Sep 22, 2008 at 2:43 pm
it does start early rumbling about polls, playoffs, and conference strength. I don’t know anyone that would be stirring the pot this early. Well, except for (here, here, and here).
So, what’s the story here? There have always been upsets. That’s a part of the reason I love college football. Vandy had no business beating Georgia two years ago. Appalachian State in the Big House, Boise State over Oklahoma, Cal over USC in 2003… in this decade, they are too many to name. There is no one answer. Or is there?
based on tradition, trophies, wins, national following, etc. Notre Dame, Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, and Michigan were winning for decades before anyone knew what a spread offense or a Miami Hurricane was. They are the cornerstones of this game. It’s no coincidence that they cover the country. The mid-west, south central, west coast, Dixie, and the northern “rust belt” (in that order). These teams that our Dads and Grandpas used to talk about regularly were spread across the country raking in players with both hands like a poker player that wins a big pot. Like a buddy of mine said; “Bear used to sign players knowing that they’d never see the field because he didn’t want other teams to get them”. They were perfectly willing to sign to “play” for Bryant. Same with Wilkinson, Rockne and so on. Why are Bama fans shocked when Georgia has the nerve to beat them in their stadium last year? Why are they flabbergasted at an upset by Louisiana-Monroe the same year? The same reason some 60 year old president of programming at NBC signed an awful Notre Dame team to another contract ensuring us four more years of mediocre football on his network. In almost every way, I agree with him and the surprised crimson painted faces watching Louisiana-Monroe celebrate on their field. But this isn’t 1975 and this isn’t the same game.
5 responses so far ↓
1 The Dragon // Sep 26, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks for remembering my note from earlier in the week, it’s always welcomed when others realize my true genius.
One item not mentioned in the post, is the ability now of a single athlete-usually a QB-to take over a team, and sometimes a game, with spread offenses and lead an otherwise below average team to winning seasons. Again, this is a result of the 25 scholorship limit, but we’re now seeing QB’s, who just a few years ago have been tailbacks or receivers, take up these gimmick offenses and become stars. Want a couple of examples…Michael Vick, Vince Young, Juice Newton er..Williams and Pat White. None of these are true QB’s, they’re running backs who can fling the ball with barely enough accuracy to keep the fans in the lower rows from filling up the ICU’s on Saturday.
2 Fb fan // Sep 26, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Great point. Really well said. I think what passes as a level a playing field may actually be widespread undiciplined play.
3 frank // Sep 26, 2008 at 7:47 pm
i actually watched a college football game and all i have to say dammmm what an upset in the last 5 minutes
4 lajitas // Sep 27, 2008 at 9:24 am
Hey, Dragon…Vince Young led the nation in accuracy. I don’t recall him taking anyone out in the first few rows!! But the point is well made; one very good player can make a mediocre team a winner sometimes with the limit on scholarships they have now. And the potential for an upset on Saturday is one of the things that make college football so much fun to watch.
5 Natasha-web // Dec 16, 2009 at 1:33 am
Ano, asi tak to je
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