Over the summer, the pre-season prediction for the BCS Championship game would have included the Trojans from Southern California.
No not the Tigers, or the Tide that’s Crimson.
What? Where’s the SEC love?
Well, after ten games into the season, the USC Trojans will be lucky to make an appearance at the Pac-12 Championship game.
The BCS Championship game attracts an average of 28 million viewers over the last three years. No matter who is playing in the game, the stadium hosting the BCS game is always sold out with fans from each college.
After USC was out of the running for the national title, Alabama was next in line. An Alabama versus Oregon game raised many eyebrows and would have been a powerhouse defense versus a fast-paced offense. The No. 4 Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban criticized the no-huddle style offense ran by coach Chip Kelly and the No. 2 Oregon Ducks.
“The way people are going no-huddle right now … we should look at how fast we allow the game to go in terms of player safety,” Saban said. “That’s when guys have a much greater chance of getting hurt when they’re not ready to play.”
Saban makes a valid point that players are more likely to get hurt when the game is moving so fast and defenses can’t get lined up, or let alone make substitutions.
But isn’t that the point?
What purpose does running the no-huddle serve other than making defenses unprepared and not allowing them to get lined up properly? You’re supposed to wear teams out.
This is precisely why an Alabama versus Oregon game caused salivation from college football fans and insiders.
Unfortunately, no one ever gets what he or she wants anymore.
The previous-No. 1 Crimson Tide lost all but a sniff of its title hopes after losing to No. 8 Texas A&M this past weekend.
Moving forward, the BCS game will include No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon, providing both teams win out.
No. 3 Notre Dame lingers in the shadows, as the only other remaining undefeated team. Notre Dame draws ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ enough to win them the fan vote, but will it be enough to sway the BCS vote?
It’s hard to imagine one of the God-blessed SEC teams won’t snake their way into the national title. The BCS finally had no option but to move some of them down after the Alabama loss, but six still remain in the top 10.
Kansas State puts up 42.2 points per game ranking No. 8 in the country, while only allowing 17.7 points per game. Those statistics are against four current ranked teams and TCU — who was previously ranked.
Oregon on the other hand scores 54.8 points per game to put them at No. 1 in the country while playing three ranked teams. By the end of the season, both the Wildcats and the Ducks will have played a total of five ranked teams.
Fans and viewers love to see points and action-packed games. Americans were upset to see a defensive scuffle between two SEC teams in last years BCS game. Not only was it boring to watch, but they were also both from the SEC.
It was ridiculous.
This year is leaning towards an offensive uproar in the national title game.
Notre Dame versus either Oregon or Kansas State would essentially prove to be a blowout of the Fighting Irish. Their defense is elite, but not enough to slow down Oregon or contain quarterback Colin Klein of Kansas State.
So that leaves, by default, an Oregon versus Kansas State BCS Championship game. The Pac-12 versus the Big 12.
Wait, you mean no SEC team? That isn’t possible, is it?
Yes America, it is possible and it is going to happen.
So be prepared to sit back come January and watch the SEC cry and complain that they deserve to be in the national title game because of their “tougher schedule and conference”.
I’m sorry, but last time I checked, there are other conferences with multiple ranked teams.
Sorry SEC, maybe next year.
Reach the columnist at msterrel@asu.edu
