With so many sports going on at once, how can you keep track of them all? You don't have to, but I will. Every Tuesday I will look back and hit briefly upon the five story lines that stuck out from the previous weekend.1. Iowa deserves a huge thank you. They cleared up the brewing BCS disaster to make it about as easy as it ever has been to determine the national championship. It's pretty simple: Big 12 champion vs. SEC champion. If Texas Tech goes undefeated through the Big 12, obviously they make it. If they lose to Oklahoma, you can bet it's going to be Oklahoma in the big game. If Alabama runs through the SEC, obviously they get in; if Florida beats them in the SEC championship, Florida will get in.
That's of course barring any huge upsets.
2. The ACC is going to be the most fun conference to watch in college football for the rest of the season. The SEC is now a two team race. You know exactly who's a contender in the Big 12. The Pac-10 has the worst two teams in college football, and nobody cares about the conference past USC. The Big-10 is the Big 1. Nobody cares about the Big East. Meanwhile, in the ACC, UMD, FSU, WF, UNC, GT, VT, and UM all have a legitimate shot for the title. Every week is a huge week.
3. That being said, football is already starting to be overshadowed in the conference by basketball.
The papers down in North Carolina have all but given up talking about UNC and Duke football; it's basketball season. Duke led off the season with a typically easy win versus Presbyterian. You can even see it in Maryland. The NCST game, a must-win game for the Terps in the ACC, had the same percentage filled in the student section as a basketball exhibition against Northwood, and Maryland basketball isn't even supposed to be good.
4. Out with the new, and in with the old in the AFC. The feel-good stories of the year in the AFC were the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. All four are still very much in the thick of things. They can't help but look over their shoulder and see that the Patriots, Colts and Chargers all won on Sunday, though. (Ignore the fact the Chargers beat KC. Hang with me here.) It looks like the playoffs could be a situation where you have maybe the Patriots and the Colts in, along with some of the upstart teams from this year. It will be interesting to see what plays out.
5. Meanwhile, the NFC playoff picture is looking pretty clean-cut. The East, South, and West races are pretty close to being decided. The North is still a three-team race. The Wild Card will come down to the Falcons, Bucs, Redskins, Eagles, and Cowboys battling it out for two spots.
(Photo Credits: AP)
6 comments:
I do not see how you can call the big ten the big 1
right now michigan state is first in the conference, and can take the conference in their matchup with penn state
If I mentioned one other team in the Big 10, it would be Ohio State, who Michigan State lost to by 38. Other than that, Michigan State has beaten the four worst teams in the conference, and a few games against terrible non-conference competition. Their two best wins came against Northwestern and Iowa. They lost to Cal. Michigan State is ranked by virtue of having one of the easiest schedules in the country. If they beat Penn State, I will acknowledge them.
what if utah or boise state goes undeafeated? there will always be controversy if there is an undefeated team not in the title game.
But with Penn State comes out of the Big Ten, which is a BCS conference and has good teams such as OSU and MSU. If they were to go undefeated, then it's hard to say they don't deserve to be there due to the conference they would have won.
If Utah or Boise State (or even Ball State - very likely) goes undefeated, there's always the "oh, they didn't play anyone" argument. Yes, there will be controversy if an undefeated team doesn't play in the NC game. But with the non-BCS conference teams, it's somewhat justifiable. With Penn State...it would be really, really hard to say they wouldn't deserve it.
Why do you say Oklahoma would make the BCS title over Texas if the Sooners are able to beat TT?
Lets say OU does beat TT. That would leave a 3 way at the top of the Big 12 South. Big 12 rules say that the team who is highest in the BCS will make it to the league championship game.
Currently OU is #5 and Texas is #3.
Why would anybody vote OU over Texas? Texas beat them on a neutral field.
Also if Oregon St wins their next 3 games they will win the Pac 10 by virtue of their victory over USC.
Could you imagine a conference that horrible getting two teams in BCS games?
There is a chance.
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