Thoughts on the BCS

As much as I enjoyed seeing UCLA beat USC in dramatic fashion Saturday, it presented me with a serious dilemma. I had to determine if I wanted to see a rematch of the Ohio State-Michigan game and thus endure a complete month's worth of incessant hype over the game, or see the hated Gators play for a national championship. After much soul searching, I have determined that the Gators did indeed deserve their shot at the Buckeyes and here's why: the schedule. I admit that Florida did not look impressive in several of its wins this year. But, they played teams that were better than the teams Michigan played. Michigan essentially played three games, Notre Dame (who beat, uh, nobody), Wisconsin, and Ohio State. Everyone else on their schedule is average. UF played four Top 25 teams, only one of which was in Gainsville. Michigan is a fine football team. But when you run the gauntlet of Florida's schedule with only one blemish, you get the tiebreaker.

I can't believe I just argued in favor of the Gators. I'll go take a shower now. My dealings with Ohio State fans are not good either. At the 1999 Sugar Bowl, I was riding downtown with several of them when one asked "What is that f#@*ing building? It looks pretty f#@*ing cool." Another responded, "That's the f#@*ing Superdome." I'll be cheering for the structural engineer of the Glendale stadium to have made a miscalculation.

USC's loss also hurt in another way. I really, really wanted to see LSU play Michigan. With those two defenses, I was expecting several bonecrushing, skullthumping hits. I also wanted to see JaMarcus Russell throw a ball fifty yards off his back foot with LaMarr Woodley and Rondell Biggs hanging off of him.

Another matchup that I wish we had gotten was Wake Forest against Rutgers in the Orange, just to see how low the ratings could get for a BCS bowl game.