Bama Win Left Me Unsatisfied

January 12, 2012

I know there have to be other college football fans out there who feel the same way. And for me, it has nothing to do with Alabama soundly beating LSU 21-0 to win the national title. For me, it is all about an already frustrating and divisive year ended with a dud of a championship game.

What made it worse is that it was just a rerun of the teams’ November 5th field-goal fest. Only this time, Alabama made all the field goals before tallying a meaningless late touchdown. I still find it hard to believe I watched these two teams play eight quarters of football (120 minutes) and only saw one touchdown.

Surely you remember the November 5th game. The LSU 9-6 overtime victory over the Crimson Tide. The game that gave Alabama its only loss. The game, in Alabama by the way, that pushed the Tide to second place in their division within the SEC. The game that should have kept Alabama out of the national title game.

Doesn’t simple logic tell us, unless you have a playoff system that crowns a champion out on the field, that you have to win your conference before you can be a national champion? Not these days in NCAA Division I football.

We are left with a strange, some might say troubling, situation. In late November, it was very clear that LSU was the best team in the nation. The Tigers were 13-0. They’d beaten three teams that finished in the Top 10 of the final polls and they beat second-ranked Alabama in Alabama. That game was billed as an elimination game.

LSU was then asked to take over 40 days off and beat a team they had already beaten. It did not happen and, like I said, it leaves me feeling unsatisfied. Even though Alabama won the BCS title game in dominating fashion.

One thing I do know is that I would feel a whole lot better if there was another step. I would like to see the Tide move on to another round and, yes, beat an elite team from another conference?

And I believe Alabama would win that game. But it would confirm the championship. A convincing win over an offensive minded conference champion like Oregon or Oklahoma State would seal the deal. For me anyway. I would enjoy watching the Tide defense shut down a team that regularly scores over 40 points a game.

Saints’ Drew Brees

Why do we need some type of playoff system? There are a number of reasons but the one that stands out for me is that Alabama was actually lucky to make the final game. If Oklahoma State or Boise State, or Oregon had made a last-second field goal in their only losses this year, Alabama probably would not have played for the BCS championship.

Yes, Alabama is the best team in Jan. of 2012 and LSU was the best team in 2011. And that is unsatisfying to me. Let’s hope changes are made.

Did You Know?...

Speaking of Alabama’s defense this year, did you know that the Crimson Tide allowed just 10 touchdowns all season? The same amount Clemson gave up in its bowl loss to West Virginia.

Sid’s Bowl Picks

The college football bowl season is complete and I had one of my better years. Would have a pretty good time for me to be in Las Vegas. I picked the final 23 bowl games and finished with a 16-7 record. We will do it again next year. I wonder what Christmas is like in Vegas?
NFL Playoff Thoughts

There will likely be even more apathy for professional sports in the city of Atlanta. The Falcons were embarrassed 24-2 last week by the New York Giants. Atlanta is now 0-3 in postseason play under head coach Mike Smith and quarterback Matt Ryan.

I am growing very tired of hearing people say that Tim Tebow cannot play in the NFL. I guess that means the entire Pittsburgh defense cannot play in the NFL since Tebow and the Broncos passed their way to a playoff win over the Steelers. Tebow torched Pittsburgh, owners of the league’s No. 1 defense, for 316 yards passing, including the game-winning 80-yard TD pass in overtime. He finished with two TD passes while running for a third. The victory makes Tebow 8-4 this season.

Texans’ TJ Yates

I loved how TJ Yates won a playoff game for the Houston Texans. The rookie will face an even tougher test this weekend at Baltimore. Just think if the Heels had a coach that could coach Yates up like the Houston staff has?

I will be rooting hard for San Francisco to eliminate New Orleans this weekend. I think they have a good chance to do so. Especially after I looked up Drew Brees’ stats when he plays outdoors instead of in a dome. Brees played outside five times this season and had nine touchdowns compared to six interceptions while going 3-2. In domes he had 37 touchdowns, eight interceptions and was 10-1. And the Saints are 0-2 outdoors in playoff games since head coach Sean Payton took over.

Can the New York Giants upset Green Bay at home? I believe it is possible. The Giants defense has only allowed four touchdowns in their last three games. And that was after they hung in there against the Packers in an earlier setback in Green Bay. The Giants are healthier now while Green Bay continues to show leaks within its own defense.