This month had been pretty consistent: a new team creeps into the top 5, then loses the next week. USC, South Florida, Cal, Kentucky, LSU. So everyone thought that Ohio State, Boston College, Oregon, or ASU would stumble this weekend. But a funny thing happened on the way to yet another weekly top 5 shake-up: everyone won. Even the three less-regarded unbeatens- UConn, Kansas, and Hawaii- managed to stay unbeaten. As a result, reading the BCS sta
ndings today was relatively boring by comparison.
OK- I'll admit it. Boston College actually deserves to be in the top 5 (not number 2- that should be ASU or LSU). For 56 minutes on Thursday in Blacksburg they looked lost and way out of Virginia Tech's league. But then Eagles QB Matt Ryan woke up and remembered which end of the football is up and led his team on two amazing touchdown drives, stunning the Hokie faithful into deafening silence.
OK- I'll admit it. And Chief, Geodog, and the rest of the State College clan will have to admit it. Ohio State deserves to be in the top 5 (and number 1 is fair). After thumping the Lions in the face of a white out in Happy
Valley, they may not have another tough game before playing Michigan on the road to end the season. The Buckeyes are closer to New Orleans than anyone else. But in this crazy year of the dog, anything can still happen.
As ASU and Oregon prepare for this week’s game of the century, both can still dream of playing in the Rose Bowl or even the BCS Championship. And Oklahoma is eying Kansas for the Big 12 championship or maybe more. Will it be UConn or West Virginia in the Big East? But other teams, including my beloved Trojans, have lost that magical 2nd conference game, virtually eliminating them from the league title and certainly eliminating from them from BCS consideration. Fans of the Trojans, Hokies, Gators, Bears, and Lions have switched to “Wait til Next Year’ mode. They talk about returning starters, holes to fill on the defensive line, and that great transfer prospect we’re all dying to see in Spring ball.
The rest of this year becomes about beating rivals (UCLA, Florida State, Stanford, Michigan State) and getting to a “decent” bowl. Of course, the definition of a decent bowl is different to different schools. For Florida and USC, anything played in December is a disappointment. For Iowa and Wisconsin, anywhere warm will be just fine. And for perennial powerhouses like Western Michigan or Arkansas State any 13th game is a miracle.
Still, it could be worse- you could be Notre Dame.
Fight On,
Hans
PS: The banner photo was taken in South Bend in October 2005, before a game that ended in a “push”
ndings today was relatively boring by comparison.OK- I'll admit it. Boston College actually deserves to be in the top 5 (not number 2- that should be ASU or LSU). For 56 minutes on Thursday in Blacksburg they looked lost and way out of Virginia Tech's league. But then Eagles QB Matt Ryan woke up and remembered which end of the football is up and led his team on two amazing touchdown drives, stunning the Hokie faithful into deafening silence.
OK- I'll admit it. And Chief, Geodog, and the rest of the State College clan will have to admit it. Ohio State deserves to be in the top 5 (and number 1 is fair). After thumping the Lions in the face of a white out in Happy
Valley, they may not have another tough game before playing Michigan on the road to end the season. The Buckeyes are closer to New Orleans than anyone else. But in this crazy year of the dog, anything can still happen.As ASU and Oregon prepare for this week’s game of the century, both can still dream of playing in the Rose Bowl or even the BCS Championship. And Oklahoma is eying Kansas for the Big 12 championship or maybe more. Will it be UConn or West Virginia in the Big East? But other teams, including my beloved Trojans, have lost that magical 2nd conference game, virtually eliminating them from the league title and certainly eliminating from them from BCS consideration. Fans of the Trojans, Hokies, Gators, Bears, and Lions have switched to “Wait til Next Year’ mode. They talk about returning starters, holes to fill on the defensive line, and that great transfer prospect we’re all dying to see in Spring ball.
The rest of this year becomes about beating rivals (UCLA, Florida State, Stanford, Michigan State) and getting to a “decent” bowl. Of course, the definition of a decent bowl is different to different schools. For Florida and USC, anything played in December is a disappointment. For Iowa and Wisconsin, anywhere warm will be just fine. And for perennial powerhouses like Western Michigan or Arkansas State any 13th game is a miracle.
Still, it could be worse- you could be Notre Dame.
Fight On,
Hans
PS: The banner photo was taken in South Bend in October 2005, before a game that ended in a “push”
2 comments:
Hans, I definitely didn't think Iowa would be still wondering if we can make a bowl game at this point in the year. Yikes. I believe you did say they would be 500ish this year. Good call. They still might not make it.
HEY! Now I'm holding out for a 7-5 year by the Hawks.
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