What another strange weekend in college football. It is obvious that the name of the game, at least this year, is parity, starting with the Southeastern Conference. When you look at the SEC it is as good as it has ever been even if the defenses aren’t quite as dominant as they have been in recent years.
Take a look at who’s under center in the SEC. That should tell you why seven SEC teams are ranked in the top 25. Andre Woodson (Kentucky),Tim Tebow (Florida), Erik Ainge (Tennessee), Mathew Stafford (Georgia) and John Parker Wilson (Alabama) are very good college quarterbacks. LSU and Auburn both try to win with defense but each team’s quarterback has a game-winning drive this season.
If you have a quarterback you have a chance. South Carolina’s freshman quarterback Chris Smelley has made plays and has the best quarterback coach in the country in Steve Spurrier. Like I said if you have a good quarterback you have a chance to win any Saturday in college football.
If you want to look around the country Iowa’s quarterback had his best game of the season and they beat the Fighting Zookers. Brian Brohm and Louisville knocked off unbeaten Cincinnati while Virginia’s Jameel Sewell knocked off unbeaten Conneticut. What about Matt Grothe at South Florida or Dennis Dixon of Oregon?
This was supposed to be the year of the running back but I think it has been the season of the quarterback. Let me also throw some love for my man Graham Harrell at Texas Tech as they put a nail in the coffin of Dennis Franchione at Texas A&M. Oklahoma was able to slow down Chase Daniel of Missouri, but the fact Missouri is a factor is because Daniel is their quarterback.
The top five quarterbacks this season.
1. Andre Woodson, Kentucky
2. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
3. Matt Ryan, Boston College
4. Matt Grothe, USF
5. Tim Tebow, Florida
Can the Gators make up ground and get to the BCS title game? Sure they can! Here is how it could happen in this crazy 2008 season. Just for fun follow me on this twisted path to get the Gators to New Orleans. We will look at the 14 teams in front of Florida and I can tell you there is a good chance all of them will lose once but some may have to lose twice here is an optimistic look.
USC: (needs 1 loss) at Oregon
Kansas: (needs 2 losses)a t Oklahoma St. and at Texas A@M or at Colorado or in Kansas City vs Missouri
California: (needs 1 loss) at UCLA or USC
Virginia Tech: (needs 1 loss) ACC title game vs. BC or at Ga Tech or at Virginia
Oregon: (needs 1 loss) Arizona State, at UCLA or Oregon St.
West Virginia: (needs 1 loss) at Rutgers
Arizona State: (needs 2 losses) Cal, at UCLA, USC
Kentucky: (needs 1 loss) this week to Florida
South Carolina: (needs 1 loss) Nov 10 to Florida
Oklahoma: (needs 1 loss) at Texas Tech
LSU: (needs 1 loss) vs Florida in SEC title game
Boston College: (needs 2 losses) at Virginia Tech,at Clemson or ACC title game
USF: (needs 2 losses) at Rutgers, Louisville, at Pittsburgh
Ohio State: (needs 2 losses) at Penn State, Wisconsin,Illinois, at Michigan.
Are you laughing yet?
Okay, I know it’s a stretch but with the open week, I had a little time on my hands. But ask yourself this: can Florida win out including the SEC title game? Can LSU win out? Okay, then we know that eliminates three teams in front of UF. Boston College and Virginia Tech play and could meet twice. There’s one more and none of us think Kansas is going 7-0 and winning the Big 12 title, do we? The Pac-10 is just like the SEC and they all play each other everywhere! So far I am using rational thought process, but this is where it get’s sticky.
The toughest teams to fall will be Boston College, USF and Ohio State because of their schedules. I could see the Buckeyes losing twice and maybe Boston College but USF could only lose once. They have struggled in cold weather which is why I put the Pittsburgh game on the list. West Virginia may not lose again and maybe Oklahoma will run the table. The last time the Sooners went to Lubbock they lost with Adrian Peterson.
We have seven weeks left in the college football season and whoever can win out through December 1st will have a chance to play for the BCS title. If I had to pick it today I would say South Florida vs Oklahoma in the “former Kansas State Co-DC’s title game.” The Gators play three ranked opponents, plus FSU, Vandy and FAU (SEC title game should Tennessee lose.) I will check in on the Kentucky breakdown later in the week.