oupride
12/30/2008, 04:28 PM
Bowl season comes down to Big 12 vs. SEC
Michael Rosenberg
Detroit Free Press columnist
FoxSports.com (http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/9004926/Bowl-season-comes-down-to-Big-12-vs.-SEC)
There are a few college football nuts who do asinine things like watch the Motor City Bowl from their couch on a Friday night. But enough about me.
1. Cheer on the alma mater — or faux alma mater, for the subway alums.
2. See who wins the national championship.
3. See which conference is the best.
We still have a few versions of the Only A Loser Would Watch This Bowl left this holiday season. But we're starting to get into the games that matter, which means conference bragging rights are on the line. And if you have watched college football all season, that means one thing above all:
Big 12 or SEC?
They are, from all appearances, the two best conferences in the land this season. They face off in the BCS title game Jan. 8: SEC champ Florida against Big 12 champ Oklahoma. Big 12 fans say SEC defenses could not stop those high-powered Big 12 offenses. SEC fans say the Big 12 wouldn't know about defense, since it is illegal in that league.
It is not entirely fair to judge a league on the postseason. So much depends on matchups. But who said anything about fair? College football is a perception game, and this is when perceptions are shaped.
Just ask Ohio State fans.
In recent years, the conference supremacy argument has gone from heated discussion to nationwide bar brawl. The Southeastern Conference is largely responsible for that, and I mean that as a compliment. SEC fans take more pride in their league, and the craziness of their fellow fans, than anybody else in the country. And it rubs off on the teams — after a big bowl win, SEC players often chant "SEC! SEC!" on the field.
SEC fans proudly boast that their league has won the last two national championships both in blowout wins over Ohio State. Conclusion: Ohio State is a "fraud" that plays in a "joke" Big Ten and should be kept far away from all BCS title games for at least 50 years.
SEC fans won't tell you that in the last two years, the league is 3-3 against the Big Ten in bowl games. Or that in the last four years the SEC is 5-6 against the Big Ten in bowl games. And you know what? They SHOULDN'T tell you all that. You want facts, look the damn things up yourself.
The SEC has probably been the best league over the last several years, and could well earn that unofficial honor again, as well as a third straight BCS title. But the Big 12 got a nice start to the bowl season with Missouri's overtime win over Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl.
The bragging rights schedule:
Dec. 30: Oklahoma State vs. Oregon, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl: The Holiday Bowl has a long history of high-scoring games. Oregon and Oklahoma State average a combined 83 points per game. This could be like an NBA game where you don't have to tune in until the final five minutes.
Dec. 31: Kansas (Big 12) vs. Minnesota, Insight Bowl: Let me say this as nicely as I possibly can. Minnesota is not good. OK, that wasn't very nice.
Dec. 31, LSU (SEC) vs. Georgia Tech, Chick-Fil-A Bowl: A rare bowl-season road game for the SEC. LSU has lost five of eight, has serious quarterback issues and must prepare for Georgia Tech's triple-option while searching for a new defensive coordinator. This would be a big win for the SEC.
Jan. 1, South Carolina (SEC) vs. Iowa, Outback Bowl: Iowa has outscored its opponents by 204 points this season. South Carolina has outscored its opponents by 17 points.
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., Nebraska (Big 12) vs. Clemson, Gator Bowl: The Big 12 North badly needs Nebraska to be a national factor again. This will be a decent test of whether the Cornhuskers are close.
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., Georgia (SEC) vs. Michigan State, CapitalOne Bowl: If these teams had played the opening week of the season, Georgia might have been a three-touchdown favorite.
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., Mississippi (SEC) vs. Texas Tech (Big 12), Cotton Bowl: This is what I mean about matchups. The Red Raiders are the third-best team in the Big 12; Ole Miss is the fourth-best in the SEC. Plus the game is in Texas.
Jan. 2, 8 p.m., Alabama (SEC) vs. Utah, Sugar Bowl: 'Bama has two things working against it. Star tackle Andre Smith is ineligible and the Crimson Tide must battle the letdown factor, since they had national title hopes a month ago. Still, Nick Saban should have his team ready.
Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Ohio State vs. Texas (Big 12), Fiesta Bowl: If Texas wins, SEC fans will yawn and say everybody beats Ohio State this time of year.
Jan. 8, 8 p.m., No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Oklahoma, BCS Championship: This could be the Big 12-SEC tiebreaker um, among other things.
Michael Rosenberg
Detroit Free Press columnist
FoxSports.com (http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/9004926/Bowl-season-comes-down-to-Big-12-vs.-SEC)
There are a few college football nuts who do asinine things like watch the Motor City Bowl from their couch on a Friday night. But enough about me.
1. Cheer on the alma mater — or faux alma mater, for the subway alums.
2. See who wins the national championship.
3. See which conference is the best.
We still have a few versions of the Only A Loser Would Watch This Bowl left this holiday season. But we're starting to get into the games that matter, which means conference bragging rights are on the line. And if you have watched college football all season, that means one thing above all:
Big 12 or SEC?
They are, from all appearances, the two best conferences in the land this season. They face off in the BCS title game Jan. 8: SEC champ Florida against Big 12 champ Oklahoma. Big 12 fans say SEC defenses could not stop those high-powered Big 12 offenses. SEC fans say the Big 12 wouldn't know about defense, since it is illegal in that league.
It is not entirely fair to judge a league on the postseason. So much depends on matchups. But who said anything about fair? College football is a perception game, and this is when perceptions are shaped.
Just ask Ohio State fans.
In recent years, the conference supremacy argument has gone from heated discussion to nationwide bar brawl. The Southeastern Conference is largely responsible for that, and I mean that as a compliment. SEC fans take more pride in their league, and the craziness of their fellow fans, than anybody else in the country. And it rubs off on the teams — after a big bowl win, SEC players often chant "SEC! SEC!" on the field.
SEC fans proudly boast that their league has won the last two national championships both in blowout wins over Ohio State. Conclusion: Ohio State is a "fraud" that plays in a "joke" Big Ten and should be kept far away from all BCS title games for at least 50 years.
SEC fans won't tell you that in the last two years, the league is 3-3 against the Big Ten in bowl games. Or that in the last four years the SEC is 5-6 against the Big Ten in bowl games. And you know what? They SHOULDN'T tell you all that. You want facts, look the damn things up yourself.
The SEC has probably been the best league over the last several years, and could well earn that unofficial honor again, as well as a third straight BCS title. But the Big 12 got a nice start to the bowl season with Missouri's overtime win over Northwestern in the Alamo Bowl.
The bragging rights schedule:
Dec. 30: Oklahoma State vs. Oregon, Pacific Life Holiday Bowl: The Holiday Bowl has a long history of high-scoring games. Oregon and Oklahoma State average a combined 83 points per game. This could be like an NBA game where you don't have to tune in until the final five minutes.
Dec. 31: Kansas (Big 12) vs. Minnesota, Insight Bowl: Let me say this as nicely as I possibly can. Minnesota is not good. OK, that wasn't very nice.
Dec. 31, LSU (SEC) vs. Georgia Tech, Chick-Fil-A Bowl: A rare bowl-season road game for the SEC. LSU has lost five of eight, has serious quarterback issues and must prepare for Georgia Tech's triple-option while searching for a new defensive coordinator. This would be a big win for the SEC.
Jan. 1, South Carolina (SEC) vs. Iowa, Outback Bowl: Iowa has outscored its opponents by 204 points this season. South Carolina has outscored its opponents by 17 points.
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., Nebraska (Big 12) vs. Clemson, Gator Bowl: The Big 12 North badly needs Nebraska to be a national factor again. This will be a decent test of whether the Cornhuskers are close.
Jan. 1, 1 p.m., Georgia (SEC) vs. Michigan State, CapitalOne Bowl: If these teams had played the opening week of the season, Georgia might have been a three-touchdown favorite.
Jan. 2, 2 p.m., Mississippi (SEC) vs. Texas Tech (Big 12), Cotton Bowl: This is what I mean about matchups. The Red Raiders are the third-best team in the Big 12; Ole Miss is the fourth-best in the SEC. Plus the game is in Texas.
Jan. 2, 8 p.m., Alabama (SEC) vs. Utah, Sugar Bowl: 'Bama has two things working against it. Star tackle Andre Smith is ineligible and the Crimson Tide must battle the letdown factor, since they had national title hopes a month ago. Still, Nick Saban should have his team ready.
Jan. 5, 8 p.m., Ohio State vs. Texas (Big 12), Fiesta Bowl: If Texas wins, SEC fans will yawn and say everybody beats Ohio State this time of year.
Jan. 8, 8 p.m., No. 1 Florida vs. No. 2 Oklahoma, BCS Championship: This could be the Big 12-SEC tiebreaker um, among other things.