Bowl Bash

Bowl season is one of the things that makes college football unique. The experience of relaxing with a televised game nearly every day for two straight weeks is a fan’s dream. That being said, there are way too many bowls and way too many undeserving teams that get to continue their mediocre seasons for another meaningless contest. Of course, bowl games bring in money and attention, so schools are all for them. But even a lover of the game like me can't watch every game. It's not worth the time commitment when several matchups turn out to be ugly/boring - just ask any non-Pittsburgh or Oregon State fan what they thought of last year's 3-0 Sun Bowl thriller. I'll try to give the best guide possible as to which games are worth seeing and why (All times are Pacific). The names of some of the games are odd because of their sponsors, so I'll give my thoughts on them too.

Skip it

St. Petersburg Bowl
Central Florida vs. Rutgers
Dec. 18, 5:00 p.m.

It's a matchup of a powerful run game (Rutgers) vs. a dominant run defense (UCF). Other than that, there's not a lot of intrigue here. Rutgers played a Charmin-soft schedule and still had an average year. Defense usually beats offense, so I'll take UCF in an... upset?

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Middle Tennessee
Dec. 20, 5:30 p.m.

See what I mean about those names? Believe me, it gets worse. Anyway, here we have a couple of so-so mid-majors, with the biggest accomplishments between them a win over Maryland (Blue Raiders) and a pair of close losses to Houston and East Carolina (Golden Eagles). Southern Miss played in a better conference and should win.

Little Caesars Bowl
Marshall vs. Ohio
Dec. 26, 10:00 a.m.

This is why sponsors shouldn't be allowed to put their names on bowl games. Notre Dame turned down the "opportunity" to play in this game because it would have been too humiliating. As for the teams actually playing, Marshall is a .500 Conference USA squad and Ohio is the MAC runner-up. From the little I've seen of Ohio, I'd say they're better. Take the Bobcats.

Emerald Bowl
Boston College vs. USC
Dec. 26, 5:00 p.m.

Not even worth a glance, you say? Shocking as it may seem, there's nothing compelling about this matchup of mid-tier teams from the ACC and Pac-10. The Trojans are far more talented, but that's been true for most opponents USC has faced this season. If they show up, they should crush the Eagles, but it's fair to wonder how they'll react at being in such a bad bowl. I'll put my faith in the Trojans once more - a win would set them on the right track for next year.

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl
Texas A&M vs. Georgia
Dec. 28, 2:00 p.m.

Are you kidding me? What was wrong with the plain old Independence Bowl? I know it's all about exposure and the company sponsors the game, but this is just ridiculous. Texas A&M and Georgia were both mediocre this year, the Bulldogs surprisingly so, the Aggies not so much. I'll take Georgia, but that's not exactly a vote of confidence. They were one of the nation's most overrated teams this year.

Insight Bowl
Minnesota vs. Iowa State
Dec. 31, 3:00 p.m.

Quite frankly, neither of these teams deserves to be playing on New Year's Eve day. They both went 6-6 in average conferences. Seriously, how did these guys manage this? There really isn't a single compelling reason to turn on this game. The Golden Gophers will win, but no one's going to be watching.

Outback Bowl
Northwestern vs. Auburn
Jan. 1, 8:00 a.m.

This is the biggest problem with the current bowl system: it awards mediocre teams like these two with a January bowl game even though neither beat anyone good. How does 8-4 Northwestern get to play on New Year's Day, let alone 7-5 Auburn? January first used to be a special day for college football, reserved for the Rose, Cotton and Orange Bowls. I picked Northwestern, but don't give these teams the respect of devoting any of your time to them. Especially at eight in the morning.

International Bowl
South Florida vs. Northern Illinois
Jan. 2, 9:00 a.m.

Again, here's the problem with having too many bowls. Instead of a good game on the second, we get a couple of 7-5 teams that no one wants to see. Come on. There used to be a BCS bowl right after New Year's Day, now we get this. South Florida should have no trouble putting away the Huskies, but once again, why bother watching?

Papajohns.com Bowl
South Carolina vs. Connecticut
Jan. 2, 11:00 a.m.

The trend continues with a pair of average teams that shouldn't be playing past December. The Gamecocks and Huskies are so irrelevant it's tough to put it into words. I personally watched about a dozen games involving these teams this season and still can't think of a single reason to watch this one. Bad offenses and average defenses should combine to give us an all-time snoozer. I'll take the Gamecocks, at least they have the Ol' Ball Coach to keep things interesting.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Arkansas vs. East Carolina
Jan. 2, 2:30 p.m.

I tried to think of a reason to watch this game, but even my love for ECU QB Patrick Pinkney's game isn't enough. There's nothing here - no signature players, coaches, playing styles, anything. The Pirates are the Conference USA champs and they beat Houston, which I was pretty impressed with. I think they beat the Razorbacks, another nondescript SEC team (there have been a lot of them this season).

Valero Alamo Bowl
Michigan State vs. Texas Tech
Jan. 2, 6:00 p.m.

Really? This is the primetime game on January second? Quite possibly the worst day of bowl games ever comes to a close with the battle between the Spartans and Red Raiders. However, I'm fairly sure this battle will be one-sided and consist largely of Texas Tech lobbing the ball downfield for touchdowns over and over.

Keep one eye open

New Mexico Bowl
Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Dec. 19, 1:30 p.m.

Fresno has been a better team this season. I expect them to win handily, but Bulldogs RB Ryan Matthews just might be worth your time. He’s incredible. I'll be shocked if he doesn't go for around 150 yards and multiple touchdowns.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs. California
Dec. 23, 5:00 p.m.

Two teams that underachieved this year. Both the Utes and Golden Bears had high hopes early but got pushed around by the better squads they played. This contest gets downgraded because Cal's RB Jahvid Best is out. The guy's going to an NFL star, provided he recovers from that nasty concussion he had this season. I saw both teams play and thought Utah was better, so I'll go with the Utes. By the way, the full title of this bowl is seven words long. Ugh.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Nevada vs. SMU
Dec. 24, 5:00 p.m.

This game is definitely worth at least a couple looks. You get the unique run-heavy Pistol offense of Nevada and the most pass-happy offense in the nation in SMU's Run and Shoot. At the very least, there should be a lost of points scored. I like the Wolf Pack to beat the Mustangs in a shootout.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl
Kentucky vs. Clemson
Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m.

Let's face it - Clemson is way better than Kentucky. The Tigers could suffer a letdown after coming up just short of the Orange Bowl, but I can't see that happening. Watch this game for C.J. Spiller and nothing else; it's the last time his number 28 will be worn at Clemson. Tigers over Wildcats by a comfortable margin. And yes, that is the real name of this game.

EagleBank Bowl
UCLA vs. Temple
Dec. 29, 1:30 p.m.

I guess EagleBank is acceptable. At least it sounds like a bowl. This contest is entirely skip-able but for the fact that it's Temple's first bowl in 30 years and just their third ever. As I mentioned earlier in the season, the Owls have been very, very bad for about a century. Their joy at playing in a postseason game should be fun to see. That being said, UCLA will win the game.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Idaho
Dec. 30, 1:30 p.m.

There are two reasons to watch this game - the fact that Idaho is in a bowl game, and Falcons all-world WR Freddie Barnes. Otherwise, it's not very compelling. I think the Vandals will be energized by playing (roughly) at home, but Bowling Green is probably a better team.

Texas Bowl
Navy vs. Missouri
Dec. 31, 12:30 p.m.

Navy's triple option (think Georgia Tech) is always fun to watch, but other than that this matchup isn't too exciting. Missouri was equally good and bad at different times this year and managed only eight wins despite playing in the awful Big 12 North. I'll go with the more consistent, run-oriented team in Navy.

Chick-fil-A Bowl
Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
Dec. 31, 4:30 p.m.

Let us shed a tear now for the demise of the Peach Bowl, which had its name officially usurped a few seasons ago by Chick-fil-A. Still, there are worse sponsors. At least here you get those cow commercials. Tennessee didn't exactly earn a December 31st bowl game with their 7-5 record, but it's worth noting that the SEC has performed very well against the ACC of late. Virginia Tech is a stronger team and I'll pick them to win, but they'd better ready.

AT&T Cotton Bowl
Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss
Jan. 2, 11:00 a.m.

Two very disappointing teams here. Both squads were touted as darkhouse national championship contenders before the year and both fell flat on their faces early. This game has a very Penn State-LSU feel to it. I like Ole Miss in this game. Last year the Rebels upset a lauded Big 12 team (Texas Tech) in this game and I think they do it again. The Big 12 has looked very weak at times this season and I doubt Okie State is ready for this kind of opponent.

Worth watching

MAACO Bowl Las Vegas
Oregon State vs. BYU
Dec. 22, 5 p.m.

What happened to the regular Vegas Bowl? This name makes zero sense. This is the first really (potentially) good game on the bowl schedule. OSU almost went to the Rose Bowl and BYU has been uber-consistent the past several years. The Pac-10 could also use this win because of how badly its been beaten by the Mountain West the last two years. I say Oregon State's offensive firepower will be too much for the Cougars, but I don't expect the Beaver's defense to shut down BYU completely, either.

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. North Carolina
Dec. 26, 1:30 p.m.

Another ridiculously named bowl, but this one has some real promise. Pitt was agonizingly close to winning the Big East and North Carolina has experienced a revival of late. The Big East's cred could take another hit if the Panthers were to lose, which is unfair because UNC is pretty good. I'll take Pitt in a close game - the improvement of QB Bill Stull has really surprised me this year, and I think he made the difference between a 7-5 and a 9-3 season.

Champs Sports Bowl
Miami (FL) vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 29, 5:00 p.m.

Miami had an emotional rollercoaster of a season while Wisconsin had a typical nondescript year. The 'Canes beat Oklahoma and Georgia Tech, only to lose to Virginia Tech and North Carolina. The Badgers, on the other hand, played practically no one and lost to Big 10 heavyweights Iowa and Ohio State. It's a matchup of two traditional powers, which is always worth seeing, but Miami should win this game.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
Houston vs. Air Force
Dec. 31, 9:00 a.m.

This game is worth getting up for. There are only a handful of players that should cause you to stop what you're doing and just watch; Cougars QB Case Keenum is one of them. He runs Houston's spread to perfection. Air Force is actually decent, but I don't see how they win this contest.

Brut Sun Bowl
Oklahoma vs. Stanford
Dec. 31, 11:00 a.m.

This is a good matchup, but it's lost a little of its flair because of the Sooners' five losses and the fact that Cardinal QB Andrew Luck might not play. It's still a solid game, pitting Stanford RB Toby Gerhart against the OU front seven and Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles against Stanford's secondary. I see Stanford winning, but it should be a back-and-forth battle.

GMAC Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Troy
Jan. 6, 4:00 p.m.

You may scoff, but this could turn out to be a really good game. The Chippewas and Trojans won their respective conferences and combined for 20 wins this year. Not bad at all. If that wasn't enough, it's also CMU QB Dan LeFevour's last game. Now's the time to see him if you haven't done so already. Central Michigan wins, but I'm expecting a great contest.

Must-see

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl
Arizona vs. Nebraska
Dec. 30, 5:00 p.m.

The earliest must-watch bowl matches two overachieving squads that nearly won their leagues. It's a classic collision of powerful offense vs. great defense, but there's one word that explains why everyone has to see this game, and it's spelled S-U-H. He didn't win the Heisman, so the least you can do is give it up for the best player in college football in his last game.

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl
West Virginia vs. Florida State
Jan. 1, 10:00 a.m.

Although neither of these teams deserves to be playing on the first, there are some moments - and individuals - in sports that require a little leeway. This is one of those moments and one of those individuals. The end of the Bobby Bowden era is an enormous event for college football and everyone should watch. There simply aren't words to describe the impact the man has had on the game. I think West Virginia is a far better team, but I'm hoping the Seminoles will dig deep to pull out this last game for their head coach.

Capital One Bowl
Penn State vs. LSU
Jan. 1, 10:00 a.m.

It's the all-overrated bowl! Now we'll finally get to see which one of these squads was truly the most overhyped in the preseason. Both the Tigers and Nittany Lions lost to every good team they played and didn't beat a single ranked opponent, but they've found themselves back in the top 15 at year's end. I think Penn State was more overrated, so I'll have to go with LSU.

Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Oregon
Jan. 1, 1:30 p.m.

The one thing I would miss if FBS football adopted a playoff system is this game. The Granddaddy of Them All was the first postseason game; it always has been and always will be the greatest. The contest is just special, as seen by the fact that the bowl's organization has refused to sully its title by allowing a sponsor to slap its name on the game. Ohio State has a very good defense, but I don't think they'll be able to handle Oregon's offense. The Ducks win.

Allstate Sugar Bowl
Florida vs. Cincinnati
Jan. 1, 5:30 p.m.

Tim Tebow's final game. Let that sink in for a moment. Although everyone outside of Gainesville will rejoice that they no longer have to hear about Tebow anymore, the truth is that he's had a fine career and will go down as one of the sport's best players. In this game, I'm looking to see if the Bearcats can match up at all with the Gators. I would have picked Florida before Brian Kelly abandoned ship for Notre Dame; now I'm wondering if it will be close at all. Florida wins it, and I'll go out on a limb and say big.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Boise State vs. TCU
Jan. 4, 5:00 p.m.

My initial fury at this matchup of two mid-majors aside, I think this will be a great game. When the teams met last year the Horned Frogs were able to keep the Broncos in check and do what no other team has done in their last 25 games: beat them. BSU could face some backlash if they fail to win this game, as many people are skeptical of their credentials. They'll play it close, but TCU will come out on top again.

FedEx Orange Bowl
Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
Jan. 5, 5:00 p.m.

When I stopped dancing with glee at Georgia Tech's BCS bowl berth, I realized that this matchup is tougher than it appears at first glance. Iowa faded down the stretch, but they can move the ball a little better than most Big 10 teams and the Yellow Jacket defense is pretty bad. With a lot of time off, the Hawkeyes will be able to scheme to stop the tricky flexbone. Can the Ramblin' Wreck adjust and keep on rolling? I say yes.

BCS National Championship
Texas vs. Alabama
Jan. 7, 5:00 p.m.

You shouldn't need a reason to watch this one. But there are a lot of them. There’s Longhorns QB Colt McCoy, the winningest player ever at his position in college football. There’s the SEC dominance subplot. Will Texas (and the Big 12) get exposed? I'm personally very interested to see if there really is a Heisman curse. Of the nine winners this decade, only two (QB's Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart of USC) have won their bowl games. If Alabama loses, there might really be a curse, because Alabama has proven to be the much better team thus far. That's why I'm picking Tide to win the title.

Regular Season Wrap-up

National Overview

Another season has come to a close. Another regular season, anyway, and that's what matters in college football. What a season it was. No, we didn't have a top-10 team going down every other week, but parity emerged in the sport like we haven't seen in a long time, perhaps ever. As is always the case in football, there were thrilling wins, dramatic plays and crushing defeats. I was drawn to this season more than any I can remember, though, and that's attributable to the high level of competition we were given across the board. Almost every conference race was tight: only two leagues saw their champion win out by more than a single game. How great is that? The guaranteed weekly drama made 2009 a year to remember. We saw the exit of some of the game's greatest all-time players (and one coach). There were scandals involving player conduct and another coaching carousel. I can't sum up the season with any conciseness, so I'll start with the conference championships that were decided this weekend.

Alabama won the SEC by flattening Florida in the title game. I was dead wrong about how this game would play out, and it's because the person I had absolutely zero faith in - Tide QB Greg McElroy - played out of his mind. No one, including myself, saw him as the difference maker in this game, but give him all the credit. It turns out the alleged "progress" the Gators made on offense in their last two games was due to their playing Florida State and Florida International. The Tide made that victory look stunningly easy.

Fortunately, every other conference championship game (official or not) was an absolute barn-burner. Last week epitomized what I love about college football. First, on Thursday night, we had the all-time greatest Civil War game that ended in a 37-33 Oregon win to send the Ducks to the Rose Bowl. I was very surprised how well Beavers OB Sean Canfield handled the berserk Autzen crowd in this game - in fact, it earned him All-Pac-10 honors. Oregon State looked sharp in the first half, but ultimately couldn't keep up with the high-powered Oregon offense through four quarters. The hidden factor that killed OSU was their inefficiency in pressure situations. All year they were clutch in the red zone and on third down, but in the Civil War Oregon forced them into field goals four times. With touchdowns on those drives, Oregon State is probably in the Rose Bowl instead.

Next there was the unbelievable comeback Saturday morning that kept Cincinnati's undefeated season alive. Down 31-10 in the second quarter, the Bearcats never panicked, and rode that attitude and some Pittsburgh miscues to an incredible 45-44 win. I was very impressed by Pitt in the first half in this game, when the Panthers ground out drive after drive and then killed Cincy on some play-fakes over the top. However, in the second half the team was clearly playing scared that they would blow the big lead. Because of this tentativeness, they did. On the other sideline, the fact that Cincinnati never blinked after going down three scores, on the road, in the snow is remarkable. They snatched the Big East title right out from under Pitt.

Then there were the nightcaps. Oh, the nightcaps. What more could you possibly have asked for from Georgia Tech-Clemson and Texas-Nebraska? In the ACC title game the Yellow Jackets and Tigers went completely wild, scoring back and forth in completely different ways. Clemson, led by C.J. Spiller in the performance of his career, ran the ball with an authority they hadn't shown all season. In contrast, the Ramblin' Wreck stuck to their M.O. - running it down the defense's throat and then throwing at the opportune moment. It was yet another offensive spectacle worthy of a championship game.

At the exact same time, though, Texas and Nebraska were slugging it out in one of the ugliest games all season. The Texas offense couldn't move the ball because of the outstanding Blackshirt defense, while Nebraska couldn't get anything going largely because its offense is one of the worst in country. I said before the game that the Cornhusker's D had a chance to make this game close, and that's exactly what happened. Never underestimate the power of a lights-out defensive unit - there's a reason people say that defense wins championships. If not for an extremely fortuitous end to the game for the Longhorns, Nebraska would have lived this maxim.

It was another banner year for mid-majors, as TCU, BYU, Utah, Boise State, Houston, Central Michigan and East Carolina all threw their hats into the BCS ring. I'm not sure how the powers that be can keep ignoring the success of these non-BCS schools; eventually the fact that a mid-major (or two) is going undefeated every season has to be recognized as a sign that it is time for a playoff. There's nothing to lose from it, as truly unworthy teams would be weeded out early, while the best squads would rise to the top. The problem, of course, is money. The massive payouts to the schools in the BCS bowls and the insane amount of revenue those games bring in speak too loudly for the dissidents' voices to be heard. Yet. Here's hoping that either TCU or Boise State demolishes the other and forces a split national title. That would put the BCS folks in a conundrum, no?

On the polls

My regular season-ending rankings take into account the entire season, with an emphasis on recent performance. Some schools have been finished for a week or two and I'll try not to penalize them, but the truth is that teams that play -and win - deserve to be recognized.

1) Alabama

Wow. Just like that, 'Bama solidified themselves as the unquestioned number one team in football. The Tide didn't just beat Florida, they toyed with them. Powerful running and defense got this team to the SEC title game, great passing got them to Pasadena. I'll write more in my bowl preview, but right now I don't anticipate this team having any trouble with Texas.

2) TCU

As seen by my ranking, I think TCU should be in the title game. If the voters were honest with themselves, they'd have docked Texas for "winning" last week. The most consistent, dominant football team in the state this year resided in Fort Worth, not Austin. The Horned Frogs beat near-ACC champion Clemson on the road and did the same to BYU. Throw in the fact that the Big 12 was way down this season, and TCU deserves to be playing for the national title.

3) Texas

Whoo, that was lucky. Texas avoided one of the biggest sports gaffes of all time by a millimeter, and now moves on to play Alabama in Pasadena. However, any objective observer could tell you that the Horns looked nothing like an elite team Saturday, or for most of the season, for that matter. All of this team's big wins came against teams that were later exposed as frauds. Right now, it looks like Texas is going to get their doors blown off by the surging Tide.

4) Cincinnati

Another recipient of some seemingly divine intervention, Cincinnati finished the season 12-0 and got rewarded with... a date with the defending champs. Because they finished third in the BCS, the Bearcats would have been in the national championship if only Texas had lost. Instead they'll have to deal with an angry Florida team without Brian Kelly, who is leaving for Notre Dame. That's not a recipe for success.

5) Boise State

I'm not rewarding BSU for blowing out New Mexico State. Florida deserved to drop behind the Broncos after their loss, considering Boise State is undefeated. That being said, I don't know how many teams I'd actually pick this team to beat right now. The problem is that it's been so long since they've been tested no one really knows how good they are. Good enough to beat TCU? Probably. Good enough to beat Alabama? I doubt it.

6) Florida

The Alabama loss was pretty stunning, not only in the final score but in the way the Gators just got dominated. However, they only have one loss, so it only seems fair to rank them ahead of the two-loss teams. The offensive problems Florida had starting around midseason lingered, and ultimately proved to be their undoing in the SEC championship. I would still bet on a rebound to end the season, though.

7) Oregon

I would have moved Oregon ahead of Florida, but the Ducks beat Oregon State close, not in a blowout. The Rose Bowl matchup with Ohio State already appears to be one of the best bowls, so we'll see if this team can finish what they started and show the nation what they're all about. It's been a pretty impressive journey to this point.

8) Ohio State

You got some time off, Buckeyes. Hope you enjoyed it, because now you get to stop the hottest offense in the country. Long layoffs until the bowl season have hurt Ohio State in the past; can they turn things around this season. In pregame comparisons, the first round goes to Oregon, who beat the two teams OSU lost to.

9) Georgia Tech

It certainly wasn't easy, but the Ramblin' Wreck earned their way into an Orange Bowl bid. I couldn't be happier, and neither should the Yellow Jackets when they realize that they're playing Iowa. Let's see - Big Ten defense tries to stop unconventional, motion-heavy misdirection offense. How has that turned out the last few years?

10) Virginia Tech

I have to admit, I'm a bit baffled myself as to how the Hokies are ranked this high, in my rankings or in the polls. I suppose they haven't lost... then again, they haven't played anyone either. Shame on you for being such an enigma, Va. Tech! For that you remain in the tenth spot. Show me something in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

11) BYU

BYU has been pretty hot all season except for the meltdowns against TCU and Florida State. I've been pretty impressed by the Cougars thus far, but I don't think they know what they're getting into against Oregon State in the Vegas Bowl. They needed overtime to beat Utah, which is one warning sign. Another is the fact that BYU hasn't played a bad game for a while and is set up for a fall.

12) LSU

LSU hasn't beat a single good team this year. They've proved over the course of twelve games that they were vastly overrated. So why the high ranking? Well, there was a reason for all that preseason hype - LSU is one of the most talented teams in America. This usually comes out in bowl games, when they get time to prepare for their opponent. Odds are good that the Tigers go out with a bang again this year.

13) Penn State

Speaking of LSU, how about the Tigers' opponent in the Citrus Bowl? Penn State had a remarkably similar season in 2009, coming in with huge expectations and falling far short of their goals. The Nittany Lions desperately need this game to validate themselves to the country.

14) Oregon State

The Beavers came up short again in the Civil War, but there's no reason for them to hang their heads. The only embarrassing thing is the Pac-10's bowl tie-ins, which sent the second-best team in the conference to the fifth-best bowl. Oregon State can clinch their fourth straight nine-win season with a victory over BYU, an impressive achievement.

15) Miami (FL)

The end of the Hurricanes' season had to feel a little empty after their hot start, but 9-3 is totally respectable given Miami's schedule and the questions the team had at the beginning of the year. 'Canes fans don't want to hear it, but it's the future that's important for the team and the program. It's probably safe to say that Miami is back.

16) Arizona

They hit a mid-season bump in the road, but 'Zona came out smelling like roses. Well, almost like roses. A second-place finish in the nation's deepest league is something to be very proud of considering where the Wildcats were when Mike Stoops took over. Arizona has the potential to be a player in the Pac-10 for years to come.

17) Stanford

People expected a turnaround under Jim Harbaugh, but nobody saw this season's 8-4 mark coming. Stanford beat Oregon and USC and nearly made the Holiday Bowl. If the Cardinal can keep Harbaugh around, they just might be able to regularly compete despite their disadvantages in recruiting. It's rare that a coach can instill an attitude in a team so quickly.

18) North Carolina

The season ended on a sour note with a loss to North Carolina State, but I think the Tar Heels have followed a path not unlike Stanford's. Butch Davis has reinvigorated the North Carolina program exactly like Harbaugh. With the rise of the Tar Heels and Hurricanes, the ACC should be back on the road to respectability.

19) Pittsburgh

Oh, Pittsburgh. The Panthers made my prediction of a Cincinnati upset look brilliant for about 25 minutes last week, building up a 21-point lead before blowing it at the end. It was a heartbreaking defeat, but Pitt is still a very good team and should be the preseason Big East favorite next year with the return of RB Dion Lewis.

20) USC

USC's stunning fall from grace is inexplicable. With the coaching staff and unbelievable amount of talent the Trojans have amassed, there's simply no excuse for 8-4. Ever. It's fair to wonder if the team will even show up for their Emerald Bowl matchup with Boston College.

21) Nebraska

The Cornhuskers did lose (barely) to Texas, but they've become a top-25 team because of their defense. It's amazing to see a offensive powerhouse get completely shut down like Texas was against Nebraska. Now if Bo Pelini could only get his offense to pull their weight, the Huskers could complete their return to national prominence.

22) West Virginia

Rather like Arizona, West Virginia overcame their mid-season slump to finish second in their conference. Even though they'll be playing Florida State in the Gator Bowl, there's reason to keep watching this team. They've been the model of consistency in a conference that has lacked it in recent years. Noel Devine could also be playing his last game for the Mountaineers.

23) Iowa

A top-10 team in ranking, perhaps, but not in reality. Iowa doesn't deserve a BCS berth; regardless of whether they win, they didn't earn the right to be there in the first place. However, now that they've been given the opportunity, they could do the Big 10 a big favor by beating Georgia Tech.

24) Clemson

I just couldn't move the Tigers down after their great effort in the ACC title game. Most opponents would have folded from the clinic C.J. Spiller put on, but Georgia Tech just kept coming. In the end, Clemson came within minutes of going to the Orange Bowl in Dabo Swinney's first season, so I think they'll be fine for the future.

25) Central Michigan

I've been enamored with QB Dan LeFevour's game for a while, but it was a total team effort that won the Chippewas a MAC championship this season, their third in four years. Going 10-2, including a victory at Michigan State, is a pretty nice year for a mid-major. No, they can't measure up to TCU or Boise State, but that's why they're not in a BCS bowl.

Random Thoughts and Observations

If anyone ever laughed at the idea of special teams being important, they didn't have to look any further than last weekend's games for proof. Three different conference championships were decided by kickers. Houston would have been down by just three late in their game against ECU, but the Cougars missed two extra points and had another blocked. ECU escaped with a six-point win. Pittsburgh's missed extra point directly lost them the Big East title, and Texas only won the Big 12 thanks to a kickoff out-of-bounds (that set the Longhorns up at the 40) and a long clutch field goal as time expired.

I usually wouldn't say anything, but I thought a specific part of the SEC championship game was too important to be ignored. Specifically, it was Tim Tebow crying at the end, when it became clear that Alabama was going to win. I can certainly understand the sentiment, and every sports commentator that talked about it did too, saying that Tebow was a "warrior" and a "gamer." I found this very interesting, because I distinctly remember Gonzaga basketball player Adam Morrison getting chided - and even openly mocked - by sportswriters for crying when his team lost to UCLA in the NCAA tournament a few years back. So apparently it's acceptable to laugh at a guy for crying if he's a goofy-looking player from a lower-level school, but not if he's the media's golden boy at a national powerhouse.

A few commentators have opined that the Boise State-TCU pairing will produce a "great" game. I'm with the majority in believing it's a total joke. The only good result from letting mid-majors into the BCS is seeing them prove themselves against big schools that are supposed to be superior to them. Pitting two of them against each other just plays into the BCS's evil, money-grubbing hands. It allows skeptics to say "TCU/Boise State only beat TCU/Boise State, so they're really not very good." It allows the sham of a non-playoff system to continue. And most sinister of all, it ensures that only one of the teams will finish undefeated. Which brings me to my next point.

If five teams finished the regular season undefeated, what would be the best strategy to minimize controversy? First, you could match the "top" two teams in the "championship game" and call the winner the national champ. But that wouldn't prevent a split championship, like in 2003 when LSU won the BCS but USC won the AP title. To prevent that, you could put the two mid-majors in the same game, doing maximum damage to their credibility. To finish things off, you could match the defending champs against the other undefeated squad whose coach was on verge of leaving, almost guaranteeing a loss. I'm not saying there's a BCS conspiracy. I'm just saying.

I also had to get in a final word on the Civil War, which was one of the best games I've ever seen and undoubtedly the best game ever in the Oregon-Oregon State series. It's rare that such a game lives up to the massive hype preceding it, which is what made the contest so special. Atmospheres like the one last Thursday are what make college football the sport it is. Fans of both schools can look forward to many more battles for Pac-10 supremacy between the rising Oregon teams.

Heisman Presentation

I thought it would take a huge performance from a player to change my mind on the Heisman standings. Well, how about three? One guy played himself out of legitimate Heisman consideration (or he should have) while everyone else came up with monster games. This made it much harder to choose a winner than I was anticipating, but in the end there was only one choice.

Runners-up

C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

Spiller's ACC title game performance was divine. I don't care if it was against Georgia Tech's middling defense, 233 yards and four touchdowns is ridiculous. Spiller was the only player in the country to score a touchdown in every game this season and he set the NCAA's all-time record for kickoff return touchdowns. The only reason I have him fourth is because he was a little inconsistent.

Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama

The show Ingram put on against Florida - 100 yards and three touchdowns on the ground and nearly 100 yards through the air - was impressive. He's the best player on the nation's number one team, which is often a formula that adds up to "Heisman." However, like Spiller, Ingram was inconsistent this year, so he really shouldn't win the award.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford

Lead the nation in rushing and rushing touchdowns. He also did so against tougher competition than Spiller and Ingram (look it up) and faced every defense in his conference, which they did not. He's a bull of a back and the primary reason Stanford was so successful. In normal years, he would have won the Heisman.

My Heisman Winner

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

I went away from Suh late in the season because I figured Nebraska's poor record would keep him from the ultimate prize. Then the Cornhuskers nearly jumped into a BCS game by knocking out Texas. There's one reason: Suh. There's no other way a team with an offense as bad as Nebraska's could win more than three or four games. He made everyone around him better, as seen by the career-best numbers some of his defensive mates put up. He also led the team in tackles with 82 (a ridiculous achievement for a defensive lineman), and posted twelve sacks, blocked three kicks and snagged an interception. To cap it all off, Suh recorded twelve tackles and four and a half sacks of alleged Heisman candidate Colt McCoy in the Big 12 title game. If the Heisman trophy is to go to the most outstanding player in the country, it should go to Suh.

Thus ends my final regular season blog. I'll post a bowl preview next week, then a season wrap-up after everything has been decided.

Rivalry Midway Report

National Overview

Well, it's all come down to this week. Five of the six BCS conferences will decide their champion in the final week of the season, and we're being treated to some killer matchups. The sure-to-be-shootout featuring the explosive offenses of Georgia Tech and Clemson? Check. Alabama-Florida, part deux? Check. The Battle for the Big East? Check. The War for the Roses? Check. Even Texas-Nebraska has a chance (a chance, mind you) to get interesting if the Cornhuskers' defense shows up. Let us give thanks for this post-Thanksgiving bounty.

I'll admit that I preferred rivalry week back before the 21st century. Everyone played their biggest rival (with a few exceptions) on a single week. It was mayhem. Then the BCS and the NCAA's 12-game schedule screwed everything up by dividing the rivalry games over two weeks and tossing in the conference championship games, which are a sham. However, this year I actually like how everything worked out. The good games were split apart fairly evenly and we'll get a chance to see more teams play.

The biggest losers of the weekend were undoubtedly Georgia Tech and Clemson. While the Tigers and Yellow Jackets will still face each other in the ACC title game, their (and their conference's) respective reputations took a massive hit when they went down to middling SEC teams in Georgia and South Carolina. Now, these were rivalry games, and both ACC squads were probably looking ahead to this week's game, but there's still no excuse for this. The Bulldogs and Gamecocks are both 7-5 also-rans in the SEC, and they beat the two best ACC teams. Yikes. If the eventual ACC champ doesn't win their BCS bowl this year, the league is going to face a lot of questions about why it deserves an automatic bid. I'm sticking with the Ramblin' Wreck, but I sure didn't like what I saw out of either team last week.

TCU and Boise State definitely gained from the Georgia Tech loss, as the Yellow Jackets will no longer be considered for an at-large berth if they lose to Clemson. TCU, ranked fourth, has essentially clinched the mid-major BCS bowl bid, though BSU should still be in provided they win their thirteenth game this week. I'll discuss the BCS situation later.

Meanwhile, in the Big 12, Texas needed a near-flawless game from Colt McCoy to escape with a 49-39 win over rival Texas A&M. Although they won, the Longhorns have to be concerned about the sudden disappearance of their defense. Oklahoma also thankfully whacked Oklahoma State out of the BCS picture with an easy 27-0 win. Now we won't have to hear any more nonsense about how the Cowboys could go to a BCS bowl. Thanks, Sooners. The championship game this week will feature Texas against big underdog Nebraska, but crazy things have happened in the Big 12 title game before. The Horns had better be very careful, because Nebraska does have the ability to slow this contest down with their defense. In the end, you have to go with Texas because they're simply better, but it's not exactly a sure thing.

The titanic showdown of the weekend, of course, will be Florida versus Alabama, ranked first and second in the BCS. To the winner goes the BCS championship game invite, to the loser the Sugar Bowl awaits. Although 'Bama is a tough, physical team and Mark Ingram has been excellent this year, I just don't see how this game will be different from last season. Florida has exactly the same defense (it's a very good one) and has the offensive skill players the Tide lack. Last year Alabama couldn't throw the ball effectively, so what makes people believe they will be able to this time around? I think Florida wins again (more on this game later, though).

The Big East faces its dream scenario this week, when Cincinnati and Pittsburgh face off for the conference crown. The matchup did lose some of its luster when the Panthers fell to West Virginia last week, though the winner will still get the BCS bid. Not unlike the ACC, the league has been facing some tough questions about its credibility lately and could use a BCS win this year. I think the best team to represent the Big East would be Cincinnati... but I think Pittsburgh will win this game. Cincy's been hanging a lot of points on people, but the defense hasn't been exactly stellar. Pitt should be motivated after last week's last-second loss and I think they score this minor upset (it is at home, after all).

Then there's the Pac-10, which, for the first time ever will award its title to the winner of the Civil War, regardless of any other game. I will elaborate more on the War for the Roses later, but for now let it suffice to say this will be the biggest football game in the history of the state of Oregon. The Ducks and Beavers will battle it out at Autzen Stadium for the right to go to Pasadena on Thursday night, and these two evenly matched teams have the potential to create a showdown for the ages.

On the polls

I moved up some teams thanks to losses by other squads, but some schools didn't move up as much as they could have because their wins were so close. I also hopped Florida over 'Bama because the Tide should have lost to Auburn. West Virginia makes a reappearance after their upset of Pittsburgh, and I gave Iowa a spot in my rankings once again. Recall that these rankings reflect recent performance, not preseason expectations or hype.

1) Texas

Texas nearly slipped out of the top spot. I don't care if it was a rivalry, that Texas A&M game was way too close. McCoy and the offense have been hot of late, but the defense has some real question marks. And why can't the line protect McCoy better? For all the success, this team still has work to do before it's ready for a national championship. Nebraska will be a good test.

2) Florida

As I said, Florida nearly moved ahead of Texas. But you have to remember that the Gators' win was over Florida State. The previous week's win was over Florida International. Those teams have two things in common: their names and the fact that they're both bad. FSU has dropped off so much they actually fired Bobby Bowden. That tells you how much of a challenge the Seminoles were.

3) Alabama

The Tide were outgained and outplayed at Auburn but pulled out the win. The various nagging questions and problems that have been trailing Alabama all year have really intensified in the last few weeks. Aside from the victory over LSU last month, what has this team really done this season? Virginia Tech is good but not amazing, and the Tide's overall level of play has declined as the year has progressed.

4) TCU

I wanted to put TCU over Alabama but I just couldn't do it. You have to remember, Auburn may be bad, but New Mexico is far worse. The Horned Frogs shouldn't get rewarded for blowing out a 1-11 team. TCU has still been very dominant this season, though, and will receive a much-deserved BCS bid.

5) Cincinnati

When last we saw Cincinnati, they were scoring at will (but failing to stop) a terrible Illinois team. I feel like the Bearcats haven't really been challenged for a while, which could play into a slow start against Pitt this week. Can the defense turn it back on in time to clinch the Big East for the second straight year? It'll be a nasty battle, and the game is on the road.

6) Boise State

The last real obstacle to the Broncos' BCS hopes fell when Georgia Tech lost on Saturday. There's still the matter of those pesky Big Ten teams, but BSU is more deserving. After their not-too-surprising stampede of Nevada, I don't see how this team can get left out if they win this week. The extra win (Boise State plays thirteen games) should help their BCS rating too.

7) Oregon

Oregon got their bye at the right time, but now faces probably the toughest opponent of the season (yes, that includes Boise State and USC). The Ducks' defense has been surprisingly poor recently and they can't hope to simply outscore Oregon State. Who wins the 113th Civil War? It's close. It's very, very close. I think Oregon’s ability to contain the Rodgers brothers will dictate how this game will unfold. If they can at least slow them down, Sean Canfield will be forced to make plays on third-and-long, which is not his – or any quarterback’s – forte.

8) Ohio State

Ohio State has finished the regular season, so their ranking will be in limbo until after the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten champs went 10-2 and their best win was against either Iowa or Penn State... but you still have to give them credit for winning the conference again. It's going to be very interesting to see how the Buckeye coaching staff gets the team ready for the bowl game.

9) Oregon State

The Beavers have nearly completed their annual late-season push. All that remains is the Civil War against Oregon. It's tough to imagine Mike Riley not getting his players ready after last year's debacle. The deck is stacked against OSU, but they've proved in the past that they can handle difficult situations. Defensively, you can throw last year’s game out, because that was a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition by Oregon. Stopping the running game is crucial, though. OSU can’t afford to let this game turn into a shootout. The good news is that the Beavers are first in the conference in run defense.

10) Virginia Tech

Tech has had some fortune rising up the rankings while other teams have fallen. Their game against rival Virginia last week encapsulated their season. For a half, the Hokies played even with an inferior opponent, then flexed their muscles en route to a solid win. It's hard to figure this team out, but it's safe to say that they're not really elite.

11) BYU

The Cougars pulled out a wild one over rival Utah, bringing them to a 10-2 record and a probable repeat berth in the Vegas Bowl. While this team has finished just short the last two years in the Mountain West, they're still the model of consistency for any mid-major not named Boise State. Their bowl matchup with whichever Pac-10 team they draw should be very entertaining.

12) Georgia Tech

The Yellow Jackets took a hard fall on Saturday, going down to rival Georgia. I'm not entirely shocked by the outcome, but I'm definitely disappointed. The ACC looks really bad now, and it'll take a BCS win to regain any shreds of credibility. For its sake, and the Ramblin' Wreck's, I hope Georgia Tech beats Clemson this week.

13) USC

Another ranking due to attrition. The Trojans looked toothless against UCLA last week, which is perhaps the most disturbing thing about the way their season has gone. A Holiday Bowl berth is still within reach if USC beats Arizona, but the motivation and killer instinct this squad once showed have disappeared.

14) LSU

LSU doesn't really deserve to be ranked this high either, as the Tigers would have lost to Arkansas if not for some fortuitous breaks and questionable timekeeping. Nonetheless, the Bayou Bengals won, and will continue their march toward semi-greatness. The SEC has such great bowl tie-ins that even a mediocre team like LSU will be playing on New Year's Day.

15) Pittsburgh

Pitt got caught looking ahead to Cincy, there's no doubt about it. While West Virginia is a decent team, the Panthers are better. Problem is, they didn't play like it. Fortunately, Pittsburgh will get a chance to redeem themselves against the Bearcats this week. After the loss, I expect the home team to come out fired up, so I'll stick with my instinct of a looming Panthers upset.

16) Penn State

Penn State, like Ohio State, has already finished their regular season. Now they wait and pray that the BCS folks pick them instead of several other qualified teams. They don't deserve it, but don't be surprised to see this team in the Fiesta Bowl as an at-large school.

17) Miami (FL)

At least the ACC can handle the Big East! The 'Canes whipped South Florida 31-10 last weekend, proving where the balance of power in the Sunshine State lies. It's been a season of ifs and buts for Miami, which could have clinched the division if not for one loss (to either Clemson or North Carolina). The declining play of Jacory Harris is worrisome, but I still think this team is stacked for the future.

18) California

It's been impressive to watch the turnaround in Berkeley, where Cal can clinch no less than a tie for second place in the conference with a win versus Washington this week. Who would have thought that after the beatings administered by Oregon and USC? Jeff Tedford deserves credit for holding his team together.

19) Houston

After the obligatory blowout of Rice, the Cougars can finally start looking forward to the Conference USA title game against defending champion East Carolina. Teams with great offenses have been the only ones that can keep up with Houston, and I'm not sure that applies to ECU. In both of their losses this year, the Cougars have scored at least 30 points.

20) Stanford

After that thrilling win over Notre Dame last week, the question isn't any longer whether Toby Gerhart will get an invite to the Heisman Ceremony, it's whether he'll win it outright. At this point, the Cardinal have a decent idea of where they'll go in the postseason, so the win over the Irish was immaterial. It was still fun to watch, though.

21) Arizona

A week after blowing a shot at the Rose Bowl, the Wildcats almost collapsed again. Rival Arizona State should never have been in position to win that game, but as it was only a lucky muffed punt kept the Cats in range of the Holiday Bowl. 'Zona had better shape up in the next few days, because a certain former seven-time Pac-10 champion is waiting in L.A.

22) North Carolina

Well, I sure didn't see that loss to North Carolina State coming, but I guess that's why they play rivalry games. The Tar Heels have still have a successful season, but next year they might want to play all their games before patting themselves on the back. Like conference foe Miami, though, I think this team's future is bright.

23) West Virginia

West Virginia, where have you been all year? The last two games have been inspiring, and if the Mountaineers had just pulled out a win in that tight game with Cincinnati they'd be playing for the Big East championship this week against Rutgers. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. Rumor is that WVU might be headed to the Gator Bowl, regardless of the result of their last contest, because it would pit them against former coach Bobby Bowden in his last game at Florida State.

24) Clemson

Georgia Tech losing to Georgia was one thing, but this was ridiculous. South Carolina - a team that had shown zero offense all year - had no business running all over the Tigers. I'll keep Clemson ranked for now, but there's really no explanation for how the hottest team in the country came out so flat against their biggest rival.

25) Iowa

With all the losses around the country, at some point Iowa had to jump back into the top 25. No, I still don't think they're very good, but 10-2 with wins over Penn State and Arizona is tough to argue against. They had better not get a BCS invite, though.

Random Thoughts and Observations

The first and most important item of this week is the possible insanity that could erupt in the BCS. While you'll mostly hear that the national championship game will be played between Texas and the winner of Florida/Alabama, the truth is that a number of different scenarios could work out. One thing to assume here is that Boise State and Cincinnati both win their final game. Here's the first wild card:

What if Texas loses to Nebraska?

With the loss, the Longhorns would not only miss out on the national championship, they'd also grab an at-large BCS bid after the Cornhuskers won the Big 12. This is the nightmare for Boise State, Penn State and Iowa, who are all hoping for that invite.

Next, the SEC champion's opponent in the national title game would be either TCU, Cincinnati or Boise State. All three teams (if they finish undefeated), would have an equal argument for inclusion. However, none of those teams is a sexy (read: revenue-bringing) pick for the BCS championship, so it's possible, if unlikely, that another situation could arise, triggered by...

Alabama beating Florida

If the Gators, who are currently a comfortable number one in the BCS, were to lose, they could drop only to number two if Texas lost as well. Then Florida and Alabama would have a rematch in the national championship game. This is the doomsday scenario for college football.

In such a situation, undefeateds Boise State, TCU and Cincinnati would be furious they were passed over by a one-loss team. This is nothing new, in fact, it's what the BCS seems to thrive on. However, the consequences of an all-SEC rematch could be much more dire.

Last month, it was rumored - rumored, mind you - that Big 10 commissioner Jim Delaney might threaten to secede from the BCS if Florida and Alabama played each other in the national championship game. I know at first this seems preposterous, given that the Big 10 has benefitted from the BCS more than any other conference.

However, Delaney would have a good argument: in 2006, top-ranked Ohio State beat second-ranked Michigan 42-39 in the season finale for both schools. When voters heard that the BCS might rematch the two in the national championship game, they immediately began ranking Michigan lower in their polls in order to lower the Wolverines' computer ranking. The rub? They were egged on by the SEC and Florida coach Urban Meyer, who openly campaigned for his one-loss team to jump Michigan and play the Buckeyes. The strategy worked, and the rest is history. Given how this situation worked out before, it would be outrageous for the loser of the SEC title game to backdoor their way into the BCS championship. So root for Texas this week, and pray that no SEC shenanigans go down under the table.

Speaking of the SEC championship (or as ESPN would call it, Tim Tebow's Showdown Of The Greatest Teams In The Country Featuring Tim Tebow, The Best Player Of All Time, Presented By Tim Tebow), I alluded before that I don't really see any intrigue with this game. And I don't. Last year the experts predicted a close, low-scoring game because of the powerful defenses of the two teams. The final score was 31-20 Florida, because the teams had accumulated their great defensive stats playing against some of the most anemic offenses in America in the SEC. Alabama couldn't throw when they had to, which cost them. This year, the teams are virtually the same, except instead of a fifth-year senior quarterback Alabama is trotting out a junior who had never started a game before this year. I'm looking for a similar result from last season: more points than everyone expects, with the Gators wearing down the Tide thanks to a semblance of a balanced offense.

As long as I'm on the subject of the SEC, I might as well add that had it not been for LSU's miraculous win over Arkansas on Saturday the league would only have two teams - division champs Alabama and Florida - over .500 in league play. LSU is 5-3, everyone else is 4-4 or worse. That's not parity, that's mediocrity.

Readers know that I have a love affair with Georgia Tech's flexbone offense. It's innovative, it's unconventional and it's very hard to stop given a week's time to prepare. However, as I noted earlier in the year, it can be stopped if the opponent spends a lot of time getting ready (and disciplined) to defend it, like when LSU held the Yellow Jackets to three points in their bowl game last year. I figured at least one team would do the same to Tech this season and it turned out to be Georgia. This isn't surprising at all; last year the Ramblin' Wreck dropped 45 points on the Bulldogs, which clearly rankled their rivals. Georgia obviously spent a good part of this season (and probably the offseason) with revenge on their minds, because they came into last week's game playing as well on defense as LSU did. Now if only Georgia hadn't spent so much time thinking about the Yellow Jackets, maybe they would have gone better than 7-5.

BYU quarterback Max Hall caught some flack this week for his post-game comments on rival Utah, when he said he "Hate[d] everything about them... their program, their fans." Hall also remarked that he thought the Utes were "classless" and that he didn't respect them. His comments stemmed from BYU's blowout loss last season in Salt Lake City, when his family reportedly had beer poured on them.

Some commentators have said that Hall's words were in themselves classless, but I'm completely all right with what he said. The best explanation I can offer for my reaction is that this is college football. You're supposed to hate your rival. Hall would have already held animosity toward Utah before his family was mistreated by their fans, and that incident would have taken his feelings to another level. I don't want to make some kind of social statement, but in the very politically correct society we live in it's nice to hear someone speak his mind. College sports are about emotion and college football is the most emotional sport there is. Hall isn't a bad person. He just hates Utah. What's so wrong about that?

In era-ending news, Bobby Bowden was forced out of his head coaching job at Florida State this week. Bowden is a legend, ranking second all-time in FBS wins after his 34 years at the school. During one incredible stretch, the Seminoles finished fourth or higher in the polls every year for fourteen straight seasons. It is truly a sad day for college football.

However, it is also important to realize that this change had to be made. Bowden is 80 years old. He could no longer run an offense or a defense or even game plan for an opponent (at least, successfully). The truth is that Florida State is now a shell of what they once were, and it's because Bowden stayed too long. He deserved a better send-off than this, but unfortunately it's a decision that had to be made if the school wanted to be competitive again.

Heisman-worthy (right now)

I'm back to narrowing down my list again after last week eliminated some guys and made it clear that others should be given more credit. Unless there's a monster performance by a fringe player this week, my list is unlikely to change again, but you never know.

C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

Spiller would have been out after his awful game against South Carolina, but the guy was sick, for goodness sake. He still felt well enough to run back his NCAA-record seventh kickoff for a touchdown. Has he filled the void left by Jahvid Best's injury? Yes. That's quite an accomplishment.

Case Keenum, QB, Houston

Video-game numbers, and he might get some votes if Houston wins the Conference USA, but there's just not quite enough there to give him the Heisman. He played just as well against Oklahoma State as Colt McCoy did, though. Give the man his due - he won't get it next year when the Cougars return to obscurity.

Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford

He punctuated his amazing year with 200 yards and three TD's (along with one passing) against Notre Dame. If Gerhart isn't in New York there ought to be a Congressional investigation. He's gone for 1,700 yards and 26 touchdowns in the nation's toughest conference. Pac-10 teams are going to rejoice when he leaves, more proof that he's Heisman material.

Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

As good as Gerhart was, McCoy was just as impressive against Texas A&M. No, he hasn't played a very hard schedule, but he's carried the team the whole season. He's ultra-efficient despite playing with a spotty running game and only an above-average line. I would be shocked to see anyone but McCoy win the Heisman if Texas makes the national championship game.

The Civil War

It's finally here. More than 100 years of games between the top two football teams in the state of Oregon, and there's never been a game of this magnitude. Oregon sits at 7-1 in conference play, Oregon State just one step behind at 6-2. The winner, for the first time ever, will be assured the Pac-10 championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. On the eve of the Civil War, the hype has reached a fever pitch.

The Civil War has a place among a very select group of rivalries, the kind only college football can muster. The game is Oregon's Super Bowl - no professional football team calls Oregon its home. There are exactly two schools in the state that field FBS football teams, a rarity in today's ever-expanding football world. It is the biggest sporting event of the year, every year.

It's difficult to describe the Oregon-Oregon State rivalry to someone not originally from the state. The feelings it evokes can be learned, but to a native Oregonian the emotions are almost always stronger. It is very much a "Civil" War; while many rivalries across the nation feature teams and fan bases that rankle each other all year, Oregon and Oregon State fans live in peaceful coexistence most of the time.

But the battle for state supremacy is not the only reason the game is so ingrained in Oregon culture. The contest is highly personal as well: many families seem to have at least one member that went to each school. It truly is a brother-against-brother affair. People are deeply passionate about their favored school, in large part because of how bad the two teams have been historically. Both were lovable underdogs for decades, popping up every ten years or so with a good season and then disappearing again for long stretches.

But those days are over. In the late 1980s Oregon began a long climb to respectability that culminated with their first Pac-10 championship - and Rose Bowl - in nearly 40 years. Oregon State followed suit, and by the turn of the millennium the teams were competing against each other for the conference title. After a few years of uncertainty and doubt, the Ducks and Beavers have roared back onto the national scene in the past few seasons. It is precisely this reason why the Civil War has come to mean so much more than it ever has. For all the years of losing, of frustration, of sad acceptance, Oregonians feel they have paid their dues. They feel they deserve a conference title, a Rose Bowl, a national championship.

Now the teams must face each other for the chance to represent the Pac-10 (and really, the entire West Coast) in the Rose Bowl, The Granddaddy of them All. It's been a wild and marvelous 114 years to this point (the first game was played in 1894). To the winner goes everything. Oregon and Oregon State are evenly matched to such an absurd degree that it would be insulting to predict a winner. This is a game where one play could decide it all. I don't know what's going to happen, no expert (despite what they tell you) knows what's going to happen and the players and coaches don't know what's going to happen. All I know is that the nation's eyes will be focused, for this one night, this one moment, on Eugene, where two of the country's finest football teams will play for the right to call the state and the conference their own. It couldn't happen to two more deserving schools, and the state of Oregon should be proud to call these Ducks and Beavers their own.

May the best team prevail. The roses await.