The Worst Year in College Football History
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by user Coachcarpenter
THE PEOPLE VS. THIS COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON
Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, this is the worst season for college football of all-time. Up is down, down is up, Notre Dame stinks, Kentucky is good.
College football is all about tradition - the rivalries, the coaches, the stadiums. It is about rubbing a sign or rock for luck. It is about playing the same team on the same Saturday every year. It is about Red River Shootouts, the World's Largest Cocktail Party and the Iron Bowl.
Traditions, unlike records, are not meant to be broken. This college football season, however, is all about breaking tradition. It is the worst one ever.
Don't believe me?
Exhibit A - The following teams ought to be fighting for the national title: Nebraska, Notre Dame, Florida State, Tennessee, Texas, Miami, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Florida.
The following teams are not in contention for a national title: Nebraska, Notre Dame, Florida State, Tennessee, Texas, Miami, Virginia Tech, Michigan, Florida.
Why does this matter? Who cares which teams are fighting for the championship?
Here is why it matters - college football is not meant for parity. As fans, we expect USC vs. Notre Dame to be a big game. We count on Tennessee vs. Alabama to be a nationally important game. We know Miami vs. Florida State will help determine the national champion.
All three of those games took place yesterday and none really mattered.
You know which games mattered this weekend? Missouri vs. Texas Tech. South Florida vs. Rutgers. South Carolina vs. Vanderbilt.
College football is the ultimate "big game" sport. Every Saturday there is a big game that will settle a rivalry or determine a champion. This season, there are no big games because they are all big games, which means none of them are big games (I sound like Ayn Rand, don't I?). They are all like NFL regular season games; we get excited about them, but they are not life or death. It used to be that Miami vs. Florids State was life or death. Not anymore. A two-loss team might play for a championship this year. Seriously.
Exhibit B - The BCS format.
We all hate it, but this will be the worst year yet. The Bowl Championship Series is designed for two unbeaten teams to meet. Unless Ohio State plays Kansas or Hawaii, that isn't going to happen this year. Instead, it will be two one-loss teams. Which ones? LSU? USC? South Florida? West Virginia? Oklahoma? Ohio State? There is no champion emerging right now outside of Ohio State, who still has not beaten a decent opponent, so we are going to have a controversial January once again. The system is not built for college football parity, but that is what we've got.
Exhibit C - The Heisman Trophy
And the Heisman goes to...??? Nobody is stepping up to win the sport's most prestigious prize this year. Colt Brennan? His team nearly lost to San Jose State and his numbers reek of system stats. Mike Hart? His team lost to Appy State. Andre Woodson? He plays for a basketball school. Tim Tebow? Florida has two losses after a national title. Matt Ryan? Who is Matt Ryan?
Where have you gone, Reggie Bush? This year's Heisman ought to be presented by Gino Torreta & Eric Crouch. This is the weakest crop of candidates I can remember - another nail in this season's coffin.
I know what the other side will say - underdogs are fun! We are tired of Notre Dame and Nebraska winning every year! Don't you love stories like Boise State and South Florida?
No, no, no.
Are you really excited about seeing South Florida in a BCS bowl game? Can't wait for that Kansas vs. Texas Tech Big 12 championship game? Come on - we love seeing Florida vs. Ohio State for the championship. We love Texas vs. Nebraska for the Big 12. College football is about tradition, not up-starts. College basketball can have its George Masons and Villanovas - college football is supposed to be about the powerhouses.
So if this season is so awful, why has it happened?
My first instinct is to blame it on the stupid looking Nike shirts that every coach is wearing this year. You want all the teams to be equal? Make everyone dress the exact same.
My smarter instinct is to blame it on superior coaching at non-powerhouse schools. The big boys like Phil Fulmer, Bobby Bowden, Lloyd Carr and Joe Paterno have been beating up on traditionally weaker schools for years doing the same things they are doing today. The difference is that the game has changed. The new football is a spread out, quick-hitting attack with running quarterbacks who can throw it 70 yards downfield too. The I-formation and pro style offense seems archaic compared to what West Virginia or Wake Forest are doing these days. The old dogs have not learned new tricks and are playing catch-up because of it.
My smartest instinct notices that there are not many good defenses in college football right now. Saturday is all about scoring while Sunday is all about defense. Here is why - it used to be that great athletes were told they could play for Notre Dame or Texas, but it would be as a defensive back or linebacker. Their answer - sure I will if I get to play for Notre Dame or Texas.
Their answer today - no thanks, I'll just go to Kentucky or South Florida to play quarterback or tailback. The offenses across the country are loaded while the defenses are terrible. It cannot all be the spread offense. It cannot all be the running quarterback. NFL defenses don't have problems like this against them. NFL defenses, however, have real speed and real talent. Teams like Notre Dame and Miami cannot stop anybody these days because there is no talent on the defensive side of the ball.
Add it all up and here is what you've got - a season to forget. This weekend should have been one of the great ones of the college football season, but instead the highlights were upsets of South Florida and South Carolina and a game played in Kentucky.
The prosecution rests.
See the rebuttal at The Best Year in College Football History
