Posted on 01/03/2009 12:25:39 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
1. Utah ... national champion?! Why not?
I still don't believe this is the best team in America, but without a playoff, it's all about the résumé.
This wasn't a fluky win and this wasn't a case of Alabama coming out flat. Utah straight-up whipped the Tide on both sides of the ball, and remember, this was against a team that was No. 1 for most of the year and was a quarter away from playing for the national title. This was a great, great 'Bama team, and Utah beat it like a drum.
This isn't 1984 BYU; that Cougars team didn't beat anyone as good as the 2008 Oregon State team, much less a TCU or an Alabama. This isn't 2004 Utah or 1999 Marshall or 1998 Tulane. So where, really, should Utah be put in the final rankings? If you're going to say No. 1, no matter what happens in the BCS championship game, it's hard to argue. Utah has to be ranked ahead of USC (on the deserve factor, although I still think USC wins easily on a neutral field) and I still want to see the Fiesta Bowl and the national championship. But even if Texas does what everyone thinks it's going to do and beats Ohio State, then Utah can't be any lower than third behind the Florida-Oklahoma winner and Texas. However, if Florida wins, then you could argue that Utah's win over 'Bama was more impressive than Florida's win in the SEC title game (even though Andre Smith was missing from the Sugar Bowl), and that the Utes deserve to be first over the Gators. If OU wins, then maybe No. 3 ... at worst. At the very least, the Mountain West needs ......
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.foxsports.com ...
The SEC is 5-2 in Bowl Games this year with Florida left to play. Only the PAC-10 has a better record (5-0).
Oh please... Alabama went 12-2 this year coming off a 7-6 season last year. Arrogance and entitlement? I'm just thrilled that we are back in the hunt. Bama earned it's record on the field. Nothing more, nothing less.
You really think that a contributer to Utah win is Urban Meyer?
The coaches of Utah probably had a little to do with it.
Don’t ya think.
Your Tide is getting beat up over here and you displace the dogs under the bed? I’ll hang up and take the answer off the air...
They played TCU who is #2 in nation and clobbered us.
Considering how Ole Miss took care of Texas Tech, the Big 12 is even weaker.
Now look: a playoff for major college football is for juvenile obsessives, degenerate gamblers, and money people. Sports fans will spend time for the next six months arguing about who really is the best team. If we had a playoff we wouldn't get to have all this fun. The lack of a playoff is the best thing about intercollegiate football.
We already have playoff systems for the smaller Divisions. Only the Major Division is without one.
I can’t tell you how many times I heard “now we’re number 1 again, where we belong”. If that’s not arrogance and entitlement, then what is it?
My Tide got rolled by the best. Get over it.
The Ute QB played High School Football at Robert E. Lee H.S. in Baytown, Texas.
That was my first thought as well (That Urban had given them some tips).
Yes, I do. Considering that Meyer came from Utah and the present head coach at Utah came through the ranks under Meyer ... yes, I believe that Urban gave the Utah coaches some pretty good information on how to play Bama.
"The coaches of Utah probably had a little to do with it."
No, they didn't have a little to do with it ... they had a bunch to do with it, and I don't discount that any more than I discount the players' involvement in the win. I never said that Urban won the darn game ... I said that he probably gave them some pretty good info.
That's why I love college football.
If we have a playoff the trash talk wont be fun anymore.
TX has some serious HS football talent. They must get recruited from all over
2008 Schedule/Results
DATE OPPONENT W-L (CONF) RESULT
8/30 @ Michigan 1-0 (0-0) W 25-23
9/06 UNLV 2-0 (1-0) W 42-21
9/13 @ Utah State 3-0 (1-0) W 58-10
9/20 @ Air Force 4-0 (2-0) W 30-23
9/27 Weber State 5-0 (2-0) W 37-21
10/02 Oregon State 6-0 (2-0) W 31-28
10/11 @ Wyoming 7-0 (3-0) W 40-7
10/18 Colorado State 8-0 (4-0) W 49-16
11/01 @ New Mexico 9-0 (5-0) W 13-10
11/06 No. 12 TCU 10-0 (6-0) W 13-10
11/15 @ San Diego State 11-0 (7-0) W 63-14
11/22 No. 14 Brigham Young 12-0 (8-0) W 48-24
1/02 vs. No. 4 Alabama 13-0 (8-0) W 31-17
Complete Team Schedule
You got that. I could name a half dozen without even thinking.
Do you think that Utah would have won without Urban Meyer’s help? (allegedly)
Yes, that is entirely possible.
Yep. Texas players get recruited from sll over the Country. Before integration in the 70’s, it was primarily Black players heading North or West. Now, everybody’s fair game.
But Florida is no slouch itself though.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.