I'm starting to come around. Very, very slowly, but leaning in the direction of some kind of 4-8 team playoff which includes the "major" bowls.
So you're voting in the AP poll Do you vote Utah #1 and SC #2 or SC #1 and Utah #2? It's really difficult to choose between the top two teams isn't it?
Florida is already #1 in the AP and should the Gators beat OU it would be difficult to see Gators even dropping to the #2 slot behind Utah.....but I wouldn't have a problem with it.
Huh? On what basis is USC #1 or #2, or for that matter #3? If I'm looking at Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and USC, I have a real tough time putting USC any higher than #4, if that high.
Sid, You're letting your anti-Trojan glasses take over I'd have no problem with them as high as #2, but there's no way any of the teams on that list deserve #1 over Utah. I also don't really see how the Trojans are ever #4 on that list. If you're talking Florida, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas.... the SEC has played well, but Utah thumped (and that is Ricko verified non-hyperbole) Alabama much worse than Florida did.. Oklahoma won the Big12, but the Big12 hasn't looked real strong in the bowl games... Texas didn't even win their division outright and didn't play for their conference title. USC lost 1 game, on the road to a team that finished well and won their bowl game. We'll find out a lot more about Texas in a few hours though.
Corey, I know you subscribe to a coachspeak jargon/mentality that "we go with what we got....no excuses and we play em the same every week.....no exceptions" theory. I have always disagreed with that train of thought in college football because injuries/suspensions do matter and who you played the in weeks before can matter and how you are motivated does matter. That said.....Bama did not have Smith and their O-line was disrupted by it significantly and I have to believe that Bama as whole did not have the same level of intensity to win as they did vs. Florida. 31-20 vs. 31-17 is pretty close in score but I grant that they were vastly different games but I will offer that it was because Utah did have some advantages as I listed that UF did not enjoy vs. the Tide. UF went without Percy Harvin vs. Bama with only a week to adjust to that injury and Bama went wthout Smith vs. Utah with only a week to adjust to that suspension and at 12-0 with the SEC Title and National Title on the line in Atlanta you just cannot tell me the Tide wasn't a little more motivated to beat the Gators than they were in the Sugar Bowl. Smith may go #1 in the draft and Harvin may be top 8. Those are huge players for both teams and certainly it makes a difference when they are out of the lineup. Therefore....no way you can determine by the two games vs. Bama just who is a better squad between Utah and Fla In Sagarin schedule rankings Utah is at #70....UF at #19. Ole Miss proved on the 1st vs. TT that a one point loss to them when you are having an off....unmotivated day doesn't mean you suck. In any event if Utah could somehow make a point against the BCS by jumping UF to win the AP Championship you won't hear me beef about it. But it's not as cut and dried as you would have us believe by basing it soley on how they played Alabama vs how UF played the Tide.
Another take: "So does Utah deserve a share of the national championship? "When they play big teams every week, maybe we can talk," said Florida safety Ahmad Black. "Not to take anything away from them, but their strength of schedule isn't up to par." Despite beating four Top 25 teams throughout the season, including Oregon State, which was the only team to beat USC, the Utes SOS is ranked No. 57 according to CBSSports.com, while the Gators' is ranked No. 3. Oklahoma's is No. 1."
Corey, fans think Sark will bring the program back, not predicting how soon. Just a relief to see Willingham go. Having a complete reruiting year go by the boards is kinda like a death penalty of the type that beset the Irish Weis's first year. Will take a while to recover. A poster who thought he was Mormon since he was QB at BYU thought this would give him an edge with Heath. Turns out he is RC. I think he has good chance with Heath, though, since the QB situation at SB is two deep. Read where Heath is among 10 already selected to the Army game next year. Irish have OT Christian Lombard in that game already committed .
Corey, I have to agree with you. Utah took away the run from Alabama and pressured the qb much more than UF. Alabama did come to within 4 pts but the Utah defense was the difference. Florida's defense did not dominate like Utah's. MCG, No offense but I felt like Alabama was in the the Florida game until the end, in the Utah game our defense came around but our offense never did. :?
Bill, The two games aren't even close in comparison. The UF/Bama game was a nip/tuck affair in which Florida pulled away in the 4th qtr. Bama jumped out 10-7 and then Florida dropped 10 on them in the 2nd qtr. In the 3rd qtr, it was Bama going on a 10-0 run before Florida hung 14 on them in the 4th to pull away. Utah jumped on them and never looked back. The only time the game was 'close' was after a punt return for a TD and a Utah fumble in their own territory in which bama used the short field to score a TD to make it 21-17. Utah took the next possession and drove the length of the field to put the stake thru the heart of the Tide. The Bama-Florida game was nearly identical yardage between the 2 teams and the Gators sacked JPW once...Compare that to Utah outgaining Bama by 150 yards. They held Bama to 31 yards rushing and sacked JPW 8 times. The scores might be similar in point total, but the games were entirely different. Dave, By your handicapping logic, Oregon is the best team the past 2 years. Vic, I think Sark might bring some edge that Ty lacked which may bring them into bowl contention quicker than you guys might realize. I'm happy for you guys. I really am. The Huskies deserved better than what they've had to endure.
Kp....I readily admit Utah's defense had an easier time than did Florida's vs. the Tide. But again....without what could be the #1 overall NFL pick on the O-line and a patchwork reshuffling of the line that didn't work for Saban, Utah was able to get pressure on JPW although UF did pressure him if not sack him. I just think between that and the lower intensity on the Alabama sideline Utah had an easier way to go. That UF-Bama game was about as intense as it gets on both sides.
MCG, All I know is that for the Florida game I was on the edge of my seat the whole game, and for the Utah game I was hoping the last 5 minutes would just go faster.
I loved the way Utah played, just like I loved the way Boise State and WVa played in their big BCS bowl upsets of heavily favored opponents. But in the end I am pretty comfortable that the winner of the UF/OU game is a worthy Nat'l Champion and won't need and asterisk by their listing. Sure maybe Texas should have been there, but the B12 rules not the BCS rules gave it to OU, and yeah maybe Utah deserves some consideration...do they still have the McArthur Bowl? If we had a playoff maybe they'd be like Gonzaga or some of the other mid-majors in basketball and make a deep run as a cinderella...but like those basketball teams they'd probably not make it all the way.
Well that clinches it for me, when it comes to spin and excuses, Fla. is #1. Utah comes almost all the way across the country to play Alabama in a next door state and takes it to them. And yet somehow, they had it easier than Fla. on a neutral field.
Gipper so it cinches it for you, I am shocked. By the way I never made any excuses or said Utah had it easier, I asked how 31-17 is much more dominating than 31 - 20 and still don't have a satisfactory answer.