Last year, it was Marcus Lattimore. In 2009, it was Lamichael James. In 2008, it was Jaquizz Rodgers.
Every year, there is a name... a Freshman name... a RB... that is unknown in August, but by the end of the season, he is on the "short list" for the Heisman Trophy. Lattimore, James, and Rodgers were all young pups who had never carried the ball in a college game and all 3 ended up rushing for over 1,200 yards in their Freshman campaigns. Those campaigns were all accompanied by winning seasons for their programs.
Typically, the Running Back position is dominated by upper classmen, who have had time to learn the offense, gain weight, and adjust to the speed of the game at the college level, but these 3 young men broke the mold.
The next name that will likely be on this list is Isaiah Crowell. The freshman RB for the University of Georgia has been thrust into a situation where he is "the man". Incumbent Bulldog RBs Washaun Ealey & Caleb King are now former Bulldogs as both were suspended/expelled from the program this offseason. Crowell, the 5-11 215lbs #1 rated RB recruit, had 1,915 yards as a High School Junior and 1,725 yards as a Senior and is expected to start right away for Georgia.
A major difference between the situations, however, is that while Lattimore, James, and Rodgers had fairly easy first games as starters*... Crowell will have to face a Top 10 Boise State team in his first game, which will be no easy task. That game will be followed by a "Welcome to the SEC" contest against SEC East favorite South Carolina.
As we've seen in recent history, a superstar Freshman RB can really ignite a team to the next level. Keep Isaiah Crowell's name in mind as this season kicks off.
*Note: James' 1st game was against Boise St. also, but Lagarette Blount was the starter. Blount was suspended following that game for punching a Boise St player and James' 1st game as a starter was against Purdue the following week.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
14 Days & Counting
Kickoff of College Football is in 14 days (on September 1).
The Highlights for that first night of football are:
UNLV @ Wisconsin
Miss St @ Memphis
Murray State @ Louisville
Wake Forest @ Syracuse
Thing to watch for:
1. Russell Wilson (NC State transfer) will likely be the starter for Wisconsin. Many people had the Badgers as a simply a #15 or #16 ranked team because of their lack of experience at QB, but with the addition of Wilson, they are most people's (including the CFB Kings) pick to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Wilson was an All-ACC performer prior to transferring. Will Wisky dominate the way they should?
2. Mississippi State is in what a lot of people are calling the toughest division in the history of CFB (the 2011 SEC West). 5 out of 6 teams are ranked in the pre-season polls from that division. Miss State has a chance (led by former Florida Gator O-coordinator Dan Mullen) to have a big season and compete in that division. Having a dominant start would show America that they are for real. Keep an eye on 2 players that you'll hear A LOT more about as the season wears on. QB Chris Relf and RB Vic Ballard. Dan Mullen has called some of Relf's attributes very similar to Tim Tebow. And Ballard was quietly one of the leading rushers in the SEC last year.
3. In year 2 under coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals look to make a run at a Big East Title. In his first year, Strong led the Cardinals to a Bowl win and they look to build on that success. It will be interesting to see how stifling the defense can be, as they struggled at times last year adapting to Strong's Free-Wielding schemes.
4. These programs are possibly going in opposite directions. In 2010, Syracuse went to its first Bowl game in 6 years and Wake Forest is on a 2-year Bowl hiatus after going to Bowls for 3 straight years before that. This game will be a definite tone-setter for both teams and also show a bit about the 2 conferences (ACC & Big East).
The Highlights for that first night of football are:
UNLV @ Wisconsin
Miss St @ Memphis
Murray State @ Louisville
Wake Forest @ Syracuse
Thing to watch for:
1. Russell Wilson (NC State transfer) will likely be the starter for Wisconsin. Many people had the Badgers as a simply a #15 or #16 ranked team because of their lack of experience at QB, but with the addition of Wilson, they are most people's (including the CFB Kings) pick to win the Big Ten and go to the Rose Bowl. Wilson was an All-ACC performer prior to transferring. Will Wisky dominate the way they should?
2. Mississippi State is in what a lot of people are calling the toughest division in the history of CFB (the 2011 SEC West). 5 out of 6 teams are ranked in the pre-season polls from that division. Miss State has a chance (led by former Florida Gator O-coordinator Dan Mullen) to have a big season and compete in that division. Having a dominant start would show America that they are for real. Keep an eye on 2 players that you'll hear A LOT more about as the season wears on. QB Chris Relf and RB Vic Ballard. Dan Mullen has called some of Relf's attributes very similar to Tim Tebow. And Ballard was quietly one of the leading rushers in the SEC last year.
3. In year 2 under coach Charlie Strong, the Cardinals look to make a run at a Big East Title. In his first year, Strong led the Cardinals to a Bowl win and they look to build on that success. It will be interesting to see how stifling the defense can be, as they struggled at times last year adapting to Strong's Free-Wielding schemes.
4. These programs are possibly going in opposite directions. In 2010, Syracuse went to its first Bowl game in 6 years and Wake Forest is on a 2-year Bowl hiatus after going to Bowls for 3 straight years before that. This game will be a definite tone-setter for both teams and also show a bit about the 2 conferences (ACC & Big East).
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Shhhhhh.... Can You Hear It?
Shhhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
Off in the distance. I hear the hum of a group of brass instruments and the beat of a cluster of drums… at first disheveled, but then the chaotic sounds suddenly come together in rhythm to the tune of a familiar fight song.
Shhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The pitter-patter. The click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack… as 85 young men in the most pristine physical condition that they will ever reach in their lives walk from the locker room to the flat, hot field to start their first of many “two-a-days”… a phrase that ALL players dread.
Shhhhhhhh… Can you hear it?
A whistle. And the loud scream of a 40 year old man in shorts and a team colored T-shirt yelling at the top of his lungs… “stay down”… “get your head across”… “make the read”… “catch the (expletive) ball”.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The quiet buzz and the hidden dreams of 10,000 men all of which have convinced themselves that this is “their year”… this is “their time”... Every team has 0 wins and 0 losses, so every young man can dream about hoisting up a trophy of some kind. Conference titles, rivalry trophies, even a BCS championship are dreams that are shared by all.
As the NFL Lockout presses on… as the NBA lockout is just beginning. As Tiger Woods continues to struggle and the PGA tour searches for a face of the game. There is one sport that remains consistent. There is one sport whose training camps will always start on time. There is one sport that will always be exciting. There is one sport that as unfailing as the earth turns… it will produce a kickoff in the first week of September. College Football is near.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it??? Ladies and Gentlemen… kickoff is only 42 days away.
Off in the distance. I hear the hum of a group of brass instruments and the beat of a cluster of drums… at first disheveled, but then the chaotic sounds suddenly come together in rhythm to the tune of a familiar fight song.
Shhhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The pitter-patter. The click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack… as 85 young men in the most pristine physical condition that they will ever reach in their lives walk from the locker room to the flat, hot field to start their first of many “two-a-days”… a phrase that ALL players dread.
Shhhhhhhh… Can you hear it?
A whistle. And the loud scream of a 40 year old man in shorts and a team colored T-shirt yelling at the top of his lungs… “stay down”… “get your head across”… “make the read”… “catch the (expletive) ball”.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it?
The quiet buzz and the hidden dreams of 10,000 men all of which have convinced themselves that this is “their year”… this is “their time”... Every team has 0 wins and 0 losses, so every young man can dream about hoisting up a trophy of some kind. Conference titles, rivalry trophies, even a BCS championship are dreams that are shared by all.
As the NFL Lockout presses on… as the NBA lockout is just beginning. As Tiger Woods continues to struggle and the PGA tour searches for a face of the game. There is one sport that remains consistent. There is one sport whose training camps will always start on time. There is one sport that will always be exciting. There is one sport that as unfailing as the earth turns… it will produce a kickoff in the first week of September. College Football is near.
Shhhhhhh…. Can you hear it??? Ladies and Gentlemen… kickoff is only 42 days away.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
CFB Kings Coach of the Year
It’s Time for Awards Season here on CFB Kings. Since there are still a few games to be played, we will hold off on some of the player awards that we feel are still in question. So, we will start it off with the Coach of the Year.
For us, when we’re picking coaches of the year, it’s not about the glamour and glitz. And it’s not necessarily about going undefeated or going to a BCS Bowl game. It’s about what coach we think actually did the best job "coaching". Hence the reason you wont see Chris Peterson, Gary Patterson, or Gene Chizik on our list. Yes, those 3 gentlemen are great coaches and yes their teams are great. But Boise, TCU, and Auburn are stock piled with talent and were expected to do well.
Here at CFB Kings we like to reward the Coaches who exceeded expectations with less talent than the usual powerhouses.
Here are the Top 5 Coaches of the year (in order):
1. Art Briles, Baylor - The Baylor Bears are going bowling for the first time since 1994. Under the direction of Briles, Baylor also ended a 12-game losing streak against Texas and won at Texas for the first time in 19 years.
2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma St. - The Cowboys were almost unanimously picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 South. Going into this weeks Bedlam matchup against the Sooners, Oklahoma State is 10-1 and leading the Big 12 South. They are also currently the highest ranked team in the conference. And oh, by the way… he’s 43 now!!!
3. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford - He has taken a dormant monster in Stanford and turned the Cardinal into the class of the Pac-10. Hard nosed, sound fundamental football has given way to a 10-1 season thus far and a #6 ranking. The Rose Bowl is just around the corner.
4. Rich Ellerson, Army - In just his 2nd year, Ellerson has guided the Black Knights to a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Re-installing the triple option and infecting his team with a “we ARE good enough to win” attitude has paid quick dividends.
5. Dan Mullen, Miss St. - In the toughest division in the entire country (SEC West), Mullen has coached the Bulldogs out of the cellar and into the SEC fray. With a 7-4 record, the Bulldogs are going bowling… but even more impressively, consider the fact that Auburn’s closest game of the year so far was a 17-14 escape from Starkville.
For us, when we’re picking coaches of the year, it’s not about the glamour and glitz. And it’s not necessarily about going undefeated or going to a BCS Bowl game. It’s about what coach we think actually did the best job "coaching". Hence the reason you wont see Chris Peterson, Gary Patterson, or Gene Chizik on our list. Yes, those 3 gentlemen are great coaches and yes their teams are great. But Boise, TCU, and Auburn are stock piled with talent and were expected to do well.
Here at CFB Kings we like to reward the Coaches who exceeded expectations with less talent than the usual powerhouses.
Here are the Top 5 Coaches of the year (in order):
1. Art Briles, Baylor - The Baylor Bears are going bowling for the first time since 1994. Under the direction of Briles, Baylor also ended a 12-game losing streak against Texas and won at Texas for the first time in 19 years.
2. Mike Gundy, Oklahoma St. - The Cowboys were almost unanimously picked to finish dead last in the Big 12 South. Going into this weeks Bedlam matchup against the Sooners, Oklahoma State is 10-1 and leading the Big 12 South. They are also currently the highest ranked team in the conference. And oh, by the way… he’s 43 now!!!
3. Jim Harbaugh, Stanford - He has taken a dormant monster in Stanford and turned the Cardinal into the class of the Pac-10. Hard nosed, sound fundamental football has given way to a 10-1 season thus far and a #6 ranking. The Rose Bowl is just around the corner.
4. Rich Ellerson, Army - In just his 2nd year, Ellerson has guided the Black Knights to a bowl game for the first time in 14 years. Re-installing the triple option and infecting his team with a “we ARE good enough to win” attitude has paid quick dividends.
5. Dan Mullen, Miss St. - In the toughest division in the entire country (SEC West), Mullen has coached the Bulldogs out of the cellar and into the SEC fray. With a 7-4 record, the Bulldogs are going bowling… but even more impressively, consider the fact that Auburn’s closest game of the year so far was a 17-14 escape from Starkville.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Updated BCS Projections
The biggest Saturday in the ACC is on the horizon. And there are many matchups around the country that will give us more clarity on the fluid BCS projections.
Here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:
BCS Championship Game: Auburn vs. Oregon
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Boise State
Here is CFB Kings best prediction as to what teams will land where in the BCS Bowl Games:
BCS Championship Game: Auburn vs. Oregon
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Pittsburgh
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. TCU
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Boise State
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Eyes of Boise and America should be on Blacksburg Tonight
Ever since the night of September 6th, the eyes of the College football world have not ventured in the direction of the state of Virginia. The Virginia Cavaliers have struggled through Head Coach Mike London’s first year. And people seem to have forgotten about a certain team that dons maroon and burnt orange on Saturdays. But tonight, as that team steps back into the spotlight, the nation should understand that the Hokies aren’t only playing for themselves. They are playing for the life of BCS busters everywhere.
After the Hokies lost a thrilling Week 1 showdown to the Boise State Broncos, many expected the win to boost Boise into the Top 2 of the BCS for the entirety of the year. Such a strong win in a virtual road game (at Fed Ex Field) would definitely sway the votes in the Broncos favor, right? Conventional wisdom said yes. What conventional wisdom didn’t expect was for those Hokies to go on to lose their next game to the FCS (formerly D-1AA) James Madison Dukes. It was a devastating blow to Boise’s chances to play for the national title as it appeared that this Hokie team was vastly overrated. Nobody has thought about the team since that devastating Week 2 blunder.
Then came Week 3… and Week 4… and weeks 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. And quietly the Hokies have won 6 straight games, including a road win against #23 ranked North Carolina State. And suddenly in the last BCS standings, Virginia Tech showed up at #22. They now enter their toughest stretch of the season starting tonight against Georgia Tech, followed by trips to North Carolina and Miami, before finishing at home against the rival Cavaliers. If the Hokies win 3 of 4 of those games, they will win the ACC Coastal division and play for the ACC Title in December. And even more interesting, certain projections show that if the Hokies win all 4 November games and the ACC Championship, they could move into the Top 7 of the BCS Standings. Would you believe me if I said another school would be even happier with Virginia Tech’s success than the Hokies themselves?
Nobody stands to benefit more from the success of Hokie Nation than the Boise State Broncos. With Oregon and Auburn atop the standings and fellow BCS busters TCU ranked #3 and Utah ranked #5 rounding out the top 5, Boise State is in a prime position to capitalize on this years love of the Non-AQ schools. Utah and TCU face off this week in an “elimination match” that will only leave 4 unbeaten’s in the country. If Auburn and Oregon win-out, then they will undoubtedly play each other in the BCS Championship game. But if either slips up, it possibly opens the door for a Non-BCS school to finally play for a BCS championship. With Boise sitting at #4 in the polls and playing only 1 more ranked opponent on their schedule (#23 Nevada on Thanksgiving weekend), their only hope of catapulting the TCU/Utah winner in the polls would be for Virginia Tech to win out and finish ranked in the Top 10.
As if that weren’t enough to make this game important… let’s not forget about the defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. With a remaining conference schedule that consists of tonight’s opponent, Virginia Tech, along with Duke and Miami, if the Yellow Jackets win out, they will claim the ACC Coastal division title and play for a 2nd consecutive conference championship. All the while, the Miami Hurricanes are sitting at home realizing that if they win-out, they have a chance to win the Coastal division and play for the conference title for the first time in their ACC existence. “The U” still plays both of these teams later in the season. Think they might be interested in this game?
And in case you haven’t put this puzzle together yet… consider that if Alabama wins out (which would include wins over #2 Auburn, #10 LSU, and #20 Mississippi State), they might leap-frog an undefeated Boise State, especially if Virginia Tech isn’t highly rated come December.
Interested yet?
Sure, at (6-2) and (5-3), respectively, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech aren’t exactly competing for a National Championship tonight. But when the 2 teams face off in Blacksburg, VA this evening, the implications of this game will stretch as far south as Miami, FL and as far west as Boise, ID (not to mention Tuscaloosa, AL, Eugene, OR, Fort Worth, TX, and Salt Lake City, UT).
After the Hokies lost a thrilling Week 1 showdown to the Boise State Broncos, many expected the win to boost Boise into the Top 2 of the BCS for the entirety of the year. Such a strong win in a virtual road game (at Fed Ex Field) would definitely sway the votes in the Broncos favor, right? Conventional wisdom said yes. What conventional wisdom didn’t expect was for those Hokies to go on to lose their next game to the FCS (formerly D-1AA) James Madison Dukes. It was a devastating blow to Boise’s chances to play for the national title as it appeared that this Hokie team was vastly overrated. Nobody has thought about the team since that devastating Week 2 blunder.
Then came Week 3… and Week 4… and weeks 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. And quietly the Hokies have won 6 straight games, including a road win against #23 ranked North Carolina State. And suddenly in the last BCS standings, Virginia Tech showed up at #22. They now enter their toughest stretch of the season starting tonight against Georgia Tech, followed by trips to North Carolina and Miami, before finishing at home against the rival Cavaliers. If the Hokies win 3 of 4 of those games, they will win the ACC Coastal division and play for the ACC Title in December. And even more interesting, certain projections show that if the Hokies win all 4 November games and the ACC Championship, they could move into the Top 7 of the BCS Standings. Would you believe me if I said another school would be even happier with Virginia Tech’s success than the Hokies themselves?
Nobody stands to benefit more from the success of Hokie Nation than the Boise State Broncos. With Oregon and Auburn atop the standings and fellow BCS busters TCU ranked #3 and Utah ranked #5 rounding out the top 5, Boise State is in a prime position to capitalize on this years love of the Non-AQ schools. Utah and TCU face off this week in an “elimination match” that will only leave 4 unbeaten’s in the country. If Auburn and Oregon win-out, then they will undoubtedly play each other in the BCS Championship game. But if either slips up, it possibly opens the door for a Non-BCS school to finally play for a BCS championship. With Boise sitting at #4 in the polls and playing only 1 more ranked opponent on their schedule (#23 Nevada on Thanksgiving weekend), their only hope of catapulting the TCU/Utah winner in the polls would be for Virginia Tech to win out and finish ranked in the Top 10.
As if that weren’t enough to make this game important… let’s not forget about the defending ACC Champion Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. With a remaining conference schedule that consists of tonight’s opponent, Virginia Tech, along with Duke and Miami, if the Yellow Jackets win out, they will claim the ACC Coastal division title and play for a 2nd consecutive conference championship. All the while, the Miami Hurricanes are sitting at home realizing that if they win-out, they have a chance to win the Coastal division and play for the conference title for the first time in their ACC existence. “The U” still plays both of these teams later in the season. Think they might be interested in this game?
And in case you haven’t put this puzzle together yet… consider that if Alabama wins out (which would include wins over #2 Auburn, #10 LSU, and #20 Mississippi State), they might leap-frog an undefeated Boise State, especially if Virginia Tech isn’t highly rated come December.
Interested yet?
Sure, at (6-2) and (5-3), respectively, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech aren’t exactly competing for a National Championship tonight. But when the 2 teams face off in Blacksburg, VA this evening, the implications of this game will stretch as far south as Miami, FL and as far west as Boise, ID (not to mention Tuscaloosa, AL, Eugene, OR, Fort Worth, TX, and Salt Lake City, UT).
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
We're Asking the Wrong Question
Ever since 2004, I have been amongst the BCS-Elitists whose slogans represent something to the effect of “Just Say No to the Non-AQ!!!” Sure, I have respected the success of Utah, Boise State, BYU, Hawaii and TCU over the past 6 years, but I was strongly against their inclusion in the BCS Bowls and in particular the National Championship discussion. So many people that argue with me on the subject continue to ask me some variation of the following question: “What… you don’t think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, or Alabama?”
And there within lies my problem with the entire discussion. We’ll come back to this.
Even in this season, the 3 Non-BCS powerhouses have proven their capability. TCU beat a Baylor team that now sits atop the Big 12 South. Boise beat a Virginia Tech team who is currently undefeated in the ACC. And Utah beat a Pittsburgh team which has started 3-0 in Big East league play. Right now you’re probably thinking… “exactly, so they should have the chance to play for the title.” Keep dreaming (and reading).
There is NO DOUBT in my mind this year that Boise State, Utah, and TCU could beat any team in the country on a neutral field. Heck, I even think that they could go into some of the most hostile road environments, including SEC venues, and come away with victories. But let’s change that “or” to “and” and re-ask the aforementioned question.
“Do you think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama?”
The answer to that question… is an emphatic NO.
But, that is what Auburn has been asked to do this year… and so far (with a 9-0 record) they have done it.
Ohio State has been asked to beat Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue.
Oklahoma has been asked to beat Florida State, Cincinnati, Air Force, Texas, Missouri, Iowa State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State.
Even though Oklahoma and Ohio State both slipped up once, the fact that they are attempting to navigate such a difficult schedule is the point. Week-in and week-out, the BCS conference members have to play a schedule that requires their best effort. The Non-BCS schools do not have nearly the challenge that the BCS schools do. BCS teams are asked to beat more than 1 or 2 tough opponents every year, unlike the non-BCS teams.
Ponder this. In the heart of the season (October):
Boise State played New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, and Louisiana Tech.
TCU played Colorado State, Wyoming, BYU, Air Force, and UNLV.
Now, during that same stretch:
Alabama played Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.
LSU played West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn.
Oregon played Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, and USC.
The bottom line is that these non-BCS schedules are not on par with their BCS brethren, so why should the non-BCS teams play for the same reward? Even the title of the game itself should be enough to drive home that point. It’s not called the “College Football Championship” or the “FBS National Title”. It’s called the “BCS Championship Game”. It is a reward for the top teams that come out of the BCS conferences. It’s not a reward for teams that play schedules with a strength ranking below 90th.
I have softened my stance on allowing the Non-BCS teams to participate in some of the BCS games. It is entertaining to see how a Boise or TCU matches up with some of the BCS powers every now and again. But the BCS Championship should remain reserved for schools that reside in BCS conferences. That is a question that is easy to answer.
And there within lies my problem with the entire discussion. We’ll come back to this.
Even in this season, the 3 Non-BCS powerhouses have proven their capability. TCU beat a Baylor team that now sits atop the Big 12 South. Boise beat a Virginia Tech team who is currently undefeated in the ACC. And Utah beat a Pittsburgh team which has started 3-0 in Big East league play. Right now you’re probably thinking… “exactly, so they should have the chance to play for the title.” Keep dreaming (and reading).
There is NO DOUBT in my mind this year that Boise State, Utah, and TCU could beat any team in the country on a neutral field. Heck, I even think that they could go into some of the most hostile road environments, including SEC venues, and come away with victories. But let’s change that “or” to “and” and re-ask the aforementioned question.
“Do you think that Boise or TCU could beat Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama?”
The answer to that question… is an emphatic NO.
But, that is what Auburn has been asked to do this year… and so far (with a 9-0 record) they have done it.
Ohio State has been asked to beat Miami, Wisconsin, Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, and Purdue.
Oklahoma has been asked to beat Florida State, Cincinnati, Air Force, Texas, Missouri, Iowa State, Baylor, and Oklahoma State.
Even though Oklahoma and Ohio State both slipped up once, the fact that they are attempting to navigate such a difficult schedule is the point. Week-in and week-out, the BCS conference members have to play a schedule that requires their best effort. The Non-BCS schools do not have nearly the challenge that the BCS schools do. BCS teams are asked to beat more than 1 or 2 tough opponents every year, unlike the non-BCS teams.
Ponder this. In the heart of the season (October):
Boise State played New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, and Louisiana Tech.
TCU played Colorado State, Wyoming, BYU, Air Force, and UNLV.
Now, during that same stretch:
Alabama played Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Ole Miss.
LSU played West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn.
Oregon played Stanford, UCLA, Washington State, and USC.
The bottom line is that these non-BCS schedules are not on par with their BCS brethren, so why should the non-BCS teams play for the same reward? Even the title of the game itself should be enough to drive home that point. It’s not called the “College Football Championship” or the “FBS National Title”. It’s called the “BCS Championship Game”. It is a reward for the top teams that come out of the BCS conferences. It’s not a reward for teams that play schedules with a strength ranking below 90th.
I have softened my stance on allowing the Non-BCS teams to participate in some of the BCS games. It is entertaining to see how a Boise or TCU matches up with some of the BCS powers every now and again. But the BCS Championship should remain reserved for schools that reside in BCS conferences. That is a question that is easy to answer.
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