The Conservative Cave
The Bar => Sports => Topic started by: franksolich on December 04, 2009, 07:56:33 AM
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http://bleacherreport.com/articles/301065-big-xii-championship-why-this-game-is-the-biggest-game-of-the-weekend
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The Southeastern Conference is playing a BCS Championship Game semi-final this weekend. But the Gators and Crimson Tide are not playing in the biggest game of the week.
That title belongs to the match between the Texas Longhorns and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
I am aware that the SEC game is a matchup between the top two teams in the BCS rankings. I am aware Tim Tebow and Mark Ingram are both going to be showcasing their talents in hopes of impressing Heisman voters.
I am also aware that the two best all-around coaches in college football will be on opposite sidelines in Atlanta.
So what makes the Big XII game so much more important?
Because Nebraska could win this thing. And boy would that create a mess.
If you don't believe me, ask Bob Stoops.
The Cornhuskers could throw the proverbial wrench into the system with a victory over the Longhorns. Zac Lee could be the one tossing the wrench, or football, during this major upset bid.
Texas is ninth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 15.4 points per game, but Nebraska one-ups the Longhorns as the No. 3 scoring defense. The Huskers give up just 11 points a game!
The Huskers have allowed a total of seven touchdown passes this season. That's third in the country behind Tennessee's five and Florida's six.
If Horns fans think McCoy is going to carve up this defense, then a surprise is in store.
Nebraska has only allowed a team to rush for a touchdown six times this season. That is 13 total touchdowns this season given up by the black shirts.
Texas will have a tough time stopping Lee and company. Running back Roy Helu, Jr. has been great for the Huskers as well.
The Longhorns are still the No. 3 team in the country, though, and for good reason.
This would not be an upset if the Horns were not so good.
Texas has a Heisman candidate trying to follow up a spectacular outing against a suspect defense with a monstrous outing against a proven defense.
If McCoy can put up half the numbers he did last week, he will be the only one you have to invite to New York.
But it will have to be all McCoy. The Horns average just 168 yards on the ground, while they throw for almost 300 yards a game.
This championship game has all the makings of a super contest. It's too bad it is overshadowed so much by the SEC Championship game.
Not that the SEC Championship game will not be one of the greatest heavyweight tilts of all-time, but the simple factor of "What if..." makes the Big 12 game even more exciting.
What if the Horns lose?
Does TCU jump into the No. 2 spot and play for a national championship? What about if Cincinnati beats Pitt and finishes undefeated? Would the Bearcats jump the Horned Frogs for being undefeated in a BCS conference?
What if Cincinnati loses along with Texas, and Alabama beats Florida on a last-second field goal or visa versa? Could that mean a possible rematch in Pasadena?
The BCS is counting on Texas.
What if Texas slips up?
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I don't think Texas will slip up, but we'll see.
Things happen.
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You're right. The SEC game is big only to supporters of those two schools. Thanks to "suspect" SEC officials, both teams are undefeated, so it's a foregone conclusion the SEC winner will be in the NC game. But if Nebraska wins, the NC game is wide open, hopefully for the far-more-deserving UC Bearcats to play. It would be the first non-cupcake out-of-conference game for the SEC, and the SEC champion would not have the protection of conference officials, so anything could happen. Maybe Florida and Alabama are that good, but neither will have demonstrated that until the NC game.
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You're right. The SEC game is big only to supporters of those two schools. Thanks to "suspect" SEC officials, both teams are undefeated, so it's a foregone conclusion the SEC winner will be in the NC game. But if Nebraska wins, the NC game is wide open, hopefully for the far-more-deserving UC Bearcats to play. It would be the first non-cupcake out-of-conference game for the SEC, and the SEC champion would not have the protection of conference officials, so anything could happen. Maybe Florida and Alabama are that good, but neither will have demonstrated that until the NC game.
I can't see Cincinnati "leapfrogging" TCU after that win.
I salute the Bearcats for running the table, an undefeated regular season is a great feat no matter what. I just wish things could be settled on the field.
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What if the Horns lose?
Does TCU jump into the No. 2 spot and play for a national championship?
Yes.
GOBUCKS
Thanks to "suspect" SEC officials ...
Where do you come up this stuff?
The SEC has won the last 3 NC's, and that's no fluke. The conference consistently puts out the best teams in college and the best football players in the world on the pro level. Four in a row is gonna be tough, but at least they have a shot. The officiating in the league is A+++++++ & top notch.
If you're gonna complain about officiating in what should be top conferences, complain about the ACC. Now there's some officials who drag the average down.
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Where do you come up this stuff?
The SEC has won the last 3 NC's, and that's no fluke. The conference consistently puts out the best teams in college and the best football players in the world on the pro level. Four in a row is gonna be tough, but at least they have a shot. The officiating in the league is A+++++++ & top notch.
If you're gonna complain about officiating in what should be top conferences, complain about the ACC. Now there's some officials who drag the average down.
I'm talking about both Florida and Alabama being saved from conference upsets late in the season this year by outrageous officiating errors. That makes it appear, to outsiders, that the conference had an interest in having two undefeated teams in their championship game, assuring the conference a place in the NC game. Had one of them been upset earlier, and then won the conference, the SEC may not have been represented in the NC game. The officiating in the league, this year at least, was comical.
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I can't see Cincinnati "leapfrogging" TCU after that win.
I salute the Bearcats for running the table, an undefeated regular season is a great feat no matter what. I just wish things could be settled on the field.
I have to agree. (in the unlikely event of a Texas loss) It's a shame as Cincy has better quality wins than TCU this year. But it is what it is.
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I'm talking about both Florida and Alabama being saved from conference upsets late in the season this year by outrageous officiating errors. That makes it appear, to outsiders, that the conference had an interest in having two undefeated teams in their championship game, assuring the conference a place in the NC game.
Which propted the "Where do you come up with this stuff?" statement. I'm pretty sure if that had happened I would have noticed and it would have made the rounds of the college football talking heads, which it didn't, probably because it wasn't. Sorry, I don't do "the refs made sure the two teams in the final were undefeated" conspiracy theories.
Given the other teams this season, even a one loss SEC champion with the loss coming late in the regular season is going to beat out the other BCS major conferences, and most certainly the minor conference champions even if they're undefeated. Let me put it this way; Oregon, Ohio State, and GT weren't going to make it anyway seeing they all had 2 loses, and they sure weren't going to match up 2 of either TCU, UCinn, or Boise State in a Nat'l final against each other.
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Which propted the "Where do you come up with this stuff?" statement. I'm pretty sure if that had happened I would have noticed and it would have made the rounds of the college football talking heads, which it didn't, probably because it wasn't. Sorry, I don't do "the refs made sure the two teams in the final were undefeated" conspiracy theories.
Hundreds of stories like this all over the news media. Sorry you didn't notice. Check Google. Both Florida and Alabama were saved from upsets by atrocious officiating. Maybe it was just coincidence, but it was worth millions to the conference:
http://www.sportingnews.com/college-football/article/2009-11-07/conspiracy-theorists-about-sec-officiating-might-be-on-something
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-secrefs110709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/sports/college/article/alabama_football_saban_sticks_up_for_sec_officials/107605/
http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/11/disputed_replay_again_an_issue.html
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12483844/tides-win-is-no-masterpiece-for-maligned-sec-officials
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Hundreds of stories like this all over the news media. Sorry you didn't notice. Check Google. Both Florida and Alabama were saved from upsets by atrocious officiating. Maybe it was just coincidence, but it was worth millions to the conference:
http://www.sportingnews.com/college-football/article/2009-11-07/conspiracy-theorists-about-sec-officiating-might-be-on-something
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-secrefs110709&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
http://www2.oanow.com/oan/sports/college/article/alabama_football_saban_sticks_up_for_sec_officials/107605/
http://blog.al.com/bamabeat/2009/11/disputed_replay_again_an_issue.html
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/12483844/tides-win-is-no-masterpiece-for-maligned-sec-officials
So basically these are articles saying that because they're "the nations best conference," they're going to be under the microscope. OK, I can live with that. If it were the Big 12 or the ACC with 2 undeafeated teams, you'd probably get the same articles (I say those 2 because the PAC-10 and Big 10 don't have a championship game, otherwise they'd be just suspect to the media and others if 2 teams were undefeated). They've got to have something to write about and controversy definately sells.
Both Bama and Florida were 12-0 because they were better than the other teams, that's all. There's no way anyone can claim the refs screwed up in order to assure the top 2 teams remained unbeaten and be taken seriously. And just as I said that about the SEC, I'd say that about the Big 12, ACC, PAC-10, and Big 10.
On edit:
I came up with a good example after I logged off last night.
Remember in 2006 when Ohio State and Michigan were #1 & #2? I guarantee you -- I guarantee you -- that had the Big 10 won the NC in 2003, 2004, and 2005, these same sportwriters would have been on the "Did the refs fix it so OSU and Michigan would be undefeated so a Big 10 team could go to the Championship game again?" And every play during the year in the OSU and Michigan regular season games would have been watched like a hawk to try and find some hidden agenda. Same thing you got now. And I'd say the same thing to them then I'm saying now, which is to take a hike.
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