Final Commentary for 2006-07
Let me start by congratulating Scott on his huge win. Eric didn't send picks in this year for the Bowls, but Scotty cleaned up for a huge win. Much like the BCS Championship game...
#1 Florida pulled off a huge upset by shoe-whipping undefeated Ohio State in the BCS Championship Game. I firmly believe that Tressel's decision to go for it on 4th and 1 on his own 29 in the second quarter destroyed Ohio State's momentum, confidence, and essentially lost that game. It was a manageable 10-point game at that point. The decision, although gutsy, was very stupid. Two things happened shortly thereafter. Florida was held to a FG, which was good (given they could sniff the endzone). Then Troy Smith fumbled and Florida scored a TD that put it out of reach 34-14. Ted Ginn going out early didn't help, either. Yes, Florida was great on both sides of the ball and established themselves as the clear Champion, but Ohio State helped them and did not have the willpower to come from behind to win. Champions have that willpower.
#2 Boise State is #2 because they are still undefeated (the only team in the country that is), because they pulled off three imaculately perfect trick plays, and because their offense and defense both played tough the whole game. This was not the same patsy that everyone made them out to be. They were fast, they were tough, and they had fate on their side that night in Glendale. Never has anyone, in my recollection, executed the hook and lateral, the WR pass, and the statue of liberty so crisply, so cleanly, and so well in the same game. Everything was right for them that night and they deserve recognition. I don't think they would beat Florida right now, but I think they may have on New Year's Night.
#3 Ohio State looked like the best team right up until the BCS Championship Game when they got embarrassed. They were a good team, hyped to greatness, taken down a notch by a team on a mission.
#4 LSU looked brilliant in the Sugar Bowl. Sure, it was in front of a home crowd. Sure, it was a coin toss as to which JaMarcus Russell would show up. Sure, Notre Dame was overhyped as usual. Yet, LSU looked perfect in most every way. They defended well, they threw well, they ran well, they executed on special teams. In the end, they plastered ND in front of a national television audience. I'm sure Regis, Joe Theismann, and the CEO of NBC were practically crapping themselves at the thought of the Irish getting destroyed like that. Oh well. Maybe next year they won't put ND in a situation they can't handle. Not.
#5 USC proved their dominance on the field once again. Their D was stellar, punishing the Wolverines for every yard. I don't know what Pete Carrol is feeding them at the training table, but it must be some form of raw meat. The offense looked good in many respects (especially the Dwayne Jarrett respect), but that defense looked sick. Meechigan paid dearly for thinking it belonged in the Rose Bowl against these guys. Sure, everybody will remember goofy losses to UCLA and Oregon State, but this USC team was good enough to be in the BCS Championship.
#6 Louisville finished a great season with a victory over Wake in the Orange Bowl. This team was just shy of undefeated, losing only to scrappy Rutgers in Piscataway. QB Brian Brohm is every bit as good as any QB in the country, and his 311 passing yards proved it.
#7 Auburn capped off a somewhat disappointing season with a tough defensive victory over Nebraska in the Cotton Bowl. They shut the Huskers out in the second half and won on a 56 yard FG in the third quarter. After Tommy Tuberville appealed to the powers that be to keep the SEC in the loop for the championship game (2004, anybody?), his team lost to Arkansas and ... errr... Georgia. This with victories over LSU (see #4)and eventual National Champ Florida (see #1). Go figure.
#8 West Virginia came very close to winning the Big East. A loss at Louisville (see #6) and a garbage loss to South Florida kept the Mountaineers from the BCS. A big comeback (you can do that with an option offense?) against Georgia Tech in the Gator Bowl made this season a success. Pat White and Steve Slaton were the best option tandem since Nebraska had Tommie Frasier and Lawrence Phillips in the backfield.
#9 Wisconsin redeemed a magical one-loss season with a win over SEC West Champ Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl. Many questioned the strength of this team with the sole loss coming against the sole ranked team the Badgers played all season. All questions were erased after John Stocco willed the Badgers over a tough Arkansas team that beat Auburn (see #7) and Tennessee (but lost to LSU and Florida).
#10 Oklahoma is legitimately a top 5 team, but suffered a bizarre string of bad luck throughout the season. First the Sooners lost their starting QB and a starting OL to a scandalous affair with Big Red Sports Imports. Then the Sooners lost by one point to Oregon after a botched officiating call on an onside kick and a blocked FG (Garrett Hartley's only miss of the season). Then the Sooners committed 5 turnovers (three alone to Thorpe Winner Aaron Ross) in a blowout loss to Texas in the Cotton Bowl. Then star RB Adrian Peterson goes down to injury against an Iowa State team that was already beaten. So the Sooners rose from the adversity and won the Big XII Championship over archrival Nebraska. But alas, Boise State (see #2) came along and knocked WR Malcolm Kelly out of the Fiesta Bowl and proceeded to win by a point in OT with the best-executed trick play trio in the history of college football. You know what they say...I'd rather be lucky than good sometimes. A missed FG and statue of liberty two-point conversion separated this team from a one-loss season. Better luck next year, Sooners. |
