History may favor the underdog Irish, but Bama is too good
Precedent? This guy eats precedent for breakfast! (AP photo)
Fort Lauderdale – The history of the BCS title game isn’t exactly exhaustive, dating as it does to that long-ago time of January 1999, but even in that small sampling a commonality winds through. Since this “system” was implemented, no school has repeated as BCS champ.
On Monday night, Alabama is favored to annex a second consecutive national title (and a third in four seasons, and the 115th in Tide annals if we go by Bama’s ever-escalating count). The worst thing we can say about this Tide team is that it’s superb, but other superb defending champs have arrived at this juncture only to trip over the final hurdle.
Three times a program has sought to stack BCS titles end to end. Three times it has failed, and each failure came as a shock. Favored by 10 ½ points, Florida State was beaten 13-2 in January 2001 by Oklahoma – the Seminoles’ offense was overseen that night by a distracted Mark Richt, who had already taken a job in Athens – and that was the mildest example. The other two were seismic.
In January 2003, an unbeaten-yet-unassuming Ohio State met No. 1 Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. Almost half the Buckeyes’ victories had been so close that they became known as the Luckeyes, and sometimes it’s better to be lucky than … well, you know. Ohio State, an 11 ½-point underdog, took the Hurricanes to overtime and appeared to have lost when a fourth-down pass fell incomplete, but a late penalty flag brought new life and, in short order, a stunning national championship.
In January 2006, Texas arrived at the Rose Bowl as the designated victim of a team being hailed as the greatest ever. USC actually was going for a third national title, the 2003 version having been awarded by the Associated Press but not the BCS, and its 55-19 thrashing of Oklahoma in the January 2005 Orange Bowl was still fresh in everyone’s mind.
It was so fresh that, on the morning before the Rose Bowl, this correspondent asked Texas coach Mack Brown how it felt to have a team so good that was being given no chance. (The unbeaten Longhorns were a touchdown underdog.) Laughing sardonically, Brown thanked us media folks for providing that goad. Then his Longhorns, Vince Young chief among them, went out and won the greatest collegiate game ever played.
As for the here and now: Notre Dame is unbeaten, but seems the choice of nobody. It has won five games by seven or fewer points, which recalls the Luckeyes of 10 years ago. It is a 10-point underdog to a team ranked below it, which recalls the Oklahoma of 11 years back. It is a program of massive tradition that many view as out of its depth, which recalls the Texas of Vince Young.
Loading ...If you’re Brian Kelly, who coaches Notre Dame, you love these dynamics: To be No. 1 in the land and the school of Rockne and Ara and the Gipper to boot and still to be roundly expected to lose by a nice round number … that’s a better underdog story than “Rudy.” (Which was the tale of a Fighting Irish walk-on who sacked the Georgia Tech quarterback.)
The temptation is mighty to pick an Irish upset – this from someone who picked both Ohio State in 2003 and Texas in 2006 – but there’s an even greater deterrent. None of the defending champs who suffered BCS upsets were from the SEC, and the SEC has gotten so good at winning national championships that it would take a monumental performance by a transcendent player to derail this locomotive. As stout as Notre Dame is, there’s no Vince Young on its roster.
This Alabama team isn’t quite as imposing as the BCS titlists of 2011 and 2009, and its home loss to Texas A&M and its narrow escapes against LSU and Georgia offer cause for Irish hope. (And so, in an oblique manner, do the bowl losses suffered by Florida and LSU of the almighty SEC.) But A&M scored 29 points in beating the Tide, and Georgia would have needed 33.
Notre Dame has broken 30 in only four of its 12 games. It ranks 74th nationally in scoring offense. Its defense is match for Bama’s; its offense is not. The Tide, who rushed for 350 yards against Georgia, might not get half that against the Irish, but Alabama does find ways to score. (It has mustered 30 or more points in 11 of its 13 games, LSU and Texas A&M being the exceptions.)
It would not be surprising to see this championship game finish 17-10. It would, however, be surprising if Notre Dame had the 17. Precedent favors the underdog, but reality, as ever, favors Alabama.
By Mark Bradley
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247 comments Add your comment
B
January 4th, 2013
11:51 am
Miami was robbed by that ref. It was a horrible call.
Chi Town
January 4th, 2013
11:53 am
Roll Tide, Bradley!
Gene
January 4th, 2013
11:53 am
Notre Dame’s chances are certainly as good as Georgia’s were.
Buzz Belle
January 4th, 2013
11:54 am
No matter the score on Tuesday morning, Notre Dame will always be better than Ala!
Flowery Branch Yellow Jacket
January 4th, 2013
12:01 pm
You’re forgetting that Mississippi State, an 8-4 SEC team whose only losses were to its superior SEC brethren, was beaten soundly in the Gator Bowl by a Northwestern squad whose school hadn’t won a bowl game since 1949 (if memory serves correctly). I know the SEC is a very good, very talented, and very deep conference, but I certainly would like to see that the rest of the country is starting to “catch up”. So here’s hoping that history will repeat itself for the Fighting Irish.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
12:02 pm
Tossup. There appears to be no singularly dominant team this season.
bdawg
January 4th, 2013
12:05 pm
Notre Dame doesn’t deserve to be in this game. They needed three overtimes to beat a terrible Pitt team. At home.
BobDawg
January 4th, 2013
12:05 pm
A Bama blowout makes the SEC game the de-facto Nat’l Chmpship….. Mark it down….
Konabuzz
January 4th, 2013
12:05 pm
Rudy was offsides.
BobDawg
January 4th, 2013
12:07 pm
i think Tech could handle the Irish based on the USC game….
McDawg
January 4th, 2013
12:07 pm
ND belongs there b/c they won every game similar to a team in 1980
pulling for the Irish but suspect BAMA will pull it out unless Gohlson has a special kind of game
J
January 4th, 2013
12:08 pm
Mark, you’re giving too much credit to Notre Dame. Yes, their defense is good, but as you pointed out – the offense stinks. Alabama has been here 3 of the last 4 years and Notre Dame hasn’t sniffed it since Lou Holtz was slobbering all over the golden domes from the locker room.
Alabama, given a month to prepare, will absolutely thrash Notre Dame by a final of 38-6. Go ahead and print this off and take it to the bank because it might as well be a deposit slip for some serious cash.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
12:09 pm
Just curiously Mark, what did you think Louisville’s chances were of beating Florida? What did you think Clemson’s chances were of beating LSU? It would not take a monumental performance by Notre Dame to beat Alabama. You just sound silly when you write things like that.
Alabammy
January 4th, 2013
12:10 pm
You know why it’s “ever-escalating” smartass? Because we keep winning them.
Dawglasville
January 4th, 2013
12:11 pm
Bama wins because of Saban, period. Look at last years game. LSU beat them at home and Bama, with a month to prepare, comes back and hammers them. Saban wins, interviews with an NFL team, and the Alabama Governor calls for an emergency budget meeting to cut public education in order to pay for Saban’s new contract.
B
January 4th, 2013
12:11 pm
Here’s something I’d like to know: what makes Saban (and Meyer) so successful? And is the Notre Dame coach just as good a coach? Seems to be.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
12:12 pm
I know the SEC is a very good, very talented, and very deep conference, but I certainly would like to see that the rest of the country is starting to “catch up”.
The rest of the country caught up a while ago. The whole SEC can’t be beaten by anyone mantra that ESPN spouts out every minute of every day is nothing but smoke. Two of their unbeatable top 10 teams just lost to ACC and Big East schools.
Alabammy
January 4th, 2013
12:13 pm
I guess those last 6 BCS titles are smoke too, huh?
BRYANT
January 4th, 2013
12:13 pm
Welcome to big boy school ND. Bama 31 ND 10
Dawglasville
January 4th, 2013
12:14 pm
Mark, I’m somehow stuck in moderation, and GTBob gets away with calling you silly. It just doesn’t seem right.
J
January 4th, 2013
12:15 pm
Techies – you beat USC because they had no interest in being there. Congrats on finally getting your first bowl win under CPJ – no need to linger here.
Anyone else ever get the feeling that Tech fans watch Oregon and can’t see the difference between that offense and what Georgia Tech does?
Dawglasville
January 4th, 2013
12:16 pm
GTBob, is the SEC suppose to win every single game, every single year? Does the ACC ever lose in basketball?
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
12:19 pm
Quick rundown of points scored by Notre Dame’s opponents:
10 – Navy
17 – Purdue
3 – Mich. St.
6 – Michigan
3 – Miami
13 – Stanford (OT)
14 – BYU
13 – Oklahoma
26 – Pitt (3OT)
6 – BostonCollege
0 – Wake Forest
13 – USC
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 4th, 2013
12:20 pm
There is a lot of pressure on Bama to do this double dip thing so I hope we can pull it out. The last 4 games of the year Bama played not to win but to keep from losing and our performance wasn’t that great. I hope Nick will attack from the get go and lay it on the line early. To get to one NC game is a big Joe Biden (BFD) and to get to 3 is off the charts. Regardless to the outcome Bama will be back in 2013 with a team that should/could be even better. You have about 4 more years to contend with Alabama and then Nick will take it to the lake. Roll Tide
Shug
January 4th, 2013
12:23 pm
Okay, first the greatest collegiate game ever played remains 1971’s Nebraska-Oklahoma masterpiece. Next, though it was in the pre-BCS era, a similar match-up seems to be the 1986 Penn State-Miami game. Penn State was undefeated but looked on as being pedestrian compared to everyone’s darling Miami.
Dawglasville
January 4th, 2013
12:23 pm
The #4 team in the SEC lost to the #2 in the ACC. The #2 team in the SEC lost to the #1 team in the Big East. I was shocked by both of those upsets, but the SEC is not going to win every game, every time.
McDawg
January 4th, 2013
12:24 pm
the SEC game gives BAMA the edge b/c of the layoff
between games
Reebok
January 4th, 2013
12:24 pm
All Notre Dame has done so far is win every game. ‘Bama can’t make that claim. ND in a mild upset, something like 20-17. Looking forward to this game!
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
12:25 pm
Quick rundown of points scored by Alabama’s opponents:
14 – Michigan
0 – W. Kentucky
0 – Arkansas
7 – Fla. Atlantic
14 – Ole Miss
10 – Missouri
13 – Tennessee
7 – Miss. St.
17 – LSU
24 – Texas A&M
0 – W. Carolina
0 – Auburn
28 – Georgia
Reebok
January 4th, 2013
12:25 pm
Does anybody know the comparative strength of schedule between these 2 teams? I am sure ‘Bama’s was tougher, I am just wondering how great the difference is…
Moist Dawg
January 4th, 2013
12:26 pm
Anyone could score over 30 in 11 games if they had bamas sickening schedule. nick satan should be ashamed of his team for scheduling 8 of those games.
at least notre dumb played 8 bowl teams on their schedule.
I hope all the bama recruits we are fighting for watch bama get destroyed, see what losers they are, and immediately call CMR to join a real team.
RGB
January 4th, 2013
12:27 pm
“On Monday night, Alabama is favored to annex a second consecutive national title (and a third in four seasons, and the 115th in Tide annals if we go by Bama’s ever-escalating count). ”
Man, we’re good, but 115 national titles? Bet you’ve spotted us by a hundred.
RGB
January 4th, 2013
12:30 pm
Moist Dawg,
Jealousy is a weird disease. It makes everyone sick but the one that’s got it.
Are you moist because of a personal hygiene problem–or because you are still crying over Bama’s defeat of a “real” team?
Not so sure
January 4th, 2013
12:31 pm
I agree that Bama has no problem IFFF they don’t play like they did against LSU, A&M, and UGA. Problem is, I’m thinking that this game sets up just like those in many respects. Bama won 2 of the 3 (by the skin of their teeth), and both were games that they should have handled with little trouble. I hope Bama shows up, though. I would love to continue the SEC domination for another year.
On another note, I am starting to worry (albeit just a tiny bit) about the SEC in general. If Notre dame wins this one, I think we may go back into a cycle where we see less SEC representation than we would like in the major bowls. I’m also a little worried that if UF can’t capitalize on their recruiting classes like they used to do under Urban, the East will continue to fall. I also would have liked to see A&M go to the East instead of Mizz. That would have been more balanced in my opinion.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
12:34 pm
Correction to the 12:25 post
Should be
29 – Texas A&M
BRYANT
January 4th, 2013
12:35 pm
TO GTBob: Just like in 08 when we lost to Utah. Unfortunately for ND this year we are playing for the Crystal Football. Fla. and LSU were wishing they were somewhere else.
Uh, Reebok...
January 4th, 2013
12:37 pm
ND played 10 bowl eligible teams (Miami being eligible but chose not to go); AL played 7 bowl eligible teams…
J
January 4th, 2013
12:39 pm
@Not so sure…
Bama played at LSU at night – I don’t know how anyone is supposed to “handle” that one easily. Yes, LSU lost their bowl game, but it’s a meaningless bowl game. Also, Georgia just went 12-2 including coming 5 yards short of beating Bama. Georgia was 11-1 going into the game, as was Bama, so not sure how Bama should have “handled” that one easily either.
I do believe Bama is better than Notre Dame by a score of 38-6, but it is mainly because of the TOUGH schedule they played.
Also, saying Texas A&M should be in the East to create more “balance??” Have you seen Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Miss State play? Plenty of balance adding TAM, you’re just upset that they beat Bama.
J
January 4th, 2013
12:43 pm
It’s amazing when Bama fans (Florida fans do this too) say that they “should have handled without a problem” close wins. What is wrong with giving respect to an opponent? Georgia went 12-2 and were 5 yards away from beating Bama. LSU won 10 games and so did Texas A&M. Alabama is 2-1 in games against those teams – I’d say that’s a strong indicator.
GeoffDawg
January 4th, 2013
12:44 pm
Gene, prior to the SEC Championship game, Vegas oddsmakers had both Bama and Georgia as approximately 10 point favorites in the then hypothetical matchup against ND. The professionals disagree with you.
bucket
January 4th, 2013
12:44 pm
I think Bama will win Monday, but I also agree that some of the other conferences are starting to catch up a little to the SEC. However, 2014 can’t get here soon enough for me because college football is the best sport (in my opinion), but it has always had a mythical national champion because of the lack of a playoff. After watching Alabama’s defense tangle with TAMU and UGA’s offenses, there is no way that anyone can say that Oregon would have no shot against Bama. Last year the argument against Oklahoma State was that their 1 loss was a bad loss and Bama’s was a good loss. This year you can’t make that same argument against Oregon. They lost to a really good Stanford team and Bama lost to a really good Texas A&M team. IF Bama wins Monday there should be a split national champion.
Mike S.
January 4th, 2013
12:45 pm
Good call, Mark. I agree that ND just has not shown the offensive capability to move the ball against the Tide. Although i will say, i don’t really think they have the defense either. I dont think that front seven of theirs has seen anything close to the running attack of Bama combined with the passing efficiency of McCarron.
The wild card is the month off. What will that do to these teams? We have already seen it do funny things this bowl season (LSU losing to Clemson, UF faceplant against Louisville, Wisconsin nearly beating Stanford…to name a few).
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
12:46 pm
TO GTBob: Just like in 08 when we lost to Utah.
Its not like that at all. This isn’t some David vs. Goliath matchup. Notre Dame played a tougher overall schedule than Alabama did, beat Stanford, and Oklahoma, and 8 other bowl teams. To think that they have no shot at all of beating the mighty Crimson Tide who hasn’t looked all that mighty this year is just SEC arrogance not based in any reality at all.
J
January 4th, 2013
12:48 pm
@Bucket – no way. Oregon didn’t win their conference and beat a KSU team that was shelacked by Baylor. Oregon will deserve to be top 3, but can’t split the championship if you look at the resumes.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
12:48 pm
According to the Sagarin ratings, ND had a slightly tougher schedule than Alabama
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt12.htm
dean
January 4th, 2013
12:48 pm
If it’s close in the 4th, AL RB’s Lacey and Yelton seal the win for those fellas in AL.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
12:51 pm
The professionals disagree with you.
Vegas odds aren’t score or outcome predictions. Its amazing that people haven’t learned that yet.
bucket
January 4th, 2013
12:51 pm
@ J – A conference winner didn’t win the MNC last year.
ole dawg
January 4th, 2013
12:57 pm
Let’s see…. ND gave up 13 to USC and GT gave up 6 to USC. Hmmm…. pretty sure AL wins this one!
ole dawg
January 4th, 2013
12:58 pm
@ GTBob… but when Vegas sets the original line that is a strong indication of the experts expectations for the outcome of the game.
UGABob
January 4th, 2013
1:00 pm
It’s amazing that people still try to respond to GTBob. It’s amazing that GTBob still thinks he knows everything. It’s amazing that GTBob still has no life. Hope to see GTBob on here after Bama wins by 17 + points.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
1:02 pm
The AP poll will likely not agree with the Coaches’ poll. Ohio State might be voted #2 (or #3) by the AP. The Coaches are required to vote the BCS final game winner #1, but at this point I can’t see the reasoning for them to not include Ohio State in the final poll.
catlady
January 4th, 2013
1:06 pm
I think Bama will win. I also predict that the announcers will do all but hail the Second Coming from the ND squad.
You missed one factor. Mark
January 4th, 2013
1:09 pm
Brian Kelley is in his htird year coachin the Irish.l
kimmer
January 4th, 2013
1:13 pm
Common opponents: Michigan. Bama @ neutral site wins 41-14 ND wins at home 13-6.
ND might have played more bowl eligible teams but so what? That includes the likes of 6 wins Purdue and Pitt (which incidentally required 3 OT to beat). Bama beat two teams in the top 5. ND didn’t even play anybody in the top 5. Most of bama’s players have been here before. Many of them twice. Not a bama fan and anything can happen but the bama certainly warrants being a heavy favorite.
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:13 pm
Oregon v. Bama would have been a great game (that I probably would pick Oregon to win). This game not so much. Notre Dame, as usual, is a fraud and it will show. They might not score a point in this game.
Thanks.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
1:13 pm
@ GTBob… but when Vegas sets the original line that is a strong indication of the experts expectations for the outcome of the game.
That’s only part of the equation. Even if every odds maker in Vegas was certain that Notre Dame would win they still would not have Notre Dame favored. There are many other things taken into consideration and if you think the people who set the odds are football experts then you should do a little more research. The entire purpose of setting odds is to even out the betting as much as possible. It has nothing to do with personal predictions of the real outcome.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
1:17 pm
“Notre Dame, as usual, is a fraud…”
The 12-0 record was attained by fraudulent means?
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
1:19 pm
Bama beat two teams in the top 5. ND didn’t even play anybody in the top 5.
Can we stop with this top 5 crap? Florida was supposedly a top 5 team and Louisville destroyed them.
UGABob
January 4th, 2013
1:26 pm
Remember everyone, GTBob is always right and you are always wrong! He is the president of the NCAA and knows everything!
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:27 pm
“The 12-0 record was attained by fraudulent means?”
I didn’t mean that literally Captain Clueless. I’ll leave the baseless accusations of cheating and impropriety to you Techies. Its the only thing you’re good at.
They are a fraud because they have played no one other than some rust belt patsies and media darling Oklahoma. Let’s see them play some big boy football and then I’ll be a believer. Capice?
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
1:27 pm
Hope to see GTBob on here after Bama wins by 17 + points.
If Bama wins by 100 ill be on here. Im not even saying that Bama won’t win, I just think the whole notion that any non SEC team has no chance of beating an SEC team is quite possibly the stupidest thing I have ever read. Especially in this bowl season.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
1:32 pm
“I didn’t mean that literally Captain Clueless. I’ll leave the baseless accusations of cheating and impropriety to you Techies. Its the only thing you’re good at.”
Did I somehow insult you? What baseless accusations of cheating and impropriety have I put forth?
Double Standard?
January 4th, 2013
1:32 pm
Funny how you pups fans are tearing Bama’s and ND’s schedule apart.
The Pups played a non-conference slate of Buffalo, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, and Georgia Tech.
Your mighty conference slate was full of teams with losing records (several of them firing coaches at end of year). Your best conference win is viewed more like Florida handed it to you than you earning it. Yes, you played Bama close, but you still lost.
Why don’t you look in the mirror first before you instantly start calling other teams frauds and fakes. And some of you get so offended when you can’t figure out why the UGA program is looked upon nationally as it is…
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:33 pm
“I just think the whole notion that any non SEC team has no chance of beating an SEC team is quite possibly the stupidest thing I have ever read.”
I think its pretty stupid too. Good thing I have never heard that come out of anyone’s mouth a single solitary time. It is something that you have dreamed up in your insecure little head. When someone says “the SEC is the best conference” you haters instead hear “no one will ever beat an SEC team in a million years.” No one has ever said anything of the sort. You simply made it up to fit your narrative. Its like when a UGA fans says “our O-line should be pretty good next year” you Tech fans hear “we will win the next 10 national titles in a row.” It is simply delusional. You have voices in your heads.
Tech fans sure do seem to have a lot invested in this game. Sorry guys. 42-10 still stands. It isn’t going anywhere. The SEC could have went a big 0-fer in bowl games this year and that score would still be there. Sucks for you.
Thanks.
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:36 pm
“Did I somehow insult you? What baseless accusations of cheating and impropriety have I put forth?”
Good grief were you born in a barn son? I didn’t say you put forth baseless accusations of cheating and impropriety, but if you’re interested go check out the blog on the juco D-lineman that just got cleared to enroll at UGA. You Techies are all full of baseless conspiracy theories that somehow someone did something wrong to get him in. Its pretty typical behavior out of you clowns actually. Denying it will only make you look more foolish than you already do.
Thanks.
Double Standard?
January 4th, 2013
1:36 pm
You mean, Sun Belt?
No, No I’m pretty sure they didn’t.
Vampire Bill
January 4th, 2013
1:37 pm
BAMA will win the cheerleader and hot chick band contest, that’s for sure !!
Alphare
January 4th, 2013
1:41 pm
ND defense is good, but a bit below BAMA good.
ND offense is average, while BAMA offense is good.
BAMA running game is superb, while ND running game is good.
What makes SEC good in NC games is their running game and strong defense. BAMA has both this year as other SEC teams in previous NC games.
USC lost to Texas because they had to rely on a strong passing game, which cannot be a sure thing if their QB happens to have headache that day, just ask Colt McCoy.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
1:41 pm
No one has ever said anything of the sort. You simply made it up to fit your narrative.
According to Mark: the SEC has gotten so good at winning national championships that it would take a monumental performance by a transcendent player to derail this locomotive.
That is about as close as you can get to saying that a non SEC team can’t beat an SEC team. Do you agree with Mark that there is almost no chance that a non SEC team ever beats an SEC team in a title game ever again?
JB
January 4th, 2013
1:42 pm
Bama will win a tough fight. Bama has better coaching, more talent, more speed and a total package of completeness. Bama held off a Georgia team that could also beat ND. I just don’t think looking at the body of play by ND this year they know what they are up against. If ND somehow won, it would be a major upset IMO
Alphare
January 4th, 2013
1:43 pm
I don’t believe LSU or FL would lose their games this year if what they played are an NC game.
DIT
January 4th, 2013
1:45 pm
At first I was saying that Bama was going to beat ND by a large margin. The closer the game gets here I’m starting to waiver on that. I still think Bama will win, but it will be much closer. It could be a field goal in the final minutes.
This is going to be a great game. At least this BCS game will be sold out! Still can’t get over the Sugar Bowl!
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
1:49 pm
I don’t believe LSU or FL would lose their games this year if what they played are an NC game.
This has become the new SEC excuse. They didn’t win because they didn’t care about the game. According to SEC fans the SEC is undefeated in games they are trying to win.
SuperB
January 4th, 2013
1:50 pm
Mark: good ref. to the 2003 Miami game. the call you referred to was one of the worst ever, and NOT made by the closest official to the play, who was looking right at it.
Say whut
January 4th, 2013
1:52 pm
Hey GT Bob: How can a GT fan know much when they only saw one great team all year: the one that beat the crap out of you in Athens– again.
DIT
January 4th, 2013
1:55 pm
Pay no attention to Sponge Bob…….. He lives for the attention he gets on these blogs.
Alphare
January 4th, 2013
1:55 pm
Bob,
you may have a point there, but don’t you think your game would be up a notch when you are trying to win a big prize?
One thing about FL, their players look so small. I am not sure it’s because of their uniform or what, they look smaller than Louisville players. Usually BAMA/LSU players look imposingly big compared to other teams.
UGABob
January 4th, 2013
1:56 pm
Say Whut, don’t waste your time with him. Really. The little kid really does think he knows everything and is never wrong. His life is to come on here and get everyone worked up. Sad I know.
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:59 pm
I AM DAWGFAN. I have been following college football for 20 years, so I know EVERYTHING there is to know about it. The rest of you morons need to shut up and listen to what I say. I AM DAWGFAN, HEAR ME BARK! WOOF WOOF
Thanks
DIT
January 4th, 2013
2:00 pm
You’re correct. Sponge Bob knows it all……… Heck, just ask him!
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
2:05 pm
@dawgster “You Techies are all full of baseless conspiracy theories that somehow someone did something wrong to get him in. Its pretty typical behavior out of you clowns actually. Denying it will only make you look more foolish than you already do.”
I suggest that you not paint everyone with the same broad brush. I also think that your positions with respect to the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry are not universally shared by all Georgia fans.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
2:07 pm
Sorry; that was meant for “dawgfan”, not “dawgster.” I didn’t mean to offend anyone.
AtlSteve
January 4th, 2013
2:07 pm
Pulling for Bama since they are SEC. I’ve seen too many uopsets this bowl season to say Bama is absolutely going to win.
Moist Dog @ 12:26 – Strength of schedule goes to Bama. Teamrating.com shows Bama at the 3rd toughest schedule, and Notre Dame at 27. Bama played 6 bowl teams during the regular seaon. They played 5 teams who are currently listed in the Top 10 for strength of schedule. Notre Dame played 1 team currently listed in the Top 10 for strength of schedule.
Mark Bradley
January 4th, 2013
2:13 pm
Talking over lunch with some fellow writers, and they’re kind of like me: They can make a case for Notre Dame, but a better case for Bama.
After further review
January 4th, 2013
2:19 pm
On paper, Bama probably has the edge, but the game is paid on the field, and the ball can bounce funny sometimes, so we’ll see what happens Monday night.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
2:20 pm
Teamrating.com shows Bama at the 3rd toughest schedule
That website doesn’t seem to exist, but if there is some site out there that actually thinks Bama played the 3rd toughest schedule in the country then you should probably ignore them.
Alphare
January 4th, 2013
2:27 pm
Bob, it’s here:
http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team
Mora less Petrino
January 4th, 2013
2:29 pm
Roll Tide, Go Falcons!
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 4th, 2013
2:31 pm
Barrett Jones and the SR’s called a team meeting due to they didn’t think the practice sessions were going that well for Bama and the young players weren’t as intense as they should. Humm…. Bama is running up hill in this game with all the pressure for the repeat. The 1st 5 minutes will tells us a lot about ND. If they can run the ball then it’s game on. ND will put 8 men in the box and make AJ beat them throwing the ball just as teams have done since 2008. AJ will be the MVP or the goat.
other forums are posting Jarvis has declared to the NFL but I don’t see anything on the AJC. LSU is losing many folks to the early route to the NFL.
LakeDawg
January 4th, 2013
2:31 pm
I think Bama is counting a couple of NC’s awarded by the Tuscaloosa News.
DIT
January 4th, 2013
2:34 pm
I read Jarvis declared today as well.
History may favor the underdog Irish, but Bama is too good – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | GoogleITV.com
January 4th, 2013
2:45 pm
[...] more here: History may favor the underdog Irish, but Bama is too good – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blo… Share/Bookmark This entry was posted in Sports, Sports Google News and tagged atlanta-journal, [...]
JB
January 4th, 2013
2:49 pm
For the Haters of UGA on here ( most if not all Techies) Dawgs go 12-2, win the SEC East, Play Bama,( the measuring stick for all of college football today) to the final whistle, and win their bowl game, and will likely finish in or near the top 5……………..Yet, still you come on here and trash the Dawgs………I would think from ANY open minded college football fan ANYWHERE in the country, they would say, Good job and very good team. Tech would KILL to present that resume…..Kill I tell you.
A person SMART enough to know.....
January 4th, 2013
2:51 pm
Who played the WEAKER Schedule? Bama or Notre Dame?
JB
January 4th, 2013
2:51 pm
DIT…….Yep, we all knew that was coming……We need more like him in Athens. Maybe with Garner out the way, we will.
Old Dawg
January 4th, 2013
2:52 pm
I’m not a fan of either team, but I do recognize Saban’s ability as a head coach, so I go with Alabama.
A person SMART enough to know.....
January 4th, 2013
2:55 pm
JB you sure a Conspiracy Theory kind of guy, right?
If there were that many TECH fans on the BLOGS, then don’t you think We would FILL that lil stadium in Atlanta better?
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:02 pm
There are about a dozen on here, and none use anything Tech in their moniker to give themselves away, due to of course to the utter decay of the Tech football program the last 2-3 years and the disdain they have for anything UGA and any success they have, which just drives them up a wall. We have been told all our Lives that Techies are the happiest, most successful people on the planet.
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:03 pm
apologizes to GTBob
Thuga
January 4th, 2013
3:03 pm
Poor little bullpup fans. Get all the way to the top just to roll down again. It’s over for you as you won’t get another Tech like schedule next year and some of your horses will be playing in greener pastures. All you have is a fantastic WL record but that doesn’t look so great in a trophy case. Keep trying while everybody that was down catches back up in the SEC. Oh yeah, We Run This State, but not the adjoining states! I guess that Governors Cup should be renamed the CMR/Bobo Cup.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
3:04 pm
I have to go with Saban as well. I don’t think that there is any coach who is meticulous in all facets of preparation as him.
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:05 pm
Tide Roll is the ole Techie ” St. Simon” who use to torment Dawgs on here. He had to go another direction with the failures of Coach Johnson.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
3:07 pm
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
1:27 pm
They are a fraud because they have played no one other than some rust belt patsies and media darling Oklahoma
——
Who knew that Stanford was a “rust belt patsy”?
The Cardinal is so bad that they are going to end up Top 5 in the final poll.
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:07 pm
See 3:03 for an example. A Techie.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
3:10 pm
http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team
Sorry, but take a look at that list. Alabama 3rd toughest? Oregon tougher schedule than Stanford? Wisconsin tougher schedule than Ole Miss? But hey, at least GT is 22nd and played a tougher schedule than Notre Dame somehow.
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:14 pm
Bob, Tech’s got a nice group coming back with a real dual threat at QB. All BS aside, what’a thinking for next year for the Jackets.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
3:15 pm
The team rankings site specifically says that the strength of schedule is just based on games between FBS teams. ND didn’t play a single FCS team – Alabama played Western Carolina
dwagdawg
January 4th, 2013
3:16 pm
So, JB, anyone who says anything negative about uga is a Tech fan? Are you really so stupid that you don’t realize that fans all around the Southeast hate you dwags because of morons like dawgfan who are hell-bent on earning the nickname Cesspool of the South? You really should loosen your tin foil hat, it’s cutting off circulation to your pea-sized brain.
JB
January 4th, 2013
3:18 pm
Nice post dwagdawg……Piss yellow nerd that you are…….Let me go cower and sulk.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 4th, 2013
3:30 pm
It will be interesting to see if PJ expands on the Pistol zone read spread and less of the Bone. He has to explain to recruits the direction and if so the guys will come be apart of the spread. JMO of course.
I am not into the SEC this and that for each member needs to carry their own bags. If we have good results then fine for I will pull for all the teams in the South. The teams from the West and the North can go Clint…GFY.
headley lam
January 4th, 2013
3:37 pm
But hey, at least GT is 22nd and played a tougher schedule than Notre Dame somehow.
That should tell you how fraudulent those rankings are right there.
And I love that since the SEC has lost a couple of bowl games ( Florida didn’t bother to show up ) everyone is down on the SEC all of a sudden.
People have real short memories. The SEC is the best conference and its not really close.
5 yards short
January 4th, 2013
3:44 pm
Notre Dame will expose the SEC as a fraud as already has Louisville and Clemson. UGA struggled with a horrible Nebraska team and South Carolina with Michigan. The Big East is owning the Sugar …First WV over Georgia and now Louisville over the Gators.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
3:45 pm
Wet Willie – It’s interesting that a redshirt freshman can run the highly productive Oregon offense with its 200 plays, whereas the Georgia Tech offense seems to require more experience for its much more limited set of plays. If Tech intends to run more Pistol with zone reads, maybe that will change the requirements.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
3:46 pm
Bob, Tech’s got a nice group coming back with a real dual threat at QB. All BS aside, what’a thinking for next year for the Jackets.
I see somewhere between 8-5 and 10-3. 7 wins or less would be a let down. I think the offense will actually be better than this year. With Vad getting all of the snaps with the first team, and a lot more practice, I think he will cut down on turnovers a lot. He should be pretty dynamic at QB. On defense, im not sure what to expect. We have some promising recruits that will finally play and we will have a new defensive coordinator. There is reason for optimism but its the real unknown of our team for next year.
Hamad Meander
January 4th, 2013
3:46 pm
It’s nice to compare points scored against both defenses, but why not couple that with offense points scored? It appears ‘Bama has averaged about 38.46 points a game vs. 26.75 for Notre Dame. That’s a huge difference in offense considering also ‘Bama played 4 top 20 defenses.
I’m picking Alabama, though Notre Dame has been able to do some crazy things this year.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
3:48 pm
People have real short memories. The SEC is the best conference and its not really close.
If a #3 SEC team that only lost 1 game in the SEC can get dominated by a barely ranked Big East team then its pretty close.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
3:49 pm
Frauds and conspiracies seem to be the hot topics today. I prefer discussing football.
GeoffDawg
January 4th, 2013
3:52 pm
GTBob, for a hypothetical game, no one’s betting yet. It’s not amazing that went over your head.
Taggert
January 4th, 2013
3:54 pm
“People have real short memories. The SEC is the best conference and its not really close.”
It’s not short memories, everyone knows most SEC teams are football mills for the NFL. You could call them NFL lite.
The new name change is much better headley, just add an “e” after “lam”.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
4:04 pm
Alabama has Lacy, Yeldon and McCarron. I think the rest of the two offenses are comparable, except that Notre Dame may have an edge at TE with Eifert.
HamptonDawg
January 4th, 2013
4:13 pm
I’m no Bama fan but I’ve watched both teams this year and while neither offense is very impressive I think ND will have to get lucky to beat them. The Irish are typically awash in luck but you just don’t see Saban coached teams give games away. I think the battle with the Dawgs was perfect preparation for Bama and I’m pretty confident they will steamroll the overrated ND defense.
Aldo Raine
January 4th, 2013
4:16 pm
I wouldn’t call 2 Big East wins “owning” the Sugar Bowl?
Gator Mike
January 4th, 2013
4:17 pm
Guys, my Gators lost because they stunk up the Super Dome, and they did not show up to play. They were classless and undisciplided plus our QB continues to be very average. Plus Muschamp and his staff did not have the team ready. L’ville showed up to play, and they were well coached.
Charlie Strong did a great job, and he will be a coach of an SEC team in the near future.
I hope Bama shows up because if they do not they will look as bad as my Gators.
Well done by the Dawgs in beating the Huskers and SCe in slipping by Michigan. Dawgs looked great while the gamechickens got lucky – but they hung in there.
Happy New Year to all
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
4:17 pm
I’m no Bama fan but I’ve watched both teams this year and while neither offense is very impressive I think ND will have to get lucky to beat them.
Would you say that Texas A&M got lucky?
dawgfan
January 4th, 2013
4:30 pm
“Would you say that Texas A&M got lucky?”
Would you say Notre Dame has a freaking Heisman winner playing quarterback? LOL @ GTBob.
I digress. Another reason Bama wins this game: The SEC Championship game. Look it up. Teams with long lay offs before the BCS title game do not fare well. Notre Dame has not played a football game since November 24th. While Notre Dame was sitting on the coach munching on cheetos Bama was slugging it out in the Dome against UGA in a classic football game. Saban probably chewed their butts out over several things that happened in the UGA game. Who do you think is going to have more of an edge? Who do you think will be better prepared and more focused? My vote goes with Bama.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
4:38 pm
A summary of Alabama’s offensive production in their 3 tough games (decided by 4, 5, and 4 points):
McCarron
14/27 135 Yds 1 TD 1 INT 1 Sack – LSU
23/31 253 Yds 2 TD 1 INT 2 Sacks – Texas A&M
13/21 162 Yds 1 TD 1 INT 3 Sacks – Georgia
Lacy/Yeldon
22/169 Yds 1 TD – LSU
26/125 Yds 2 TD – Texas A&M
45/334 Yds 3 TD – Georgia
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 4th, 2013
4:42 pm
Delbert…I would like to see GT get back into the hunt. These kids today want to be in Sportscenter and the Bone will not get there. GT needs some excitement to get the ball rolling. It appears all my smart and rich GT fans/grads just as soon live with 7-5 teams instead of spending money send PJ packing. I can respect that. This situation only makes it easy for Richt to continue to have success at UGA because he has no competition from GT for recruits. Nick takes a few and Auburn makes a living out of Georgia players. If GT could take the recruits Auburn gets then Auburn would be much worse than they are today. Richt gets a free ride no doubt and that is the only reason he has survived this long.
Note…Bama has a 27 year old former major league BB player enrolled to play safety. LOL The guy had offers from most everyone and selected Stanford but took the baseball money instead. I can hear Nick now trying to coach this guy in the spring…”Sir, you have to get that head turned to the ball”
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
4:44 pm
Would you say Notre Dame has a freaking Heisman winner playing quarterback? LOL @ GTBob.
No, but they have the Heisman runner up on defense. Florida, LSU, and Louisiana Tech all gave Texas A&M a tougher game than Alabama did on their home field.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
4:47 pm
“Another reason Bama wins this game: The SEC Championship game. Look it up. Teams with long lay offs before the BCS title game do not fare well.”
Let me see, in 2011 LSU played in the SEC championship game and Bama didn’t.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
4:54 pm
These kids today want to be in Sportscenter and the Bone will not get there.
Yeah, GT was much better when we were trying to be a pro style team.
Rogeriter
January 4th, 2013
4:57 pm
I never thought I’d ever agree with GTBob, but Alabama and the SEC is not an automatic. If I HAD to wager, as a Dawgs fan, I’d take Bama. But I heard many people say Georgia did not stand a chance…but they almost pulled it off. But that Almost means nothing. But I would not count ND out of this.
CFBFan
January 4th, 2013
4:58 pm
Re: DwagDawg: “So, JB, anyone who says anything negative about uga is a Tech fan? Are you really so stupid that you don’t realize that fans all around the Southeast hate you dwags because of morons like dawgfan who are hell-bent on earning the nickname Cesspool of the South? You really should loosen your tin foil hat, it’s cutting off circulation to your pea-sized brain.”
I will bet anyone any amount of money that no one other than a GT fan has ever used the terms “dwag” and “cesspool of the south” when referring to a UGA fan or Athens, GA. Using that terminology reveals your identity, and the “yellow”-eyed envy is palpable. It’s not healthy to hate others because you made bad life choices. You shouldn’t equate every UGA fan with the guys who stuffed you into a locker in high school. Let it go… for your own sake.
dwagdawg
January 4th, 2013
5:02 pm
Once again the inimitable dwagfan makes a complete jackass of himself. Priceless. Good thing he’s been following college football for 20 years, huh?
RT
January 4th, 2013
5:03 pm
Forget trying to reason with Bob he is as subjective as they come. I do think this will be a hard fought contest and don’t forget the Irish have had a long time to prepare. Good coaches can always come up with good game plans when given that much time. Trying to compare losses and wins from other teams and then trying to project that to other games rarely works. Each week is different and teams have different strengths and weaknesses that can be unique to their opponent to be played. That’s why they play the game.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:04 pm
Interesting point about Manti Te’o. Alabama may not run many crossing routes across the middle. In addition to his 7 interceptions, he led the team in passes defended and tied for 2nd in breakups. From the games I watched, he doesn’t crowd the line at ILB, he plays back. As the running play develops, he smashes the hole.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
5:05 pm
CFBFan
January 4th, 2013
4:58 pm
‘I will bet anyone any amount of money that no one other than a GT fan has ever used the terms “dwag” and “cesspool of the south” when referring to a UGA fan or Athens, GA”
——
How much are you willing to lose? I don’t think this video was posted by a GT fan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI9i4IqeOcY
dwagdawg
January 4th, 2013
5:12 pm
CFBFan, I don’t think this is a Tech site either…….
http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/30893609/Go-Dwags.aspx
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:30 pm
Some other info on Notre Dame.
Last year, Cierre Wood rushed for over 1,100 yards. Theo Riddick and George Atkinson III combined for 90 yards.
Riddick caught 35 passes this year; Wood and Atkinson only 4 each.
This year, although Wood missed 2 games, Riddick rushed for 880, Wood 758 and Atkinson 361. They scored 5, 4 and 5 TDs respectively.
Another factor is Golson. Last year, Notre Dame’s 3 quarterbacks (Golson did not play in 2011) rushed for minus yardage. This year, Golson rushed for 305 and 5 TDs.
If the situation demands it, Tommy Rees will replace Golson. He contributed in a couple of big situations earlier this year in the red zone, and he was the starter in 2010 and 2011. Kelly won’t hesitate to use him. Rees passed for over 2.800 yards with 20 TDs and 65.5% in 2011.
stendek
January 4th, 2013
5:40 pm
So moderate it Mark. Nothing amiss here…
stendek
January 4th, 2013
5:40 pm
Which words do you find offensive now? Please explain.
stendek
January 4th, 2013
5:43 pm
Hi Mark. Belated Happy New Year friend. So the heavily favored Dawgs utilized two late scores to defeat a weak Nebraska team. Am I impressed? No! I just thank my lucky stars it is Bama not the chokers of Saint Mark Richt playing the overrated Irish. I cannot bear the thought of UGA ending the SEC national title streak. In my heart I KNOW they would have! Just as I know the Crimson Tide will send those pretenders back to South Bend utterly defeated. Thank God MOST SEC teams possess pride! No tough Erk R and Vince D men in Athens! Wish Aaron “Pick Six” Murray well in Canadian Football League. Hope he has nice career. Yellow Jackets crushed my most hated college football squad. Thanks fellows! As for Dawgs? Once in a lifetime opportunities are just that! Peace.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:45 pm
“I wouldn’t call 2 Big East wins “owning” the Sugar Bowl?”
Michigan “rented” it from the BCS last year, beating Virginia Tech in OT. Can’t trust the selection committees anymore. 2014 can’t get here soon enough.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:50 pm
stendek – One of my earlier posts didn’t get through. I guess “Saban’s meticulous preparation” freaked out the censorbot.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:51 pm
Testing testing. Meticulous
After further review
January 4th, 2013
5:52 pm
On paper Bama has the edge, but they dcon’t play the ggame on paper. I beleive it will be a closer game than many think, and an Irish win would not surprise me.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:52 pm
stendeck – one of mine got blocked because I used the word m-e-t-i-c-u-l-o-u-s in a sentence about Saban.
Escaped from Email Purgatorh
January 4th, 2013
5:53 pm
As Jimmy Johnston (then the University of Miami coach) often said – “If you play Notre Dame at South Bend, NEVER let the outcome of the game come down to a decision by the ref.”
Not a direct quote, but the sentiment is on point.
Is this ND’s one chance at national relevance for a generation of Irish faithful?
Clearly, the college football nation has SEC fatigue. Refs prove time and time again they are susceptible to the same blatant subjectivity we fans flaunt.
Will Notre Dame’s goal line suddenly become elastic again? Will incidental contact between an Alabama DB and a ND WR at a critical juncture of a close game be deemed interference?
Alabama ain’t Stanford. Alabama aint’ Pitt. But refs are human and I wonder if they can suppress any urges they might have to give Irish glory a helping hand.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:53 pm
Nefarious. Just testing
stendek
January 4th, 2013
5:58 pm
Forget overall records! I am far more impressed with the Yellow Jacket finish against USC than the Dawg yawner over Nebraska. Well done! I am one who does not subscribe to the lunacy that the LOSS to Bama should be bronzed then put in a trophy case in Athens! To me a loss is a loss is a loss. Period!
stendek
January 4th, 2013
5:58 pm
Forget overall records! I am far more impressed with the Yellow Jacket finish against USC than the Dawg yawner over Nebraska. Well done! I am one who does not subscribe to the lunacy that the LOSS to Bama should be bronzed then put in a trophy case in Athens! To me a loss is a loss is a loss. Period!
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
5:59 pm
Oregon seemed to be charmed with those 3 or 4 no-calls on out of bounds hits on K-State last night. The refs must have gotten their Kellys mixed up.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
6:04 pm
When you’ve given up 68 and 70 points in games in the same season, one being the championship game against a team you beat earlier, Huskers fans were prepared to yawn as well.
NCDawg
January 4th, 2013
6:08 pm
Notre Dame struggled with USC which LOST to Ga Tech. Yes, Ga Tech of big offense and NO defense. Unless Notre Dame can suddenly throw the ball 2 or 3 X as well as they have they will have extreme trouble scoring on Bama. The question is whether Bama can score on ND’s defense. ND hasn’t seen any team that has the balance Bama has. And there is the kicker. If you play teams that have nearly one dimensional offenses, you will have some pretty good defensive numbers by the end of the year. Ask and Michigan player off the record who has the better D and I will bet the farm they say to a man that Bama D is the best they have ever faced. Ask them which team was harder to defend and they will say Bama universally.
ND has to have more than luck, they need a different offense and no amount of preparation can change their personnel. Golson is an ok QB… their receivers are pretty good, their backs run hard… that just doesn’t get it done against Bama.
Bama covers the spread and if ND scores more than a couple of TD’s I will be shocked.
JD Hater
January 4th, 2013
6:12 pm
Enter your comments here
JD Hater
January 4th, 2013
6:14 pm
Bradley has been doing the same thing since ND’s last national championship.
What a loser………………………………….
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
6:24 pm
“ND hasn’t seen any team that has the balance Bama has.”
I agree. Stanford was the closest, but they played Notre Dame before they benched Nunes and went with Hogan at QB. Michigan was too early in the season with Alabama and mid-season with Notre Dame, and Notre Dame was still experimenting with Golson and Rees when they played Michigan. That doesn’t change the perception, though; Alabama’s defense is excellent by this year’s standards. They can’t let down and let a team get up by 21, though.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
6:33 pm
By most pundits’ opinions, this Alabama team is not as strong as last year’s. Last year LSU held them to 1 TD in 2 games. However, since Notre Dame’s defense has been strongest on the compressed field near the end zone, Alabama can win this one with field goals.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 4th, 2013
6:46 pm
Speaking of LSU their entire group on outstanding JR’s are taking it to the NFL!!! The Tigers will be in trouble in 2013. That UGA and LSU just tilted toward the Dawgs.
concern
January 4th, 2013
7:13 pm
Notre Dame NO MATCH for AL. Current and past National Championships rather meaningless until playoff of at least 10 teams. Case in point, this week several highly favorer team i.e. USC, LSU, UF, … lost in BCS games. Until the top teams play head to head in playoff, its a guess as to which of the teams is the best.
Who would have thought that Texas A&M could competed at the level they did in the SEC?
So lets do the play off right with a significant % of teams being involved. That is the way of the professionals (NFL, MLB, .NBA ..). with 25 to 30 % of their teams participating to determine the champion. Even College Football Divisions , other than D1 follow the Professionals example.
So lets eleminate the guess work and crown a meaningful champion. Other wise just take the SEC Champion as the National Champion.
GTBob
January 4th, 2013
7:14 pm
Coach Johnson and I will be watching the game together in a hot tub!
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
7:25 pm
LSU ought to be okay on defense, which is less than really good. Scoring on a rebuilt Georgia defense will be the big problem they way I see it. Aren’t there any available QBs in the state of Texas? Do they all not like LSU?
Dawgie
January 4th, 2013
7:26 pm
Looks like all the Tech Nerds posing as Bama fans when the Dawgs played them are now stating the Bammers will lose. The hatred for your daddy sure runs deep in the state of GA doesn’t it Nerds?
F. Sinkwich
January 4th, 2013
7:27 pm
ND is getting lots of luv from all the national media. All in all, they hate the thought that the SEC is so much better than everyone else.
Tide rolls, big time.
I hate ‘em, but facts is facts…
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 4th, 2013
7:39 pm
GT Bob
The SEC won the ACC championship this year; I guess you forgot that
Flat Tire doesnt live in Delusionalville Ga.
January 4th, 2013
7:39 pm
GT Bob
The SEC won the ACC championship this year; I guess you forgot that
Techster
January 4th, 2013
7:39 pm
Bama will win by 10 points.
Erk Russell's Dog
January 4th, 2013
7:57 pm
A&M and Oklahoma on FOX , Speaking of Fox ,Erin had her naughty librarian look going on the pre-game right down to the eye glasses.
Turfy Brooks
January 4th, 2013
8:17 pm
Mark
Lay off the crack pipe u Sec homer. Tech rocks
Woofy One
January 4th, 2013
8:21 pm
Golden Domers vs. Mobile Homers. I will take the mobile homers. Long live all of us in the redneck SEC. LOL
brandonlee49
January 4th, 2013
8:38 pm
who are we Kidding here, ND’s Toughest game of the year was against Unranked Pitt ??? !!! Where it took THREE Overtimes to beat this Pitt team, who otherwise had a very unassumming Schedule itself, almost Upset the Mighty Irish ??? !!! C’mon, gimme a Break there is No Balance of Comparative Scheduling with the BCS Rankings… Pitt ends up playing Ole Miss, a fith place finisher in the SEC, against a One Game-Schedule Pitt… similar to ND who only played two top 20 teams all year…. Oregon belongs at # 1, Bama #2, ND at no. 15.
DUCK NATION
January 4th, 2013
8:58 pm
Oregon would wax ether one these teams GO DUCKS
DUCK NATION
January 4th, 2013
9:01 pm
Don’t forget Stanford got screwed by ND by refs
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:06 pm
As far as the SEC. Sec #2 beat Big10#2. Sec#3 beat bigten#3. Sec# 4 lost to BigEast #1. Sec# 5 lost toAcc#2 Sec#6 Leading Big12 #2. Sec#7beat Acc#4 Sec#8 lost to big 10 #4 Sec #9 plays later
So glad Tech won
Glad Dogs won
Muschamp proved why he is a coach in waiting
Miles proved that you don’t pass when you are trying to run out the clock,
He also proved that defense can win but that they can’t play 42 minutes of a 60 minute game
Dado proved that blind squirrels can indeed find acorns, and that winning the Peach Bowl is just like winning the MNC
So the question, how long til Clemson hits probation again?
Mark
January 4th, 2013
9:06 pm
I am so sick of hearing about the SEC and how superior they are to the rest of the country! Alabama had an easy schedule this year, not every SEC team is ready to join the NFL. MSU, kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee, Arkansas, Ole Miss & Vandy are not powerhouses, LSU got outplayed & out-coached by an ACC team, Florida spanked by a Big East team that lost to Uconn and MSU crushed by a mediocre Big Ten team. Irish are undefeated & #1 and they will be on Tuesday as well! Roll Tears Roll!
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:08 pm
Brandon Lee 49. Ole Miss is the 5th best inSec west
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:08 pm
Brandon Lee 49. Ole Miss is the 5th best inSec west
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
9:09 pm
Maybe, but Stanford is still going to end up in the top 5, even though the other loss was to Washington.
A person SMART enough to know.....
January 4th, 2013
9:23 pm
Bama will Lose by 3+
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
9:23 pm
The B1G #1 was unranked, so that kind of muddles things as to who B1G #2 and #2 really were. Northwestern had to be in there somewhere.
Dawg Fan
January 4th, 2013
9:30 pm
GTBoob=Earnest T Bass
Sopwith Camel
January 4th, 2013
9:30 pm
Mark, I’m not read or heard any sports writers speak to the issue of who they think would have been playing in the championship game if Ohio State had been eligible to play. Given each team’s record, do you think it would have been Ohio State and Notre Dame in the championship since Alabama has one loss? Or given the opponents played, do you think it would still be Notre Dame vs. Alabama? Or would it possibly have been Ohio State vs. Alabama? Curious as to your thoughts.
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:34 pm
Good one Dawg Fan
James
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
There will be a lot of disappointed people here when the Fighting Irish win this game…..
Dawg Fan
January 4th, 2013
9:35 pm
Notre Dame only won all its games cause Pittsburgh can’t kick a gimme field goal,refs missed the Stanford score, and USC had no QB. Luck was on their side but the luck has run out now. SEC dominates!
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
9:36 pm
Then the coaches and computers said that Florida was #3 in the nation (the media had them #4), and they will be feeling the welts from the Louisville sluggers for a few months.
I say, what the heck, the actual game is on Monday, meaningful or not. If ND loses, the AP may vote them #1 as the only undefeated team left standing.
I have a feeling that the 4 team playoff is going to be unsatisfactory.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
9:38 pm
Error! “AP may vote them #1″. Ohio State, that is.
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
9:40 pm
Maybe Schultz’s dog should be on the playoff expert brain trust committee to choose the 4 teams.
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:46 pm
Manziel looks like Buck Belue before he broke.his leg
Castle pines canine
January 4th, 2013
9:57 pm
How about every coach gets a weighted vote. Weighted like this. A point for every win minus every loss. So MarkRicht would have weight of 9 after the sec champ game. He would cast a top 9 #1 gets 9 votes on down to # 9 which gets 1. After all the coaches have voted, the top 4 go to the playoff
wth
January 4th, 2013
10:10 pm
2 Bama players sent home for curfew violations…one of them is Dillon Lee..
72 Dawg
January 4th, 2013
10:12 pm
By a dawg that has no love for Alabama (roll OVER bama)…Alabama will beat Notre Dame by at least three touchdowns! Not even close.
72 Dawg
January 4th, 2013
10:12 pm
By a dawg that has no love for Alabama (roll OVER bama)…Alabama will beat Notre Dame by at least three touchdowns! Not even close.
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
10:49 pm
“Sec #2 beat Big10#2. Sec#3 beat bigten#3. Sec# 4 lost to BigEast #1. Sec# 5 lost toAcc#2 Sec#6 Leading Big12 #2. Sec#7beat Acc#4 Sec#8 lost to big 10 #4″
The best team in the Big10 is sitting it out this year and the #4 team is sitting out the next 4 bowl years. NCSU was worse than 2 ACC teams that sat out the bowls.
SEC #2 beat Big10 #3, SEC #3 beat Big10 #4, SEC #8 lost to Big10 #6, SEC #7 beat ACC #7
SEC Fact Finder
January 4th, 2013
10:49 pm
Delbert D.
January 4th, 2013
12:19 pm
Quick rundown of points scored by Notre Dame’s opponents:
10 – Navy
17 – Purdue
3 – Mich. St.
6 – Michigan
3 – Miami
13 – Stanford (OT)
14 – BYU
13 – Oklahoma
26 – Pitt (3OT)
6 – BostonCollege
0 – Wake Forest
13 – USC
_______________________________________________
Delbert, Hope you are doing well, kept away from the blogs during the season due to my association with the league during the season.
I look at your list and see teams like Oklahoma who do not have a power running game and run a spread offense, the same for Michigan. The teams that run the ball hard and hit you with controlled passes are the teams Notre Dame has problems with.
I just have a hard time visualizing Notre Dame stopping Alabama at any level while Alabama is on offense, and wearing down due to lack of depth. This year the best teams were in the SEC and teams like Oregon are shown not to be able to match up with ball control defensive teams.
Have a Great Year!
Roll Tide and Go SEC!
Paul in NH
January 4th, 2013
10:51 pm
I just remembered why Bob Stoops nickname is “Big Game Bob”
01HAWK
January 4th, 2013
10:56 pm
I guess Dillon got lonely for his Brother. What a shame when your Parents were going to be at the game and now you do a bone headed curfew violation.
Oh well, he was noit going to play anyways.
Freshmen linebackers Dillon Lee and Ryan Anderson have been sent home from BCS national championship preparations for violation of team rules, a source has confirmed.
Alabama coach Nick Saban issued a brief statement.
“We sent two players home due to a curfew violation,” Saban said in the statement.
01HAWK
January 4th, 2013
10:58 pm
How did TX A&M lose 2 games this year ?
rudy
January 4th, 2013
11:26 pm
I think given the fact that this Bama team has been in this situation 2 out of the past three years, and the fact that Saban has had over a month to plan, and the fact that Barrett Jones and Bell are healthy again, The Tide will win this game. Now by how much, who knows. I’m predicting a somewhat low scoring game. 24-14, 27-17, something like that. Bama will win this game. ND has had an outstanding season, but their mojo will end against the top rated defense in the country.
SEC Fact Finder
January 4th, 2013
11:30 pm
01 Hawk,
According to many around the A&M program, the losses were early in the year when Manziel had not fully gotten the play book in his grasp and his OC ( now HC at TT) kept him from audibles and making plays to avoid him getting hurt and making mistakes. They are ten times better in November and December. If they were not losing so much on their OL they would be a top 5 team in 2013, they will still be a top 10 team in my humble opinion
atlxman
January 4th, 2013
11:32 pm
texas am lost 2 this year because they moved to the sec
atlxman
January 4th, 2013
11:37 pm
fact finder…that doesnt sound right. manziel is a red shirt freshman so he had a year plus to get the playbook down…plus they run the same 6 plays over and over with him mostly running. they lost 2 because they played 2 really good teams in the sec whos defense matched up with texas am offense
SEC Fact Finder
January 4th, 2013
11:50 pm
atlxman,
New Coaching staff, and Johnny was not the original guy Sumlin had as ‘his” pick at quarterback, not until summer reporting did Johnny get the system down. I have no doubt that those same two good teams would not want to play A&M late in the season after they started playing like a cohesive unit. We saw one of those both of those same teams stink it up in their bowl games.
VICARIOUS FANS
January 5th, 2013
12:08 am
:Maybe we should just play the game and save the “guessing” of the outcome to those who like to gamble.
Beano
January 5th, 2013
12:24 am
Excited bout this BCS Champ….I’m goin NDAME since Bama getting all the hype and 10.5 favorite.
Big Crimson 75
January 5th, 2013
12:28 am
We’ll be ready.
Our QB will put up his 2nd consecutive MVP effort in the Trophy Game.
Our D won’t give up 2 TD’s.
This is the weakest Bama Unit of the Saban era, aside from year 1.
This was the year to take Us.
Problem is, our Coach is best. He is the Standard all others strive for.
We’re back next year the Team to beat.
Respect to Notre Dame, The 2 Historic Programs of College Football — Bama Rolls.by 20+ Monday Night.
Saban will have a Defensive Game-Plan which will smother ND.
AJ plays well at QB, We Roll.
7576DAWG
January 5th, 2013
1:32 am
One of Notre Dames big wins this year was against Oklahoma which 2 lost Texas A&M destroyed tonight. Alabama will beat Notre Dame 38 to 14. The National Championship game should have been Alabama against Oregon and Georgia should have played Stanford or Notre Dame. Then Florida should have played the team Georgia did not play. Those are the kind of games that would have had packed stadiums.
7576DAWG
January 5th, 2013
1:58 am
10.5 favorite is about right but don’t be surprised if Alabama doesn’t win 24 to 7 or by 17 .
Jim
January 5th, 2013
8:00 am
LSU’s loss to Clemson had just as much to do with poor clock management by the Hatter (who finally got his comeuppance) as it did Clemson actually winning the game.
Dawg Patrol
January 5th, 2013
8:02 am
Bama wins this one by a TD but will not cover the spread. Should be a great game ND is definitly no pushover but Bama will prevail……….Take the points
Athens PD
January 5th, 2013
8:04 am
Clearly, Texas A&M is the class of the SEC. The Cotton Bowl hosted the national championship game last night. The Monday night game is Miami is an afterthought.
furmandawg
January 5th, 2013
8:12 am
I haven’t drunk the kool aid on ND all year. Yes, they deserve to be there but I don’t think they are good. Narrow wins against Purdue and Pitt just don’t excite me. Bama will rout, cover the spread and send ND back to 7-5 next year.
Time and Tide
January 5th, 2013
8:19 am
I know that Dawg Nation will be unanimous in cheering the mighty Crimson Tide on to victory in the big game. Even dawgs have to admire the strength and skills of a well-coached team of scholar-athletes, especially since they see so little of that in Athens, bless their hearts.
Save that leftover New Year’s champagne to celebrate the Tide’s second straight BCS championship!
papadawg
January 5th, 2013
8:26 am
I’m curious how many of the so called BCS Bowls regret their team choices by not selecting the DAWGS. Especially the Sugar Bowl. Florida laid Gator Eggs in that one. I don’t like saban but Nortre Dame played pretty much nobody.
Buckeye
January 5th, 2013
8:33 am
We’re not there – ya, I know, Old news.
The dogs are not there!
HA!
Still cryin’ and a humpin’
Lee Barton
January 5th, 2013
8:36 am
Rudy was offsides.
RGP
January 5th, 2013
8:39 am
ND needs Johnny Manzel at QB to beat Bama. They don’t so they won’t.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 5th, 2013
8:44 am
UGA has hired the defensive line coach from Miss State.
A person SMART enough to know.....
January 5th, 2013
9:02 am
Joe Montana doesn’t even know who Rudy is!
Smug
January 5th, 2013
9:24 am
Notre Dim ain’t played nobody. The only first rate team on their schedule was Stanford & they took them to OT before losing. Bama should roll them easily. All the northern, liberal press that loves the Irish can then go stick their heads back up their backsides.
hit a single
January 5th, 2013
9:24 am
Go with Bama because they can run the football and then hit you with the long deep pass. Very tough to defend.
steve
January 5th, 2013
9:57 am
Manziel is the best player in college football, no question after last night and his season performance. I just wish everyone (all media) would call him what he really is…. RED SHIRT freshman! I guess it just sounds better to say (20 year old) freshman.
stanh
January 5th, 2013
10:09 am
Notre Dame has never seen the likes of Bama….Watch for Bama’s offensive line and Lacey-yeley to eat em up
North Ave. Faithful
January 5th, 2013
10:16 am
Bama and ND had better be glad their not playing Johnny Football monday night.
Bruno
January 5th, 2013
10:18 am
There should be an over and under on how many times ND gets across the 50. Based on LSU game last year maybe put it at 1. Saban and Kirby with a month to prepare, forget it, go with the under!!!!
WayBack
January 5th, 2013
10:18 am
A score of 17-10 that involves Notre Dame in a bowl game? Doesn’t that chime a little memory
bell???
DAWGIE DOO DOO
January 5th, 2013
10:26 am
Why so much interest in some black dopes throwing a football around?
D man
January 5th, 2013
10:30 am
Bama will ROLLLLLLLL like a pack of elephants….
wooooo
January 5th, 2013
10:46 am
It amazes me to read how so many people expect a blowout. “They ain’t never seen a team like bama” I bet most of you haven’t even watched a single half of ND football.
There is a reason why most of America can’t stand the $ec and it’s not because you are the best football conference, everyone admits that.
It is because of the stupid, arrogant fans who for some reason feel the need to take the easy route and cheer for their conference over their actual team.
I have read comments from UGA fans for weeks cheering on Florida? Bama? LSU? Seriously? A Georgia fan is cheering for Florida?
You people watch your game and then cheer for UF. If they lose, you shut up, safely avoiding the ribbing that actual fan would have to endure. If they win then you latch on their victory like a parasite and somehow feel that your rival winning makes you look better. Here’s a newsflash, winning football games makes you look better.
I can’t stand ND but apparently they have an inferiority complex and don’t need a bunch of other teams winning to make them feel good about themselves.
At least their fans have earned some respect.
BBQ MAN
January 5th, 2013
11:15 am
Dawglasville SEC fans, for the most part, go around claiming no one can beat an sec team. that’s why it’s a big deal when they lose out of conference
wooooo
January 5th, 2013
11:33 am
God forbid that there is another team outside of the $EC that can actually play football. Then come the ridiculous excuses that “well, they couldn’t get excited since it wasn’t a national championship game.”
Oregon, Stanford, ND, Ohio State, Michigan, FSU, and other teams could compete and challenge for a title if they were in the $EC.
milco
January 5th, 2013
11:42 am
Alabama wins this game easy—mark it down. ND’s overrated and barely beat a mediocre Pitt team. Saban will be dominating the SEC for years–he may have 10 BCS titles before he leaves Alabama. Title #15 for alabama is coming monday night–bet the house.
larry's trailer
January 5th, 2013
12:18 pm
alabama will beat noter dame like a rented mule—book it. alabama may be even better next year.
FarTrain
January 5th, 2013
12:31 pm
Excuse me, Mr. MB, but didn’t Texas A&M beat Alabama? AND didn’t Texas A&M lose to Florida and LSU? Nothing is a sure thing, and I don’t think I would be making these bold, ridiculous statements! Another thing, what was FL doing sitting at #3? Shows how screwed up the BCS is after their loss to Louisville!
SawThat1nce
January 5th, 2013
12:47 pm
Alabama will defeat Notre Dame, just like Georgia would have beat N.D., IF, GA. had a head coach smart enough to spike the damn ball, and give them 2 or 3 plays to try and win the SEC Championship Game and advance to the national title game.
Would Nick Saban spike the ball in that situation?
What percentage of the top 100 coaches in the NCAA would have spiked the ball?
I would say 99%, if you include Mark Richt in the list of top 100 coaches.
Am I bitter? Yes.
Crying over spilled milk? I guess so.
I don’t care, he should have grounded the ball, and used the 2, of maybe even 3 plays to get the win.
Tide Rising
January 5th, 2013
1:00 pm
The key is turnovers and mistakes. Alabama had 3 turnovers vs Texas A&M and they were up 20-0 before you could blink an eye. They scored 9 pts from the 2nd qtr through the 4th qtr. Same with LSU. We only scored 21 but we fumbled the ball as we were about to put the game away down on LSU’s goal line. We had more turnovers and that kept LSU in the game. As for Georgia they got a 10 pt swing on one play(blocked fg for a td runback) and we threw an int at the goal line. That game was close but statistically it was a blowout.
Bottom line is the only chance ND has is if Bama committs a series of turnovers and definitely more turnovers than ND. That’s the only way Alabama can be beaten or even played close.
captguitarman
January 5th, 2013
1:05 pm
The Irish certainly have had their lucky moments, and not just good fortune in general, but very specific and unlikely events that won games, like both Pitt and Stanford both missing easy field goals that would have knocked the Irish from their perch. From the having good luck in general standpoint, USC’s starting quarterback was out that entire game with an injury.
Having said that, the SEC has not been a dominant force in the bowl season. It would be one thing if only Vanderbilt lost, but LSU and Florida lost too — with Florida not even bothering to show up for the game at all. And, as someone noted, Alabama barely escaped Georgia — but Georgia had a great team this year.
But, all things considered, it is hard to see how the luck of the Irish will prevail agains the hard reality it will be facing with Alabama, and it all goes back to Saban. Bama will show up for the game, and it will be completely and totally ready to play. Not always a given with guys like Richt or Muskamp at the helm. And, there will be no quirky, loose cannon, WTF, someone slap that guy in the face before he does it again, coaching moments with Saban, like with Miles, who ordered three incomplete pass plays in a row (his weakest hand), stopping the clock each time, and giving Clemson the ball back with just enough time to score. And, despite its good defense (Georgia had great defense too), when that running game juggernaut gets rolling with that offensive line and those two big horses Bama has in its backfield, Notre Dame will succumb, just like Georgia did.
Bama’s Geno Smith went the wrong way on UGA’s last play | Mark Bradley
January 5th, 2013
1:55 pm
[...] BCS background: History may favor the underdog Irish, but Alabama is too good. [...]
Stinger 2
January 5th, 2013
1:57 pm
SawThat1nce: Get over it man. It was a great game and a tough loss for UGA.
You have a coach that many other major schools would love to have. You had a very good season at 12-2. UGA will probably end up in the top 5 rankings on Tuesday morning.
This GT fan thinks that every UGA fan should be thankful for the program you have.
I am thankful for the ending to GT`s season as it played out. Not a good one but the team did not quit and came out better than most predicted after a 2-4 start.
Wet Willie...keep on smiling
January 5th, 2013
2:10 pm
#Stinger…Mark Richt is a fine person no doubt and a above average football coach but ends right there! If not at UGA Richt would be a 7-5 coach at best. No other schools have ever came after Mark and will not. The talent level of the high school players in Georgia is for the most part the reason for success. If Nick Saban were at UGA then you would use all the lumber at Home Depot trying to enlarge the trophy case. Instead you have a great big room with one dusty old trophy. Now the room beside the trophy room is where they keep all the banners for Next Year’s Best Team….now that room is full.
My-Guy
January 5th, 2013
11:46 pm
I honestly think Alabama will pull out the win against Notre Dame, but don’t expect the national championship to be a blowout like last year. Alabama beat Michigan by lots of points in the beginning of the season, while Notre Dame only beat them by a touchdown, but you never know what happens in football games. South Carolina BARELY beat an improved Michigan team! So when teams are the underdogs, they play lights out and a lot of teams in bowl games this year are angry at the SEC this year. Nebraska gave us a game, but we eventually pulled it out in the fourth quarter. Louisville was told that they’d never had a chance against Florida, but Florida got killed and embarrassed the SEC in the Sugar Bowl. Out of all the non-SEC teams in bowl games this year, Notre Dame will be the most motivated one out of all! Notre Dame will be FIRED up, ANGRY, and ready for Alabama. This year the SEC is in danger of the winning streak ending. I really hope Alabama doesn’t overlook Notre Dame… the National Championship this year will be a close game!
SawThat1nce
January 6th, 2013
10:52 am
Stinger 2……I don’t have to “get over it”, I have been a Richt supporter since he came to UGA, but I now have my doubts,
I think that someone else could do a better job.
I really would not mind if one of the “many other major schools” had him.
SawThat1nce
January 6th, 2013
10:54 am
I think that Alabama will demolish Notre Dame. That’s my opinion.
Bama-Notre Dame? A big game. Nick Saban? Even bigger | Mark Bradley
January 6th, 2013
12:11 pm
[...] Further reading: History may favor the underdog Irish, but Bama is too good. [...]
Speak Out: Notre Dame vs. Alabama—Who Will Win? | east cobb
January 7th, 2013
7:55 am
[...] Despite its number-two ranking, several prominent sportswriters are picking Alabama to win. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Bradley points out that since the BCS era began, no team has repeated as champ. While that historical fact favors the Irish, Bradley says reality backs up the favored Tide. [...]
Speak Out: Notre Dame vs. Alabama—Who Will Win? | Acworth
January 7th, 2013
12:41 pm
[...] Despite its number-two ranking, several prominent sportswriters are picking Alabama to win. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Bradley points out that since the BCS era began, no team has repeated as champ. While that historical fact favors the Irish, Bradley says reality backs up the favored Tide. [...]
Live from the BCS title game: The Irish have landed! | Mark Bradley
January 7th, 2013
6:50 pm
[...] as taking the Tide to win 17-10, but I’ve covered a few of these BCS title games and I know the favorite doesn’t always win. (Exhibit A: USC in January 2006; Exhibit B, Ohio State in the desert the next [...]