What was eight is now four. Sound familiar? If you’re thinking of the NCAA Basketball Tournament, you would be right. Maybe this is some kind of sick, twisted, cosmic joke the universe is playing on the BCS committee for not using a playoff system. It started Saturday morning. Kirk Herbstreit of ESPN called it “upset Saturday.” Prophetic words coming from a guy who got knocked around for four years at Ohio State. Anyway, for some odd reason, Notre Dame head man Ty Willingham decided they would resurrect the “Green Machine.” For those of you who are fuzzy on your ND history, the “Green Machine” refers to the nickname the Irish gave themselves after bringing out green jerseys. Bad idea, Coach W. Granted, a rather large blown call by a line judge nullified a first-half score and pretty much set the tone for the day, but the Irish have seemed to find a way to win the other eight weeks of the season. Not today, Touchdown Jesus. Boston College 14, Notre Dame 7.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack, like all the other losers Saturday, are really going to kick themselves after this weekend. Albeit hindsight, consider this–had NC State won, with all the upsets, they would have seriously increased their chance to go to the Fiesta Bowl. Before Saturday night and the upsets, they had no shot, and they know it. Nevertheless, the Wolfpack managed to choke at home against a Georgia Tech team that has taken more gravity punishment than a Six Flags rollercoaster. Perfection? Gone. Fiesta Bowl? Sayonara. All that’s left is a lackluster ACC Championship shot–a title that was once considered sacred before Florida State decided to come back to earth. Georgia Tech 24, NC State 17.
I called it. I usually don’t try and toot my proverbial horn when I’m right, but this time I will. Last Tuesday, I said Pitt would go into Blacksburg, Va., and take down the third-ranked and undefeated Hokies. If I had a ring, this is where I would ask you to kiss it. At any rate, VA Tech can once again kiss their national title hopes goodbye, kind of. There is still an outside chance they could sneak in, but they need a BUNCH of help. Losing to Pitt kind of takes the luster out of that Dec. 7 matchup in the Orange Bowl, doesn’t it? Yeah, it does for Miami. As if the ‘Canes schedule isn’t weak enough, their big game this season is to a team who is now falling in the polls. And how about those Pitt Panthers? Oh, wait, sorry. They don’t like to be referred to as Pitt anymore. The PITTSBURGH Panthers are now 5-0 in the Big East, and may even win the conference. Of course, they’ll need a little help, assuming they lose to Miami. Pitt(sburgh) 28, VT 21.
Then we come the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. Georgia fans were getting ready for their first win over Florida. They even had all day Saturday to celebrate it. Speaking of that before I go on, why hold that game at night? I mean, come on, they don’t call it the Cocktail Party for nothing, people. Those people drink–heavily. Are we trying to boost the alcohol poisoning numbers for the year? Now back to Georgia’s celebration over their phantom victory over the Gators. UGA had lost 11 out of 12 to Florida, and it was time for the red and black to party. Or was it? If you have an offense like UGA’s it wasn’t. Defense good. Offense baaaaad! So Dawg fans partied all day Saturday and got so drunk that they actually saw a hallucination of Georgia’s last win over Florida–five years ago. Florida 20, Georgia 13.
What was eight is now four. Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State and Bowling Green. Yeah, Bowling Green. Hey, don’t laugh! They’re ranked in the top 20 and can beat a lot of the teams that are laughing at them right now. They don’t need to raise a fuss over not getting to play in the BCS despite their record, either. They don’t play anyone. Their biggest win? Missouri. Don’t argue, BGSU, just enjoy your perfect season.
It seems to be Final Four time already and my brackets are still in tact, kind of. But just like everyone else, I wish we had brackets to worry about right now. Yes, BCS committee, I’m talking to you. Funny thing, though. Basketball season starts Friday, but March Madness has kicked in five months early.
Notes from around the country
*”Carrying the team”–The Marshall offensive line gave whole new meaning to the term ‘carrying the team’ on Saturday. After being taken to the hospital with a severe shin injury and returning to the game, Marshall quarterback Byron Leftwich had to be carried around the field after plays by his offensive line. The thing was, he was still making throws, but couldn’t walk well enough to make it downfield. If that man didn’t win the Heisman Trophy for that alone, I don’t know what he’ll have to do.
*”Planning a Fiesta”–You want a scenario? Well, here you go. The road to the national title game at the Fiesta Bowl is simple for Oklahoma and Miami–win out. For Ohio State and others, it gets a little cloudy. Ohio State must win out and hope at least one of the above two loses. Texas, who should be No. 4 come the new standings, need two of the top three to fall and assuming Washington State jumps to No. 5 this week, the Cougars need three of the top four to lose. Sure, it sounds simple, but what happens if ALL of those teams fall at one point or another? Your guess is as good as mine, because to tell you the truth, I don’t think the BCS knows either.