BCS has one crowing jewel...

National Championship Game saves the BCS this season...

Northern Illinois is a controversial selection

Northern Illinois a party crasher?

      In college basketball the post season championship gives us several teams unlikely to win the tournament. We don't call those teams terrible selections. We call them Cinderalla teams. I've often wondered why the same doesn't hold true for the BCS games? I think it is because football is about money. Don't get me wrong, the NCAA Tournament is about money. A lot of money, but not sinfulfully big money like what has happened in "amateur" college football. The money is so big that the sport is getting lost in the gold rush. I have to say that I was gratified to see that poll voters didn't vote down Northern Illinois to insure they were left out. I personally remember cheering for Boise State against Oklahoma when the Bronco's selection was questioned.  That is still one of the best games I have ever seen. The last play of that game is on instant replay in my mind. But one thing college football and big money television will not allow. Cinderella will never have a chance to play for the national championship. It simply will not happen. Northern Illinois playing Florida State for a national championship would draw ratings equal to a paint drying contest. What does Florida State have to gain from a bowl game. The short answer is nothing. A loss would be embarrassing but hardly fatal to the program as both Oklahoma and Georgia can attest. We all remember the  Huskies the Tide 16-13 in 2003. So it would be unfair to say the NIU doesn't have some credentials to play in the BCS. I bet it wlll be the least watched of the BSC games this season.

 

Alabama/Notre Dame is dream pairing for college football

 

     I know that every fan thinks there school is special. Ohio State fans are bragging they could beat either Alabama or Notre Dame. Oregon is saying the same thing. Alabama and Notre Dame could easily be considered the top programs in college history. The Fighting Irish and the Crimson Tide are the benchmarks of NCAA football. Midwestern fans will say it is the Irish and Southern fans, some begrudgingly, will say it is 'Bama. Between the two schools they claim a total of 25 national championships. The Tide has 14 and the Irish lay claim to 11. In recent years the Irish had fallen victim to some tough seasons. The truth is that a lack of conference affiliation  and modern facilities took their toll. The dead period lasted so long that most high school players outside the Midwest really know nothing about the Irish. To most top players they were another team. That's why this season has been so important to their program. The Irish are second in some national recruiting rankings.

 

        Alabama went through a period of solid but not spectacular football. Here's an interesting fact. Every coach since Paul Bryant has had at least on 10 win season. 10 wins seems  to be the entry level to excellence. So in some ways the Tide retained a lot of their historic importance when their program was considered down. Down is a relative term. Most colleges would have loved to had Alabama's record during that period. To  a lot of younger fans the Nick Saban era is what it is all about. But in truth the legacy of Tide football goes back 8 decades. Alabama football was just as important before Bear Bryant . I think a fair statement would be that Alabama's consistency dates back to the 1920's and has rarely fallen since. There are several programs that would argue th ey belong in the top two, but Michigan, Southern California, Texas, Penn State and Ohio State just don't have the championships. After all it is about championships isn't it. Here's how great Bama's program is - we win the SEC Championship and would have "bad" season if we don't win the national championship. In fact, any season when Alabama doesn't win the national crown is disappointing and suspect.
 
        Bowl games have been reduced to almost nothing. They really don't matter. I guess the winner of one of the bowl games in the BCS rota could move up to #2. I am not sure any coach could sell being second or third. But I have to give credit to the BCS selection process. There have been very few arguments about who should be playing in the big game. There have been a plethera of arguments about how the two teams got to number 1 and 2, but really no dispute they deserved being there. If the BCS goal was to get the top two teams on the field it has been mission accomplished.

       When you look back at the history of the BSC this year's game has to be the best match up ever. All you fans at other teams can start your arguments right now. And you know what?  You'd be wrong. You'd be very wrong. There has never been a BCS championship game with this much hype. This is the game where the bery best two teams in college football are going to strap on their chin straps and settle matters about who has been the all time best in college football history. Alabama is still a 9.5 point favorite. Favorites generally win this game. Alabama hasn't played a team like Notre Dame this season. But I believe Alabama has played several teams as good or better than the Irish. I know that Notre Dame hasn't played anyone in the same zip code of the Tide. One thing is certain - this game is one for the ages.