College football

is over. Auburn controversially won the national championship, although I am happy that a more balanced team put the lid on a high scoring, defense-to-the wind mentality (tough to say because I love the Ducks, butcha gotta play the game like it was meant to be played). If I had my druthers TCU would be the national champion as they were the most impressive team week in and week out.

Other than that, I would give the season a C+ rating. The controversy over rules violations across the board was pathetic and the fact that the NCAA can’t seem to get a grasp on it is worse. We are finally starting to see what happens when teams schedule weak non-conference games and their actual conference has a down year. Michigan State had an outstanding year on paper at 11-2, but they are no better than a Top 25 team. Ohio St had one quality win all year coming against Arkansas. Iowa tanked at the end of the year due to injuries and Penn St. was in an off year. Wisconsin was by far and away the only proven Big 10 team coming into bowl season. The SEC was loaded and was hands down the best conference in the league this year. The Pac 10 had two top 5 times and might as well just drop the states of Washington and Arizona and half of the teams from California off the docket for next year. Colorado has a great a shot at finishing in the upper half of the league for a change. The Big East should drop football and stick to basketball. The Big 12 was an enigma and a much tougher conference than people will give it credit for after the bowl season. Had it been the SEC that went through a season like the Big 12, the papers would be calling it the best conference by far and away – all of the teams were too good and beat up on each other. Somehow, NU managed to finish 20th in the AP poll falling a miraculous 1 spot after the bowl loss. For as much as the press has disliked Nebraska since the early 2000s, they sure did give us a little credit this year. The ACC is making strides, but will drop off a little next year with player losses. They are far from the powerhouse conference that they were a decade ago. The MWC was the class of the non-AQ this year having more bowl teams than the PAC 10 (or the same if USC wasn’t on probation). Boise State is still over-rated as is Nevada. (ranked 15th come bowl season having beaten two teams with a winning record – Boise St (due to b2b botched field-goals by BSU) and Fresno State who had a whopping 7 wins (6 of them were against the bottom of the MWC and WAC). please don’t dell me that this is even a Top 20 worthy team) Both very good teams, but the strength of schedule just isn’t there. Being the biggest, baddest fish in the pond means squat when the pond consists of Nevada, Idaho, New Mexico, Hawaii, and the dregs of Louisiana/California. The CUSA played some of the most exciting football that no one saw. Good teams with high-powered offenses centered around difficult schemes with defenses to match and there was no high-profile controversy surrounding any one program. The MAC disappointed, but not much can be expected from the BIG 10’s little brother. Asside from Florida Atlantic having a chance to knock Texas out of bowl contention or Western Kentucky snapping an incredible losing streak, nothing of note really happened in the Sun Belt. And last but not least, the Independents. Army made it back to a bowl, Navy showed that the triple option still has a place in football, and Notre Dame was 8 points away from an 11 win season with a new coach and unproven leaders.

The scenery change next year will have a big impact on the football landscape as the Big 10 becomes the Big 12 and visa versa. The MWC loses its top 3 traditional powers to the Big East and Independents, but gains the cream of the crop out of the WAC (wahoo). The Pac 10 picks up a team that probably is no more closer to the Pacific Coast than TCU is to that of the Atlantic. But hey, the way college football works these days, this is normal. No longer does playing in January mean that you are one of the top 10 teams in the nation. No longer is winning seen as a W. It is seen as a statistical nightmare of baseballesk proportions. Winning ugly is basically a loss unless you are in the good graces of the media or hail from the almighty SEC. Playing tough non-conference schedules is about as rare as a consensus Number 1 team. And if the stars align come September, all will be exposed to the entire nation as the NFL lockout will leave College Football in the spotlight. Nothing would be worse for the fate of the bowl system than having the playoff crazy NFL fans clamoring for a playoff in a system that they don’t understand. But for now there is hope. Nebraska changes to the new league and while the schedule may seem daunting it is favorable. Washington loses Jake Locker and the sting from the bowl will carry over into that game. The rest of the non-conference slate should be a cakewalk. Wisconsin will be tough, but will be undergoing some major changes in losing their star quarterback who has been the staple of that team for all but the first year of Bielema’s tenure. Ohio State will be down 6 starters (including their star quarterback) when Nebraska rolls around. Minn sucks. Michigan State loses 95% of their defense in their soon to be drafted middle linebacker. Northwestern saves its big upset for Iowa every year. Penn St. will be tough, but they lost every tough game this year and have some QB controversy. Michigan is getting a new coach and will be changing schemes and working with a team that is unproven in the spotlight. And Iowa loses over half of their defensive starters and their quarterback. Reading between the lines, even with Watson as a coordinator, so long as the Blackshirts do what they have done the past 3 seasons and the offense scores at least a touchdown a game: NU could be looking at a rematch Big 10 championship come December.