Two things to say before I write this: 1. Congratulations to my Kentucky Wildcats for beating Clemson in the Music City Bowl, 28-20, for their first bowl win in 22 years! 2. Sorry, been a long time between blogs. Lots to do, little time to do it. So now to what I have to say. I haven't read a single blog, or a single article even about the Wolverine-Trojan game in The Rose Bowl. I really didn't need to read about it, I watched it. A 3-3 tie at halftime proved one thing to me: the second half was going to be a fun one to watch. I knew this for one reason alone- Pete Carroll may be the best 2nd half adjustment coach going right now in college football. What I didn't know however was how Michigan would play in the second half. Yes, Michigan did put up good numbers against Ohio State after half-time. Turnovers and shortfields however helped that cause. So I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the Maize and Blue. A heaping dose of Mike Hart maybe? Well, no, because based on the first half, USC showed me and the nation that they too could stop the run. A dozen Henne-Manningham-Breaston hook-ups? The way the Trojan Defense played in the first half, I just couldn't see a big game coming. What I did see in the first half was this: USC couldn't run against the Michigan D. Not many this year could, save Ohio State. So what did Carroll do? Throw, Throw, Throw. And the talent level rose immensely in the second half. So rarely do you see such a one-dimensional game be so successful. Dwayne Jarrett for USC caught 205 yards worth alone. Even double-teamed, triple teamed at times it seemed. Smith and the rest of the receiving corps caught some spectacularly thrown balls from John David Booty in the 32-18 USC blow-out. As many questions this game answered about USC to me, it arose a few more about the competence and even the confidence Lloyd Carr had in his Michigan squad. The one thing about the game that still sticks out to me is this: with 8:02 left in the game and Michigan trailing 25-11, Carr decides to go for it on 4th and I believe it was 13. It's only a two touchdown game Lloyd. Your last possession you drove down the field and scored with Henne completing six straight passes capped off with as perfect a throw to the endzone as could be made between two defenders for a score. Yes, JDB did throw a perfect strike to Jarrett just a few minutes earlier for a TD, but it seemed like a shootout was about to take place. But, what happened on that 4th and 13 call? If I'm not mistaken Lloyd you were in field goal range. Had you kicked and made a field goal, well the score would have been a more manageable 25-14. Eleven point game with 8:02 to go in the fourth. Not many coaches would choke under those situations. Lloyd choked. His players felt it. They knew he had given up on the game. There was a chance that Michigan would convert on that 4th down, but it was slim. Not given the way the Trojans were playing. Why would you give up on your team so soon Lloyd? Well, if your team didn't feel it, the nation that watched sure felt it. USC definitely felt it. So much in fact they were the sharks and well Michigan the bloodied piece of meat dangling, lifeless, hopeless, just waiting. Why do I feel Carr gave up? Well, any intelligent coach would take three and rely on his defense. I mean, this WAS Michigan's defense. The mighty mighty defense we were lead to believe were so awesome this year. Carr knew more than the nation knew though. Maybe Carr knew it was over after Jarrett raced by the two clueless Michigan defenders and caught that perfect throw by JDB. Maybe Carr knew his defenders just were out-matched by the talented Trojan offense. An offense I may add that seemed on life-support most of the year. In any case, 8:02 to go is an eternity in football. Carr has an eternity now to think about that 4th down call.

Much debate is an understatement on who should be NO.2 in the final Coaches and Harris Polls which we all should know by now. I am a guy that likes stats and numbers though. So I went to the USA Today website and made this simple chart of how the COACHES voted Florida and Michigan in the Final Coaches Poll.

There weren't any really big suprises really. Only a few. I will continue on with the discussion after this chart. I didn't list the coaches individually, but listed their vote for the team as a group by conference. So naturally, when you see 2 or 3 under the column of Florida and Michigan, then that's a no.2 vote by that coach, or no. 3 vote, respectively. OSU unanimously got all NO. 1 votes. No coach voted Florida or Michigan lower than 2 or 3. Here is the breakdown by conference posted Sunday Dec. 3rd, 2006:

CONFERENCE     FLORIDA                 MICHIGAN

  ACC                      2 2 2 2 2 2 2             3 3 3 3 3 3 3

BIG 10                   3 3 3 3 2                    2 2 2 2 3

BIG 12                                 3 2 2 2 3 2 2             2 3 3 3 2 3 3

SEC                        2 2 2 2 2 2 2             3 3 3 3 3 3 3

BIG EAST              3 2 2 3                       2 3 3 2

WAC                       2 2 2 2 2                    3 3 3 3 3

C-USA                    2 2 2 2 3 2                 3 3 3 3 2 3

PAC 10                   3 2 2 3 2 2                2 3 3 2 3 3  

SUN BELT              3 2 2 2                      2 3 3 3

MAC                        2 3 3 3 2                   3 2 2 2 3

MTN WEST            3 2 2 3                      2 3 3 2

INDEPENDENTS   2 3                            3 2

 

 

Like I said, no really big suprises. Note if you will though one Big Ten coach, Ron Zook of Illinios (former Florida coach) did give Florida the NO. 2 vote over Big Ten rival Michigan. Just food for thought. Not that it mattered.  Of course we all know by now that Jim Tressel, coach of The Ohio State Buckeyes did not cast any votes, therefore there were 62 coaches that voted.

Florida garnered 44 of the 62 NO. 2 votes, while Michigan was granted the other 18 NO.2 votes.

NOTABLES: The four Mountain West votes were split, as well as the two independent votes. Charlie Weis coach of Notre Dame cast his NO.2 vote for Michigan...no real big suprise. The ACC, SEC, and WAC swept the voters with all NO. 2 votes cast for Florida. The Coaches in the PAC-10 were 4-2 in favor of Florida.

 

There are other notable voting that stuck out at me. I will list a few here:

1. Howard Schnellenber coach at Florida Atlantic voted LSU no. 15 in the final voting! What did the Tigers do to him? lol

2.Mike Bellotti coach at Oregon has Wisconsin at no. 4 in his final voting. Interesting.

3.Bobby Bowden of Florida State still thinks USC is the best 2 loss team, even over one loss teams, he has them ranked no. 4 in his final poll. As do many other coaches I may add.

Now in light of this, Kirk Herbstreit, former OSU QB, now ESPN College Football Analyst, did have a valid argument in favor of Michigan. Not quoting him, but Michigan had not played in the last two weeks. He wondered how a Florida team that was ranked no. 4 in the nation following Michigan's loss at OSU, but still remained no. 2 in the polls following that loss, could leap-frog a team whose season was over.  His argument stated in paraphrase that If the OSU/UM game had been played this past Saturday, would the coaches still have voted the way they did, hence out of site, out of mind? And he went on to say that the coaches clearly did NOT want to see a rematch. I'm not saying I agree/disagree, but I will let you decide.

So, I began to look at how the coaches that voted Florida NO.2  and Michigan NO.3 on Dec. 3rd had voted after the Nov. 18th showdown, and then the following week.  However, it seems difficult for me at least to  locate how the coaches voted on Nov.  25, 2006. If someone could direct me to that link, it would be much appreciated.

 

     

Well, I've sat through almost 6000 arugments over Michigan and Florida. Who deserves to be no. 2? Who deserves to play OSU?

The arguments are credible. So credible on both sides that it's ridiculous that a debate has to be made.

The only thing I have concluded from all this is this: Michigan fans love their team. Florida fans love their team.

That I know for sure. That I know is certain. And I as a college football nut, love my teams!

Go Buckeyes! against the Florida Gators

Go Wildcats! against the Clemson Tigers

Sometimes the hardest roads to walk are the ones less traveled.

-F88

UCLA has just ended USC's title hopes. The Gators are leading 17-14 after having a 17-0 lead in the first half. Michigan fans are gonna get what they want. A REMATCH! Go Bucks! Should be another barn burner in Glendale this time! LIke I said in a comment below, the BCS uses the ELO_Chess to determine standings. Before the new ones are released, it goes like this: Michigan no. 3 99.52 Florida no. 4 96.60 Arkansas was no. 7 at 92.67 Florida needs probably two polls to rank them no. 2 ahead of Michigan, maybe all 3...AP/Coaches/Harris...to have a shot at taking over the no. 2 spot in the BCS. Florida won a tough SEC, and the Championship game...let's see what happens!

In light of the recent postings by fans saddened that USC has "stolen" the no. 2 spot in the BCS standings over Michigan, I just have a few things to say. Michigan, get over it. The BCS is designed to reflect the two best teams in the nation at seasons end. Sometimes it gets it right, other times well it just doesn't. These teams are to play in the BCS title game. We all know that. Since there is no playoff system, then these so called powerhouse schools need to take into consideration what it takes to be ranked high in the BCS standings. The BCS is not rocket science guys. The one thing about the BCS that schools tend to overlook is this: your team has to play some quality non-conference teams in order to get a good BCS ranking. How many years has this tune been playing? That is, schools being snubbed because of a poor non-conference schedule. Michigan fans especially, quit your whining! Here is Michigan's outstanding resume non-conference. Vanderbilt Central Michigan Notre Dame Ball State So why are you crying that USC got the no. 2 nod over you? Here is USC's non-conference schedule. at Arkansas Nebraska Notre Dame So for the Trojans that's a non-conference schedule featuring two teams playing for the champioinship in their respective conferences. Not even Ohio State can boast of such a schedule. Yes they played at Texas this year, but really how good is Texas. Ohio State has proven their worth on the field. I don't think anyone questions that Ohio State is one of at least the two best teams in the nation. So dry up those tears Michigan fans. The Florida Gators have more of a right to play Ohio State in the BCS title game than you! Florida doesn't have a non-conference schedule to boast about either, but at least they have to prove themselves in a tough Southeastern conference. And although FSU has had a down year, they still have more talent on that team than all four non-conference teams the Wolverines scheduled this year. Until some sort of playoff format is implemented, then this debate will go on and on and on. And until then schools will be crying foul over and over and over. USC had the balls to schedule teams they could lose to, so did Ohio State, so did Florida. Michigan, it scheduled teams that would make their win/loss record look good, and suffice to say, that's not good enough for the BCS.