If your favorite college team is Oklahoma or Florida you are smiling big today. One of those teams will be declared National Champion on January 8. It came about through a somewhat flawed system helped by computers, scores, opponents, tradition, and whatever else is thrown in the mix. But if it is bowl games you like, sit back and vegetate for there will be more than THIRTY played in the next month. Such exciting matchups as Troy vs Southern Mississippi in the unnamed and unsponsored New Orleans bowl. (Remember when Sugar was the only bowl in Louisiana?) There will be Fl Atlantic battling Central Michigan on December 26 in the Motor City Bowl at Detroit.I would think those folks in Detroit would be saving every dime, especially after Christmas, in what may be called next year the MOTORLESS CITY BOWL.
You have to feel for Texas Tech and Boise State. Tech had a bad day and a bad match-up and a bad everything against Oklahoma, but looked at times like they could beat the Dallas Cowboys, and they were left out of the race with the big boys. Boise State was undefeated, but they have a problem. They are ...uh....Boise State. Maybe a name change would get them in the fight. How about The Idaho Taters? You have the Florida Gaters? and the Fighting Irish (not potatoes) from Notre Dame. Is there an "e" in potatos? This is all so confusing.
I am making Pogue's prognostications. I see the very best match-ups for this far too long bowl extravaganza as these:
Oklahoma-Florida Florida will win in the battle of quarterbacks 34-33
Hawaii- Notre Dame It is in Honolulu. So Hawaii will win. The Notre Dame players will all be suffering from sunburns and hula injuries.
Boise State - TCU That Idaho team will be trying to prove everyone wrong SO BAD that they will lose to the Horned Toads. (Now, there is a possible name-change need)
Texas Tech-Mississippi Now there is an interesting one! Two coaches who will go on fourth down from their own end zone! Tech will win but it should be fun to watch.
Texas vs Ohio State Two very unhappy coaches, teams, and fans. Can you hear them in Austin chanting "we're number three!", or in Ohio "our stadium is bigger". It will be won by who shows up that day. I think it will be Texas. They would prefer a rematch with Texas Tech.
There you have it, sports fans. You didn't know I knew that much about football? Everyone is a football coach...except maybe JoePa. He is an icon! An inspiration to the octogenarians of our land. If he lives to New Years Day he will be coaching in the Rose Bowl at EIGHTY-TWO!
Makes me want to go back to doing what I did..... I have forgotten what that was.