Ohio State, Florida, BCS, and SEC

The BCS Title Game is set. All of us who care a lick about College Football know that Ohio State will take on Florida for the title of National Champion. I've heard all the arguments for and against the Gators being in this game.

Valid: The idea of a rematch between the Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines is not desireable. What if Michigan wins? Should there be a best two-out-of-three between these two teams? But the major issue, at least as brought up by one poster on another blog, is that the rematch would not be as financially lucrative to the BCS as another game. I heard alot of spin from the media-types as they tried to justify Florida as #2, but what it all boils down to is whether or not the voters wanted a rematch. And whether there is more money to be made with one team over another.

Not valid: The idea that the Southeastern Conference is the best in the US is just another old and worn out idea from years ago, just like how invincible any college team from Florida is.

One of the favorite mantras of all SEC fans is how much better their teams are than the Big Ten.

Honestly, I am not as upset about Florida playing in the Championship Game as I am about how all these pundits and so-called experts keep saying how the SEC is the toughest conference going. I will grant you that they are even from top to bottom, but I am convinced that had Ohio State, Michigan, or Southern Cal been in the SEC, either of the three teams would have been the conference's champion.

Example: Let's look at the last eight Outback and Capitol One Bowls (or whatever those Bowl Games were once known as), where the Big Ten faced off directly with the SEC.

Over the past eight years, the Capitol One Bowl record shows the Big Ten has a 5 to 3 advantage, and one of the SEC wins was an overtime game that could have gone either way. The Outback Bowl is even and 4 to 4, but once again, the SEC secured one win in overtime.

Last year did not look good for the SEC. Check the results, Wisconsin beat the pollster's darling Auburn by a lopsided 24 to 10 score. And Iowa beat LSU 30 to 25. Poor Big Ten, they really don't measure up to the SEC, do they?

So, now. Just for fun, let's see how this year's Bowl schedule might resolve itself.

Independence Bowl, Oklahoma State versus Alabama: Could go either way, but if the Okie State team that beat Nebraska and barely lost to the Sooners shows up, Alabama will be in for a big surprise and a long game.

Music City Bowl, Kentucky versus Clemson: Another game that depends on who wants to play. The team that feels better about being here will probably win.

Liberty Bowl, Houston versus South Carolina: Edge to South Carolina because of Spurrier.

Chick-fil-A Bowl, Virginia Tech versus Georgia: Who besides the most rabid SEC fans think that the Bulldogs, who barely beat the hapless Colorado Buffalos at home, have much of a chance? The short trip for UGA will help, but not nearly enough.

Cotton Bowl, Nebraska versus Auburn: This is a step up for the Cornhuskers to a bigger bowl, another chance for them to show everyone that they are back. Tommy "I should have stayed in Oxford" Tuberville will find a way to lose again. Nebraska will want this game, and so will their fans, and that will make a difference.

Outback Bowl, Penn State versus Tennessee: Is there any more of an overrated team than the Volunteers? They beat a worse than average Air Force team by one at home! I am so tired of everyone saying, "But we beat Tennessee". Penn State always overachieves in Bowl Games, chalk this one up as a win for the lowly Big Ten.

Capitol One Bowl, Wisconsin versus Arkansas: Please. This might be the mismatch of the season. Wisconsin is mad that teams like Boise State and Notre Dame and Wake Forest are in a BCS Bowl. Arkansas is only glad to be here. Result: The Badgers roll. Big Ten two, SEC nothing!

Sugar Bowl, Louisiana State versus Notre Dame: This looks like a lock for the SEC, but, as Lee Corso says, "a game that will be closer than the experts think". One big advantage for LSU is the short trip from Baton Rouge to the Big Easy.

BCS Championship, Ohio State versus Florida: Meyer got his wish, on January 9th, he will wish that he didn't. There is no way that Florida wins a sloppy game against Ohio State. Jim Tressel is the best game day coach in the country. This game will remind fans of the Nebraska romp over Florida a few years ago. Don't compare this Florida team with the Ohio State team that beat Miami of Florida for their Title a few years ago, this Florida team doesn't have the Coach that OSU has.

So, what are we at now? I see the once mighty SEC winning three Bowl Games and losing six, with the Big Ten winning three to the SEC's nothing. That's my prediction. Mine is as valid as Mark May's, only he has the ESPN camera and I don't.