Saturday, December 7, 2013

Championship Gameday - Week #15

Well, we have finally reached the last Saturday of the college football regular season.  ESPN's College Gameday is currently broadcasting on a very cold, wintry day (outside temperature was close to 0 degrees F) in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.  Tonight's game (kickoff @ 8:00PM on FOX) will feature #2 Ohio State's strong offense, led by QB Braxton Miller, against #10 Michigan State and their formidable defense.  Tonight's contest in Lucas Oil Stadium should be a very competitive game.  If Ohio State wins, their status as an undefeated team should put them in a position to play in the National Championship game.  A win by Michigan State will definitely allow the Spartans to play in the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988 (In that game MSU defeated USC, 20-17). 

If Ohio State remains undefeated, it is very likely that the Buckeyes will play #1 Florida State for the National Championship.  But first, Florida State will have to play #20 Duke in tonight's ACC Championship at 8:00PM on ABC.  Both schools have been the national news for different reasons.  Duke's rise has been, for lack of a better term, "a true underdog story."  2013 is not only the first time the Blue Devils have won ten games in a season and earned a conference championship berth.  It is also the first time that the program will earn a bowl bid since the 1994 season (Duke has not won a bowl game since 1961).  As for Florida State, the country's attention has focused on QB Jameis Winston.  Winston faced the possibility of being charged with raping a female Florida State student.  However, the State of Florida attorney's office reported Thursday that Winston would not be charged.  As a result, Florida State remains favored to win their conference championship.  How this development from the Florida State attorney's office will affect Winston's Heisman candidacy remains to be seen. 

Speaking of schools in the Southeastern USA, tonight's schedule also features the SEC Championship game between #5 Missouri and #3 Auburn.  Missouri won the SEC East but that school is west of the Mississippi River, and Auburn won the SEC West even though they are close to the Atlantic Coast.  So what we have here in the SEC Championship in Atlanta (kickoff at 4PM on CBS) is a case of lopsided geography.  An Auburn win tonight could re-open the debate over who is more deserving of a bid for a National Championship appearance should Florida State win:  Ohio State or Auburn.  Ohio State is undefeated but many argue that Auburn, despite their one loss, deserve to play since they beat three top-ten teams (it would be four if they beat Missouri).  If Florida State loses, Ohio State wins, and Auburn wins, then Ohio State and Auburn could play for the championship, thus rendering that debate a moot point.  If Missouri wins, then they will earn the SEC's automatic bid to the Sugar Bowl. 

In the Big XII today, the picture is a little different.  Three teams (Baylor, Oklahoma State, and Texas) are all eligible for a share of the Big XII title.  Each team has one loss and all of them are in consideration for a bid to the Fiesta Bowl.  Today's two games will determine which one out of the three will earn that berth.  At Noon today, #6 Oklahoma State will host #17 Oklahoma in the annual Bedlam Series.  If the Cowboys win, they will be ranked high enough in the BCS to earn the Big XII's Fiesta Bowl berth even if Baylor defeats Texas.  If #9 Baylor defeats #25 Texas (kickoff: 3:30 PM on FOX), it is a strong possibility that the Bears will earn the right to play in Glendale.  But that will only happen if Oklahoma wins.  As for Texas, it is very possible that the Longhorns could secure a bid to the Fiesta Bowl.  But that possibility can only happen if Texas beats Baylor and Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State.  If that possibility occurred, Texas would get the conference championship since they would have only one loss in the Big XII and Oklahoma State and Baylor would have two losses apiece.  I don't see this situation occurring but, as last week's finish in the Iron Bowl has demonstrated, unusual things can happen in the game of college football.  

Finally, today's PAC-12 championship between #7 Stanford and #11 Arizona State (kickoff: 7:45 PM on ESPN) at Sun Devil stadium should be a very competitive game.  The winner will go to the Rose Bowl.  Stanford is the defending Rose Bowl Champion but an Arizona State victory will give the Sun Devils an opportunity to go to Pasadena for the first time since 1997. 

We shall see how Championship Saturday unfolds.  Enjoy the games, everybody!!




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