By Justin Albers
INDIANAPOLIS- It should have been a rematch. They didn't deserve it. Ohio State can not be defeated. The SEC is overrated.
The Florida Gators have heard it all, but it was obvious on Monday night that they didn't believe it. The Gators 41-14 annihilation of the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes was hardly what the nation expected. Ohio State really was put in a lose-lose situation. They were undefeated, and nobody thought they could be beat. If they beat Florida then they do what was expected, but if they lose then they will never forget it. They lost and they will never, ever forget it. The Buckeyes never lost all season, so what went wrong?
1. Outcoached, Outworked, Outplayed- Urban Meyer had his guys ready to play in the national championship, Jim Tressel did not. The Buckeyes did the same things they've been doing all year and really didn't put in any extra preparation for a big game. Florida came into the game with an entirely new gameplan and caught Ohio State off guard. Then, when the Buckeyes were down big at the half, Tressel failed to make the necessary adjustments to get his team back in the game. They came out in the second half with the same gameplan they started the game with. It just did not work.
2. Big Men on Campus- Following a perfect 12-0 season, the Buckeye players felt pretty good about themselves and their chances in the national championship. They saw their quarterback win the Heisman trophy amongst other awards and a little bit of cockiness got into their heads. They may not have prepared as hard as they would have if they were the underdog. "If you do what you've always done you'll get what you've always gotten." Isn't that right? That's what Ohio State thought. Just keep doing the things we've done all year and we'll win. This isn't Northwestern or Penn State, or even Michigan, this is the best team from the best conference and they are preparing harder then you are. What does that mean? Nothing good for the Buckeyes. Being the favorite comes with disadvantages and the Buckeyes found that out on the biggest stage in college football.
3. 51 day layoff- You know I had to mention it, even though Florida had a long layoff as well. I strongly disagree with giving the players that much time off. It's almost a different season when you play a bowl game then it is when you play the regular season. The teams have too much time to think about that game, and most times they do not play the same way they did in the regular season. Give the teams one week off and schedule the bowl game 2-2 1/2 weeks after the final regular season game. This will allow the teams time to prepare without getting rusty. The bowl games are becoming a case where the team that is better prepared for that game wins instead of the team that would have won had they met in the regular season. I don't think it is right and it should be changed. A playoff system would help that as well.
O-ver-rat-ed- It is time to face the fact that Ohio State was overrated throughout the season. They were not the #1 team in the nation because they did not play top quality competition week in and week out. The Big Ten was weak this year, and we found that out in the bowl games. Yeah Wisconsin beat Arkansas and Penn State beat Tennessee, but outside of those two games the conference stunk. Ohio State, Michigan, and Purdue were all thumped in their bowl games. And Michigan and Ohio State were supposed to play in the championship? You have to be kidding me. I would have liked to see Florida play USC or LSU, or even Boise State. Ohio State clearly did not deserve to play in the game they played in.
FINAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS
1. Florida (13-1)
They have to be #1 after what they did to Ohio State, what a performance.
2. Boise State (13-0)
I don't care if they play in the WAC, they were undefeated and won their BCS bowl game. They can only win the games on their schedule.
3. LSU
The Tigers laid an old fashioned butt whooping on the Irish and showed why the SEC is regarded as the toughest conference in college football.
4. USC
The Trojans were supposed to have a down year after losing Leinart, Bush, and White, but they won a Rose Bowl game over Michigan in which they were an underdog, and had they not lost to UCLA in the regular season finale they would have been playing the Buckeyes for a shot at the title.
5. Louisville
Another great season for Bobby Petrino and the Cardinals. After losing Michael Bush early in the season, few people regarded this team as one in the top 5. They were victorious in a tough Orange Bowl game against the ACC champion Demon Deacons.
6. Ohio State
7. Wisconsin
8. West Virginia
9. Auburn
10. Michigan
11. Rutgers
12. Oklahoma
13. Oregon State
14. Arkansas
15. Texas
16. California
17. Wake Forest
18. BYU
19. Virginia Tech
20. Hawaii
21. Notre Dame
22. Penn State
23. Boston College
24. Georgia
25. TCU
1 comment:
I guess you may be right, I did not see OSU getting beat like that -- but remember I was around the SEC for 8 years - very good football week in and week out.
Nice Job J:
Uncle Paul
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