Mr. College Football

By Mr. Klingon

January 3, 2009 9:01 AM | Link to this

Utah is extremely well coached! The performance of these guys in a hostile environment VS. a top tier team, who would’ve thought? Although I’m SEC through and through, my favorite play of the game was the chop block on d-end Fannay by the running back from Utah, that put him on his fanny. These guys deserve to be in the playoffs!

By bo

January 3, 2009 9:14 AM | Link to this

Next year Alabama loses Smith, Caldwell, the 2nd team AA DB, the QB, and possibly Cody and we keep hearing they are on the verge of years of dominance? Much of their heralded recruiting class didn’t make it into school last year. Meyer, Saban (at LSU), and Richt all put together great seasons in their second years, why is UA Saban’s expected peak supposedly not to happen for a few more years—during the same timeframe he began to fade at LSU? Obviously, Shula left some talent there. Saban will only be able to scream and yell up and down the sidelines for another year or 2. He will tire of it and move on. It was a good season, they were able to sneak up on Clemson and UGA and really surprise them early which seemed especially striking considering how poorly Saban performed in his first year at UA. They beat AU and yet still went into OT with a struggling LSU before stinking up the SEC championship and then, of course, last night’s debacle.

By secondguesser

January 3, 2009 9:19 AM | Link to this

Thoughts from a die hard gator. Utah absolutely rolled the tide! This was no fluke. Being an SEC homer I would like to be able to agree with Barry Switzer’s logic that “Alabama wants to be in the national championship game, Utah is happy to be in the Sugar Bowl”. The truth is that Utah can play with anybody in the country. Even though I want my Gators to have it all, after next thursday night I for one would be happy to see Utah claim the top spot in the AP. Maybe it would help stop the rediculous system that the loons in charge have now. Playoffs! Now, can we just get these same buffoons to retract the crowning of BYU for beating a 6-5 Meatchicken team!! There ain’t no way that peon WAC,HAC,pansy mountain school deserved it!!! Any SEC team would’ve demolished them!!!

By Sautee Dawg

January 3, 2009 9:25 AM | Link to this

Bamer Stan

31 seems to have been your number all season long. You posted this number so many times it just seems fitting that was the score. 31 yards rushing for Alabama was embarrassing not only to you but the SEC as a whole. According to you UGA 5th best team in the SEC, maybe you should reacess your own team. Alabama’s performance should have had them playing vs South Carolina. then our conference wouldn’t have been embarrassed but once.

Tony,

Maybe AP will award Utah something, them not being in the media spotlight like Fla and Oklahoma will hurt their program, as you very well know media plays more of a role in who carries home the hardware than on-field production.

By country boy

January 3, 2009 9:27 AM | Link to this

Yep Mr. B …. surprisingly Bamer looked out hustled, unprepared, and outcoached on gameday. I’m changing gears on you but is anyone noticing the staff Tenn. is assembling?? Orgereon is the great recruiter that got Pete Carroll’s ball rolling with top talent at USC. Also, based on the Cotton Bowl yesterday he collected some very good talent at Ol’ Miss. Kiffin Sr. is well respected NFL defensive coordinator. Our coach CMR seems to promote buddie rows to top coordinator positions. I’m getting concerned. Any thoughts.

By Who woulda thought..

January 3, 2009 9:30 AM | Link to this

…but AL just became the new Clemson of the SEC!

By jumbo

January 3, 2009 9:34 AM | Link to this

I have commented on here before that Saban can be counted on to lay an egg at least once each season. At LSU he lost to UAB in 2000, blew the ARK game in 2004 that cost us a chance to return to the SECCG, got smoked in Athens in 2004 & got beat on the last play in the 2005 Cap One Bowl because of a busted coverage. Then he gets beat by lowly La-Monroe last season. He tops it off by losing last night. No disrespect to Utah but Bama had no reason to lose that game. Mr CFB and others tout ho great Saban is and granted he is an excellent coach but there are numerous others just as good or better in my opinion.

My final top 5 assuming Texas wins is as follows: 1. UF/OU 2. Texas

By Sautee Dawg

January 3, 2009 9:38 AM | Link to this

Secondguesser

Never seen a Gator fan that was so unselfish. I agree with you maybe Ap will vote for Utah. Coaches and players did what over 100 other teams couldn’t do and thats go undefeated. Never cared much for Barry Switzer’s opinion’s, especially his disrespect for Utah, He done that to our Dawgs last year when we were selected to play in the Sugarbowl. Good luck to ya in that Championship game, Oklahoma looks good on paper but you see what happens when you compete with other conferences (ole miss- Texas Tech) Good luck anyway. Can’t say i’ll be pulling for you though.

By ericmiami

January 3, 2009 9:39 AM | Link to this

BYU has always run up stats on small schools and then whines about their lack of recognition. And they are named after a polygamist too. Congratulations to the Utes!

By jumbo

January 3, 2009 9:40 AM | Link to this

My final top 5 assuming Texas wins:

1. UF/OU
2. Texas
3. USC
4. UF/OU
5. Utah

It does appear that Kiffin is putting together a good staff. I think Orgeron was a key hire. I think he would have gone to LSU but I believe Chavis wanted to bring in a couple of his own guys. I am excited to have Chavis though. Geaux Tigers! Go SEC!

By john j. gallagher

January 3, 2009 9:43 AM | Link to this

How dan you not vote the only undefeated team in the country as number 1. THEY MADE THEIR CASE DURING THE REGULAR SEASON AND IN THE BOWEL GAME. UNLESS THERE’S A PLAYOFF THEIR NUMBER 1

By Tom Trojan

January 3, 2009 9:46 AM | Link to this

Congrats to the Utes!! Watching the game, I was impressed how quickly and easily they scored against Alabama! True, it is not hard to score against Alabama, but Alabama hasn’t seen a defense like Utah’s this year and that is what finished them…they could not handle the Ute’s defense, period! 31 yards rushing? One touchdown…on a punt return, and one on a short pass? I admit that left tackles are important to a team, but the cause of the loss? The best team in the nation, right now? You saw them destroy Penn State in the Rose Bowl!!

By Father of 5

January 3, 2009 9:47 AM | Link to this

I guess every week is not really a playoff, is it? If so, Utah would have won; UF would not be in the championship with a home loss, regardless of whether they later beat an overrated Bama; OK would not be in the championship game when they lost on a nuetral field to Texas, the most deserving team; and everyone knows USC has the most talent in the country (which doesn’t mean an underdog might not knock them off — if we actually had a playoff). The regular season is the regular season, not a playoff.

By Mike Salt Lake

January 3, 2009 9:48 AM | Link to this

The Utes showed what a talented team they are. They also picked apart the deeply flawed BCS system. They are the ONLY undefeated team in the country. They didn’t “barely” get by teams, but soundly beat them. This shows that press coverage and market size is more important to being a “National Champion” than actual talent.

By Utah is No. 1...

January 3, 2009 9:51 AM | Link to this

…cause FL victory over AL is now tainted (and UF lost at home); OK lost to TX who lost to TXTech who lost to an 8-4 team; and USC lost to OR State who lost badly to OR who lost to Utah. So, there is no question as to who is #1!

By Where is Bama Stan

January 3, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this

21-3 AT HALFTIME!!! What a dismal pathetic showing by the low tide. Taken to the woodshed by the powerful MT WEST.

I am an SEC fan and I pulled for BAMA and I am embarrased by the hit the SEC’s reputation took.

BAMA was good this year not great. Played their best game against Georgia and barely escaped Kentucky, LSU and Ole Miss. Maybe now you’ll STFU.

By AltamahaDawg

January 3, 2009 9:55 AM | Link to this

I might have jinxed the Tide. a few days ago I listed a number of key players on the Bammer team that mirrored UGA (losses) and asked how good would they be without them all year. Didn’t realize it would only take the first example (2 LT’s) to make the difference.

By DawginLex

January 3, 2009 9:56 AM | Link to this

BAMASTAN,

KARMA is something else ain’t it ??

Florida scores 31 points vs BAMA Utah scores 31 points vs BAMA BAMA gets 31 yards rushing vs UTAH ?????

Payback from KARMA for your constant drivel you posted on these blogs.

Hope you didn’t bet the doublewide on the bowl game………………..

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

By David

January 3, 2009 10:00 AM | Link to this

I always want the SEC to win outside our confrence, but you have to love the Utes offense. But does anyone really believe the Utes could beat Southern Cal?

By cardsharky

January 3, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this

Well secondguesser what team in last year’s Capital One Bowl, beat the defending National Championship Gators who were led by the newly crowned Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback?

That’s right, lowly Michigan.

And which lowly team beat the King Rex led Florida team in the 2003 Outback Bowl?

Michigan is 7-2 in bowl games against the SEC. With wins against Auburn, Arkansas, Mississippi, and 2 wins each against Alabama and Florida.

And lowly Michigan will rise again.

By Dogbyte

January 3, 2009 10:06 AM | Link to this

I agree with a statement made earlier: Without a true playoff, Utah deserves to be #1. They didn’t play a rinky-dink schedule; they played and beat some good teams. Even if Fla or Okla. runs the other out of the stadium, again, without a true playoff, the Utes are #1.

By Ute Fan

January 3, 2009 10:13 AM | Link to this

So the excuses come pouring out: the loss of Smith…blah, blah, blah. Great teams will overcome the loss of key players. VA Tech lost two defensive starters from their 7th ranked defense (and a starting offensive guard) before the Cincinnati game, you didn’t hear them complaining before the game! They just sucked it up and played the game. “No disrespect to Utah but Alabama had no reason to lose that game”. Yes, Alabama had a reason, Alabama was out-played, out-hustled, and out-couched. Utah wanted this one more. Give Utah the respect they deserve.

By CrimsonRedScarlett

January 3, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this

It seems that the Mountain West is more deserving of an automatic bid than the Big East. How nuch longer do we have to suffer with the Fox announcers for the big games? Pat Summerall was awful doing the Cotton Bowl.

By Gene

January 3, 2009 10:16 AM | Link to this

To hang Bama’s loss on the absence of a single lineman is ridiculous. Bama was outplayed and outcoached at every level. In the future, Saban has to contend with UF and Ole Miss, and a few more losses like last night will have him flirting with other schools.

By bank walker

January 3, 2009 10:36 AM | Link to this

I agree, the bama loss did not stem from the loss of just one man. Bama got WHIPPED phisically, BAD. It wasn’t even a game. Nikki got out-coached, and didn’t prepare his team for this game. BamaStanley, 21-3 @ the half!!

By SEC who?

January 3, 2009 10:42 AM | Link to this

Mr. Klingon. That was an illegal chop block because the defensive end was engaged with an offensive lineman. It should have been a 15 yard penalty. Know the rules.

By cdawg

January 3, 2009 10:47 AM | Link to this

Poor excuse to make big deal about loss of UA Smith. Georgia had lost their best linemen on both sides of the ball and the fullback, arguable three of their six best payers going into the season and not much was said by the media. The bottom line is that UA money doesn’t translate to wins.

By Sid

January 3, 2009 10:49 AM | Link to this

Tony,. the word team in college football means 85 scholarship players plus walkons.If a starter isn’t there then somone else who is part of “the team” has to go.Why didn’t Alabama as a team have a backup who was up to the task ? After all it’s a team !!! No excuses for St.Nick. and the Tide !!

By Carolina Jacket

January 3, 2009 10:50 AM | Link to this

Great game. Great upset. I’m sure Bama missed their leading o-lineman (left tackle), as did UGA. How about Tech going into its last two games? Makes a big difference, huh?

By UTAH STAN

January 3, 2009 10:57 AM | Link to this

21-0 at the end of Q1?!!

31 rushing yards allowed?!!

Wow - a blow out - a physical mismatch.

This, by a team that beat Michigan by 2, New Mexico by 3, TCU by 3, Air Force by 7???????

Boy, was Bama overrated - they were totally outcoached, out hussled, were physically dominated, and the talent level looked liked a mis-match.

I guess Bama can whine as they lost their left tackle - I sm sure that with A. Smith - Bama would have won the game by 31 points and probably would have led 31-0 at the half?!!

Hope my friend BAMA STAN enjoyed the game!!!!

By cdawg

January 3, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this

Going into the FL game AL seemed to be true rank was about nr 5, based on their lite schedule and overtime win with LSU,now they are maybe at nr 12. Never a great team but a good team.

By Georgia Fan

January 3, 2009 10:59 AM | Link to this

Relax people. He has given Utah plenty of credit. I applaud him for writing this column after he acted like a 13-1 season was a foregone conclusion for Bama. I’m sure none of you have never been wrong about a football game before. Most of you know it alls wouldn’t have the balls to come on here like Tony has after you were exposed. That much I am sure of.

By Bob

January 3, 2009 11:05 AM | Link to this

I rarely think these “BCS busters” are any more than good teams that are percieved to be great because of media hype and lax schedules, but Utah is the real deal. They probably don’t have the depth to survive an SEC schedule unscathed, but they obviously can play with anybody on any given Saturday. I wouldn’t give them a share of the title though. Florida would blow their doors off with everything on the line.

By No Contest

January 3, 2009 11:07 AM | Link to this

Another fine example of why college football is unpredictable. I get so tired of hearing a fan base rag on and on about how great their team is only to see them take their lumps eventually. Alabama was fortunate they didn’t have the injuries that UGA did even before the season began. All this was discounted and tossed out as excuses but it can have a domino effect to a team’s detriment. This game revealed that there aren’t any gurantees and all the know-it-all fan base blather is just that. Utah was clearly superior in every facet of the game and deserved this victory.

By BILLY JACK

January 3, 2009 11:11 AM | Link to this

BAMA STAN 21-0 FIRST QTR-Now take SOUTH CAROLINA and go sit in the corner you embarrased the SEC and the entire south with the whole world watching.Now we have to listen to how all these mtn west and wac teams belong.We expected GEORGIA TECH to get run out of town by LSU but we thought Bama had a little SEC pride.DISGRACEFUL

By jumbo

January 3, 2009 11:17 AM | Link to this

The Utes have had a great season and nothing should be taken away from their win last night. They outplayed and they outcoached Bama. They deserve to finish in the Top 5. They would not have gone undefeated in the Big 12 or SEC.

By BAMA STAN

January 3, 2009 11:19 AM | Link to this

31-0 at the half?!!

I am here boys!!! Come and get me!!!

Congrats to Utah for totally kicking our tails - no excuses. We overlooked you and did not prepare.

Yes, we were outcoached, out prepared, and out hussled. You have earned our respect!!!!

The traditional Elites will go through rebuild periods from time to time. Look at USC amd Texas in the 90s. Bama - late 90’s - and early this decade, Michigan is going through it now, Notre Dame the same. Nebraska the same. Bama is building - and we are looking great - losing to Florida and UTAH are merely stepping stones!!

At the end of the day - these are the tradional powers, the elites - that people take delite in seeing them lose a game or so. Your comments are acutally flattering to me!!!

ROLLLLLLLLLLLL TIDE!!!!!!

By Dawg92

January 3, 2009 11:21 AM | Link to this

So for the record, since the BCS has been forced to take on the lesser conferences, the only team to represent their BCS conference is… UGA!

Three years ago when Boise was supposed to be so good and they came to Athens, everyone and their brother picked it as their “upset special”. The Dawgs came out and man handled the little guys and put Boise in their place…that is until Oklahoma decided not to show up in the fiesta the next year.

Then the Dawgs get stuck playing Hawaii last year. What happens? Same song and dance - idiots at ESPN called for the upset. No way we can out score that unstoppable Hawaii offense. Result: Dawgs win in a rout, everyone back tracks and says “so what, it’s just Hawaii”.

So how bout it? A little respect for what we accomplished last year? Now because of Alabama, teams like Boise, Utah, and Hawaii are going to get serious looks at the end of the season and may jump ahead of an SEC or Big 12 school to play in the NC. Way to go Bama!

By playoff over perception

January 3, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this

A few thoughts. How do we know Utah couldn’t play with USC? Everybody said they couldn’t play with the big bad SEC. By the way Utah beat Oregon State who ran all over USC.

The Mountain West is very good. TCU is way better than Alabama. BYU gave Utah a least as good of game as Alabama. Boise State from the WAC is very good and will be better next year. TCU and BYU may be better than Utah next year. BYU has been pretty good the last three years if it can get its defense figure out watch out. TCU may have the best defense in the country this year.

Side note stop showing religious discrimination and bringing up ancient history from the Mormon church every religion has a few skeletons in the closet. Many of your perceptions of that religion are about like your perception of Utah before the game last night.

Most of you guys have no Idea about the football played west of the MIssissippi. Wake-up and take of your SEC googles.

By Dip

January 3, 2009 11:25 AM | Link to this

Who would a thought it but AL is the new UGA of the SEC West!

By playoff over perception

January 3, 2009 11:33 AM | Link to this

just read a post about Utah’s running and that awesome block. The lineman was not engaged with another player watch the replay. Legal block. Utah beat up Alabama all night.

Plenty of calls were questionable for Utah including the celebration plenty, a PI call and the illegal motion call when Utah’s whole line shifted and drew Alabama offsides.

By Mikey

January 3, 2009 11:37 AM | Link to this

It is ironic that Alabama looked like GA and Utah looked like Alabama last night.

Completely stunned in the first half.. turnovers, missed tackles…

punt return for TD in second half.

Looked a lot like the GA/AL game…

By m

January 3, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this

It was hilarious to watch the mighty sec west champion alabammmmer get the dawgshiite stomped out of them by little ole Utah. For anyone to try to claim that the sec is better than anybody else is just plain baloney. The sec would not have even gotten a team to the championship game if it weren’t for the bullshiite bcs. The bcs is the worst system known to man. Utah should definitely be voted #1…but there should have been a playoff. USC and Texas deserved a chance that was arbitrarily taken away from them by an idiotic system that let idiots like Tony Barnhart vote on who should play instead of determining it on the field. The FloriDUH-OklaHOMO game is BOGUS. Drop the bcs NOW…just admit that you don’t know who is the best team and establish a 16 team playoff that would be the most exciting sports event in the history of the world; and determine a true champion; and also get idiots like Tony Barnhart out of the equation. And as always, thank God and Greyhound that Chan Gailey is gone forever and the bcs should go with him.

By Division III fan

January 3, 2009 11:47 AM | Link to this

I am disappointed that I missed the Utah Alabama game. I have not watched a major bowl game since Texas bribed their way into the title game a few years ago. The coach’s poll is so corrupt that it turned me off on big time college football. Andre Smith is the latest victim of that corrupt system. Universities and conferences cash in but the student athletes are held to a different standard. My belief is that rules like the “No agent contact” are designed to insure the people in power don’t have to share the wealth with the players. I would however have liked to see a team on the outside beat one of the inside boys. I don’t want to be a pawn in the corrupt system and I would encourage true football fans to drop “National Championship” from their vocabulary.

By BILLY JACK

January 3, 2009 12:06 PM | Link to this

Hey mikey-UGA won its bowl game and we were not happy about being there.Bama finally beat UGA after 4 tries lately-way to let the conference down MORON.

By Anonymous

January 3, 2009 12:09 PM | Link to this

m

Quite simply, you are an a*******hole. Perhaps even an a*******hole of epic proportions. Not a single positive word flows from your keyboard; just pure, unadulterated scorn, envy, venom and bile.

And I say that as someone who cheers for Georgia Tech. It ain’t the Yellow Jackets, buddy. It’s you. YOU are an a*******hole.

By ROBBOB

January 3, 2009 12:14 PM | Link to this

Who woulda thought, that makes bama the CLEMPSON TIDE.

By Miles

January 3, 2009 12:19 PM | Link to this

Mr. Barnhart, alluding to the loss of Alabama’s Andre Smith as a significant factor in Utah’s victory is merely wishful thinking. Utah outplayed Alabama! The Utes won fair and square! Unfortunately, the television viewing audience had to endure the less than professional broadcasting of the two scrubs FOX found lying drunk in the vomit ridden gutters of Bourbon Street. Let us never forget a few of college football’s true broadcasting professionals: Vern Lundquist, Mike Patrick, Ron Franklin, Brent Musberger, Brad Nessler, and ESPN’s Gameday Crew. We even missed the sideline reporting of Erin Andrews, Tracy Wolfson, and Holly Rowe. To watch Alabama lose to Utah was certainly unpleasant, but to listen to the voices of FOX’s amatuers was painful!

By Atlanta Gator

January 3, 2009 12:30 PM | Link to this

Yeah, I know that there are a number of bloggers who want to stick it to Alabama, especially after a small handful of Tide fans have openly mocked UGA on the AJC sports blogs. Get over it, and give credit where credit is due.

Give credit to Utah: the Utes are a good team … not because they went 12-0 (8-0 MWC), but because they won the big games when it mattered. Air Force, Oregon State, TCU, BYU, Alabama. They had close calls against Michigan, New Mexico and Air Force, but they pulled it out. They may or may not be the best team in the land, but, damn it, they did not go 13-0 by accident.

Give credit to Nick Saban: he earned Coach of the Year honors by reviving a dysfunctional Crimson Tide program that had stopped believing in itself. Discipline, good recruiting, motivational coaching, and maximizing the potential of his available talent. Contrary to popular myth, Alabama was not an invincible juggernaut of overwhelming talent. Saban coached the maximum effort and production from average players like QB John Parker Wilson. For every Mt Cody or Andre Smith, there were 3 Wilsons who were playing the best football of their lives for most this season.

Bama will be back, but we are also seeing something rare the potential emergence of a new elite player on the national scene: Utah. Not since Miami in the late 1970s and early 80s, or Florida in the 90s, have we seen a newly emerging program this good that appears to have sustainability. There is no discredit in losing to the Utes. My question is only this: Will Utah turn the corner and become a sustainable member of the perennial elite? Time will tell. In the mean time, no one will be taking the Utes lightly next season, and that will be the true test of their program over time: Now, the target is painted on the Utes, and other teams will be gunning for them, too.

By southerndawg

January 3, 2009 12:33 PM | Link to this

Thanks Utah. You have given yet another reason why we should have a playoff system. Just because a team might look superior on paper does not mean it is so. The old adage “that’s why we play the game” could not be any more true. On any given day anyone can be upset. Yes that also goes for USC. Congratulations again Utes.

By Big MIKE

January 3, 2009 12:33 PM | Link to this

I guess MLK must have been standind on the mountain [In Utah]top smiling as Bama got spanked, saying Free at last,free at last, somebody done whip them Bama boys a$$!

By FLA DAWG

January 3, 2009 12:43 PM | Link to this

I like Bama but the fact is they were beaten by a better, undefeated team.

No doubt Utah should be The National Champions.

By Atlanta Gator

January 3, 2009 12:45 PM | Link to this

jumbo——Assuming Texas beats Ohio State, here is my predicted final top 5:

(1) Florida/Oklahoma winner

(2) Texas

(3) Southern Cal

(4) Utah

(5) Florida/Oklahoma loser

The Florida-Oklahoma loser will have two losses, and it’s be hard to fathom ranking a 12-2 team ahead of 13-0 Utah, especially after the game they played against Alabama last night.

By BAMA STAN

January 3, 2009 12:47 PM | Link to this

31- 0 at the half?!!

To Playoff over Perception - well stated.

I personally would like to see a playoff -it would add excitement - create revenue -and be great for college football - a sport that we are all very passionate about.

Below is my playoff plan. Let me know your thoughts:

BAMA STAN’s PLAYOFF PLAN

1. To set up the playoff format - you need to do the following:

   • Regular season schedule ending weekend before Thanksgiving. All teams play 11 game schedule.

   • Conference Championship Games played weekend after Thanksgiving.

2. Final Poll of top 16 teams included.

   • No conference affiliation allowed - If Mountain West has 2 teams in top 16 poll. then all play. If ACC has zero teams in top 16 - then Zero play.

   • Seeding is determined on rankings - #1 plays #16, #2 Plays #15, etc.

   • This will make regular season relevant.

   • First Round is played 3rd weekend in December. Use Bowl games such as Peach, Gator, Cotton, etc to host these 8 games.

3. Winners Advance to 6 BCS Bowls and the National Title Game.

   • 4 BCS games will handle Quarter Finals played on New Years Day.

   • 2 BCS Games will handle the Semi - Finals - played 2nd weekend in January.

   • National title Game played 3rd weekend in January.

What do you guys think?

By Mikey

January 3, 2009 12:50 PM | Link to this

Billy Jack, what I was trying to say was the game looked eerily similar to the AL/GA game except this time, AL was the team that got hit in the mouth like we did. Utah deserves credit.

I am proud of our DAWGS and damn glad we won our bowl game.

By Big MIKE

January 3, 2009 12:54 PM | Link to this

Is Fox run by the good ole boy plan? I could’nt agree with Miles better tha what he blogged. After watching Fox during the Presidential debate,Kill Bill[O Reilly], Idid’nt think it could get any worse. Obviously Fox proved me wrong! Fox I just had an epiphany; Instead of ten guys in the studio, could you spend some money on a real commentator, or hire one from oh.. ESPN. I know the cynics are saying why did’nt you just turn, Ans: Fox terrible, Sabanmad as hell, seeing Alabama get stomped by a MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM..PRICELESS!

By southerndawg

January 3, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this

bama stan that system sounds good. My idea of the perfect weekend is, since college football is on saturday and the pros play on sunday, is super weekend….the national championship on the day before the superbowl. give feedback

By Lee

January 3, 2009 12:59 PM | Link to this

Holy Cow!… I tuned in last night fully expecting Bama to roll the Utes (pun intended) reminiscent of UGAs dismantling of Hawaii last year. Boy, was I wrong.

It was clear who wanted this game the most. Ute fans were screaming the whole game and Utah jumped on Bama early and never let up. I also felt that the Utes couldn’t maintain that level of play the whole game, and once again, I was wrong. 4th quarter and the Utes were still flying to the ball and in JPW face.

So now, who should be #1?

Right now, I say it’s a 3-way tie between the winner of the Fla/Ok game, USC, and Utah - with the caveat that the Fla/Ok game lives up to the hype.

Without a playoff system, you get ties….

By drew

January 3, 2009 1:01 PM | Link to this

So once again another great college football season comes down the stretch with a big yawn. All I can say is it’s a damnn shame the BCS continues to ruin college football. Instead of meaningful play-off games, we get over-hyped, meaningless, exhibition games (lose and you go home, win and you go home). It’s a joke, and will not get better until/unless the money dries up (yeah, it’s ALWAYS about the money).

Want a play-off? Then BOYCOTT all meaningless bowl games (or at least lie to the Nielson folks if they call)! When the viewers go away, the sponsorship money will dry up, and a play-off will happen. As longer as people support this mockery, the longer BCS sham will continue. A playoff is coming, the only question is when.

Utah: 13-0 I guess they should have done a little more, eh?

Determining a national champion via the current system is a freakin joke, but have heart, a playoff is coming…

…but not until enough people are fed up with the current bullsh1t.

Go Falcons! Playoffs baby!! THAT’S what it’s all about!

By Jacob Patron

January 3, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this

Does Andre Smith play defense too??? Utah dominated Alabama on BOTH sides of the ball, and articles like these that imply otherwise are misleading. Remember, Utah scored 31 points 21 points in about 7 minutes of the first quarter in the hurry-up. When they switched to a more ball-control style, they ate clock and sealed the deal with 10 more. Don’t see how Andre Smith changes that. But maybe with Smith playing. Utah would have only gotten five sacks instead of eight.

By Bama Belle

January 3, 2009 1:05 PM | Link to this

This loss to Utah falls directly on poor coaching - that’s what was obvious all the way through the game. Saban must have gotten distracted by his “coach of the year” title, and he forgot that the season wasn’t over.

By mcdawg

January 3, 2009 1:07 PM | Link to this

Utah was fast tough and wanted it more-injuries are no excuse right have we not been hearing that all year

By Geaux Tigers

January 3, 2009 1:09 PM | Link to this

The college football world according to Tony Barnhart:

“Alabama will prevail over undefeated Utah tonight in the Sugar Bowl. It will happen through the sheer force of Nick Saban’s will.”

Anthony, Mommy called and said for you to get your noise out of Nick’s backside.

History shows us that Nick lays at least one egg a year (see Louisiana Monroe and Mississippi State last year). This year he did it on a bigger stage, the BCS Sugar Bowl.

Bama’s back? Only if losing in the SECCG and a BCS Bowl was the goal.

It’s rollin baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Jacob Parton

January 3, 2009 1:10 PM | Link to this

As for beating USC, Utah beat Oregon State this year, the team who gave USC their one loss. Utah also beta USC themselves a few years ago in the Las Vegas Bowl. USC looks scary good, but so did each of the five bowl-eligible teams Utah beat this year. Rank them 1.

By Sautee Dawg

January 3, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this

Bama Stan

your playoff system looks good to me, how to determine those 16 teams might cause a problem, i also think all conferences should have to play a championship game to even be considered. That would rule out a lot of the overrated teams that don’t play in one for fear of having a loss on their record. And i also like the part where if a conference don’t have a team in the top 16 that conference stays home.

By Atlanta Gator

January 3, 2009 1:49 PM | Link to this

Bama Stan——Good job on your proposed playoff plan. Here are my proposed modifications to :

(1) Reduce the playoff field from 16 to 8, thereby reducing the playoff rounds from 4 to 3. Four extra playoff games is too many to expect 17 to 23 year-olds to play, and too many to expect fans to travel during the holiday season. The more limited number of eligible teams also emphasizes the importance of the regular season (i.e. the difference between 10-1 and 9-2 is probably the difference between making the playoff and being left out). Two-loss teams who don’t get playoff bids would have little to whine about (sure, they will whine anyway, but that’s too damn bad).

(2) Use something similar to the current BCS ratings or the NCAA basketball RPI ratings system to determine the 8-team field and seeding. Sorry, but if your team is ranked 9th, 10th or 11th, you can cry all you want, but you could have been 4th, 5th or 6th with a better win-loss record and a stronger schedule.

(3) If you do have 16 teams and 4 playoff rounds, the first-round games need to be hosted by the higher seeds (1, 2, 3 & 4) in their home field stadiums, rather than played in 2nd-tier bowl venues. Lower-seeded visiting teams (5, 6, 7 & 8) can have up to 50% of the tickets, IF the visiting team can sell their entire quota in a limited time. Balance of 50+% goes to the home team season ticket holders, thus virtually guarantying a sell-out for every game. Again, the home-field advantage stresses the importance of the teams’ regular season records.

(4) The 5 bowls that would host the playoff games (4 quarterfinals, 2 semifinals) would be rotated annually among the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Fiesta bowls, with the host of the title game also hosting one of the quarterfinals. Alternatively, cities and venues could bid for the title game like they do for the NCAA Final Four.

I’m not wedded to any of these ideas. Just a little something to think about.

By Hairy Dawg

January 3, 2009 2:16 PM | Link to this

Tony,

If you’re going to give “all the credit in the world” to Utah, don’t start your blog off bemoaning the fact that Bama’s star LT didn’t play.

Congrats to the Utes. They stemmed the Tide from start to finish.

By Old Dawg

January 3, 2009 2:30 PM | Link to this

I say the top five should look like this:

1. BCS Champ winning team
2. Utah
3. Texas
4. USC
5. BCS Champ losing team

By Navigator

January 3, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this

Why only 4 BCS bowls (Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta), why not add one more bowl and allow the bowls to choose any team that’s available (Texas Tech was not allowed to play because of 2 team limit). Why have lousy tie ins like the ACC and Big East, rather than taking the best 12 teams to play in 5 bowls and championship. There will be years some conferences will have three excellent teams, and some years when they have none. If the mid conferences and produce more than one top 12 team, then let them in. With Dallas now having a super dome stadium available, then make the Cotton Bowl number 5 or promote the Peach to number 5 or have six. Dang why let four old bowls dictate how many BCS bowls are available? Shake it up, or come up with an 8 team playoff system, either way we need a significant change

By benadawg

January 3, 2009 2:52 PM | Link to this

OMG!!! its gonna be a real pleasure going back to work monday and greeting those Bammer fans that were once so high and mighty cringe at the sight of the capitol one bowl champs Dawg fans beeming with pride once again and not having to bow down to the tide fans. How great is it that Alabama lost, tech lost, tennessee watched, and the dawgs though ugly as it was, won, Go dawgs.

By Chuck_Uga

January 3, 2009 3:13 PM | Link to this

PLEASE WAIT A MOMENT WHILE I THROW UP. ALABAMA IS NOT GOING TO “DOMINATE” THE SEC. BEAR BRYANT-DAYS ARE WAY IN THE PAST. THIS IS 2008! NO ONE INCLUDING MR. SABAN IS GOING TO DERAIL GEORGIA AND FLORIDA’S PROGRAMS. YOU ALSO HAVE A YOUNG, TALENTED OLE MISS AND OTHERS I THE SEC THAT CAN BEAT YOU ANY GIVEN DAY. I DON’T CARE WHOSE PERCEPTION YOU SUBSCRIBE TO, SABAN’S RECRUITS ARE NOT ANY BETTER THAN WHAT MEYER AND RICHT ARE HAULING IN. ANYONE WHO THINKS FLORIDA AND GEORGIA ARE GOING TO RUN AND HIDE BECAUSE SAINT SABAN IS “BRINGING IN ALL THE TALENT” IS DELUSIONAL. GEORGIA AND FLORIDA (POSSIBLY AMONG OTHERS) ARE GOING TO WIN THEIR FAIR SHARE OF SEC TITLES. NEITHER COACH HAS FORGOTTEN HOW TO WIN JUST BECAUSE SAINT SABAN IS BACK IN THE LEAGUE (HE ISN’T UNDEFEATED AGAINST RICHT AND MEYER LAST TIME I CHECKED).

By Chuck_Uga

January 3, 2009 3:16 PM | Link to this

OH YEAH, BAMA WOULD PROBABLY HAVE LOST TO UTAH EVEN IF ANDRE PLAYED. THE BAMA DEFENSE COULD NOT STOP UTAH. KIND OF REMINDS ME OF THE WEST VIRGINIA-GEORGIA SUGAR BOWL WHERE UGA FANS GOT SO MUCH GRIEF AFTER THE LOSS. GUESS WHAT, PARITY BITES! MORE SEC TEAMS WILL LOSE UNEXPECTEDLY IN THE SUGAR SOON ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY AGAINST TEAMS THEY CANNOT POSSIBLY BE FIRED UP TO PLAY.

By JD

January 3, 2009 3:57 PM | Link to this

This proves how tough the SEC is!

By Reality

January 3, 2009 4:06 PM | Link to this

I know college players are young and mostly immature, but when you consider the probable impact that losing a vital cog of your offense, Andre Smith, I hope he realizes what an impact he had on his teammates, his coaches and Alabama fans. It’s a big burden but responsibility and accountability are among the things these players are taught. He selfishly sold out those who depended on him! I am not an Alabama fan.

By Bowl Assessment

January 3, 2009 4:12 PM | Link to this

Let’s take a moment to assess how the SEC did in the Bowls, with one to go. Alabama loses: a very good thing; Vandy wins, excellent; Kentucky win, a good thing; LSU wins (and GIT loses), a stupifyingly excellent thing; Ole Miss wins, a very good thing; South Carolina loses, a very satisfying thing; Georgia wins, a quite excellent thing, and did I mention that GIT lost?

By Tim

January 3, 2009 4:17 PM | Link to this

Even though the SEC, in my opinion, is the toughest conference, you cannot overlook anyone these days. The smaller schools are beginning to recruit some quality talent and they will be a force to be respected. As for me, I am glad to see other teams develop into contenders. As far as UGA is concerned, CMR better develop some discipline and accountability in the off season or we’ll be another average team.

By Bart Mangrove

January 3, 2009 4:21 PM | Link to this

The Ute’s are the #1 team in the country, to call it any other way would require a play off system. Sabin was pathetic in the post game with his excuses, and they payed how much for this guy???

By pgs001

January 3, 2009 4:32 PM | Link to this

The loss of Andre Smith had nothing to do with Utah scoring 31.

By Timcn

January 3, 2009 4:36 PM | Link to this

I think Bama paid about 4 million for Sabin. If you are a football fanatic, he’s worth it. But, you can’t fire him after one game. If Bama/Utah played again…BAMA would probably destroy them. I wish UGA had Coach Sabin.

By Pi$$onaDawg

January 3, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

UTAH NATIONAL CHAMPS period. UTAH did all that was asked of them and KICKED A$$. 1990 GT won all their games and Tied 1, but Colorado needed 5 downs to get in the GAME. GT is the 1990 NATIONAL CHAMP and UTAH is the 2008 NATIONAL CHAMP. Auburn should have had a shot at the SHIP, but they were on PROBATATION.

By College Fan

January 3, 2009 4:47 PM | Link to this

Two thoughts:

1 Utah deserves the BCS National Championship given their win over Alabama and their 13-0 record with wins over other impressive teams.

2 It was fun to sit there and watch the Bama Bubbas and their offspring with those looks on their faces like “but we’re Alabama.”

By murfdawg

January 3, 2009 5:04 PM | Link to this

Bama Stan

Nice of you to show up. Now STFU for the next 8 or nine years. I saw this coming as soon as you beat AU. Bama has gone undefeated three times(in regular season) and lost a bowl game. Now I guess you and Saban will eat your soup out of cup from now on. BECAUSE YOU CAN’T HANDLE A BOWL!!!

By Bart Mangrove

January 3, 2009 5:22 PM | Link to this

Utah should have played USC for the national championship, Bama should have played Buffalo in the Salad Bowl….

By bama12titles

January 3, 2009 6:09 PM | Link to this

WOW! Feel all the hate coming from the dawg fans. Reading all these posts at first I was a little ticked hearing all the dawg fans in their glee over Bama’s loss. But then I realized just how pathetic and sad you stupid 2nd tier mid level program wannabe village idiots really are.

You all also seem to show a profound degree of ignorance of football. From the looks of it most of you don’t realize that football is played west of the Missisissipi. You morons probably didn’t realize that a very good Utah team plays in a very good mountain west conference. The pac-10 went 5-0 in bowl games this year but got rolled as usual by the mountain west to the tune of 5-1 this year. They dominated the pac 10 last year also going either 5-1 or 6-0 head to head. They are a good conference and certainly are better than at least one bcs conference the big east and apparently are better than the pac10 if you look at head to head.

No shame in losing to Utah and congrats to them. They are an excellent team and clearly outplayed us and were better coached. You idiots act like we got blown out by 30 pts or by a truly embarrasing score like 49-10 UGA vs UF. Everybody suffers a loss at some point and losing to 12-0 Utah team isn’t any more embarrassing then UGA getting rolled by West Virgina or UF getting rolled 62-24 by Nebraska or UT getting rolled 51-21 by Nebraska or OU getting rolled by USC 55-19. I could go on and on but surely even you know nothings get the point.

Also, perhaps you guys should actually learn a little something about football and read. We didn’t just lose our Outland trophy left tackle. We also lost one other great offensive lineman in Michael Johnson very early in the 1st qtr. Losing an all american a couple days before the game and losing another all conference lineman early in the 1st qtr certainly had a huge if not devastating effect. Everything begins with the o-line. It is the anchor of the team and losing 2 great players just like that completely changes the complexion of the whole game. I can’t believe I have to explain this to you freaking idiots.

Last time I checked we still won 12 games and finished as the runner up in the nations toughest conference. Oh, we will also still finish in the top 10. We had a stellar season with a disappointing finish in losing to 2 great teams. It happens.

But I think the problem with all you dawg fans and your obvious glee is the fact that you can’t accept what’s happening. We finished 12-2 with mediocre upper class talent and the smallest senior class in the country with only 9 seniors on our 85 man roster. We will be back and we will continously dominate the sec west division. This is a fact. Saban has built a freaking recruiting juggernaut and there is nothing that is going to change about that. Just deal with it and deal with the fact that you’re relegated to being Florida’s perennial beyotch. That is a fact. You will be what you’ve always been. A good middle tier regional team with one freaking nc staring up at the big boys in the conference. And you can quit your wishful thinking about Saban leaving. He aint going nowhere.

You heard it here first. RIcht is gone in 2 years. He will be fired because he will lose as usual to Florida in the next 2 years in the typical embarrassing fashion. He will lose to Tech at least once and probably twice. But his continued whipping at the hands of UF guarantee he is gone in 2 years. Chew on that for awhile you middle tier wannabe 1 nc only punks!!!!!

By miguel

January 3, 2009 6:15 PM | Link to this

Utah No. 1. If you can’t accept that, you are incapable of basing your opinions on reality.

By Joy

January 3, 2009 6:19 PM | Link to this

BAMA STAN, your ideas for a playoff sound very much like a website I ran on to the other day. In fact alot of your ideas sound like the guy there.

By NCAAbites

January 3, 2009 6:23 PM | Link to this

Utah beats Bama 31-17 and dominates the entire game. Florida beats Bama 31-20 in a contest that was not decided until late. College football is a joke when Florida or Oklahoma gets a shot at winning and Utah does not. NCAA football is even more corrupt than Chicago politics. It is all about the money for these schools and until the money dries up, we will have this type of paper champion showing up. Make sure that OU or UF have a healthy supply of Nat.Champion shirts and hats ready to make more cash next week. We certainly can’t have the limited fan base Utes winning. Not enough marketing for the masses. Give me the NCAA basketball tournament any day. Name me a team who was ever left out since the field was expanded to 64 that had a chance to win.

By Yeah

January 3, 2009 6:26 PM | Link to this

Maybe BAMA STAN is PLAGIARIZING STAN. String him up !

By Anonymous

January 3, 2009 6:34 PM | Link to this

College Fan:

“… . but, we’re Alabama!”

Now THAT’S funny!

By G8R GRAD

January 3, 2009 6:38 PM | Link to this

1) UF

2) Texas

3) USC

4) Utah

5) OU

By bama12titles

January 3, 2009 6:39 PM | Link to this

Anonymous,

When you own 12 national titles and 21 sec titles than maybe you would understand that yes “We are Alabama”. And who are you? Probably some middle tier wannabe program like UGA.

The funny thing about Bama is that even when we lose we are breaking records. That Sugar bowl was just another record broken. 56 bowl game appearances, more than anyone else. Chew on that ya smalltimers

By Anonymous

January 3, 2009 6:46 PM | Link to this

bama12titles:

Face it, your team believed all the hype and simply didn’t take Utah seriously.

And you got caught with your jock straps down around your ankles.

By G8R GRAD

January 3, 2009 6:51 PM | Link to this

Hey bama12titles, I feel your pain. That was a hard game to watch. Jeez, who would have thought that Utah could jump on y’all like they did. Keep the faith my friend. The Crimson Tide wasn’t supposed to be this good this soon anyway. You’re young, talented, deep and well coached with a passionate fan base. God help us all next year!

RTR!

And … GO GATORS!

By bama12titles

January 3, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this

Anonymous,

I can handle the fact that we lost to a very good Utah team. Obviously we were flat, outhustled, and certainly outcoached, and losing 2 o-lineman certainly changed the whole offense up. It happens. Also, I don’t think Utah and the mountain west get the respect they deserve. They went 5-1 against the pac 10 this year and 5-1 or 6-0 against the pac10 last year. They are better than people think and certainly better than at least one bcs conference the big east.

G8r grad, Good to see you again. I hope ya’ll beat OU. I would hate to see all these envious, venomous dawg fans dogging you out if you lose. But I think you’ll come through with a win. It would certainly cushion our embarrassment over here at Bama.

By G8R GRAD

January 3, 2009 7:01 PM | Link to this

Oh, and bama12titles, watch out for Ol’ Miss!

By Rebel Maniac

January 3, 2009 7:15 PM | Link to this

Two words to remember next year in the SEC football wars:

Ole Miss.

By bama12titles

January 3, 2009 7:16 PM | Link to this

G8r Grad,

Agreed. I think Ole Miss is gonna be a helluva team. I predicted before the season that I thought Ole Miss would be our toughest game in the regular season and they were. They’ve got all the ingredients, good qb, great d-line, good skill players, and Nutt is a good coach. He always gave bama fits when he was at Ark. Orgeron left a lot of good talent at Ole Miss. I posted early yesterday to tony that I was probably the only other person that thought Ole Miss would put it on TT. Glad I didn’t talk smack about our game. I had a bad feeling about it when Andre got booted. Not just because we lost a great player but because something like that always affects a teams psyche. Reminds me of the Falcon getting busted for soliciting prostitution the night before the Super Bowl. That kinda crap just tends to shake a team up.

By ramblin gamblin

January 3, 2009 8:12 PM | Link to this

Regardless of the outcome of the Florida/Oklahoma game, Utah should be crowned the #1 team, period.

By West Comment

January 3, 2009 8:27 PM | Link to this

Alabama does have great history and one of the best programs in all of College. No one should argue that fact.

Mountain West and some WAC teams will continue to be the spoilers for the big teams in the East, South, and other conference areas. The PAC 10 has seen what happens when they overlook talented Mountain West teams. Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, and now Alabama have also seen the same. Get used to it. The Mountain West conference will be even better next year. At any give time a talented, hungry team can knock off an arrogant “I am entitled” program on any given Saturday. I agree that Utah probably would not have gone 13-0 if they had played more teams in the SEC or other bigger programs. They did, however beat some pretty good teams and did what they were supposed too.

Bama fans need to get over it. Next time they might be a little more humble and not so cocky. It has happened in the past and will happen again. Yes Smith might have made a difference but I agree he does not play Defense and since Bama was outplayed on both sides of the ball it really does not matter.

Give Utah credit for a great season. Alabama had a great season themselves and only lost two games to very good teams. Look at history going back a few years. The teams in the West have done other damage ruining good teams seasons. No one noticed because the teams were not ranked at the time. Now the teams are decent. get used to it and prepare for it

By 2N4YEARS

January 3, 2009 8:33 PM | Link to this

Tony, ALA lost this game because of a LOT more than just missing (1) O-lineman; they were man-handled everywhere. The UTAH ‘D’ came through that ALA O-line everywhere, not just where Smith was absent. Over and over again it took 2-3 ALA players to bring down (1) Utah receiver. Utah was tackling much better than ALA also. Bottom line: All of these recruiting rankings are completely worthless. Since when has UTAH had a decent recruiting class?? They looked just as fast, just as big and just as strong as ALA. There depth I’m sure isn’t as deep, but ALA just got flat-out embarrassed. On another note, did anyone see our ‘new’ QB commit Murray play today in the ARMY All-American Bowl? Not trying to be negative, but I was not impressed at all. He over-shot receivers, under-through receivers and just did not look that good. To his credit the O-line wasn’t blocking well for him, but he couldn’t score for the almost 2 quarters that he played, however the other QB’s for the East scored the other 3 TD’s (1 TD was Defensive pick). Not good that he was playing against college level players and looked like he was out of his league.

By Monroe Dawg

January 3, 2009 9:00 PM | Link to this

Congrats to the Utah “Utes” for a great game against the Tide, and to the Ole Miss. Rebels for their win against T.T. The back and forth arguments as to this team beating that team who beat that team who lost to that team doesn’t prove to me what conference is the best. I heard one commentator extolling the Pac-10 conference for going 5-0 in bowl games this year - what he was actually doing was promoting the game his network was televising. The media has too much influence on college football ratings. Florida, Southern Cal, Oklahoma, and Texas are great football teams but if they wanted to be National Champions, they should have won all their games. The only team that did that was Utah and they should at least be crowned co-champions.

By 2N4YEARS

January 3, 2009 9:06 PM | Link to this

bama12titles, I was pulling for ALA last night, but when I read & hear the arrogance of people like you it makes me second guess my logic (pulling for SEC teams). Of coarse there will be DAWG fans giving you heck! Plenty of other ALA people gave DAWG fans heck all year! And when you get something rubbed in your face from arrogant fans like yourself, well, you dish it back. And for you to sit here & say that UGA is a 2nd tier program shows your stupidity. UGA fans don’t have to go back to last century to talk about Championships & titles. I have a 2002 & a 2005 SEC CHAMPIONSHIP Coke sitting on my desk, which is two more than any ALA fan has without having a rusted can. And if you ‘have no shame’ losing to UTAH then you must not have been at the game last night, because all of those BAMA fans they showed on the big screen last night sure looked embarrassed. Heck, I was embarrassed for you. Bottom line: If you let what ALA did 30,40 or 50 yrs ago feed your arrogance, then there will be many more ‘shameful’ moments to come. UGA has taken the last 3 out of 4 games against BAMA (this century I might add), so until you even it up, win two in a row, or win by more than 11 points keep it to your self. I guess I could sit here and talk about UGA’s overall record against FLA, but it’s worthless; I’m more concerned about where we’re headed, not where we’ve been. Grow up.

By Joy

January 3, 2009 9:08 PM | Link to this

TO: Yeah The site I was refering to was not anyone named Stan but a website that has been out for months on this very subject. It’s called joefann.com and not one of you have the guts to go to the site and sign up read the blog and give your opinion

By BYU Fan

January 3, 2009 9:17 PM | Link to this

Out with the BCS, in with the playoffs!

By War Eagle

January 3, 2009 9:24 PM | Link to this

Tony, you are the Cynthia Tucker of the sports world, get a life and try to eliminate such words as GREAT, GREAT, ANDRE EXCUSE, BAMA LACK OF TALENT, etc.BAMA GOT BEAT BY A BETTER FOOTBALL TEAM, THE SAD PART IS THEY REPRESENTED SEC POORLY. Saban will be gone soon, Houston Nutt and Ole Miss will dominate the West for several years. Bama played only two outstanding teams and the score was 62-37

By playoff over perception

January 3, 2009 9:35 PM | Link to this

To Alabama Stan

I really like your playoff plan. I think it should be sixteen teams and not eight. Get rid of conference championship games and start the playoff a week earlier.

No spots reserved for any specific conference. The top sixteen teams on a RPI like ranking.

It would be better than March Madness. It would generate huge revenue and fan excitement.

I don’t buy that it would change the student athletes lives that much and they already practice for a month for their bowl games. I don’t believe the college presidents care anyway.

A playoff can be done and it can be done well. Better for the teams better for the fans. The people that like the BCS is the BCS.

By Lilburn Dawg

January 3, 2009 9:42 PM | Link to this

Utah totally surprised me….they looked awesome. They made Alabama look like a deer in the headlights. I would love to see Utah play USC and the winner play the winner of the Fla-Okla game!!

By shane#1

January 3, 2009 10:32 PM | Link to this

No doubt the loss of a future NFL tackle hurt. but the reason ‘Bama lost was speed, pure and simple. We in the SEC think our linemen are the fastest in the country, sometimes we are wrong. UGA lost much more, not just Sturdivant, but Vance, and the lead blocker in the power I, Sutherland. When You consider that Chandler and Figgins, TEs, were banged up, then you have to change your whole offense.

By Rabun Dawg

January 3, 2009 10:47 PM | Link to this

2N4YEARS, Your comments to Bama 12 were right on target. I pulled for the Tide, as I do for every SEC team in the Bowl games. Also, I am married to a “Roll Tider”, so have to keep peace in the family! We might not be thought of as such a “National Program” as Ala. is, or as they think they are, but if you ask most rational SEC fans, I think they tell you that UGA is certainly one of the SEC’s better programs. He can diss us all he wants,but most of his comments are not very well founded. I lived in Ala. during the Bama heydays of the 60’s and 70’s, and they truly were great, and most asuredly{ not sure of that spelling}, are a legend in their own minds! Utah came to play, not sure that Bama did.

By Tacitus

January 3, 2009 11:32 PM | Link to this

Some of you $EC (that would be situational ehtical conference) dolts kill me. ‘Bama, the second best team in conference, completely outclassed in every phase of the game last night. Non-BCS, Mtn. West, whatever…it was no contest.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

And sorry Tony, I enjoy your columns but to illuminate Smith’s abscence (illegal activity…quite shocking in the $EC) as an overarching factor in the game is asinine.

By A Be-a-Ute-iful Game

January 4, 2009 12:23 AM | Link to this

As a fan of both the MWC and the SEC, what a game, and what a shame that this was the first time the Crimson Cousins have ever had the chance to play.

Come on out west and we’ll do it again. It is always an honor to play such a storied program.

People fault the so-called weakness of the Utah, TCU and BYU schedules, but the only weakness is that the so-called elite programs for some reason choose not to come to the Mountains to play us? Why is that?

If the MWC were really so weak we’d have the “big boys” lining up to thump us and improve their records with easy wins.

The reality is that they are afraid to play us because they know we can beat them. We won’t beat them everytime, but we will beat them.

So unless you’re afraid, come on Bama, lets do it again at our place. Fall is beautiful in the Mountains.

Come on USC, lets see if Oregon State is a good indicator of who is better.

Florida, we’ll come to your place for the family reunion so we can enjoy the beaches.

Come on big boys, what are you afraid of? Come on out and toughen up our schedule, if you’re not afraid.

By the way, Utah did not have Andre Smith playing either, and they did not get sacked 8 times.

By the by the way, if Sabin was Coach of the Year, and he got outcoached by Wittingham at what was basically a home game for Bama, what does that make Whittingham? The only coach to go undefeated this year.

By War Jacket

January 4, 2009 7:33 AM | Link to this

Andre Smith had little to do with Utah’s 21-0 opening domination of the red neck tide defense. Though, I agree with Tony’s assessment that this game again revealed how mediocre Wilson is at QB.

I was impressed with Utah’s QB when I saw him lead the Ute’s to their victory over Michigan with a late 4Q drive.

I think QB play, more than anything was the difference in the Sugar Bowl.

Utah is my #1.

By bull-gator

January 4, 2009 9:24 AM | Link to this

Congrats to the Utah players and the coaching staff. They came to play. Alabama got what they deserved…a good old fashioned butt kicking, again. They read too much hometown press and believed all that crap. They are a good team, but not a great one The Gators better learn something from this or they’ll find themselves in the same situation…Oklahoma is gonna come with an attitude since every amateur in the country is picking Florida as the favorite. If the Gator players believe that crap then they deserve what they get.

By Bamafan

January 4, 2009 9:38 AM | Link to this

Utah took Bama behind the woodshed and i for one are still mad as hell about it. The utes beat Bama like a red headed step child friday night. I wish Andre Smith the best of luck in the future, but he can take his sorry butt to the NFL!! Tony told the truth about the crimson tide program and Mr War Eagle said it best!! Alabama only played 2 really good football teams this year and got beat both times!!! ROLL TIDE FOLKS!!

By BCS is a monopoly

January 4, 2009 10:12 AM | Link to this

Dismantle the BCS monopoly and have a playoff for all Division 1 teams, just all the other NCAA sports. Utah deserves to be National Champs, they did’nt lose to Ole Miss, Oregon State , Texas, or Texas Tech like the BCS imposters.

By jumbo

January 4, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this

bama 12titles ‘We will be back and we will continously dominate the sec west division.’ Ha ha yeah right. You just beat LSU for the first time after 5 straight losses. Speaking of recruiting have you looked at LSU’s 2009 class? One thing you can count on, Nick will lay an egg again next season.

By playoff over perception

January 4, 2009 11:06 AM | Link to this

A few more random thoughts.

I get tired of the excuse that BCS teams lose these types of games because they aren’t motivated to play.
That is their own fault and a lame excuse.

Nobody from Fox mentioned it was basically a home game for Alabama and that the Utes had to travel cross-country.

The National College Media doesn’t do their homework even on the BCS teams but especially on teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.
They also have an impure motive to push the conferences and teams on their network. When the MWC conference was beating up the PAC-10 with several wins on one weekend all ESPN to talk about was the SEC and when one of the commentators did mention it there was no comment from anyone else and the subject was quickly changed. ESPN does not like the fact that the MWC has its own network. Now the bowls are going all ESPN can do is talk about how great the PAC-10 is in bowl games. I think their record with bowl games and regular season against the MWC is 2-5 no mention of that. They guys clearly have an agenda. I think blogs show there are plenty of bright fans that see through this.

Fox broadcast was pitiful. Barry Switzer is arrogant and slimy to top it off. They were very disrespectful of Utah and didn’ t do their homework to know anything about Utah. What do they pay these guys for?
We should expect better knowledge insight and professionalism from these guys. The guys who called the game were terrible! They gave Utah very little credit and just sucked. There has to better broadcasters out there.

Notice when MWC and WAC schools play the SEC, Big Ten ect. they always have to travel. None of you guys will do home and home games. I bet it will now be even harder for Utah to schedule a good non-conference schedule.

Miami came to Utah in the late 80s and I think they were number 1 at the time. BYU beat them and they haven’t been back.

Lastly, Utah’s 1995 Fiesta Bowl Team had a better offense than this years team. Their defense may not have been quite as good but close. They could and should of had a shot at USC for the national title. At the least they should have played Auburn and they would have rolled them. It is not the 2005 teams fault that the BCS screwed them with a terrible Pitt team.

No more automatic bids just top ten teams until we get a play-off

By playoff over perception

January 4, 2009 11:14 AM | Link to this

A few more random thoughts.

I get tired of the excuse that BCS teams lose these types of games because they aren’t motivated to play.
That is their own fault and a lame excuse.

Nobody from Fox mentioned it was basically a home game for Alabama and that the Utes had to travel cross-country.

The National College Media doesn’t do their homework even on the BCS teams but especially on teams in the Mountain and Pacific Time Zones.
They also have an impure motive to push the conferences and teams on their network. When the MWC conference was beating up the PAC-10 with several wins on one weekend all ESPN to talk about was the SEC and when one of the commentators did mention it there was no comment from anyone else and the subject was quickly changed. ESPN does not like the fact that the MWC has its own network. Now the bowls are going all ESPN can do is talk about how great the PAC-10 is in bowl games. I think their record with bowl games and regular season against the MWC is 2-5 no mention of that. They guys clearly have an agenda. I think blogs show there are plenty of bright fans that see through this.

Fox broadcast was pitiful. Barry Switzer is arrogant and slimy to top it off. They were very disrespectful of Utah and didn’ t do their homework to know anything about Utah. What do they pay these guys for?
We should expect better knowledge insight and professionalism from these guys. The guys who called the game were terrible! They gave Utah very little credit and just sucked. There has to better broadcasters out there.

Notice when MWC and WAC schools play the SEC, Big Ten ect. they always have to travel. None of you guys will do home and home games. I bet it will now be even harder for Utah to schedule a good non-conference schedule.

Miami came to Utah in the late 80s and I think they were number 1 at the time. BYU beat them and they haven’t been back.

Lastly, Utah’s 1995 Fiesta Bowl Team had a better offense than this years team. Their defense may not have been quite as good but close. They could and should of had a shot at USC for the national title. At the least they should have played Auburn and they would have rolled them. It is not the 2005 teams fault that the BCS screwed them with a terrible Pitt team.

No more automatic bids just top ten teams until we get a play-off

By southerndawg

January 4, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this

bama 12 titles. What have you been smoking? If you are bad mouthing UGA so bad, then you must be envious. We don’t care what happened 20 years ago. this is here and now. When is the last time Bama won a conference championship. Remember last year everyone said we wouldn’t beat an undefeated hawaii team and we beat them like they stole something. This year was a fluke bama and next year we will beat Fla. and whoever wins the west (it won’t be bama) and win another sec title. Richt won’t be leaving for a while.

By GT

January 4, 2009 11:53 AM | Link to this

Somewhere in this autopsy there should be mention that the SEC is over hyped. It is not that Utah was the best team in the country, that very well may be USC, it was that Alabama was not as good as advertised. Now you can talk about a left tackle missing to keep readership, but the way you were writing along with the rest of the world the third team could beat Utah. This kind of talk has destroyed Auburn which thought it couldn’t beat Alabama without firing a coach and it is the kind of talk good coaches outside the SEC and inside have to fight to get a team ready to play. There was a time in this country when Alabama or Oklahoma could trot out 50 good players and beat you on numbers, no team is that dominate any more. It would be nice to read these excuses before the game instead of after. Georgia was not as good, Ohio State was not as good, we make mountains out of programs year after year. Then we blame our sometimes bias but almost always predictable miscalculations on a left tackle.

By It doesn't take an idiot...

January 4, 2009 12:14 PM | Link to this

Anyone who truly thinks USC is not the best team in the country is a MO-ron.

A sad reality is that the majority of the factors which have lead us to FLA vs. OK for #1 is opinionated human beings having too much say rather than getting it done on the field. That’s why you play the games. You’ve heard it a thousand times, and we just saw it happend again; great GAME Utah!

And Utah should finish 2nd, behind #1 USC.

And to the majority of the “decision makers” (which are located East of the Mississippi River):

that WEAK conference, the PAC 10, just went undefeated in bowl play without the benefit of playing any, so easily beatable, Pac 10 teams.

Until the national champion is determined on the field of play as a result of a playoff system NCAA Div. 1 football will be flawed.

By Bob

January 4, 2009 1:31 PM | Link to this

Tony,

You are flat out wrong about the Bama nation not embracing Andre Smith. What makes you the authority on how Bama fans feel about Andre? He was a great player and helped the team back on it’s path to greatness. He made an unfortunate mistake that I wish he had not made, but we are not going to let that overshadow everything he did for the program.

Roll Tide!!

By GT

January 4, 2009 1:46 PM | Link to this

I think the press is one of the main reasons we don’t have a playoff. The power to make a team number one when reality would said different is intoxicating and profitable. They have already dictated the days a team plays and the time. Night games for a school in the middle of a cow pasture like Athens are irresponsible The college trades that off for some spin and next thing you know we have false advertising of a team that is not number one being number one. A team on the west coast has very little to bargain with since prime time is on the east coast. Then you throw in wealthy alumni that buy advertising and live and die football not unlike N. Dame use to be, or a large school like Ohio State that buys a lot of mechanize advertised and you have more false results. I am not sure these powers are not causing some of the hard news they cover in a similar way. Some how the reporter has become the news maker instead of the reporter while we were sleeping. And who is going to fix it? The press is more protective of themselves than they ever are of its citizens. I have seldom if ever heard a press member say that was a little too much or wrong about themselves. They are like doctors in malpractice suits or overpaid lawyers that protect each other at the expense of the pubic. A football game is just another sit com to them, produced in a studio for the purpose of selling soap.

By Atlanta Gator

January 4, 2009 2:11 PM | Link to this

There sure are a lot of bitter bloggers with an axe to grind on this blog today and last night … .

Let’s keep a few things in perspective:

(1) No one on this blog actually plays Division I college football, and there are damn few who ever played the game (I can name two by their blog handles: one UGA Dawg, one AU Tiger). Among those handful of former college players I know personally, none of them ever refer to their former college rivals with anything approaching the bitterness that some of the idiot fans do. Wonder why? Perhaps because current and former players RESPECT their rivals because they understand what it takes to even make the team in Division I football.

(2) When fans and bloggers use “we” to refer to their alma mater or favorite college team, I laugh. I’m just an alumnus and a fan——I am not part of “we.” The “we” is a bunch of 17 to 23 year-old young men (or boys, in many cases). We are just fans, not coaches, and certainly not players. When one of these kids blows out his knee, it’s not “our” ACL that has to be rebuilt surgically. When a player drops a ball on national television, it’s not “us” who mocked by a bunch of know-it-all, smart-a* commentators. When these kids lose a hard-fought game, it’s not “we” who have to live with the disappointment. Quit taking credit for your team, coaches and players’ accomplishments, as if it were your blood, sweat, tears and toil, not theirs.

(3) I cheer for my school out of loyalty to that school, regardless of whether “my” team finishes 9-4 or 13-1. No one dies, no one goes to prison, and nobody other than the coaches may lose their job if the season doesn’t meet the fans’ expectations. The season’s outcome doesn’t affect the fact that other 17 to 23-year-old Americans are dying for their country in godforsaken places like Fallujah, Iraq and Helmand province, Afghanistan. It’s just a game, and no game is ever worth insulting your neighbor or any other fellow American.

(4) Tradition, history and statistics make the game fun and interesting, but recounting them is really an exercise in mental masturbation. Alabama and Georgia are not good teams in 2008 because of conference and national championships in 1980 and 1992. Those coaches are retired and the players are parents with responsible jobs and a mortgage, and, hopefully, great memories of a special time in their lives. Using the past accomplishments of these coaches and players to insult your neighbors is ridiculous and is an amazing demonstration of the immaturity of those insult hurlers … as if these fans had anything to do with those championships.

(5) Just like the second foul always draws the flag, no one remembers which fan blogger started this round of insults or who retaliated. In a s**-tossing contest, everyone stinks. On this blog, there sure are a lot of purportedly adult men covered in rhetorical excrement.

Passion for your favorite sport and loyalty to your alma mater are admirable qualities. Being a jerk is not.

By Atlanta Gator

January 4, 2009 2:38 PM | Link to this

Someone above mentioned Utah’s recent recruiting classes. Just for fun, I looked at the Rivals.com rankings for the last five Utah recruiting classes … .

2005 Class Ranked 59th 0 five-star recruits; 1 four-star recruit

2006 Class Ranked 55th 0 five-stars; 1 four-star

2007 Class Ranked 71st 0 five-stars; 0 four-stars

2008 Class Ranked 69th 0 five-stars; 1 four-star

2009 Class Ranked 45th (not complete yet) 1 five-star; 1 four-star

Clearly, Kyle Whittingham and Utah’s other coaches are doing a great job of “coaching up” their players and maximizing the production given their players’ rated talent. It also makes the Utes recent winning ways that much more impressive. Kudos to their players and coaches. (Hopefully, some of that magic rubbed off on Urban Meyer while he was the Utes’ head coach from 2003 to 2004.) That means 50 or 60 other Division I teams have consistently done less with more talent.

Also noteworthy is the fact that approximately 40-45% of Utah’s recruits are 2 and 3-star kids from California, with a smattering from Texas, Arizona and elsewhere in the West. Interestingly, fewer than 25% of Utah’s scholarship players are actually from the state of Utah.

By 2N4YEARS

January 4, 2009 2:45 PM | Link to this

Atlanta Gator, while some things you said are true, you don’t make the rules for this blog. Football is an emotional game so people like to vent, which is where this blog comes in. Yes, you will find plenty of jerks on here, so my suggestion is to not read those blogs or go to another blog. Preaching a five paragraph sermon won’t help; it only makes you as guilty as the rest acting off of your emotions.

By 2N4YEARS

January 4, 2009 3:08 PM | Link to this

Atlanta Gator , I’ve often thought about the recruiting process, and usually when one big school offers others seem to come in by the truck load. I think Utah’s win only brings to light how many truly great players there are available. Although they might not be ranked by some recruiting service, I believe that some of these highly ranked players are either over-ranked or simply not ‘team’ players, or both. Bottom line: Every coach needs to have someone with very good eyes for talent on their staff and go find the players that you like, not necessarily these over-hyped guys.

By Atlanta Gator

January 4, 2009 3:11 PM | Link to this

2IN4YEARS——“Emotional?” No, not really. If you are using the cliche that college football is an “emotional” game to justify nasty behavior by fans, you may want to rethink your logic.

“Guilty?” Perhaps I am, if by “guilty” you mean that I wish more people would think before they type, and more would act on the good Southern manners that their mothers instilled in them.

“Rules?” No, I don’t make the rules, although someone should. The AJC football recruiting blog has implemented new rules, and has even tried to enforce them. Hopefully, it’s an experiment that can be applied to Tony and Chip’s blogs in the future. In any event, don’t be surprised when a blogger calls another out for stepping across the rhetorical boundaries of bad taste and poor sportsmanship.

“Go to another blog?” Not a chance, 2IN4. There are a lot of good folks on the AJC blogs with whom I enjoy shooting the breeze, including a lot of Dawg fans.

Best wishes for the New Year.

By Atlanta Gator

January 4, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

2N4YEARS——The ratings services serve a purpose, but there’s more to a great athlete than weight, height, bench-press strength and 40 times. Those are really just measurements of potential. There’s also heart, commitment and desire. Who is more impressive? David Pollack, a 3-star recruit out of high school, who used every ounce of his athletic potential and exceeded all expectations? Or Kregg Lumpkin, a 5-star recruit and all-everything before he ever set foot on a college campus, who was a solid, but not great college football player?

There’s a reason why the rating services exist: it makes it easier for coaches, recruiting coordinators and fans to follow the process. Back in the day, only Notre Dame had a truly “national” recruiting program, because every parochial school coach and parish priest would pick up the phone to call Leahy or Parseghian about some local kid who no one had ever heard of. Now, the national rating services have leveled that playing field. In 2009, it takes a truly rare coach or recruiting coordinator to see athletic potential and future greatness in an overlooked 17 year-old kid who may or may not even be fully grown.

By DawginLex

January 4, 2009 3:30 PM | Link to this

BAMASTAN,

Karma is something else ain’t it ? You inviting people to bash you because we take delight in seeing the elite lose is comical. BAMA does not = ELITE. Those are reserved for teams that have actually won something meaningful in the last few years like an SEC title or two which Bama has not.

31-21 31-17 31 yards rushing

KARMA RULES, BAMASTAN DROOLS

By War Eagle

January 4, 2009 3:31 PM | Link to this

Florida and Ole Miss were two best teams in SEC, 2008. Auburn and Miss state were bottom. Auburn will recycle and State has found a offense GRU, plus a strong recruiter. Bama will be a force next year, but doubts they will get out of the West. Again, UGA and Gators will decide East with or without Moreno and Stafford. My feeling and prayers for Mark Ingram, Bama RB with his Dad`s conduct. His heart must be hurting.

By TrueCrimson

January 4, 2009 3:55 PM | Link to this

From what I hear, Andre didn’t cause the situation that led to his suspension. His loss was critical in this game, especially after Mike Johnson was injured. Still, I have no hard feelings toward Andre and I hope that he comes back for his Senior season. If not, he will be replaced and the Tide will be ready to roll come next year.

Bama will lose some quality players from this year’s squad, but that’s part of the game in college football. This 2008 Bama squad achieved much more than anyone expected. 12-2 is not a record to be ashamed of. I expect bigger and better things to come. It’s great to be a Bama fan!

RTR!!!

By 2N4YEARS

January 4, 2009 4:46 PM | Link to this

Atlanta Gator, I can understand your frustration, but your point is mute; it won’t change this blog, which is my point.

On the recruiting, I know why the recruiting services are in business. I just believe the more you rely on someone else to ‘find’ players for you, the less control you have over the direction of your program. I have long said that Pollack is a great example. While FLA also gets a lot of 4-5 star players, those players also fit what Meyer wants, where it seems that UGA recruits them more on their ‘star status level’ than what fits their system best.

By Atlanta Gator

January 4, 2009 5:27 PM | Link to this

2N4YEARS——Florida has had its share of 4 and 5-star recruits who never realized their rated potential. Most often recently, it has been a Gator quarterback or wide receiver who got jammed up on the depth chart. Notably, Cameron Newton, an Atlanta area 5-star QB, will probably never see the light of day because of his sticky fingers and resulting legal problems. You are right, though; Meyer has recruited better “fits” with each entering class, and fewer have fallen by the side.

By BILLY JACK

January 4, 2009 6:23 PM | Link to this

Hey Tony -how about GEORGIA,WE LOST 2 left tackles STURDIVANT AND VANCE and a right tackle ANDERSON.Bama should have beat Utah anyway and dont make excuses,especially you BAMA STAN 21-0 FIRST QTR DISGRACEFUL

By 2N4YEARS

January 4, 2009 6:32 PM | Link to this

AtlGator, yeah, I read about Newton a couple weeks ago. Sad. And I have to give Meyer full credit —He has brought in the players that fit his system and you are right in that not many have fallen by the side. UGA has had several that have either not lived up to their hype because they really weren’t that good, or they simply haven’t been coached well. Probably a little bit of both. And when I see a team like Utah play the way they did against ALA it really brings things into perspective.

By SC Rules!!!

January 4, 2009 8:20 PM | Link to this

Congrts to the Utes-Sugar Bowl Winner

Congrats to Ole Miss- Cotton Bowl Winner

CONGRATS to USC-Rose Bowl Winner

Congrats to: The PAC 10 (5-0 IN BOWLS)

NO such congrats to the lame BCS as in the end we will have another champion that no one will agree on. (Think ‘05 Rose Bowl bcs bumble heads)

Until kickoff ‘09!!!! Fight On!!!!

By pghman

January 4, 2009 11:44 PM | Link to this

Tony you need help , buddy the SEC is not invinceable…Those same Californians who changed Bear Bryants opinion on football integration, don’t all go to USC…Many of them via JUCO’s, and other means end up at Utah & Boise State….They play a high level of football, and if we ever get a play off will show their wares…Write a column on the College presidents, and gutless AD’s….not about Bama missing a tackle…Bama will be very good next season, probably the SEC standard bearer..

By saint nick

January 5, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this

I find it VERY funny that UGA fans are giving the Bama nation crap!!!HEY YOU IDIOTS, WE BEAT YOU!!!!!!All we heard was “We lost our best tackle”. Smith made ALL the difference!!!That first drive, with Smith at LT, we would have ran the ball 15 times in a row and took 10 minutes off the clock!!!! And with Smith at LT UTAH would not have sacked JPW 10 times!!!!UTAH took advantage of a weakness on the left side of the line, pure and simple. Utah won the game, BUT it’s time to look to 2009 and Saban will have another top 5 recruiting class and represent the west in the SECCG!!!! COUNT ON IT!!!!!!ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Loyal Dog Fan

January 5, 2009 8:21 AM | Link to this

Does this mean that Mr. College Football won’t continue to rant that SEC defenses operate on a different level, are too fast and too good for all those other poor little ole conferences like the WAC or Big XII?

By CBrad

January 5, 2009 8:23 AM | Link to this

Yes, Utah played an excellent game and Bama laid an egg. But, don’t put too much focus on this game. I seem to recall last year Florida looking like Girl Scouts against Michigan and now the Gators will likely be the 2008 National Champion and Michigan sucks. Do we determine how a team is going to do the next season based on their bowl game? I don’t think so.

By Lou

January 5, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this

Uh Tony, Andre Smith doesn’t play defense and Utah had their was with the Bama D.

By CrimsonUte

January 5, 2009 5:20 PM | Link to this

Yes, USC is playing great, blah blah blah, but I still don’t see how so many can say they should be ranked ahead of Utah in the final polls. The one team that both USC and Utah played is Oregon State, and apparently few care that the Trojans lost to them while Utah did not.

And after last Friday’s game, I wouldn’t be worried at all to put my Utes up against SoCal in a NC game. If only…