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 Saturday, December 28, 2002
All four games have drama
By Jack Arute
Special to ABC Sports Online
After some quick grunts and a couple of groans, this year's BCS emerges with matchups that make the most sense. Some traditions may be missing, but starting New Year's Day, fans will be treated to four games that will have a distinctive storyline.
Rose Bowl Game Presented by PlayStation2
Oklahoma has never played in a Rose Bowl. Washington State has never had a lame duck coach directing its fortunes in a Bowl game. It took some elbow twisting to get permission for the "Sooner Schooner to patrol the end zones of the Rose Bowl, but it will be there providing support for the first time Pasadena visitors.
This is a game that hinges on the Sooners defense against WSU's Hawaiian signal-caller Jason Gesser. Gesser is the linchpin for the Cougars. His emotional leadership is more important than his skills. Just ask the UCLA Bruins. Gesser passed for 247 yards in defeating UCLA 48-27 to clinch the Pac-10 title, despite braces on his knee and ankle.
Jermaine Green and John Tippens provide the running game, something that OU's defense says it needs to shut down.
"If we can make them one-dimensional," said Sooner All-American linebacker Teddy Lehman, "we will have an easier time of things."
OU's secret weapon may be its own QB. Nate Hybl isn't flashy; he just gets the job done by mixing his passes with a running attack led by senior Quentin Griffin.
"I just love to watch 'Q' run, " said Hybl.
The subplot to this game is Mike Price's decision to stay at the helm of Washington State through the Rose Bowl. Price took the vacant Alabama head coaching job on Dec. 18. Longtime defensive coordinator Bill Doba takes over for Price in the Pallouse, but not until after the Rose Bowl. The last time a "lame duck" coached in a bowl game was 1932. During the Rose Bowl, we will tell you that story.
Nokia Sugar Bowl
When the matchup of Georgia and Florida State was announced, it automatically brought to bear a teacher-student storyline. Georgia head coach Mark Richt left Bobby Bowden's Seminole staff at the end of the 2000 season.
"I spent a lot of my life there," Richt said. "My mentor was Bobby Bowden. Just about everything I learned about coaching, handling players and people in general, I learned from him and learned from being at Florida State."
But many Seminole fans hold Richt responsible for FSU's loss to Oklahoma in the national championship game two years ago. Bowden kept on Richt as his offensive coordinator for the game, even though Richt had already taken the Georgia job. The Florida State offense was held scoreless by the Sooners, and fans point to Richt's staying on as a key factor.
No one can blame Richt for this year's pre-Bowl distractions. First Chris Rix missed an exam and ruled ineligible for the Sugar Bowl, and then defensive tackle Darnell Dockett got suspended for violating team rules.
The keys to FSU's offense fall on to Fabian Walker, a sophomore who saw mop-up duty this season in wins against Maryland and Duke. Walker's career consists of eight passing attempts.
For Georgia, its a return to the SEC elite has been a while coming. David Greene can air it out with the best QBs in the country. Musa Smith makes the most of the Bulldog's veteran offensive line, racking up yards on the ground.
FedEx Orange Bowl
By the end of the season, no two teams were playing better football than USC and Iowa. Such a traditional Pac-10/Big Ten game might belong in the Rose Bowl, but pitting these two against each other makes sense. Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer brings his Trojans to South Florida to go up against Brad Banks (who finished second to Palmer) and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Palmer credits his coaches, especially Pete Carroll and Norm Chow, for his and his team's progress this season.
"They never let us lose focus." he said.
This is not your father's USC Trojan team. Student Body Right still exists in the playbook. With two rushers like Justin Fargas and Sultan McCullough, the Trojans run when they have to. But their passing attack was their ticket to South Beach and the Orange Bowl. Palmer put up Heisman number against Notre Dame going 32-of-46 for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
Banks also makes his living in the air. The native Floridian threw for 2,369 yards and 25 touchdowns (to 4 INTs) this season, elevating Kirk Ferentz's program to an elite level marred only by a loss to cross-state rival Iowa State. Were it not for that loss, an argument could be made for Iowa's appearance in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Face it. The BCS got things right this time. An undefeated Miami defends its title against an undefeated Ohio State.
Miami has Ken Dorsey, Willis McGahee, Andre Johnson and Kevin Winslow. It's an air-and-land assault that has remained untarnished through two complete seasons. Eleven guys left last year's national championship roster and there was no drop in Hurricane production.
And head coach Larry Coker has never given a concession speech in his head coaching career.
"We don't talk about the streak," said Coker of Miami's 34-game winning streak and his perfect 24-0 record. "Instead we just focus on the next game. It would be nice to talk about the streak say 20 years from now if it breaks some kind of record, but right now it's about the next game."
1968 was the last time that the Ohio State Buckeyes went undefeated in a regular season. That was also their last national championship year.
The Buckeyes will have their hands full trying to contain the Hurricanes. That having been said, this is an OSU defense that can if the cards fall their way.
Offensively, Ohio State looks eerily reminiscent of '60s era Ohio State football. True freshman Maurice Clarett is healthy and ready for his signature North-South rushing game. Chris Gamble and Michael Jenkins are Craig Krenzel's favorite receivers, but it's Clarrett who sparks things for the Bucks.
This is a game that traditionalists will love. Why? Because whoever puts up the best defense will be the winner.
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