 |
|
| Sunday, November 28 Updated: November 29, 11:05 AM ET Where fans come to sound off ESPN.com |
|||||||||
|
The regular season has drawn to a close, but there's still plenty to talk about. Here's a sampling of what's being said around the country. Listen up -- The Fans Speak
Talk at the top
The story of the year has to be Virginia Tech and its dream season. How can anyone say they don't deserve the Sugar Bowl? They took care of business each and every game. In comparison to FSU, Tech soundly defeated their common opponents by almost 26 points while FSU's margain of victory was only 12. Not only does Tech deserve the oppurtunity to face the 'Noles, but they have a great shot at a victory. Tech has a better D and special teams. And on top of that I'd take Michael Vick over Chris Weinke any day. Don't look now 'Noles but Cinderella is wearing her slipper and is ready to dance!
As a fan who used to berate Virginia Tech for its weak schedule, I now find that having anyone else but Tech in the Sugar Bowl is idiotic. They earned the right to play in the Sugar because they dominated their schedule and there is no other team worthy of going to the Sugar Bowl.
I think it's horrible that the Virginia Tech Hokies are Sugar Bowl bound! It surprised many of us to see a team head to the Sugar Bowl which had such a breeze of a schedule, I think the BCS needs to be reworked once again, and I am not the only one who thinks this way.
As one of the proud Hokies who tore down the goal posts and carried them through downtown Blacksburg, all I have to say is bring on the Seminoles! I'll see you in New Orleans!
Virginia Tech, any Division I-A team that plays a Division I-AA team should be disqualified from the national championship at the start. Did Boston College look like a Pee-Wee football team to anyone else? My grandmother could have scored those touchdowns.
I am a die-hard Tennessee fan, but if Virginia Tech doesn't get the opportunity to play for the national championship then we may as well go back to the old system! If a team can win out, albeit with a less-than-great schedule, and still not get an opportunity to play for it all, then I feel that it sets a bad precedent for the future. The only thing that will be different from the past will be that you must politic in more polls than you used to. Virginia Tech may or may not be the best or second-best team in the country, but they have certainly earned the right to play for the National Championship.
As much as it pains me to say this as a die-hard 'Husker fan, we do not belong in the national title game. Regardless of our schedule strength, we lost a game and Virginia Tech did not. Plain and simple, we had our chance if we won in Austin but we fumbled it away. I plead to all 'Husker fans not to whine, and just be happy if we win a Big 12 title.
Controversy reigns
Two years in a row Georgia Tech has beaten Georgia on bad calls from the refs in the final minutes/seconds of the game. How are refs compensated, and are they held accountable for their calls?
I agree that the fumble at the 2-yard line was not really a fumble, and that Georgia did indeed get a bad call. However, what I haven't heard yet is the horrible decision made by Coach Donnan. The fumble was a disputed call, but the Bulldogs could have easily kneeled, and made a chip shot to win the game. They had to be greedy, and try to run the ball in and win by a touchdown.
After once again watching atrocious officiating at the collegiate level, this time during an exciting Georgia-Georgia Tech game, perhaps it is time for the college game to consider instant replay. College refs are consistently inconsistent and downright lousy most of the time. It was a shame to see a great game like UGA-GA Tech this past Saturday decided by incompetent refs. I felt cheated!
That was the worst officiating since the Colorado 5th down!
BCS banter
Marshall University just finished its season 11-0. Just like Florida State, it beat Clemson by three points. Just like Virginia Tech, it hammered Temple. Granted, Marshall's schedule is not among the toughest in the land, but Marshall did what it was supposed to do against such a schedule, i.e., it took care of business by dominating its opponents, finishing in the top 5 in most team statistical categories, including leading the nation in scoring defense by allowing only 104 points (9.13 per game). It should go without saying that Marshall deserves to be one of the participants in the BCS. However, those who vote in the polls, program the computers and devise the BCS rankings have assured themselves that a team that is not a member of one of the "good old boys" conferences realistically cannot advance into the Elite Eight of college football. The game here, my friends, is money, not college football.
Please send Nebraska to the Fiesta Bowl along with Michigan so we can finally settle the national title dispute in '97.
Now that the season is over let's see if the BCS will work
better than it did last year! To the BCS officials I say one
thing and one thing only. Do the right thing and put
Kansas State in the Orange Bowl!
Another year, another snub by the BCS for Kansas State? If this happens it's a complete sham that the BCS will be unable to explain to any college football fan. Is K-State still paying for the fact they were invited a couple of years ago to the Fiesta Bowl and destroyed a Syracuse team with the great Donovan McNabb? It appears so. If a two-loss Michigan team is selected ahead of K-State, it simply means the BCS is a "Members Only" club that the Wildcats are somehow unworthy to join.
School spirit
Just wanted to make sure no one missed the big game coming up this weekend. This is the game that the world realizes that Alabama Football is back. If lightning strikes twice then look for a toasted Gator. Roll Tide!
Everybody loves Hawaii and it's nice that they won some games, but they didn't beat any good teams. I don't think anybody has or ever will mention that they got beat by Washington State (last in the Pac 10). They will lose badly in the Oahu Bowl because they are not the same caliber of team that Oregon State is.
Florida has got to be upset after this season is over. Talk about running the table. If you would have told me that Florida would have two losses this year and both of them were going to be at the Swamp, I would have laughed at you and told you you're crazy. Is the dynasty of the Swamp over? I don't think so. These Gators are young and I think this year will help them going into next year. They have a lot of young talent that played this year as freshman and sophomores.
Heisman hype
Ron Dayne is the obvious Heisman choice, despite Joe Hamilton's solid performance Saturday. Dayne has put up staggering statistics in the toughest football conference in the country. Most importantly, he has lead his team to a conference championship, back-to-back Rose Bowl berths and national ranking of 4th. Put an asterisk next to Dayne's very impressive 1800-plus yards and 19 touchdowns. He has sat out approximately 10 quarters of football due to games being out of reach early. Add 2.5 games worth of statistics to Dayne's totals, and he easily ends up with 2300-plus yards and beats the all-time career rushing record by (not 100, but) 500 yards. Credit Dayne and the Wisconsin program for not running up the score and Dayne's statistics. Many other college programs would have been too tempted to focus on the career rushing record and the Heisman. It's nice to see that kind of class in today's college athletics. That kind of class is what the Heisman is all about. By recognizing and rewarding such class, we might actually help character become the norm again in college sports.
Why is Michael Vick not in the running for the Heisman?
Kudos to Joe Hamilton for a terrific season
but congratulations to Ron Dayne for an even better season
(yes season -- not just career Jacket fans). Ron Dayne will
win the Heisman; only a blown call by those in charge
with time running out can save Joe Hamilton this time
(not likely to happen again).
This 'n that
How is Mississippi State below the likes of Georgia Tech, Minnesota, and others? They go 9-2 in a strong conference, only lose to 2 teams that have been in the top 25 most of the year, and this is how they are rewarded? No respect, and come next year when they play teams like BYU and Florida, maybe pollsters will begin to give us our due.
As Colorado finished at 6-5, there are still questions about their bowl situation. After showing what a great team they are -- Nebraska was lucky to win -- they deserve to go to a bowl game. It was the best game in college football this year, and I along with many other CU fans want to see them in the bowl season. Mike Moschetti is a great QB and deserves one last win.
Dear Santa,
Will Touchdown Jesus let Bob Davie into heaven after leading the Irish to a five and seven?
After watching the near devastating injury to Travis Henry on Saturday, it brings into focus what is really important. While college football is very dear to most of us, it is just a game and matters very little in the grand scheme of things. Thank goodness the injury wasn't as serious as it first appeared.
Two Bowls for the Mountain West Conference and C-USA? The lock the other conferences have on the bowl games in conjunction with the bowls' propensity to pick the most marketable schools/conferences is reaon enough to abandon the entire bowl system in favor of a playoff that includes all I-A champions. While some may argue that the bowl system has been good for college football, it is , in reality, only good for about half the participants.
The emotion of the moment
Congratulations to the Aggies. If there was one game I thought they deserved to win it was this one. Now, on to the Big 12 title game. Hook 'em Horns!
|
|
||||||||
