What a year! This past season was the most unpredictable year I have ever seen. I think the popular title for this season was "The Curse of #2" or "The Year of Upsets." A lower ranked team defeated a higher ranked team 59 times this year. And 7 teams that were ranked #2 at one point lost while sitting at #2. There were 12 unranked teams that defeated teams that sat in the top 5 in the nation. These statistics are like nothing I've ever seen. This was easily the most exciting and unpredictable year in college football.
There was one thing that did stay constant, that I did enjoy seeing. The SEC conference was strong as ever. The normal power holds that were so regular among SEC powerhouses like Georgia, Florida, LSU, and Tennessee, were not as clear-cut as in earlier years. While the SEC's constancy changed within the conference, the teams that played SEC teams were often the ones that went home with their heads down.
The best recap I've read about the 2007 NCAA football season can be found at Wikipedia. But here are my top 20 games of the year:BONUS:
#2 LSU 28, vs. #12 South Carolina 16 -- The only reason I put this game here is because of the amazing fake field goal executed perfectly by LSU. I'm okay with losing to two teams. I don't like it, but I can coop with it. Those teams are Georgia and whoever I like, and realistically think will win the national championship. This year it was LSU.East Carolina 41, vs. #24 Boise State 38 -- The Broncos tried to do it again. They were down big, and they made a comeback. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't enough. East Carolina closed out the game with a field goal to defeat last year's most prolific post-seasoners.
#7 Southern California 49, vs. #13 Illinois 17 -- This game is on here for the sole reason so I can complain. The Fighting Illini had no right to be in that game. The BCS is dumb. It is not fair. We should have a tournament like every other sport in the world. Whew! That feels better, I won't mention any of that any more.
20. #8 Kansas 24, vs. #3 Virginia Tech 21 -- What an amazing run from Kansas, a normally basketball-minded school. Virginia Tech had a rough beginning with a lashing from LSU, and unfortunately for them, they ended on a rough note as well.
19. #18 South Florida 21, #5 West Virginia 13 -- S. Florida pulls another unsuspecting upset on a BCS-bound team. Not bad for a program under 15 years old. Good job Jim Leavitt!
18. #13 Hawaii 39, vs. #17 Boise State 27 -- The WAC Championship- a championship that rarely matters. Both of these teams fought hard to win because a win could mean a BCS berth in an uneven, chaotic season like this one. And a Hawaii victory did win a BCS berth. Hawaii faced Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
17. Tennessee 27, vs. #17 South Carolina 24 OT -- On the way down South Carolina's #6-to -unranked slide, they faced the rising Volunteers. The Volunteers blew a 21-0 lead in the second half only to barely win in overtime against a rallying Gamecocks team.
16. Alabama 41, vs. Tennessee 17 -- Nick Saban's Crimson Tide roll over the Volunteers with a career-high game for Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson.
15. #17 BYU 17, vs. UCLA 16 -- This Las Vegas Bowl was merely a take two for these teams. After beating BYU 27-17 during the season, UCLA was sent home on a last-second field goal by BYU's Mitch Payne.
14. #6 Missouri 38, vs. Arkansas 7 -- After a huge win in triple overtime against the now National Champions in the SEC Championship, the Razorbacks were embarrassed by the true Cinderella team of this season. Star running back Darren McFadden was held to only 102 yards, while Missouri running back Tony Temple set a game record of 281 yards and 4 touchdowns.
13. Michigan 41, vs. #12 Florida 35 -- Laughing stock of 2007, Michigan, upset the school record-setting Gators in the Capital One Bowl. All faith in the Wolverines disappeared in a season-opener loss to a I-AA team, but they finished the season strong with a win over the Heisman trophy winner's team.
12. #5 Oregon 24, vs. #12 Southern California 17 -- Time to shine Dennis Dixon. Oregon would see the #2 spot but only to experience the curse of it like the other 6 teams that held the #2 spot. An exciting season with lots of promise would fall short with the injury of star quarterback Dennis Dixon and a win over Maryland in the Emerald Bowl. 
11. #1 LSU 28, vs. #9 Florida 24 -- Arguably the SEC conference's best teams duke it out for what could have been the future SEC Championship, but Florida's losses to Georgia and Auburn kept them out of the SEC Championship. This win came because of LSU Head Coach Les Miles' gutsy, risky-taking calls.10. #5 Georgia 41, vs. #10 Hawaii 10 -- I was so close to making a bet with a friend on this game. I didn't want to bet on the 10 point line, but he wouldn't bet without a line. Regardless, I should have, because Georgia destroyed a much weaker Hawaii team. Colt Brennan, a Heisman candidate, was sacked all game long, and the Hawaii defense was no match for Georgia's running back Moreno and the Bulldog offense.
9. Standford 24, vs. #2 Southern California 23 -- This upset was almost as big, if not bigger, than the Michigan vs. Appalachian State upset. Five turnovers can end a 35 home game winning streak though.
8. #15 Florida 51, vs. South Carolina 31 -- As much as it hurts me to put this in the top 10, I have to because of the magnitude of Tim Tebow's performance. He rushed for 5 touchdowns and threw for 2 more. It's as if my friend Ricky is playing a season with Florida on XBox with NCAA '07.
7. Arkansas 50, vs. #1 LSU 48 3OT -- Many people were surprised at this game, but I'm not sure why. This game just fit in with the rest of the season. This is one of 2 of LSU 3OT losses this season against teams with a Heisman trophy candidate. The good thing is, those are their only two losses.
6. #17 Kentucky 43, vs. #1 LSU 37 3OT-- And here's the second one. And yes, it's against Kentucky. Andre Woodson is a beast of a quarterback.
5. South Florida 26, vs. #17 Auburn 23 -- I did lose a bet with this game. I had to go to church with "Go Bulls" written on my forehead. I don't think a single person saw this one coming. Granted, the Tigers were highly overrated this year, mainly because of the sucky-ness of Brandon Cox, but the Bulls were very impressive as they took down a SEC powerhouse.
4. #4 Missouri 36, vs. #2 Kansas 28 -- Again "The Curse of #2" attacks. Missouri controlled a thriving Jayhawks team to drop them out of the national title game. I doubt anyone had ever cared about this match-up before until this year. Maybe never again either.
3. #4 LSU 30, vs. #17 Auburn 24 -- Les Miles is crazy. This game was the gutsy thing I've ever seen. It took me a while to figure out what was going on. Without calling a timeout as the time is expiring in single digits, Les Miles calls a pass play, instead of kicking a field goal to win the game. As soon as they scored the touchdown, I was looking around trying to figure out what just happened. It was amazing.
2. #2 LSU 38, vs. #1 Ohio State 24 -- The BCS National Championship. Ohio State gets too much credit. They have a much weaker schedule than anyone in the SEC, and it shows as OSU's bowl record against SEC teams is 0-9. LSU was sloppy at the first, but eventually got into their rhythm. Ohio State, however, never found theirs. They scored a touchdown late in the game to make the loss look a little better. 38-17 looks way worse than 38-24. Now I must boast: In the pre-season, before any football was kicked off, I said LSU would win the national championship. I just needed to get that off my chest. Go Tigers!
1. Appalachian State 34, vs. #5 Michigan 32 -- Upset of all time! Greatest field goal block ever! #5 Michigan, the team from Ann Arbor, powerhouse Big Blue, is defeated in regulation time by a I-AA team. After this game, the NCAA changes the ranking rules to allow I-AA teams to break into the top 25. Comparing these school is so fun.
Championships- ASU 2, Mich. 11
Bowl Appearances- ASU 9, Mich. 38
Stadium capacities- ASU 16,650, Mich. 107,501
NFL Players- ASU 29, Mich. 286
College Hall of Fame Players- ASU 0, Mich. 28
Sadly, another year of college football is over. Even with this year being one of the best ever, it is hard to "let go" for 6 months. Now its time to follow Rich Rodriguez's trip from West Virginia to Michigan, follow recruiting, and wait for the hot summer months to come and go. Until then, "Go Gamecocks!"
Pictures from the most exciting season of NCAA football yet:
No comments:
Post a Comment