The College Football Playoff is set. Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Cincinnati. Congrats to all. Not that I am surprised. In a perfect world, Michigan would've been one, and Alabama 2. But unless you haven't been paying attention, the College Football Playoff isn't always about what is right. It is about what looks best for the NCAA. And that means what is best for TV. What gives eyeballs. What makes us talk. What makes us focus on them. Mission accomplished. We now have the next 25 days or so to dissect and look under every nook and cranny to think of ways they got it wrong. We will be to the point by Christmas Day to wish the games would get here already.
I have no issue with the set up. Alabama vs. Cincinnati is the intriguing match up. David vs Goliath. Group of 5 vs. The Evil Empire. The feel good story vs. the greatest coach of all time. The majority of college football fans get what they want. The underdog of Power 5 that is undefeated, they get center stage. Even though they don't play the caliber of competition, they ran the table, beating every one in front of them. Now the price of poker has just gone up. Will they be like UNLV of the 1980's, that being Cincinnati. Will they not only break the glass ceiling, or will they be like modern day Gonzaga. Feasting on weak competition, only to fall when the national spotlight hits. Alabama, well, they are Alabama. They have seen this before. At least Nick Saban has. New blood coming into the dance, looking to knock the king off the mountain. Michigan State did it back in 2014, and so on and so on. The scary thing is, Alabama got their scare with a win over Auburn in the Iron Bowl this year. Call it a wake up call. They pummeled Georgia. Nick Saban is in Kirby Smart's head. Spotting them a ten point lead, it was like they flipped a switch and ran over Georgia. Will Luke Fickell and his Bearcats be wide-eyed in the spotlight? Intrigue number one.
Game two features an embarrassed Georgia team, and a Michigan team that seems to be on a mission. A Michigan team that punched That team from down south in the mouth and pounded them into submission. Then flattened Iowa in The B1G Ten Championship game. But now the stakes are raised big time. They get a wounded Georgia team, a team with a wounded pride. We will find out what they are made of. There are flaws that were exposed in Georgia's team. But Georgia also didn't get to be number one for most of the year by name only. They have such a dominant defense. This could be quite the heavyweight fight to ring in the New Year on semifinal Friday, December 31st. I can't wait.
I have read and listened to folks on national media, along with talking to a few people today that claim Notre Dame should be in the spot occupied by Georgia. Quite funny how the Notre Dame national agenda machine works. Yes Notre Dame comes in at 11-1. They, like Cincinnati, beat most of the teams they played. But one problem. They got manhandled by Cincinnati at home. Their biggest win is Purdue. Purdue. Wisconsin losing to Minnesota may have sealed their fate. But I think what seals their fate is the fact they play an antiquated Independent schedule. Or the five teams they play out of the ACC, which is a borderline power 5 conference. Notre Dame, with their games against Navy, and Boston College, and so on, they do not deserve a playoff spot, with its present form. They are relevant because of past history, and their national TV package with NBC. Baylor, winning the Big 12 conference at 9 was a sham. How they are behind Notre Dame tells you the system is flawed to allow Notre Dame this much positive press. The rules should not be swayed in their favor anymore. So in this instance, the committee got it right.
Quint Ewers, hot shot recruit from Ohio State, has entered the transfer portal. He hasn't played a down. Ohio State got played by him worse than their blocking scheme against Michigan's offensive line. He announced his plans or intention to go to a Texas School. He took advantage of the NIL law in Ohio that let under 18 players get paid. Texas wouldn't allow it. I don't have a problem with him making the money. I don't have a problem with anyone making money. If a company or business is dumb enough to pay a player hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars, especially one that hasn't played a down of college football, god bless him. My issue is with the transfer portal. A coach yells at you, you can transfer. You only play two games, you can transfer. A Player can call up a booster in Lubbock, or Ann Arbor, or Pasadena and say for two million dollars I will transfer. It's coming. But hey. If coaches have the right to break contracts and move at a moments notice, I guess players should be able to do the same. College sports is turning upside down. I was listening to a national radio host a while back, who said we live in a world now where fan loyalty to a certain team, based on geography or family history with them is a thing of the past. Most young kids follow a player from team to team. Why do I see that happening with college sports. This old fart isn't going to do that, but I think that may happen in the future. It is just another thing I have to get used to. But for now, my fandom will be rooting for Michigan to pull off the impossible.
Lou Gamelin
Captain Lou Extravaganza
Tuesdays 8-10PMET
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