The best team in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines won't be playing for the national championship on January 8, 2007, in Glendale, Arizona, and that's a sad commentary on college football.
Michigan, 11-1, with its only loss a 42-39 heartbreaker on the home turf of the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes, and on a suspiciously newly sodden ‘turf’ at that, will play USC in the Rose Bowl on News Year's Day.
The University of Florida Gators, (12-1), through a little campaigning and quite a bit of whining from their coach, Urban 'Cryer' Meyer, were picked to go to the BCS Championship ahead of the Wolverines to play the #1 Buckeyes a week later in Glendale.
And that’s total bullshit!
Michigan would crush the Florida Gators. In fact, Michigan would easily defeat the Buckeyes on any neutral field and you know who knows that best? Buckeye fans! ESPN had a poll on who should play the Buckeyes and the only Big Ten state NOT to pick Michigan was Ohio, where they voted 69% to 31% to play Florida. Why? Because Buckeye fans know Michigan would kick their ass in a rematch! California, Washington, Colorado, New York, and all the Eastern Shore states voted for Michigan by large margins.
Ohio State's coach, Jim Tressel 'wussed out' and abstained from voting in the Coaches Poll. He said he did it beacuse of a 'conflict'. He had a conflict all right. He had conflicting nightmares of Michigan kicking his ass on a neutral field. After all, all the Wolverines did at his home stadium in their 3 point loss was to run out of time. Tressel, just like the Ohio State fans, know the Wolverines would beat them like a damn drum in a rematch!
Florida will get totally trounced by Ohio State in the BCS Championship game. Michigan and Florida had one common opponent this season, Vanderbilt. Michigan ‘toyed’ with ‘Vandy’ and beat them 27-7. The Gators barely squeaked by the Commodores, 25-19.
Florida's loss was by 10 points to Auburn. Auburn lost by 17 points to Arkansas and by 22 points to Georgia. Georgia lost to Tennessee by 18 points and Tennessee beat Air Force this year by 1 point. Air Force lost to Navy by a touchdown. And again, Michigan's lone loss was an away game by 3 points to the number 1 team in the country. A team that's scared shitless of the Wolverines now.
The Michigan Wolverines were screwed. There should be a playoff game system within the BCS that would take care of these situations. Michigan should be able to play a one game match-up against Florida. Michigan would beat the Gators like a bad piece of meat and get their chance to play the Buckeyes again. This time, on a neutral field, one that hasn’t been doctored to slow down the Wolverines speed, they would crush Ohio State by two touchdowns!
Florida doesn’t deserve the championship game. They proved that by looking pathetic against a so-so Arkansas team that would be 4th in the Big Ten. Wisconsin would beat any Southeastern Conference team and that will be proven when Wisconsin destroys Arkansas in the year's Captial One Bowl. The Badgers of Wisconsin are 11-1 and rated 6th in the nation with their only loss, by 2 touchdowns, 27-13, being to the Wolverines. Wisconsin and Ohio State did not play each other this year.
The Michigan Wolverines got shafted. The best team in the nation won’t get its chance to avenge their 3 point loss, and that’s total bullshit!
The Ohio State Buckeyes are scared of the Wolverines. Their fans proved that this weekend with their votes to play Florida. The teams that played the Wolverines this year know who is the best team in the nation. It’s too bad the rest of the country won’t be able to find that out, too.
Michigan will go to the Rose Bowl proud to be there. USC is a better team than Florida and just as good as the Buckeyes. Michigan will beat USC in a close game in the most exciting bowl game from January 1 on.
Ohio State will humiliate Florida in the BCS Championship and they will know they got off easy. Their coach and their fans showed their gratitude for being able to play the Florida Gators this past weekend. They didn't want anything to do with the Michigan Wolverines. They know better.
