Auburn vs. Oregon. No, I am not the guy who hates small schools and non-automatic qualifying schools in small conferences. I am the guy who hates being deprived of all possible scenarios. I hate missing out on opportunities to see something amazing. It is why I watch sports. Above fandom, above watching giant men hitting each other, above stars and star power, I watch sports to see something that I have not seen before—something that I can tell people about, something that I can tell my kids about. One of those “remember when” moments, one of those “where were you when it happened moments.” And of all the different kinds of sports and games, college football presents you with a uniqueness that no other sport can. The emotion and the tension presented in college football is second to none. Probably because a lot of the schools are in small cities where the university is king and is a way of life. College football is so full of passion and emotion that I find myself rooting for teams in other parts of the country. Although graduated from Texas A&M, when I watch an SEC matchup, I find myself getting behind a certain team or player just because of the emotion of the game and how big they are from week to week. It is amazing how college football can polarize cities and communities and even groups of friends. And all of this being said, college football deserves more than just “every week is a playoff game.”
I think the BCS is selling us short by using that argument as an excuse to not have a playoff system set up, especially for years like this. I think the BCS is going to deprive me of my moment this year. They are going to take from me my passion and my reason for watching sports. Trust me, I have no problem with the Auburn vs. Oregon game. It is going to end up 50-48 if those two teams play.. and it will rock... but then comes Stanford in the “Who Gives a Crap” bowl in the middle of Wyoming. Stanford is 11-1 with their only loss at Oregon in a game in which they lead in the third quarter. Wisconsin is putting up 1200 points a game and their only loss was to Michigan St...on accident. To deprive me of a four or eight game playoff system on top of an amazing season and an amazing scramble to get to the top of the BCS is an atrocity. College football this year is going to deprive me of the “hook and ladder” and the “statue of liberty” plays for which I live (sorry OU people, but that game was amazing). I believe that college football and the BCS are going to take my moment away from me by putting great teams in games that they do not care about. Now there is something to be said for the mid to small bowl games. To bring together small schools and communities and give people opportunities to see schools from other parts of the country. But for the elite teams in the country, they need to be put together to determine who truly is number one. And when this happens, the tension and emotion of college football will finally be fully expressed. There will be memorable games every year.
Can you imagine Stanford against Auburn in the quarterfinals? Or the TCU defense stopping LaMichael James on the goaline for the win? Or Cam Newton vs. Terrelle Pryor? Or Ryan Mallet's big going out game? And instead of this happening, were going to get only one game where both teams actually care. Only one game where I have chance to see my moment.
So given everything I have said, I want you to root for Auburn and Oregon this weekend. I am willing to sacrifice my moments now so that I may get more in the future. I want TCU to go undefeated and not get looked at for anything. TCU is going to roll Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl because the Badgers will not even show up. Poor Stanford is going to end up playing some sorry Big 12 team in the middle of nowhere. And somehow, someway a Big East team is going to play one of these elite teams just because they have an automatic bid to a BCS bowl game. Not to bash the Big East, but when the team that wins the conference is not even ranked (UConn), that is a problem. And while this year is perfect for an eight team playoff, I implore you to cheer for Auburn and Oregon this weekend because it will shine a light so bright on a flawed system that a change will be inevitable and I will get to see more amazing games.
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