National champions? Why not?
by JazzyUte
on Jan 3, 2009 12:38 PM MST
in Sugar Bowl
7 comments
I'm still trying to really take it all in. There was no doubt I felt Utah could win this game, however, never did I believe they would dominate pretty much from start to finish. To say Utah played their best game ever in the biggest game ever would be an understatement. They stepped up, smacked Alabama around, took the Tide's best shot and went back to smacking them around again. Alabama can use all the excuses in the world, but it doesn't change the final outcome, a 31-17 Utes' victory.
So what does it all mean? Well for Utah, they become the first team in the BCS era to have two undefeated seasons. They're 13-0, have the nation's longest win streak and nation's longest bowl win streak. They just defeated the 4th ranked team, one that spent five weeks ranked first nationally and will most certainly own two victories over two top-ten teams when the season officially ends Thursday night. If that is not the resume of a national champion, then please, show me one.
Of course, resume isn't everything in college football and that has been proven in the past. But it doesn't mean Utah's win wasn't significant and won't be used as justification for a playoff.
There has not been a victory like Utah's since the BCS was created that demonstrates just how utterly flawed the system is. This is the BCS nightmare, because no one can make a legitimate excuse for keeping Utah from winning the championship. They went undefeated, they beat four ranked teams, two top-ten teams and dominated the 4th ranked Tide, who were a quarter away from playing in the national championship only a few weeks prior.
But if they want to debate that Utah does not belong or the Utes should not be in the national championship picture, then the debate needs to come back to a playoff. Because speculation and subjective analyzing is no way to decide a national champion. With that said, there is no current playoff and with the system as is, Utah still did more than any other team in college football. They proved it on the field every single week by winning all their games, while the winner of the BCS National Championship will have failed at doing that.
0 recs |
7 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
fantastic article!
“This is the BCS nightmare, because no one can make a legitimate excuse for keeping Utah from winning the championship. They went undefeated, they beat four ranked teams, two top-ten teams and dominated the 4th ranked Tide, who were a quarter away from playing in the national championship only a few weeks prior.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Unfortunately, TONS of people are going to be Alabama apologists (they threw the game away, their hearts weren’t in it, etc) and tons more are going to dismiss Utah as “getting a lucky win against a team they’d lose to in a rematch”. They never consider that maybe Utah is simply the better team and proved it on the field, where it counts. It drives me nuts, which is why I wrote an article about it. A Reply to Alabama Apologists, and Why The Utah Utes Deserve The Title
Check it out if you have the time.
by GenericBob on
Jan 3, 2009 1:16 PM MST
reply
actions
0 recs
AP Champion
Utah obviously won’t be getting the BCS championship. What if the AP gave it to us? We are undefeated, no one else can say that. Just a thought.
GO UTES!!
by Jman87 on
Jan 3, 2009 2:18 PM MST
reply
actions
0 recs
They just might.
The AP does not like the BCS at all; there’s a lot behind the AP pulling out of the BCS system and I don’t think they’ve forgotten. If nothing else, expect a lot of #1 votes just to make a point.
But either way, Utah had the best season of any team. No matter how people play dice with it, that fact stands.
by hooper on
Jan 3, 2009 2:40 PM MST
up
reply
actions
0 recs
The sixth place team
beat the 4th place team, and you think you deserve a NC? You definitely beat the snot out us and made us look bad, but a NC is a stretch. Just because you have no losses, doesn’t automatically make you NC’s. Your schedule was weak and your conference is weak. Utah State, Weber State, Wyoming, and UNLV just to name a few. Hell, you let Weber State and UNLV score three touchdowns! Those games should have been shutouts! Your not getting any respect because of the conference you’re in, everybody knows that!
Anyway, congrats on a good game and a Sugar Bowl ring. You definitely showed us where our weaknesses are, and for that we are grateful.
Good luck next year and God Bless you all!
by bbbmaker on
Jan 5, 2009 11:40 AM MST
reply
actions
0 recs
You shouldn't really comment
On teams and games you’ve never watched.
UNLV has a good offense. Are you angry that they scored more points than Alabama?
Weber State scored two of their touchdowns late in the fourth quarter against Utah’s second and third string.
Utah played a strong schedule against quality teams and emerged the only unbeaten.
by Ute in DC on
Jan 6, 2009 2:17 AM MST
up
reply
actions
0 recs
You shouldn't really comment on what you have no idea about...
I lived in Layton, UT for 13 years before moving back to Bama last year. I went to several U games at Rice-Eccles and have seen just about every game UT game on TV while living there. I have been to many Weber State games also while my wife was a student there. I have “seen” all I need to see to formulate my opinion.
In all those years I watched, all I could think about was “this is nothing like the SEC”, I saw better games while going to high school in Alabama.
I agree with UtesFan89 below. It’s hard to change, but I think the U needs to be somewhere stronger to get the recognition your are seeking. The only unbeaten does NOT a national champion make
by bbbmaker on
Jan 6, 2009 9:17 PM MST
up
reply
actions
0 recs
It's hard to play a tougher schedule...
it’s hard to control who’s in your conference… and no BCS conference is opening their arms to us.
As for our schedule… we played as many top-25 teams as Florida (who most seem to be crowning #1 already), and our ‘easy games’ of Weber State & Utah State are offset by Florida’s games of The Citadel & Hawaii (who Utah State beat). Plus, Utah beat all of the top 25 teams they faced… something Florida can’t claim.
As for the rest of the schedule (rest of SEC v. rest of MWC), it’s a toss-up. Head to head though… Wyoming beat Tennessee (and Utah beat ’Bama, obviously).
The SEC might’ve been much stronger in the past, and might be as soon as next year as well. But that doesn’t matter. This year, they were down. The MWC was up (relatively). And this year is all that counts should count.
by UtesFan89 on
Jan 6, 2009 3:18 PM MST
up
reply
actions
0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on Block U
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
New FanPost
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
