How thrilling it was to watch LSU romp over Ohio State in last night's annihilation at the Allstate BCS Championship game! Let's get right down to the facts.
Ohio State - I expected for Ohio State to be more prepared for this game than they were. After losing to Florida in last year's Championship game, you would think that this team would prepare to redeem itself against another SEC opponent. I mean, who loses 2 consecutive BCS title games to the same conference? We got our answer last night.
One disadvantage for Jim Tressel and Ohio State is that they have not played a game since their November 17th victory over Michigan, but LSU had to prepare and play (and won) their December 1st game against Tennessee for the SEC title. My assessment is that having to fight it out for a conference title, at least for the past two years with Florida and LSU, seems to make for a more formidable foe.
And then, on Ohio State's part, penalties, turnovers, mistakes. They were unsuccessful at matching LSU's speed on offense and physicality on defense. With the Buckeyes's 10-0 start over the Tigers, one would assume that this Bowl game was finally going to be an accurate matchup. But that would have been just that - an ASS-umption. Congratulations, LSU (and to the SEC) for finishing off a wacked-out college football season victoriously.
And looking ahead to 2008, my excitement for LSU and the SEC is overshadowed by USC's projected #1 pre-season ranking. If nothing else, the 2007 college football season should have taught us to pay closer attention to strengths of schedules (or lack of strength, AHEM, USC) and to stop giving high rankings to mediocre teams such as Michigan, for example, based more on legacy than on talent. It pains me that, even in the midst of possibly losing 10 of their most important starters, USC still is being considered as next year's #1.
To those on the USC bandwagon, I have this to say...a truly talented and well-rounded team can be beat down during the season, drop in the ranks, and still rise to the top - if the team is TRULY solid and talented and plays a tough schedule. Analysts continue ranking the USC's the Michigans, etc. so high because they know that, a couple of mid-season losses to unranked teams would diminish their chances of playing for BCS games at season's end. So they say, "let's rank them high to start so their finishes won't be so dismal." Guess what, people...USC 2008 will be the doppelganger of Michigan 2007. Remember, Erica Renee said it first.
My college football fans, the war has been fought, and the war has been won. Let's prepare to move over the trenches and into the battlefield better known as NFL playoff season...
Erica Renee
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