T3R FOOTBALL 2008 FINAL EDITION

We have just finished another college football season and it was an exciting one. Once again, the BCS system left the question of who is the “real” national champion open for debate. I will settle that debate for you here with the 2008 season, final edition of T3R.

1. Florida Gators (13-1)
Won BCS Championship Game 24-14 vs Oklahoma
I have had Florida in the Top 3 all season and in the top spot in T3R since week 3. They have been the most dominant team all season, and showed that once again by beating the Sooners on Thursday. That old adage that defense wins championship rang true again as UF completely shut down the Sooners vaunted offensive attack. As I predicted in my BCS Preview, the Gators defense and overall team speed were the difference in that game. Also, for everyone that criticizes Tim Tebow, get real. That kid put the Gators on his back and carried them to victory. At halftime, Tebow told his offensive coaches to let him run the ball more, so they did. Tebow carried the ball six times in a 13 play scoring drive that put Florida up 14-7 midway through the 3rd quarter. For the game, he had 22 rushes for over 100 yards and threw for another 231 and 2 TDs.

2. Southern Cal Trojans (12-1)
Won Rose Bowl 38-24 vs Penn State
USC once again flexed their muscles against the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. The Trojans were never challenged by the Lions and won convincingly, furthering the argument for a playoff in D1. I think that Florida was the best team in the nation for most of the year, but I would really love to see these two teams square off and settle it on the field. USC was my preseason #1 team, but after losing to an average Oregon State team, the offense sputtered and struggled. The defense, however, may have been the best defense in college football this decade, if not longer.

3. Utah Utes (13-0)
Won Sugar Bowl 31-17 vs Alabama
Now, the argument can also be made for Utah, the only undefeated team and a big winner over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, as the National Champion. I recognize that they did something special this year, and they capped it off by beating an Alabama team that was highly ranked and undefeated for the entire regular season. My biggest argument against Utah is that they could not do that week in and week out, as they would need to in a BCS conference. I have nothing but my opinion to back that statement, but when you play in a conference like the Pac-10 or Big XII or SEC, every week is a tough game. Utah played in the Mountain West Conference. Yes, they beat Oregon State, BYU and TCU, all tough opponents, but they also had the luxury of playing San Diego State, Wyoming, New Mexico and UNLV as conference opponents plus non-conference games against Weber State, Air Force and Utah State.

4. Texas Longhorns (12-1)
Won Fiesta Bowl 24-21 vs the Ohio State University
Texas is ahead of Oklahoma for one reason; they beat the Sooners on a neutral field in October when the two teams squared off. I though Texas played sloppy and unenthused in their game against the Buckeyes due to the fact that they were not happy to be playing in the Fiesta Bowl. Sure, they told everyone that they were pleased, and they told the media that not getting a chance to play for the title is now out of their hands. Nevertheless, they beat OU and then watched OU jump them in the rankings, to go on to play for the BCS Championship.

5. Oklahoma Sooners (12-2)
Lost BCS Championship 24-14 vs Florida
I have to give credit to the Sooners for playing a little defense in the title game; I did not see that low scoring game coming. However, as we saw in most of the Big XII bowl games this season, offense alone will not win you many big games. I have always been a big proponent of system or gimmicks styles when it comes to coaching. It started with RichRod and John Beilein at WVU. Sure, those styles can score points and be flashy, but when you meet a team that has just as many players and athletes as you, you do not have a chance, and that is what the Sooner offense has become. It is fun to watch and very successful, but to win the big games, you need to do the little things, and those styles don’t allow you to do those things.

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-2)
Lost Sugar Bowl 31-17 vs Utah
Alabama over-succeeded this season. The expectations for Nick Saban at Alabama were very high when he arrived two years ago, but not this high. Saban has done an outstanding job recruiting and coaching, and he showed us that Alabama is back on the map and will be there for a while. This year’s performance was a year earlier then most expected, so look out for the Tide again next year.

7. Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2)
Lost Rose Bowl 38-24 vs Southern Cal
Penn State finally found a way to get the ball into the hands of their playmakers on offense, and they produced. Unfortunately for the Nitters, most of those playmakers are gone next year. The defense should be as good as always, and with both Evan Royster and Daryl Clark back, the offense shouldn’t lose too much although they will have to replace almost all of the O-line. I would expect the Big Ten to be much better next year. Penn State was able to take advantage of probably the conference’s worst overall performance since Penn State joined in 1994, so that will make it more difficult to repeat this seasons results.

8. TCU Horned Frogs (11-2)
Won Poinsettia Bowl 17-16 vs Boise State
TCU was the dark horse team that nobody talked about all season. They lost early in the season to Oklahoma and fell out of the national picture. However, TCU held the Sooners to 35 points, the fewest OU scored in a win all season. The Horned Frogs then blew out then-undefeated BYU, but followed that up with a heart breaking loss to Utah. TCU was leading Utah the entire game until the Utes scored the game-winning touchdown with 0:47 left. TCU then defeated another unbeaten when they knocked off Boise State in their bowl game.

9. the Ohio State Buckeyes (10-3)
Lost Fiesta Bowl 24-21 vs Texas
I know that many people criticize playing a prevent-type defense with the lead late in the game, but what was up with the Buckeyes playing man coverage with NO safety help? That had to be the easiest last-minute-touchdown-to-win-a-game in college football history. Let’s look at the goods of this game, though. Pryor looked very calm and effective playing many different roles in the tOSU offense. The team played the 4th quarter without Beanie Wells, and the go-ahead touchdown was even scored by his back up. Ohio State is going to be tough once again next year with TP running the show. The defense will have to replace some key losses, but they have the athletes to fill those easily.

10. Mississippi Rebels (9-4)
Won Cotton Bowl 47-34 vs Texas Tech
I told anyone who would listen that Ole Miss would win this game against the high-powered Red Raiders. The Rebels were a talented group of players recruited by Ed Orgeron, but he did a poor job coaching them and putting them in the best position to win. Enter Houston Nutt. Nutt has won everywhere he has gone and, in his first year at Ole Miss, he took a 3-9 team that went winless in SEC play and turned them into a 9-win team and runner-ups in the SEC West. The Rebels will be a player in the SEC again, as long as Nutt is in charge.

I will be posting my 2009 Way Too Early Rankings sometime next week, once the smoke clears from the NFL draft entrants and we see who has what coming back next season. Stay tuned!