I'll echo Switters sentiments on Michigan and say that Saturday was indeed an affirmative experience. As far as takeaway for the future, methinks The Game in Columbus may be the biggest since 1997 with both teams having realistic National Championship aspirations. I don't want to jinx it just yet, so of course we'll have to wait and see. In the Big 10 any team can be problematic and we don't know how good Wisconsin, Iowa or Sparty really are. But it's going to be a good motherfucking season.
Word.
Now, I won't fight ESPN's inclination to branding each college football weekend, especially since "Separation Saturday" completely lived up to the hype and made the National Championship picture a bit more clear. With history being our guide, we can safely scratch Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and LSU from the title hunt. Additionally, we've got good bets as to the SEC's future. Auburn looks like the team to beat in the West, while Florida appears to be the beast in the East. Fortunately for fans, the SEC divisional champs will have to play each other before one (or both) can emerge into the BCS.
Taking a cue from this Separation Saturday's action, CFN updated its BCS bowl projections as follows:
BCS GAMES
Rose Bowl
Pasadena, CA
Bowl Projection: Michigan vs. Boise State
Fiesta Bowl
Glendale, AZ
Bowl Projection: Texas vs. Notre Dame
Orange Bowl
Miami, FL
Bowl Projection: Clemson vs. Florida
Sugar Bowl
New Orleans, LA
Bowl Projection: Auburn vs. Louisville
BCS Championship Game
Glendale, AZ
Bowl Projection: USC vs. Ohio State
And, jigga what? Boise State vs. Michigan in the Rose Bowl? Notre Dame survives to earn a BCS berth? Clemson wins the ACC?
Insane? Wacky? Interesting no doubt; and at times difficult to understand, seeing as CFN spearheaded the Notre Dame is overrated train of thought, but CFN lays it out for college football to play it out.
Quick Shots
*It's fuzzy now, though I think we said something to the contrary earlier, but so far I'm liking the Big East way more than the ACC, which appears to be anyone's conference as a clusterfuck of mediocrity. I'm picking Clemson to eek it out over Virgina Tech now that FSU and Miami are sunk. So here, yes, I agree with CFN. Clemson goes BCS Bowling.
*Louisville's lost two stars in Michael Bush and Brian Brohm. That really sucks for a Cardinals team that was fixing to do some damage this year. However, they've continued to roll despite the loss of both stars. Let's see if they can continue to surge closing in on their showdown with West Virginia. (If CFN's BCS Bowl projections are to be trusted, they believe in Louisville as much as anyone.)
*Lucky Ducks - Oregon pulled off a fast one on Saturday night, drawing on a combination of luck, skill, nifty uniforms and (wink wink) "homefield advantage" to down Adrian Peterson (*more on him later), or the 2006 Oklahoma Sooners, 34-33 on a last minute field goal block. BUT, that should never have happened. Oregon, you got away with one and you know it. We all saw it. Your guy touched the onsides kick first. Belloti, you've got a good team, but you're officially living on borrowed time. (And, this just in, maybe the world is catching on.)
*Peterson's rushing for crazy yards so far (515 yards on 90 carries), but Oklahoma has been reduced to a one-trick pony without Bomar and thus despite Peterson's Herculean efforts, without a decent supporting cast he's an outsider in the Heisman race.
*Boise State, apparently hungover after last week's romp over Oregon State, grinds out the tough road win over Wyoming 17-10. Even so, they break into the AP Poll at #25. Even good teams have to win ugly at times. But the Broncos better not make a habit out of it if they plan to live up to CFN's BCS projections and beat out TCU for the mid-major BCS slot in the Rose Bowl against Michigan??
Crazy times we live in these.
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