Sure, there’s a lot to look forward to in the next month’s worth of college football, but not today. Today, we review all that went wrong with teams and the delusions of grandeur that were many of our hopes and dreams. Let’s start with today’s FBS 1-A schedule, in its entirety:
That’s it. One stinking game. One lone, solitary game with two mediocre teams. A storied game, granted, but probably not a barn burner. This makes me sad.
Other sadness around the nation:
1. Texas A&M had a lot of hype revolving around their program despite the loss of pretty much all of their superstar QBs before the season even started. They were able to nab one hell of a replacement in the form of Sooner-turned-Aggie-grad-student Trevor Knight, and went 6-0, earning them a high ranking and consideration for the playoffs. Then it all went to shit after they hit the Alabama Buzzsaw. They ended 8-4 and will play Kansas State in the Advocare V100 Texas Bowl. Not a horrible position to be in, but quite the fall from greatness since being hacked apart in Tuscaloosa.
2. Penn State got screwed. They did. They won the Big Ten and a team that didn’t win the Big Ten gets to go to the CFP. Here’s what Urban Meyers, current Head Coach of the Big Ten team playing for a national championship in January, had to say about this situation a few years ago:
I agree with 2006 Meyer. Ohio State is one hell of a team, but they didn’t win their conference. The Nittany Lions should be playing in their place instead.
3. The University of Texas has a storied program with the second most total wins of any school in the nation, behind Michigan. It has a huge stadium/football church, a rabidly devoted fan base, and is the most valuable program in the collegiate world. Losing isn’t an option, and that was proven by the firing of coach Charlie Strong when Texas went 5-7. This is the first time a HC in Austin went his first three years with losing records each season. Big Money Donors never really gave Chuck a chance, but he was supposed to prove them wrong. He didn’t, despite one of the best recruiting jobs that the school has ever seen.
4. Poor, poor LSU. The team started out in the top 5 AP preseason poll despite their HC being on the hot seat and almost fired at the end of last season. Les Miles ended up getting kicked to the Cajun curb after going 2-2, and was replaced on an interim basis (now permanently) by his DL Coach, Ed Orgeron. They finished as #20, and will be playing in the Citrus Bowl against Louisville and Heisman hopeful Lamar Jackson. We’ll see how that turns out.
Honorable Mentions: The Oregon “please come back, Chip” Ducks, Houston “Tom Herman is da devil” Cougars, Notre Dame “Austin broke our team” Fighting Irish, and the Kansas “We beat the Longhorns” Jayhawks.
So enjoy today’s consolation game, and maybe some FCS 1-AA playoff games going on; just keep the fans of these other schools in your prayers, as December will be a bitterly cold month for them.
Fin.