Almost every college football fan has a team that they live and die for. Maybe it's the place you grew up, maybe it is your alma mater. I've made no secret that for me that team is Florida. Furthermore, most of us usually have a team they love to hate (see the poll question on this week's picks page). For half the country, it is Notre Dame. For old time Gators, it is Georgia. For new time Gators, it is Florida State. But any of you that have an ounce of perception can guess, for me, that team is Tennessee. Maybe growing up in Tallahassee takes just that little bit of edge off of my FSU hatred. Maybe not even knowing college football existed until about 1987 dulls my understanding of what Georgia has done. But the Tennessee hatred is pure, baby, pure.
Little things add up. Of course, there were war stories from friends who had road tripped to Knoxville. In August, 1990, 5 students were murdered near the UF campus, and during the UF-UT game that year, chants of "At least our students don't get killed" were heard. Then there was a couple of years where the Gators pasted the Vols only to see the Vols eventually overtake them in the rankings (forgetful pundits were always quick to annoint the Vols "now certainly the best team in the SEC" after a "strong" finish against Memphis, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt). Maybe it was Peyton Manning grabbing all the attention when an unsung eventual Heisman trophy winner went 3-0 against the now-Indianapolis Colt. Maybe it was watching them fumble and stumble their way to an SEC championship against Auburn last year despite another Gator dismantling of them in October.
| Postseason Poll Results |
Last week I asked the Experts their opinion on the college football postseason. Here are the reuluts: Old Bowl System: 1 What do you feel about the conference championship games? There shouldn't be any: 3 What do you think about the current number of bowls? Too many: 4 |
Many people had conditional choices, such as the conference championships should be eliminated if there is an 8-team playoff; other people felt that the conference championships should be part of a playoff structure. Our expert panel, in general, have no consensus on what to do, except for a strong desire for some kind of playoffs. No one voted to keep the BCS going. |
What's my fate? How can my team be 9-1 and me not be happy? Because the Vols are ranked #1 in the country, and they are eeking out victories every step of the way. It isn't enough that they win, no, they have to tempt me with near upsets. A last second field goal against Syracuse. An overtime victory against a Gator team that had turned the ball over 5 times. And now, the final straw: a squeaker against Arkansas.
I watched. I watched with the same fascination that causes us to slow down near an accident scene. I knew I was watching something horrible unfold, but I couln't turn away. CBS cut in to the game with two minutes to go. Arkansas was up by 4; a 24-20 advantage with two minutes to play. I was not confident. I was not even confident when Tennessee failed to convert on a fourth down from the 50. Arkansas took over, needing a first down or a field goal to end the game and seal the upset. To seal the upset and to open the door for the Gators to come back into the SEC championship picture.
I still was not confident. I felt better though, and, knowing how dangerous it was, my brain started plotting tomorrows commentary. It would be called 1996 all over again, and it would chronicle how a Michigan upset of Ohio State, an Ohio State upset of Arizona State, a Texas upset of Nebraska, and a tradition-breaking bowl rematch between Florida and Florida State had, against all odds, allowed the Gators to claim a national championship. Or it would be 1992 all over again, when the Gators lost to Tennessee but watched the Vols stumble down the stretch and hand UF back the SEC East crown. Oh, it would be a glorious commentary!
Then the Hogs gained only 8 yards on three downs. Then, the embarassing attempt to draw UT offsides on 4th and 2. The bad long snap. The safety. 24-22. The free kick. The good return. The fullback, slicing up the field 10 yards a carry. The clock ticking down. Timing perfect. The TD. The poor KO return. The personal foul. The horror. The horror!
I'm left with the same empty feeling I had in 1993. After Notre Dame lost to Boston College, there was nothing left to do but watch my arch rival storm to a national championship. Oh sure, Kentucky will give the Vols a real scare, probably lead by 17 with two minutes to play, but Tennessee will win and Fulmer will be hailed a genious. And sure, Arkansas will put up a great fight in the Georgia Dome, and Tennessee will commit six turnovers, but the Vols will win by 2 points and Tee Martin will be hailed a hero. Don't talk to me about Kansas State. Shut up about UCLA. Don't tease me about a Florida-Tennessee rematch. Damn it man, snap out of it! It's a train wreck, don't you see. It's a train wreck!
Winless
I found a mistake in my database today. I had Hawaii listed as 1-9, but they are in fact 0-10. I'm not sure how I made that error. But even as the ranks of the winless add one by clerical error, they also lost one by virtue of Cincinatti's upset win over Houston in a barnburner, 44-43. Congratulations Bearcats! Hawaii has games against Northwestern and Michigan left, so they would be highly probable to go 0-12. Kent and UNLV also remain without a win.