You see, the bowl selection "work" done here to "pick" Alabama and Utah and place them against one another in a BCS bowl game, well, it seems a little poorly done.Color me skeptical, but it just doesn't seem like there's anyway that the Utes can hang with an Alabama team that didn't lose a single game in the SEC until the championship. And while I actually think that's a characteristic that should allow the Crimson Tide to have a shot at a national championship (is their loss to Florida really that much worse than the Gators managing to lose to Ole Miss, regardless that it was the third week of the season?), that's not how the system works.
How the system does work is that, well, if you want to really muddle through it, go here and read it. Just know that the BCS doesn't strive to create matchups of the most intriguing nature. Otherwise, you would be seeing Utah-Ohio State and Alabama-Texas. Clearly, the latter two are three and four in the country in terms of quality and they should be playing each other.
But my opinion doesn't really matter; Alabama and Utah are squaring off and I'm not entirely sure it will end up being close. In fairness to Utah, they beat everyone they were supposed to beat, including a tough TCU team late in the season, and a big upset (at the time) over Michigan in the opening weekend, and a huge win against Oregon State in early October.
They rolled over most of the teams they played, although a three-point (13-point effort no less) win over New Mexico is kind of indicative of them being a team that, um, wouldn't beat Alabama -- especially an Alabama team that is going to be focused on bringing speed on defense and a power running game. Also, Julio Jones is amazing.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
12-08-2008 @ 2:14AM
tommy said...
Are you kidding me? Utah can win. Undefeated and still he thinks they cannot win. You are right your opinion does not matter. Nothing matters come game day, except the final score.
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12-08-2008 @ 2:47AM
Blair D said...
Are you kidding me? The Utes could've hung with Florida and their overrated QB. Everyone knows he's not going to do shit in the NFL. But back to the matter at hand. All I have to say is wait til the clock ticks Zero before you post your bull shit articles online that no one cares about
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12-08-2008 @ 7:13PM
thabear said...
What the heck? Ute's vs Tide, undefeated in a quiet little conference out west and nothing like the SEC. The Tide is going to roll on these boy's like a freight train over a ute, (what is a ute anyway?) Just watch and see why we were #1 and should still be #1 on game day. The clock does decide and it will be over the fisrt quarter..... ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goooooo Julio Jones and Javier Arenas with Nick Saban and John Parker Wilson. Here comes the TIDE.
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12-26-2008 @ 4:35AM
Tide suck deal with it said...
I love how this incompetent retard talks about how we were #1 PS this game is like the special olympics. Even if you win you are still retarded. Why Utah DOES stand a chance? John Parker Wilson SUCKS, of the top 4 teams (pre-SEC Championship who was the only QB not up for the Heisman. Yea that be John Parker Wilson. Self righteous bastard and your three names without a Stout defense John Parker would have probably been raped by you Nat'l Champ wannabes. By the way you tell the Utes fans to not talk until the clock strikes Zero what are out a converted Auburn fan??? What good is talking shit after a game. That's like betting on games shown on ESPN Classic. You suck hide behind your wall of shame and keep an eye out for the hook and Lateral. Bama -19. Utes 24. Better luck next year Saban
1-03-2009 @ 1:30PM
UteFan said...
I don't like to boast, but I do like to point out when someone has been proven undeniably wrong. What you should learn from this is that pride comes before the fall...always. The only difference between smart people and stupid ones: smart ones learn from other people's mistakes, while the stupid ones continue marching to the sound of their own stupidity right off the cliff.
12-08-2008 @ 8:06AM
ken said...
It amuses me when teams such as Utah, BYU, TCU etc. play nobody during the year and then fans believe they are actually good because of their record. Utah will get destroyed by Alabama, a team that is probably the third best team in the SEC , at this point in the season.
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12-08-2008 @ 11:36AM
Clay said...
Ken-Alabama 3rd best in the SEC? Correct me if I'm wrong but Bama went undefeated through the regular season only to lose to Fla. in the SEC cg. How does that make them the 3rd best in league? Utah has a good little team and Bama will not take them lightly. They may hang around for a little while but by the 4th quarter they will be too worn down to compete. Bama will roll.
12-08-2008 @ 7:28PM
ken said...
Clay, I didn't say finished third, I said at best they are the third best team in the SEC, since Florida, Ole Miss, LSU, possibly Georgia and Vanderbilt could beat them now.
1-03-2009 @ 12:51AM
Jack said...
What happened to BAMA? they never even came to the game. You people that are so sure the south is the preimenent source for football, make me laugh. Way to go Utes.
12-08-2008 @ 8:34AM
ken said...
From looking over Utah's roster, it seems to me California has another football team, ( University of California @ Salt Lake City!)
Who would have known the BCS would have reduced the Sugar Bowl to this?
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12-08-2008 @ 8:01PM
Clay said...
Ken - Bama played and beat all those teams you mentioned other than Florida. Bama finished 1st in SEC West and 2nd in the SEC overall. What are you talking about possibly the 3rd best team. If this is what you are indeed saying then you obviously have no clue.
12-08-2008 @ 9:55AM
John G said...
Your confidence in Utah, Balir D, is absurd. They could not have beaten half of the SEC teams. Alabama will "have their way" with the Utes.
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1-03-2009 @ 12:51AM
Jack said...
I wonder how it tastes, you and Ken and all the other whiners that just got your so-called football handed to you by Utah. How sweet it is to see an SEC team get humbled.
12-08-2008 @ 10:17AM
ned said...
Utes have no business in Sugar Bowl... Bama will score at will and Utes will be lucky to score 1. Bama by 30.....John G is right, Utes couldnt beat half of the SEC, and that's the bottom half.
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12-08-2008 @ 11:52AM
MHSdude2428 said...
If Yall Saying Utah Can Win Yall Are Crazy. Utah Doesnt Have The Size Or Power To Hang With Bama. They Cant Stop Big Cody Our Runningbacks Or Out Wide Outs. Bama Wins Shutout Roll Tide
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12-08-2008 @ 7:14PM
TG said...
It is the over-confidence and arrogance of certain teams and their fans that make these games so fun and interesting. Alabama is favored. It has a rich tradition. Tradition does not win games. Utah is capable of beating Alabama, regardless of what Alabama's over-confident fans think. Game time will be a reality check. Anyone who thinks they know the outcome before the game is played is fooling themselves. It would be a really good thing for college football if Utah wins. True and fair competition may replace arrogance and a sense of entitlement.
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12-08-2008 @ 12:30PM
Rob said...
From consecutive weeks ranked number 1 to a bowl game with Utah?? Are you kidding?? The question of whether Alabama will win is not even plausible...this is a slap in the face. Alabama deserves a worthy opponent after completing such a stellar season. Top to bottom, the SEC is in another league compared to the other conferences and Alabama ran the table this year. Fans from other conferences (exactly what is the Mountain West anyway??) can't appreciate the level of competition that SEC teams endure week to week. They don't know what they don't know so don't be too hard on them for thinking they can compete - much less win.
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12-08-2008 @ 3:01PM
Mike said...
Rob, you are right you cannot be to hard on someone that doesn't know. I will tell you right now that your coach Sabin is not looking at this game the way you and some of your budies are. Yes the SEC is a very strong and powerful conference, and the MWC is just this small little weak conference out in the mountains some where. Just remember this is Utah's 2nd visit to a BCS game in the last 5 years, 1st for Bama in how many years? This Utah team is no Hawaii, Utah beat 3 teams in the top 20 this year while Hawaii was beating up on Div II schools in Hawaii last year to get thier birth. Totally different ballgame this year, Sir. Look into what Utah has done this year. Don't pop off like you really know until you really do know, it's not only dumb but it makes you look very stupid.
12-08-2008 @ 12:39PM
FB1657 said...
Haha its kinda funny to see all you Bama-lovers hating on Utah, Do you all fail to remember Utah rolling over Pitt 4 years ago, or Boise state taking care of oklahoma 2 years ago, just because bama's in the SEC doesn't make them one of the best teams. If you look at the MWC Utah, TCU, and BYU are all ranked in the top 20, and utah beat both of them, also airforce only lost 4 games this season and 3 of them were against these three.. so save yourself from saying this will be a blowout, because utah has just as good as chance at winning as bama does.
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12-08-2008 @ 1:34PM
BDallas said...
Jeez. This is just like last year when Hawaii came into New Orleans and got absolutely destroyed by another SEC team. Well, and the year before when Notre Dame came to the Sugar Bowl and got destroyed by an SEC team. I see a pattern here.
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