You can't tell me that after the national title game, each of Utah, USC and UT didn't think they could have beaten each of the 2 teams playing in the championship. Neither Florida nor Oklahoma played badly, but neither put on a show that made anyone think "Wow, that is the best team in the country." Thus, we now have a host of teams claiming that they are the best team in the country..and how can anyone tell them they aren't.
Until we have a playoff, here are my top 25 teams:
25. Rice (10-3) - I think we beat Georgia Tech head to head. Thus, we get in.
24. Michigan St. (9-4) - Gave Georgia a tough game in the bowl. Solid, if unspectacular team.
23. BYU (10-3) - Really surprised they lost to Arizona. Another program building season though out in Provo.
22. Florida St. (9-4) - Seminoles are rising once again. Odds are their GPAs are not.
21. West Virginia (9-4) - Congrats to Pat White after becoming the only QB to start and win 4 bowl games. Great, great college player.
20. Iowa (9-4) - Played so well down the stretch AND kept Penn St. out of the national title game. An appreciative nation thanks you Hawkeyes.
19. Cincinnati (11-3) - You win the Big East? Whoop. You got manhandled by a Virginia Tech team that hadn't looked that good all year. Program on the rise though.
18. Oregon St. (9-4) - Despite winning the ugliest bowl game ever (3-0) I'm still impressed they could get a W in spite of the absence of top players. Watch them in 2009.
17. Missouri (10-4) - Just never got it going this year. A VERY disappointing season when you see what they were hoping to accomplish in 2008.
16. Virginia Tech (10-4) - After a below average season by this program's standards, pulled out some serious whoop-ass on Cincinnati. Just a great college football program year in and year out.
15. Oklahoma St. (9-4) - If only they had a defense.
14. Texas Tech (11-3) - Apparently thought the season was over after beating Oklahoma St. on 11/8, because they were terrible in the last 3 games they played.
13. Georgia (10-3) - Never lived up to preseason billing, but a good season nonetheless. Lot of weapons are going to be lost to the draft.
12. Mississippi (9-4) - The only team to beat Florida lost their 4 games by a combined 19 points. THE team on the rise in the SEC. Hey Hog fans, still think Houston Nutt can't coach?
11. Ohio St. (10-3) - Played a great Fiesta Bowl game despite Pryor not being able to throw the ball more than 10 yards at a time. Tell the band to lay off playing the fight song though, k?
10. Oregon (10-3) - Just rolling at the end of the year! Couldn't move them past Boise St. though, since Boise St. beat them AT Oregon during the year.
9. Boise St. (12-1) - Played TCU to a near draw...underrated team and underrated program. Think a 12-0 regular season team wouldn't be interested in a playoff?
8. Penn St. (11-2) - If only they had gotten the memo that the Rose Bowl was two halves and not just one...might have set their wakeup call earlier.
7. TCU (11-2) - Beat a tough Boise St. team in the bowl after a great regular season. Most underrated program in the country.
6. Alabama (12-2) - Only team in the top 10 to finish the season with a losing streak. Manhandled by Utah which makes me smile, if only because Nick Saban is one of the least engaging and gregarious people in the country.
5. Oklahoma (12-2) - 45-35. 24-14. Suck it OU.
4. USC (12-1) - Seriously, how did they ever lose to Oregon St.? Great ballclub.
3. Texas (12-1) - Oh Blake Gideon....so close.
2. Florida (12-1) - Great team with an even greater coach.
1. Utah (13-0) - Beat everyone in front of them, including 4 ranked teams. Dominated Alabama in the sugar bowl. Do I think they are the best team? No. They are definitely top 5 though, and if their name was "Florida" or "Texas" they are in the title game. Hats off to the Utes.
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