Week Eleven News and Notes

[LordJeffBuck]

Where Are They Now?

Between 1983 and 2001, Nebraska and Miami combined to win eight national championships, with the Hurricanes earning five titles (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991, and 2001) and the 'Huskers three (1994, 1995, and 1997). The two schools even met three times in the championship game, with Miami prevailing in 1983 and 2001, and Nebraska taking home the crown in 1994. Since that final championship clash in the 2002 Rose Bowl, both programs have gone into serious decline. Nebraska's record from 2002 to the present is a mere 44-31, for a winning percentage of just .587; and the Cornhuskers' record in bowl games is 2-3, with none of those bowls being of the BCS variety. Sure, Miami was able to hang on for a little while longer, posting a respectable 41-9 mark from 2002 to 2005, but the last two seasons have been nothing short of disastrous for the team that dominated college football for the better part of two decades. Last year, the 'Canes were 7-6, and their already subpar season was further marred by a very public brawl against Florida International. This year has been even worse, with the 5-5 Hurricanes hitting perhaps an all-time low after suffering a 48-0 humiliation at the hands of the Virginia Cavaliers in the Orange Bowl. I know that everything goes in cycles, but it's been a long while since two of college football's traditional powers have sunk so low at the same time.

The BCS Mess

With Ohio State's upset loss to unranked Illinois last Saturday, the murky BCS picture suddenly became even less clear. There is now only one BCS team with a unblemished record - Kansas - and no objective observer feels that the Jayhawks have any chance to run the table. Of the one-loss teams, Ohio State (@Michigan); West Virginia (@Cincinnati, UConn, Pitt); Oregon (@Arizona, @UCLA, Oregon State); and Arizona State (USC, Arizona) have the best chances of winning out, since none of those four will have to play in a conference championship game. Current #1 LSU has two relatively easy regular season games (@Ole Miss, Arkansas), but must also prevail in the SEC title game to earn a shot at the BCS championship. Oklahoma has a similar challenge, with two regular season games (@Texas Tech, Oklahoma State) before reaching the Big Twelve championship contest against the winner of that conference's North Division (likely either undefeated Kansas or once-beaten Missouri, who face off in the last week of the regular season).

In the worst case scenario, the season would end with seven one-loss teams from five different conferences, with at least a couple of those programs getting "screwed" out of a chance at a national championship. And what to do with an undefeated Hawaii...? If things don't straighten themselves out soon, then expect to hear more and more talk about a playoff system.

Shut Up and Play Defense!

After giving up 48 points and 650 yards of total offense to Arkansas last week, the mighty Gamecocks rebounded with a 51-point, 537-yard defensive "effort" against Florida. No need to comment, Stevo - those numbers speak for themselves....