Midseason College Review

Midseason Review

Well, that was weird. What else can you say after the first 6 weeks of the college football season? I know it’s not exactly the mid point of the season just yet, but amidst the large number of “stunning” upsets we’ve seen thus far, it seems appropriate to put some perspective into the almost-midway point of the 2007 college football year.

The big stunner of the year? Call it a toss up between the Michigan Wolverines blowing what should have been a home snoozer against Appalachian State or USC widening some eyes with a loss to lowly Stanford. Here’s the kicker – I expect to see USC and Michigan in Pasadena for this year’s Rose Bowl. Michigan is quietly rebuilding their year following the early season debacle against ASU. The home loss to Oregon suffered the following wee does not look as embarrassing for Lloyd Carr’s boys as it may have at the time – Oregon is a top 10 team who took the current #2 team to the wire two weeks ago (Cal escaped Eugene with a 31-24 win). With the lack of any potential contenders save Ohio State at the end of the year, it is conceivable to think Michigan (then 9-2) could be hosting OSU for a shot a Pasadena. I’ll ride with the Wolverines. As for USC – they still have the talent to win out in the Pac 10, which with Cal and Oregon still on the schedule is a very attainable goal. Despite the stunner in LA, USC’s fate is still in its hands as the season moves forward, and betting against a Pete Carroll coached team hasn’t been the wisest of moves over the past decade. Given the way the college season has gone thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Trojans return the National title game. With games at Oregon and Cal, two top 10 teams, the BCS numbers could skyrocket up for USC in the coming month.

On a side note -Strangely, the Wolverines fell out of the top 25 after the Miracle in the Big House by the boys from Boone, while the Trojans of USC fell all the way to…10. Odd – ASU was a two time defending I-AA national champion, while Stanford hasn’t done anything of real significance in the post Tyrone Willingham days. I’d take ASU in a head to head matchup against Stanford, but the media darlings as we know them at ESPN still feel like USC is a top ten team?

The funny thing about the season thus far, especially in the past two weeks, is that we have all accepted that on any Saturday, the Stanfords, South Floridas, and Appalachian States of the world can beat the worldbeaters. But I think a shot of perspective would do the trick now. We are at the midpoint of a wonderfully entertaining college football season. And we have learned that parity is the key to this year’s campaign. But the season is 12 weeks for a reason. The BCS games are still attended by the tops in the country, and this seasons lineup, despite the early round shakeups, will likely mirror seasons past. One losses and two losses (OK, Notre Dame, sometimes three) may be detrimental to your National Title hopes, but your BCS dreams are alive and well. So while we’ve had a hell of a September and October, don’t expect January to look much different than prior years.

Mid Season Bowl Predictions

ROSE: Michigan vs. USC

SUGUAR: Florida vs. Va Tech

FIESTA: Ohio State vs. West Virginia

ORANGE: Boston College vs. California

NATIONAL TITLE: LSU vs. Oklahoma