As the leaves pile up in the yard and the Christmas decorations gather dust in the basement it is time to give thanks for college football. There is no excuse or justification. It is just an incredible game played by the indentured servants of sports. Here’s to the passion and glory of college football.
1. Thank you for the College Football Playoff. New Year’s Day has been returned to its rightful place on the holiday calendar. My memories take me back to the 1979 Cotton Bowl. It was the famous “Chicken Soup Game” when Joe Montana’s legend was born. The 1984 Orange Bowl is the all-timer with Tom Osborne putting his stones on the line and going for two against Howard Schnellenberger’s Miami Hurricanes. The 1988 Orange Bowl featured the undefeated, ultimate bad boy matchup between Miami’s Jimmy Johnson and Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer. Something about those night games in Miami’s dark and foreboding Orange Bowl was riveting. Bad television with fuzzy reception, no surround sound, and no remote control was no problem as the games unfolded in one day of football orgy. The four team playoff is a blast from the past that no one will regret. Let’s make it eight.
2. Thank you for the SEC. A lot of people just threw up in their mouths; but let’s face the facts. From 2006-2012 the SEC won seven straight national championships in the BCS. They have set the standard for college football in the 21st As fans we can hem and haw, gnash our teeth, and wring our hands – but there is no denying their dominance. They know how to play football on both sides of the ball down south. Speed and physicality count in offensive and defensive backfields. The SEC consistently produces monsters inside. The interior dominance is what separates them from the PAC 12 and Big 12, and their speed is superior to the Big 10. The ACC has Florida State. That was enough last year, but we will find out more this year.
3. Thank you for Oregon. Oregon keeps West Coast football on the map. The speed and skill of PAC 12 players are mesmerizing. Even with the departure of Chip Kelly, Mark Helfrich has managed to maintain the up-tempo theatrics of Marcus Mariota and his band of running backs and wide receivers. They will probably have to prove that their defense and interior lines can take the beating of an SEC opponent. It sets up to be a classic chess match of blinding speed and punishing open field tackles for the Ducks. Will they represent? They might have to go through an extremely talented UCLA squad to prove they belong. Every week is a playoff game. Thank you college football.
4. Thank you for the running game. College football has always been one step ahead of the NFL in creative running schemes. Football fans are now subjects to a weird, cautious, and hypocritical brand of NFL two-hand touch. The college game retains its roots in running the ball. The spread offense is a twist and nod to the old school wishbone and wing formations. Two-way quarterbacks are still in vogue. The top four teams in this week’s rankings all feature QBs that can throw and run. Blake Sims, Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, and Dak Prescott can all win a game with their arms or legs. Lest we forget the dramatics of uber-talents like Melvin Gordon and Samaje Perine. Four hundred freaking yards is incredible on any level.
So, this Thanksgiving I thank the athletes, coaches, and even the evil administrators who provide the spectacle of college football. Somehow, some way the collaboration of these imperfect partners has produced the most compelling strata of television sports that explodes live every weekend of the fall and a good chunk of the winter.
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