Behind The Scoreboard - Claude Vinson


Thursday, November 27, 2008
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Behind The Scoreboard
By Claude Vinson

Playoff please

Would you believe that before the game between the Crimson Tide and the Mississippi State Bulldogs, there were more than a few persons who told me that the Bullies were going to stop the Tide?

I didn’t laugh or scoff. And it is possible as yours truly has said many times before in this column. On any given day, any team can beat another one, records stature notwithstanding, especially in the SEC. However, on some occasions, there is that feeling that “this just isn’t the time (or game)”.

True, the Bullies had beaten the Tide for the past two seasons and the third time is a charm and all that, but one has to consider that this Tide is rolling for a reason. It has its sight set on the BCS championship.

The match-up for the SEC championship game has already been decided. It will be 11-0 Alabama versus 9-1 Florida. There probably won’t be any stumbling blocks because the Tide will wrap the regular season at home against Auburn (5-6). Florida has Citadel (of no consequence) on Saturday (November 22) and Florida State on the 29th of November. Should Florida lose both of these games, it would have no impact on the SEC standings; however, it could shake their BCS intentions. After all, they figure prominently in the overall BCS scheme, being number three behind Alabama and Texas Tech.

This is being written in front of the completion of last Saturday’s slate of games, so if there are upsets among other BCS contenders outside the SEC, they will have to be covered in the next offering.

The Longhorns of Texas and the Big 12 can never be counted out. They are 10-1 overall and hold down fourth place in the BCS rankings. You also have to recognize that USC is number six and a proven performer. They, too, have only lost one game in the PAC 10 and overall.

Penn State is another bubble team. They have one loss and a shot at a trip to the Rose Bowl. But first they have to get past Michigan State this weekend.

And as usual, this time of year, after the last regular games have played out, the BCS computers take over. They take their toll on entries such as Boise State. Boise is 10-0 going into this weekend (along with two other lesser names which are undefeated). They have to keep their statistical fingers crossed in hopes that the computers will align them with a bowl berth.

Yours truly will say it for the umpteenth time in this column. The NCAA needs a playoff system.

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