Wow. Except for the National Title game and the Fiesta Bowl, this year's slate of BCS games are terrible.
The National Title game is a dream match-up for the network execs. Two blueblood programs like Notre Dame and Alabama will bring plenty of eyeballs to the television sets. The fact that the Fighting Irish have been out of the picture for two decades brings even more drama to the proceedings.
The Fiesta Bowl pairs two teams, Kansas State and Oregon, that were tantalizingly close to playing in the title game themselves. Both teams feature high octane offenses that will light up the scoreboard. The Wildcats have Collin Klein, a Heisman candidate, that will put up the points.
The rest of the BCS games are duds.
The Orange Bowl has the worst of the lot. Due to short-sighted rules to appease the small schools, Northern Illinois will be playing Florida State. Of course the Seminoles will pack the place due to the in-state proximity and their tradition of being a good traveling fanbase. But NIU? A tiny little school in DeKalb? How many fans do they have in the first place and how many of those will trek down to Miami? Plus FSU can't win. If they lose they look like chokers. If they win it was an expected victory. And they'll have to win big to appease the critics. And who will watch this game? Who cares?
The Sugar Bowl features Florida and Louisville. The Gators should be playing OU in a title rematch from a few years ago. But the Sooners lost out because of the new rule that vaulted NIU to the BCS. Louisville is a small school that doesn't travel well. Plus, they were in a four way tie for their league title...a league which they just announced they're ditching for the ACC. Again, this is not a match made for TV. Makes for a better basketball game.
The Rose Bowl has Stanford and Wisconsin. Wisconsin is a league champion at 7-5 because Ohio State is on probation and somehow the Badgers hung 70 points on Nebraska. Stanford deserves a better opponent in the Granddaddy of the bowls.
The biggest non-BCS bowl? Definitely the Cotton Bowl. They get two 10-2 teams in Oklahoma and Texas A&M. OU is the Co-Big 12 Champion. A&M beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. A&M has Johnny Football (possibly Johnny Heisman) in Manziel. The Sooners have the all time OU leader in wins and passing yards in Landry Jones. A&M is coached by former Stoops assistant Kevin Sumlin. You got two old Big 12 rivals playing in Dallas which is in close proximity to both schools. This game has to be one of the best match-ups of the bowl season.
Finally, SMU is going bowling in Hawai. Doesn't matter who you play in the Hawaii Bowl. You're in Hawaii. Go Ponies!
