Take that, Playoff Gurus! Take that, SEC apologists! Take that, all you so-called "experts" who didn't bother to understand how good Texas Christian was, or the enormous difference in talent between Texas Christian and Ole Miss.
The Texas Christian Horned Frogs humiliated Mississippi 42-3 in the Peach Bowl today, and believe me it could have been much worse if Texas Christian had wanted it to be. So this page will stay purple and white for a long time.
Ole Miss falls to 3-8-1 in UCFC play, and showed that they didn't deserve to be playing on New Year's Eve. It will be a long time before they get another chance at the crown.
Texas Christian finishes with a record of 12-1 overall, and they run their record to 37-19-6 in UCFC play. If the Horned Frogs hadn't lost their minds in the last 10 minutes of their game against Baylor, they might very well have won the National Championship. They were that good.
Next year, Texas Christian will open the season on Thursday, September 3 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they will take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The University of Minnesota hasn't played for the Big Gold Trophy since 2006, and I'm sure their fans will be very excited at their chance. We'll be looking forward to it as well.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Texas Christian 28 - 0 Mississippi (2 minutes left in 2d Quarter)
Down 21 points, badly outplayed on both sides of the ball, and showing almost no signs of life, Ole Miss was given a great break -- an interception that gave them a chance to get off the field without giving up any more points. Instead, the Rebels decided that it would be a good idea to start firing passes from their own two yard line.
On first down, Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace was almost sacked and just barely avoided a safety. You would think that would have been a warning to Ole Miss to shelve the passing game until everyone could regroup in the locker room. But you would be wrong.
On second down, Ole Miss tried ANOTHER pass from its own 2 yard line. This time, Wallace found himself surrounded eight yards deep in the end zone by what appeared to be the entire Texas Christian defense. Desperately trying to throw an incomplete pass, he pitched the ball away -- but it went straight into the hands of James McFarland, a defensive end from West Monroe H.S. in West Monroe, La. Since McFarland was already two yards inside the Ole Miss end zone, he had one of the easiest pick-sixes you will ever see.
So this game is over. Ole Miss isn't nearly as good as Texas Christian, and would have struggled to keep things close under any circumstances. But Texas Christian's anger over being left out of the playoff, some really dumb decisions by Bo Wallace and the Ole Miss coaching staff, and a determination by Texas Christian to teach the rest of the country a lesson, are turning this game into an epic blowout.
On first down, Ole Miss QB Bo Wallace was almost sacked and just barely avoided a safety. You would think that would have been a warning to Ole Miss to shelve the passing game until everyone could regroup in the locker room. But you would be wrong.
On second down, Ole Miss tried ANOTHER pass from its own 2 yard line. This time, Wallace found himself surrounded eight yards deep in the end zone by what appeared to be the entire Texas Christian defense. Desperately trying to throw an incomplete pass, he pitched the ball away -- but it went straight into the hands of James McFarland, a defensive end from West Monroe H.S. in West Monroe, La. Since McFarland was already two yards inside the Ole Miss end zone, he had one of the easiest pick-sixes you will ever see.
So this game is over. Ole Miss isn't nearly as good as Texas Christian, and would have struggled to keep things close under any circumstances. But Texas Christian's anger over being left out of the playoff, some really dumb decisions by Bo Wallace and the Ole Miss coaching staff, and a determination by Texas Christian to teach the rest of the country a lesson, are turning this game into an epic blowout.
Texas Christian 21 - 0 Mississippi (2:42 left in 2d Quarter)
Texas Christian, going for the kill, threw a long pass that was INTERCEPTED by Ole Miss at its own 2 yard line. Credit goes to Cody Prewitt of Sylva Bay Academy of Bay Springs, Miss.
Texas Christian 21 - 0 Mississippi (4:16 left in 2d Quarter)
Ole Miss goes three-and-out, as expected, and the Texas Christian players go off the field giving the "land shark" sign normally flashed by the Ole Miss defense. Texas Christian is not content to win this game -- the Frogs are determined to absolutely humiliate Ole Miss. Texas Christian is angry about being left out of the playoff, it is sick and tired of hearing about the SEC, and it is determined to make a statement. The trick plays, the land shark signs, the general violence and intensity of Texas Christian's play all reflect a bitter determination to punish Ole Miss. And now the Frogs have a great chance to pad their lead.
Texas Christian 21 - 0 Mississippi (5:57 left in 2d Quarter)
Texas Christian quickly moved down to the Ole Miss 37, but for once their offense stalled and they were forced to punt. Ole Miss will start its next three-and-out possession from its own 9.
Texas Christian 21 - 0 Mississippi (9:13 left in 2d Quarter)
Ole Miss again goes three and out, and they punt to the Texas Christian 45.
It is impossible to overstate how bad the Ole Miss offense looks. The only way I can describe it is to say that every single player for Texas Christian appears to be significantly better than his opposite number for Ole Miss. No one for Ole Miss can make a block, no receiver for Ole Miss is ever open, no running back for Ole Miss ever has a hole, and Bo Wallace looks like a guy who won a "Play-quarterback-for-a-day" contest.
Again, this is not surprising -- the Rebels looked like this against Arkansas. The main reason that this game is so ugly is that the Ole Miss defense (which has been their strength for most of the season) has no clue how to stop the Texas Christian offense.
Unless Texas Christian starts showing off again, the Frogs should score their fourth touchdown pretty soon.
It is impossible to overstate how bad the Ole Miss offense looks. The only way I can describe it is to say that every single player for Texas Christian appears to be significantly better than his opposite number for Ole Miss. No one for Ole Miss can make a block, no receiver for Ole Miss is ever open, no running back for Ole Miss ever has a hole, and Bo Wallace looks like a guy who won a "Play-quarterback-for-a-day" contest.
Again, this is not surprising -- the Rebels looked like this against Arkansas. The main reason that this game is so ugly is that the Ole Miss defense (which has been their strength for most of the season) has no clue how to stop the Texas Christian offense.
Unless Texas Christian starts showing off again, the Frogs should score their fourth touchdown pretty soon.
Texas Christian 21 - 0 Mississippi (11 minutes left in 2d Quarter)
So after two silly turnovers, Texas Christian decided to pay attention, and the Frogs quickly zipped down the field for another touchdown. This time they scored on a 12-yard pass from Boykin to Josh Doctson of Mansfield, Tex.
The real mystery here is not that Ole Miss is getting crushed -- the last time I saw them play they lost 30-0 to Arkansas -- but how Ole Miss managed to beat Mississippi State. That is a result that bodes very ill for MSU going into tonight's Orange Bowl.
The real mystery here is not that Ole Miss is getting crushed -- the last time I saw them play they lost 30-0 to Arkansas -- but how Ole Miss managed to beat Mississippi State. That is a result that bodes very ill for MSU going into tonight's Orange Bowl.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (14:44 left in 2d Quarter)
As usual, Ole Miss goes three and out. Texas Christian starts from its own 40, and surely this time the Frogs will put the Rebels away.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (1:21 left in 1st Quarter)
The Ole Miss offense, which appears to be running in molasses, did absolutely nothing with the turnover -- going nowhere and then missing a field goal. Texas Christian took over and immediately zipped down the field, before Trevone Boykin threw a terrible interception -- putting the ball right into the hands of Keith Lewis of Freedom H.S. in Tampa. Ole Miss will start from its own 30.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (3:56 left in 1st Quarter)
The Texas Christian coaching staff has evidently decided that this game is in the bag, because they're calling the sort of plays that you would use against middle schoolers in flag football. This possession starts with a sort of hook-and-ladder play which results in a fumble. Ole Miss takes over at the Texas Christian 32.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (4:04 left in 1st Quarter)
But Ole Miss still has Bo Wallace (of Giles Co. H.S. in Pulaski, Tenn.) at quarterback, and he is having a terrible day. He throws his SECOND interception of the quarter, a weak pass that was easily picked off by Derrick Kindred (of Wagner H.S. in San Antonio, Tex.) Texas Christian will start from its own 42, and now the Frogs can really bury the Rebels.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (4:10 left in 1st Quarter)
The Ole Miss defense -- which has been humiliated so far -- finally shows up. The Rebels force a three-and-out, and they will now start from their own 46. On the radio, the ESPN announcers are gamely trying to convince us that Ole Miss has a chance.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (4:55 left in 1st Quarter)
Ole Miss goes three-and-out, and the Rebels are forced to punt. Texas Christian will start from its own 13.
Texas Christian 14 - 0 Mississippi (6:23 left in 1st Quarter)
Well, that was pretty easy. Texas Christian takes 15 plays to go the length of the field and score its second touchdown of the day. Aaron Green gets his second touchdown of the day on a 15-yard run where he was basically untouched.
Ole Miss looks completely overwhelmed and outclassed. Look at the stats for the two quarterbacks:
Bo Wallace (Ole Miss): 0-4, 0 yards, 1 interception
Trevone Boykin (Texas Christian): 8-9, 54 yards
There's no doubt in my mind that if Baylor and Texas Christian never got the national respect that they deserved this year. If the Texas Christian players, and their coach, were all at Austin playing for the University of Texas, they would have been taken much more seriously. And the circus-like nature of Baylor's 61-58 win over Texas Christian -- a game that lasted almost 4 1/2 hours and featured pretty much no defense -- hurt the reputation of both the Bears and the Horned Frogs. But it's already clear that Ole Miss -- not the best team in the SEC, but a solid team with a decent record -- doesn't even belong on the same field with Texas Christian.
Ole Miss looks completely overwhelmed and outclassed. Look at the stats for the two quarterbacks:
Bo Wallace (Ole Miss): 0-4, 0 yards, 1 interception
Trevone Boykin (Texas Christian): 8-9, 54 yards
There's no doubt in my mind that if Baylor and Texas Christian never got the national respect that they deserved this year. If the Texas Christian players, and their coach, were all at Austin playing for the University of Texas, they would have been taken much more seriously. And the circus-like nature of Baylor's 61-58 win over Texas Christian -- a game that lasted almost 4 1/2 hours and featured pretty much no defense -- hurt the reputation of both the Bears and the Horned Frogs. But it's already clear that Ole Miss -- not the best team in the SEC, but a solid team with a decent record -- doesn't even belong on the same field with Texas Christian.
Texas Christian 7 - 0 Mississippi (11:14 left in 1st Quarter)
Uniform watch: Texas Christian looks very sharp today -- white helmets with a purple TCU logo and the Horned Frog, purple jerseys with white numerals in their usual camouflage style, and white pants. Ole Miss has one of the best uniforms in college football, but I don't agree with their decision to combine their white jerseys with white pants.
Texas Christian 7 - 0 Mississippi (12:19 left in 1st Quarter)
Well, Ole Miss didn't throw an interception on that possession, but that's about all you can say in their behalf. They almost threw an interception, and they had to punt after picking up one first down. Texas Christian will start from its own 21, and I won't be surprised if they're in the end zone pretty quickly.
Texas Christian 7 - 0 Mississippi (14 minutes left in 1st Quarter)
Well, I just told you to expect an easy win for Texas Christian, and the Horned Frogs are making me look good. Ole Miss took the opening kickoff, and quickly threw an interception. Texas Christian took over on the Ole Miss 35, and two plays later ran a trick play that made Ole Miss look like a high school team. Texas Christian quarterback Trevone Boykin (of W. Mesquite H.S. in Dallas) threw a screen pass to wide receiver Kolby Listenbee (of Bowie H.S. in Arlington, Tex.) And then Listenbee lofted a pass to Aaron Green (of San Antonio, Tex.) who was all alone in the end zone. Jaden Oberkrom (of Martin H.S. in Arlington, Tex.) tacked on the extra point, and the Frogs had an early 7-0 lead.
It all looked very, very easy. I just don't think Ole Miss has enough firepower to keep pace with Texas Christian, and this game could get ugly before it's all said and done.
It all looked very, very easy. I just don't think Ole Miss has enough firepower to keep pace with Texas Christian, and this game could get ugly before it's all said and done.
Texas Christian v. Mississippi
Today's Peach Bowl is huge for fans of the UCFC, as it will determine who gets the title for the next season. Furthermore, it will decide whether the UCFC starts off in the Big XII for the fourth year in a row, or whether it returns to the SEC for the first time since early in the 2011 season.
This game will be only the sixth meeting between the Texas Christian Horned Frogs and the Ole Miss Rebels -- the Rebels lead the all-time series 4-1. The two teams have never met for the UCFC before. But they do have some interesting history. Johnny Vaught, the legendary coach at Ole Miss from 1947 to 1970, was a graduate of Texas Christian. And the two teams met on January 1, 1948 in Memphis at the inaugural Delta Bowl. (This was also the next-to-last Delta Bowl, as the game only lasted for two seasons.) Ole Miss won that game 13-9. Eight years later, the Rebels and Horned Frogs met in the 1956 Cotton Bowl. Both teams were 9-1 going into this game, which was a cracker. You can see the highlights here. The Rebels, led by quarterback Eagle Day (which may be the best name in the history of SEC football, if not all sports), pulled out a dramatic, come-from-behind victory, beating the Horned Frogs 14 to 13.
This game will probably feature a lot more points than the two previous bowl meetings between Texas Christian and Ole Miss. Vegas likes Texas Christian to win by more than 3 points in a game where 56 points will be scored. That would work out to a 30-26 Texas Christian win.
Personally, I'm going to be surprised if the Rebels keep it that close. Ole Miss lost three of its last five games in the regular season, and one of those victories was against Presbyterian -- not exactly a powerhouse. Meanwhile, Texas Christian steamrolled almost every team it played, and capped off the year with dominant wins over Texas (48-10) and Iowa State (55-3).
The only way you can give Ole Miss much of a chance in this game is if you think the Big XII is significantly weaker than the SEC. And that could be the case. Here's how the two leagues have done in the bowl games so far:
SEC (4-1)
Independence Bowl: S. Carolina 24, Miami (Fla.) 21
Liberty Bowl: Texas A & M 45, W. Virginia 37
Texas Bowl: Arkansas 31, Texas 7
Music City Bowl: Notre Dame 31, Louisiana St. 28
Belk Bowl: Georgia 37, Louisville 14
Big XII (0-3)
Liberty Bowl: Texas A & M 45, W. Virginia 37
Russell Athletic Bowl: Clemson 40, Oklahoma 6
Texas Bowl: Arkansas 31, Texas 7
The Oklahoma and Texas results are pretty ugly, but those teams were fading down the stretch anyway -- Texas Christian crushed UT just a few weeks ago. To me, it would be embarrassing if Texas Christian -- which was screaming about being left out of the College Football Playoff -- loses to a team that is no better than fourth or fifth in the SEC.
This game will be only the sixth meeting between the Texas Christian Horned Frogs and the Ole Miss Rebels -- the Rebels lead the all-time series 4-1. The two teams have never met for the UCFC before. But they do have some interesting history. Johnny Vaught, the legendary coach at Ole Miss from 1947 to 1970, was a graduate of Texas Christian. And the two teams met on January 1, 1948 in Memphis at the inaugural Delta Bowl. (This was also the next-to-last Delta Bowl, as the game only lasted for two seasons.) Ole Miss won that game 13-9. Eight years later, the Rebels and Horned Frogs met in the 1956 Cotton Bowl. Both teams were 9-1 going into this game, which was a cracker. You can see the highlights here. The Rebels, led by quarterback Eagle Day (which may be the best name in the history of SEC football, if not all sports), pulled out a dramatic, come-from-behind victory, beating the Horned Frogs 14 to 13.
This game will probably feature a lot more points than the two previous bowl meetings between Texas Christian and Ole Miss. Vegas likes Texas Christian to win by more than 3 points in a game where 56 points will be scored. That would work out to a 30-26 Texas Christian win.
Personally, I'm going to be surprised if the Rebels keep it that close. Ole Miss lost three of its last five games in the regular season, and one of those victories was against Presbyterian -- not exactly a powerhouse. Meanwhile, Texas Christian steamrolled almost every team it played, and capped off the year with dominant wins over Texas (48-10) and Iowa State (55-3).
The only way you can give Ole Miss much of a chance in this game is if you think the Big XII is significantly weaker than the SEC. And that could be the case. Here's how the two leagues have done in the bowl games so far:
SEC (4-1)
Independence Bowl: S. Carolina 24, Miami (Fla.) 21
Liberty Bowl: Texas A & M 45, W. Virginia 37
Texas Bowl: Arkansas 31, Texas 7
Music City Bowl: Notre Dame 31, Louisiana St. 28
Belk Bowl: Georgia 37, Louisville 14
Big XII (0-3)
Liberty Bowl: Texas A & M 45, W. Virginia 37
Russell Athletic Bowl: Clemson 40, Oklahoma 6
Texas Bowl: Arkansas 31, Texas 7
The Oklahoma and Texas results are pretty ugly, but those teams were fading down the stretch anyway -- Texas Christian crushed UT just a few weeks ago. To me, it would be embarrassing if Texas Christian -- which was screaming about being left out of the College Football Playoff -- loses to a team that is no better than fourth or fifth in the SEC.
Mississippi
The story of Ole Miss football is the story of decades of frustration surrounding a single golden era. The state of Mississippi doesn't have as many people as its neighbors, and it has to support two SEC schools -- Ole Miss and Mississippi State. The result is that most of the time Ole Miss has simply not had enough talent to compete with schools like Alabama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida. Of course, the Rebels have not helped themselves with their recruiting efforts. Look at some of the great football players from Mississippi who never played for Ole Miss:
Walter Payton (Columbia, Miss.) went to Jackson State.
Jerry Rice (Crawford, Miss.) went to Mississippi Valley State.
Steve McNair (Mount Olive, Miss.) went to Alcorn State.
Brett Favre (Kiln, Miss.) went to Southern Mississippi.
My guess is that Ole Miss football would look a lot different today if guys like Brett Favre and Jerry Rice were hanging out on the sidelines in their Rebel gear.
Nevertheless, the Rebels do have one great golden era to celebrate. When Johnny Vaught took over the program before the 1947 season, the Rebels were 9th in the all-time SEC football standings. By the time he retired after the 1970 season, Ole Miss had moved up to third. Vaught had an all-time record of 190-61-12, and he won the SEC championship in 1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963. Ten of his teams finished ranked in the AP top 10, and two of them (the 1959 and 1960 teams) finished at number 2 in the AP Poll.
Vaught's departure from Ole Miss coincided with the end of segregation in the SEC. With their rebel flags and mascot, and their overall preppy image, it is easy to conclude that the Ole Miss football program was particularly hurt by integration. But they didn't do well before Vaught came to campus, despite segregation. It takes a truly great coach to overcome the disadvantages resulting from Mississippi's relatively small population, and Ole Miss hasn't had such a coach. The Rebels have not won the SEC since Vaught's departure.
But a few years ago, Ole Miss hired Huge Freeze, who quickly jump-started the Rebels' recruiting, and this year -- Freeze's third in Oxford -- the Rebels got off to a very hot start. They beat Alabama in early October, and were ranked number 3 in the country when they went to play LSU on October 25. But their shot at the national title was ruined by two heart-breaking losses -- 10-7 at LSU, and 35-31 at home against Auburn. Ole Miss was a banged-up football team after those two losses, and they were later blown out 30-0 at Arkansas. However, in the last game of the season, the Rebels rallied to upset Mississippi State 31-17, thus killing the Bulldogs' chance of reaching the college football playoffs. Ole Miss is currently 9-3 and number 9 in the country. If they can win today, they will finish in the AP top 10 and take the UCFC. That would be quite a season.
Ole Miss has only played for the UCFC on 11 occasions. On October 14, 1967, the Rebels beat Georgia 29-20 to take the crown, and held the title for three more games with wins over Southern Miss and Houston, and a tie against LSU. But on November 18, 1967, the Rebels were beaten 20-7 by Tennessee, and they have never regained the crown. They are 0-5 in UCFC games since 1967, and their all-time record in UCFC play is 3-7-1.
Walter Payton (Columbia, Miss.) went to Jackson State.
Jerry Rice (Crawford, Miss.) went to Mississippi Valley State.
Steve McNair (Mount Olive, Miss.) went to Alcorn State.
Brett Favre (Kiln, Miss.) went to Southern Mississippi.
My guess is that Ole Miss football would look a lot different today if guys like Brett Favre and Jerry Rice were hanging out on the sidelines in their Rebel gear.
Nevertheless, the Rebels do have one great golden era to celebrate. When Johnny Vaught took over the program before the 1947 season, the Rebels were 9th in the all-time SEC football standings. By the time he retired after the 1970 season, Ole Miss had moved up to third. Vaught had an all-time record of 190-61-12, and he won the SEC championship in 1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963. Ten of his teams finished ranked in the AP top 10, and two of them (the 1959 and 1960 teams) finished at number 2 in the AP Poll.
Vaught's departure from Ole Miss coincided with the end of segregation in the SEC. With their rebel flags and mascot, and their overall preppy image, it is easy to conclude that the Ole Miss football program was particularly hurt by integration. But they didn't do well before Vaught came to campus, despite segregation. It takes a truly great coach to overcome the disadvantages resulting from Mississippi's relatively small population, and Ole Miss hasn't had such a coach. The Rebels have not won the SEC since Vaught's departure.
But a few years ago, Ole Miss hired Huge Freeze, who quickly jump-started the Rebels' recruiting, and this year -- Freeze's third in Oxford -- the Rebels got off to a very hot start. They beat Alabama in early October, and were ranked number 3 in the country when they went to play LSU on October 25. But their shot at the national title was ruined by two heart-breaking losses -- 10-7 at LSU, and 35-31 at home against Auburn. Ole Miss was a banged-up football team after those two losses, and they were later blown out 30-0 at Arkansas. However, in the last game of the season, the Rebels rallied to upset Mississippi State 31-17, thus killing the Bulldogs' chance of reaching the college football playoffs. Ole Miss is currently 9-3 and number 9 in the country. If they can win today, they will finish in the AP top 10 and take the UCFC. That would be quite a season.
Ole Miss has only played for the UCFC on 11 occasions. On October 14, 1967, the Rebels beat Georgia 29-20 to take the crown, and held the title for three more games with wins over Southern Miss and Houston, and a tie against LSU. But on November 18, 1967, the Rebels were beaten 20-7 by Tennessee, and they have never regained the crown. They are 0-5 in UCFC games since 1967, and their all-time record in UCFC play is 3-7-1.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Texas Christian 55 - 3 Iowa St. (Final)
As I expected, there really isn't much to say about the game itself -- Iowa State was never competitive, and Texas Christian rolled without too much effort. The big story, of course, is that Texas Christian fell from 3d in the College Football Playoff system all the way to 6th -- despite a 52-point victory. Here are my thoughts on what happened.
1. On a day when there were big-time games all over the place, ESPN Gameday went to Waco, Tex., and spent much of its show emphasizing that Baylor had beaten Texas Christian earlier in the year. There were "61>58" signs all over the place.
2. Baylor rolled over K-State without too much trouble to finish with an 8-1 record in the Big XII -- the same record as Texas Christian. Given that Baylor had beaten Texas Christian head-to-head, the playoff guys faced a P.R. nightmare if they put Texas Christian in the playoff over Baylor.
3. Meanwhile, Ohio State was pounding Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big X championship game, which meant that the playoff guys could just avoid the whole Big XII controversy by giving the fourth slot in the playoffs to Ohio State. And that's what they did.
4. By reason of their win over Texas Christian, Baylor appears to have gotten the Big XII title -- they will be in the Cotton Bowl against Michigan State, while Texas Christian has been shunted to the Peach Bowl against a 9-3 Ole Miss team.
Now I understand that the Texas Christian fans are disappointed -- and I share their disappointment; few people wanted Texas Christian to make the playoffs more than I did. But here's the thing: Texas Christian led Baylor 58-37 with 11:38 to go in the fourth quarter of their game on October 11. Here's what happened after that:
1. Baylor took four plays to score a touchdown (Texas Christian 58, Baylor 44)
2. Texas Christian went 18 yards and punted
3. Baylor took five plays to go 92 yards and score another touchdown (Texas Christian 58, Baylor 51)
4. Texas Christian went 3 and out.
5. Baylor took five plays to go 91 yards and score another touchdown (58-58)
6. Texas Christian had 4th and 3 at the Baylor 45 with 1:17 left in the game, and called timeout. Out of the timeout, they threw a terrible pass and gave the ball to Baylor.
7. Baylor quickly moved into field goal range and won the game 61-58.
That was one of the worst stretches of football I have ever seen, and I think it is absolutely fair that it cost Texas Christian a shot at the playoffs. Here's an idea, Texas Christian -- make a tackle! Hit someone! Get some first downs! Show some heart! If you had done any of those things, you would have gone undefeated and you'd be in the playoff.
Every Texas Christian fan who complains about anything relating to this season should have to watch that footage over and over until they shut up.
1. On a day when there were big-time games all over the place, ESPN Gameday went to Waco, Tex., and spent much of its show emphasizing that Baylor had beaten Texas Christian earlier in the year. There were "61>58" signs all over the place.
2. Baylor rolled over K-State without too much trouble to finish with an 8-1 record in the Big XII -- the same record as Texas Christian. Given that Baylor had beaten Texas Christian head-to-head, the playoff guys faced a P.R. nightmare if they put Texas Christian in the playoff over Baylor.
3. Meanwhile, Ohio State was pounding Wisconsin 59-0 in the Big X championship game, which meant that the playoff guys could just avoid the whole Big XII controversy by giving the fourth slot in the playoffs to Ohio State. And that's what they did.
4. By reason of their win over Texas Christian, Baylor appears to have gotten the Big XII title -- they will be in the Cotton Bowl against Michigan State, while Texas Christian has been shunted to the Peach Bowl against a 9-3 Ole Miss team.
Now I understand that the Texas Christian fans are disappointed -- and I share their disappointment; few people wanted Texas Christian to make the playoffs more than I did. But here's the thing: Texas Christian led Baylor 58-37 with 11:38 to go in the fourth quarter of their game on October 11. Here's what happened after that:
1. Baylor took four plays to score a touchdown (Texas Christian 58, Baylor 44)
2. Texas Christian went 18 yards and punted
3. Baylor took five plays to go 92 yards and score another touchdown (Texas Christian 58, Baylor 51)
4. Texas Christian went 3 and out.
5. Baylor took five plays to go 91 yards and score another touchdown (58-58)
6. Texas Christian had 4th and 3 at the Baylor 45 with 1:17 left in the game, and called timeout. Out of the timeout, they threw a terrible pass and gave the ball to Baylor.
7. Baylor quickly moved into field goal range and won the game 61-58.
That was one of the worst stretches of football I have ever seen, and I think it is absolutely fair that it cost Texas Christian a shot at the playoffs. Here's an idea, Texas Christian -- make a tackle! Hit someone! Get some first downs! Show some heart! If you had done any of those things, you would have gone undefeated and you'd be in the playoff.
Every Texas Christian fan who complains about anything relating to this season should have to watch that footage over and over until they shut up.
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Texas Christian v. Iowa St.
This game should be a blowout for Texas Christian. Iowa State is 0-8 in conference and 2-9 overall. Texas Christian is at home. Texas Christian is favored by 35 points, in a game where the over-under is 69 points. That would work out to a Texas Christian victory of something like 52-17, which sounds about right.3-9
So Texas Christian should keep the UCFC. But, of course, that's not the main issue for the folks in Fort Worth today. With one game left for most conference members, here are the current standings in the Big XII (AP rankings in parentheses):
(5) Baylor: 7-1, 10-1
(4) Texas Christian: 7-1, 10-1
(9) Kansas St: 7-1, 9-2
(18) Oklahoma: 5-3, 8-3
Texas: 5-4, 6-6
W. Virginia: 5-4, 7-5
Oklahoma St: 3-5, 5-6
Texas Tech: 2-7, 4-8
Kansas: 1-8, 3-9
Iowa St: 0-8, 2-9
Baylor hosts Kansas State tonight, and so the Big XII race will likely finish with a tie between Texas Christian and the Baylor/KSU winner. If Kansas State wins, there won't be much controversy as to which Big XII team is the best -- Texas Christian dominated Kansas State when the two teams met a few weeks ago. But if Baylor wins -- and the Bears are favored by 7 points -- we will have an old-fashioned donnybrook between Texas Christian fans and Baylor fans. The pollsters and the folks who run the College Football Playoff currently have Texas Christian ranked ahead of Baylor -- even though the Bears beat the Horned Frogs 61-58 in a UCFC game earlier this season. Here's how each team has done so far (home teams listed first):
TEXAS CHRISTIAN (10-1):
Texas Christian 48 - 14 Samford
Texas Christian 30 - 7 Minnesota
Southern Methodist 0 - 56 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 37 - 33 Oklahoma
Baylor 61 - 58 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 42 - 9 Oklahoma St.
Texas Christian 82 - 27 Texas Tech
W. Virginia 30 - 31 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 41 - 20 Kansas St.
Kansas 30 - 34 Texas Christian
Texas 10 - 48 Texas Christian
BAYLOR (10-1)
Baylor 45- 0 Southern Methodist
Baylor 70 - 6 Northwestern St.
Buffalo 21 - 63 Baylor
Iowa St. 28 - 49 Baylor
Texas 7 - 28 Baylor
Baylor 61 - 58 Texas Christian
W. Virginia 41 - 27 Baylor
Baylor 60 - 14 Kansas
Oklahoma 14 - 48 Baylor
Baylor 49 - 28 Oklahoma St.
Texas Tech 46 - 48 Baylor (at Arlington, Tex.)
It is very difficult to judge between these two teams. I will say, however, that I personally came away from the Baylor/Texas Christian game convinced that the Horned Frogs were the better team, regardless of the final score.
Of course, the Playoff guys could avoid the whole Baylor/Texas Christian issue by putting Ohio State in the playoff and leaving out both Big XII champs.
We, of course, will hope that whatever happens, Texas Christian gets into the playoff -- it would be great to have the UCFC and the National Championship united once more. But it's been a crazy season so far, and nothing that happens would surprise me -- unless Iowa State wins and takes the UCFC. That would be a surprise.
So Texas Christian should keep the UCFC. But, of course, that's not the main issue for the folks in Fort Worth today. With one game left for most conference members, here are the current standings in the Big XII (AP rankings in parentheses):
(5) Baylor: 7-1, 10-1
(4) Texas Christian: 7-1, 10-1
(9) Kansas St: 7-1, 9-2
(18) Oklahoma: 5-3, 8-3
Texas: 5-4, 6-6
W. Virginia: 5-4, 7-5
Oklahoma St: 3-5, 5-6
Texas Tech: 2-7, 4-8
Kansas: 1-8, 3-9
Iowa St: 0-8, 2-9
Baylor hosts Kansas State tonight, and so the Big XII race will likely finish with a tie between Texas Christian and the Baylor/KSU winner. If Kansas State wins, there won't be much controversy as to which Big XII team is the best -- Texas Christian dominated Kansas State when the two teams met a few weeks ago. But if Baylor wins -- and the Bears are favored by 7 points -- we will have an old-fashioned donnybrook between Texas Christian fans and Baylor fans. The pollsters and the folks who run the College Football Playoff currently have Texas Christian ranked ahead of Baylor -- even though the Bears beat the Horned Frogs 61-58 in a UCFC game earlier this season. Here's how each team has done so far (home teams listed first):
TEXAS CHRISTIAN (10-1):
Texas Christian 48 - 14 Samford
Texas Christian 30 - 7 Minnesota
Southern Methodist 0 - 56 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 37 - 33 Oklahoma
Baylor 61 - 58 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 42 - 9 Oklahoma St.
Texas Christian 82 - 27 Texas Tech
W. Virginia 30 - 31 Texas Christian
Texas Christian 41 - 20 Kansas St.
Kansas 30 - 34 Texas Christian
Texas 10 - 48 Texas Christian
BAYLOR (10-1)
Baylor 45- 0 Southern Methodist
Baylor 70 - 6 Northwestern St.
Buffalo 21 - 63 Baylor
Iowa St. 28 - 49 Baylor
Texas 7 - 28 Baylor
Baylor 61 - 58 Texas Christian
W. Virginia 41 - 27 Baylor
Baylor 60 - 14 Kansas
Oklahoma 14 - 48 Baylor
Baylor 49 - 28 Oklahoma St.
Texas Tech 46 - 48 Baylor (at Arlington, Tex.)
It is very difficult to judge between these two teams. I will say, however, that I personally came away from the Baylor/Texas Christian game convinced that the Horned Frogs were the better team, regardless of the final score.
Of course, the Playoff guys could avoid the whole Baylor/Texas Christian issue by putting Ohio State in the playoff and leaving out both Big XII champs.
We, of course, will hope that whatever happens, Texas Christian gets into the playoff -- it would be great to have the UCFC and the National Championship united once more. But it's been a crazy season so far, and nothing that happens would surprise me -- unless Iowa State wins and takes the UCFC. That would be a surprise.
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