Here's the thing: college football is having a down year. That's obvious from the fact that Ohio State is the ONLY team in BCS history to score a perfect 1.00 for a week. That means that there is NO DOUBT in any human's or computer's mind that they are the best team in the country. There's nobody close, meaning there's no competition. USC could beat Michigan, and it'd be a good game. Arkansas could possibly beat Michigan, and it would be a good game. There's no way Florida could beat Michigan the way both teams are playing right now, so they're out. ND has proven that they can't beat Michigan, so forget them. But as far as any of those teams hanging with Ohio State for even three, let alone four quarters? Forget about it. Do the math. USC could beat OSU right now and OSU's BCS average would still give them the national championship.
Also, the fact that Michigan loses a game this late in the season and is still going to play OSU for the "national" championship means that there's no competition out there. No one else is even close to A playoff probably wouldn't make a difference this year, because there's no competition. OSU would blow through, bye week or not. Michigan, let alone Ohio State. Let's face it, you could put the NFC West against Ohio State right now and the Buckeyes would win. Everyone else is playing for second (or third) place right now.
Come on. Until this week we were talking about Rutgers playing for the NC. Now they're a nice story and all, but look at their schedule. They're not an elite football program; they're just lucky, plus the Big East backloads their schedules so that the league is designed to have a November like this every year. Rutgers was never in the running, and sorry to say, SEC fans (like myself), neither was anyone in the SEC. When we're talking about Florida and Auburn and LSU being the class of the SEC and Arkansas runs the table, it's called having a down year. It'll pass, but that's the way it is this year. OSU caught an incredible break in terms of competition this year; they've had essentially two games: Texas and Michigan. They also have a Division 1-A that is virtually devoid of any real teams.
So you're going to have a rematch, whether anyone wants one or not. It's not fair; like I said in 2003, if you can't win your conference, you shouldn't be able to play for the NC. Period. But that's what you'll get. And if Michigan should pull off the upset, OSU will be like, "Wait a second, we already beat you once!" Kind of like FSU-Florida in '96.
Sasquatch. Atlantis. A Division 1-A National Championship. Put them all under your pillow and wait for a dollar, Virginia. There ain't no Santy after all.
Red and Black, Win or Lose