Sore subject for Alabama fans, but I find it relevant to this year's situation.
"Out of their element, out of their league-and still perfect."-Associated Press describing Utah after the 2009 Sugar Bowl
In their element and league but just shy of perfect, the Alabama Crimson Tide went into the 2009 Sugar Bowl as heavy favorites. Jaded from their 31-20 loss to a hated Florida Gators team and a hated Tim Tebow, many expected the Tide to roll into New Orleans and roll over the smaller, slower, and undermanned BCS-buster Utah. As the game panned out, the reverse took place. A pathetically apathetic Tide team gave up twenty one points in the first eleven minutes. Despite Nick Saban's best efforts and a hell of a punt return from Javier Arenas, Goliath was only able to pull within four before ultimately losing 31-17.
After exceeding expectations in Nick Saban's second year, this was embarrassing. Check off a perfect regular season, a stout defense that allowed around eleven points a game, and playmakers such as a powerful, young receiver in Julio Jones, the veteran running back, Glen Coffee, and freshman phenom Mark Ingram. What did Utah have? Ask anyone outside of the Mountain West, and they probably could not tell you. Apparently, they had a defense, a quarterback, and more heart than Alabama could imagine. They sacked John Parker Wilson eight times. Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Ultimately, the mentality of the 'fight in the dog' overcame the size of the SEC dog in the fight.
Speaking of mentality, a new one emerged on that night. It was not the one of BCS-busters having championship say. Earlier Utah and Boise State teams had proven that. The mindset was one more of discredit from the 'other' side. As I am sure Oklahoma feels towards Boise State, Alabama fans discredited the Utah team. Excuses protruded from every Bama faithful tongue. The Tide were not motivated to play in a Sugar Bowl when they could have been at the National Championship, especially against lowly Utah. No matter, fact is fact. Utah outperformed the Tide in every aspect of the game, including soul. At the end of the day, they were the only undefeated team in the nation and were never in a position to even make the National Championship game.
However, Boise State is now in that position. The mindset is more prevalent than ever. Top-ranked BCS conference teams and fans believe they could trounce the Broncos if given the chance, but they are hesitant of that chance. The stakes are higher. If you lose, talk will continue for years to come. If you win, so what? You were supposed to dominate as Georgia did against Hawaii. Had Hawaii won, Georgia still would not be able to live down the fact. Alabama has not been able to live down the fact. While one side discredits the fact, the other side revels in the fact and always resort to it. Honestly, Alabama discredits Boise State, but, at the same time, Broncos faithful always resort to the Utah game in argument. Considering this is a much improved Alabama team and Boise State is better than the typical 'SEC' mindset, are we both in the wrong?
'The Utah Effect' is real. It can be seen on a daily basis through general conversation, chat rooms and discussion boards, and ESPN segments. We, as college football citizens, have bred this mindset. By season's end, there will either be revelry in 'upset' or jubilance through shutting down this BCS-buster revolt.
I thought I comment since no one else has....
ReplyDeleteYou do realize that Alabama couldn't even win the Mtn. West right?
Alabama would probably drop 2 games in the Mtn. West. They'd lose to BSU and TCU.
Questions..Do you think SEC fans will ever admit that Utah was the better team? By how many TD's would BSU best Alabama(i'd say 2)? Will good SEC teams ever schedule BSU? or would that expose the SEC?
Boise State isn't in the Mountain West yet. That's one game. Bold statement, and I'm not going to begin with that. The crazy thing is that our opening week cupcake is Boise's conference rival. Week in, week out, Alabama plays way more solid opponents. They deserve, even if they have one loss, to jump Boise State at the end of the year. Most likely, Oregon State will move to the bottom of a pretty talented Pac-10 and Virginia Tech has a lot of work to do if they want to come up on top of the ACC. So, you may be looking at Boise playing no ranked teams come season's end. If so, you had a better shot last year when Oregon proved they were legitimate after Boise beat them.
ReplyDeleteAs fas as scheduling, I would like to see BSU play Alabama or other SEC schools. Don't schedule Kentucky, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, or Miss State. It's just a lose-lose for an SEC team. Win, so what? You were supposed to. Lose, and now your program suffers that blemish for years to come.
Utah had a great team, and they had a better team 'that night.' I wouldn't necessarily say the team was better. The thing about college football is that passion and motivation play such a huge role. By no way is James Madison better than Virginia Tech, but that day they outperformed and were more motivated than the Virginia Tech team.
The fact is, BSU has one must-win game a year. This year it was Oregon State, and they won. From week 5 on, it's a cakewalk for the Broncos. Having a high-school level schedule proves nothing. Let boise play Arkansas, Florida, and South Carolina all in a row, then we can have this conversation again. Until Boise plays some big-named teams, regardless of conference, they deserve nothing...
ReplyDeleteSeriously..........
ReplyDeleteIm gonna judge you on your assumption that Ore St. is gonna be a bottom pac-10 team, kinda like Colin "the retard" Coward said. He said Ore. St. would be 6th best in pac-10....
Based off your and others opinion, then going off whats happened, im gonna say that your in no position to be making predictions or assumptions. The season is proving you wrong and have lost credibility. Need to be more objective to give good opinions. You lose, we win, Boise State is the best team in the country hands down. And oh yeah... Boise would go undefeated in the SEC or any other conf. Good luck on the rest of the season, lets hope you make a BCS bowl at least.
Yeah,I agree. Oregon State played well this week, and Alabama was outperformed by a more prepared South Carolina team. But no other team plays three top 20 teams back to back to back with one being in the top 10 and the other two on the road. Alabamas loss dropped them to eight and ten in the projected BCS. Boise may be projected first in the first BCS poll especially because of Ohio States weak schedule, but, watch what I say, expect other teams to start jumping you as Oregon did in the AP poll. Hope you don't lose which should be easy considering your schedule or you'll be completely out of the picture.
ReplyDeleteSo, it's shown that Alabama can lose and still be in the picture, and expect if Alabama wins out for Boise to be jumped by the end of the year. Boise states last four seasons combined wouldn't match the strength of alabamas schedule. As of now, they will and have played four teams in the top twelve. Oregon state is good, but is minuscule compared to that. Enjoy the WAC, I hear it's a cake walk.