The Utah Effect

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.

Luck of the WAC

Next article for the Boise State student media.

Everyone loves a Cinderella story, but no one loves seeing Cinderella in the starring role.

Up 17-0 in the first quarter, Boise State had set the tone to the blockbuster BCS buster game of the first week. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I, along with most of the campus, were glued to the television in complete shock. Most, including myself, were ready to celebrate the dashing of Boise's hopes. No one expected this. Where I was watching the game along with twenty of my fraternity brothers, there was a mixture of disbelief, open swearing, and amazement. Also, there seemed to be a repetition of one particular word. Luck.

Luck is defined as the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities. To us in the Southeastern Conference, Boise State is the figurehead of luck. All other BCS-busters that had risen to fame had been put in their place. Take for example, teams such as Utah, BYU, Hawaii, older TCU teams, and various other teams had all achieved success only to have it taken away at some point down the road. Still, no one has achieved the success of Boise, and Boise has not had their throne taken. Time and time again, they escape defeat. The Fiesta Bowl of old, The TCU game, and, finally, the Virginia Tech barn-burner of the opening week all seem to prove that some force is working in your favor.

To us, it is not that you are overly talented or menacing. You are a mediocre team that relies on...luck. Somehow, it always works out in your favor. Credit can not be given because you are not a good team that handles their business. To us, you could not go out against a ranked team such as Penn State and dominate them in all aspects of the game. Honestly, you are that annoying thorn in the foot of the NCAA. Consistently there, in media talk and coverage, and always the source of pain. Pain referring to the fact that you are not supposed to be there, and we can not seem to get rid of you.

Well, Broncos, luck has turned against you. You have finally been defeated. It may not have been on that blue turf. It was not even against you at all. The lowly/perrenial-powerhouse FCS James Madison dukes have defeated not only Virginia Tech, but you in all of your Cinderella grandeur. By upsetting Virginia Tech by more points than you could pull away, your luck has taken a drastic free-fall into the dark side. Unless you pull off 70+ against Oregon State, that national championship berth that was in arm's length is now just a distant mirage. You may jump TCU, depending on your performance against Oregon State and for the rest of the year. Do not expect to keep a first place position in the BCS come season's end if a one-loss Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, or Oregon is breathing down your neck. Face it. An FCS team just ended your shot at the title.

SEC Swagger

My second article in cooperation with Boise State media:

When someone asks about dominance in college football, one automatically thinks of programs such as the Miami 'U' of the 80s, the Nebraska of the 90s, the USC of the 00s, and, especially for us down here, the Bear Bryant era. Well, dominance has been a key part of the college football world today, but it has not been biased towards one team. In fact, it is comprised of a conference of juggernauts who, basically, have kicked butt and taken names when it comes to non-conference play. It is the SEC, and it is the crowning achievement of college football having won the past four national championships. What is the key to this success? There are many variables, but I believe one to be most significant and more idealistic.

Let's look at some facts courtesy of Pat Forde at ESPN.com.

1. Over the past four years, after four, crowned, SEC bred national championship teams, there has been another SEC team denied a chance at that championship game. For those eight teams ('08 '09 Alabama, '06 '08 '09 Florida, '07 Georgia, and '06 '07 LSU), they have been 39-1 in non-conference play. They have a combined 10 losses in conference play.

2. Teams such as Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina have managed to beat teams that finished in the top six since the '07 season.

3.The four top-tier title games? Not even close. The average margin of victory being 16.8 points and the closest at 10. There has not even been a second half deficit.

4. Most power ranking polls have up to seven SEC teams in the top 25. Alabama faces six of these teams.

Not impressed? Of those forty non-conference games, thirteen teams were ranked. So, over a fourth of the non-conference games were in no way cupcakes. The one loss in out of conference play was Alabama's loss to Utah in the '08 Sugar Bowl. With a decent non-conference schedule and a staggering conference schedule, the SEC (not entirely including low-tier programs such as Vanderbilt, Kentucky, etc. etc.)has developed something irreplaceable and hard to describe. It may encompass more, but I would like to call it swagger for the purpose of this article.

This swagger is not one of haughtiness but, rather, confidence. Confidence that comes from handling non-conference cupcakes that teams like Boise State include in their conference schedule resume. Also, I believe this has come about due to the mental and physical readiness and stability that these teams must bring to the table week in and week out in conference play. There is no doubt that the SEC breeds and recruits some of the best athletes in the nation, but the fire these athletes are put under does develop a mental attitude. An attitude that has carried over into the thought process that "We are the SEC. We are better than any other conference, and we will show you why." It started with that '06 Florida team and has had an avalanche effect ever since.

Now, staring down a repeat title, Alabama has obtained the same mindset. Hopefully, it will carry them through an extremely stressful year including a non-conference battle against Penn State. Other teams such as Flordia, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, and South Carolina all have the same aspirations and exhibit the same mindset.

As for Boise State, they have a swagger of sorts, but it can be described as more of an underdog, 'we are out to prove something' attitude. It is one that should not be tampered with in its own rights, and I hope that this season may be the year where we could see the two competing mindsets battle on the field. Who knows? Just maybe, it could be settled, Alabama vs. Boise State, in Tempe, Arizona for the national championship game. One trying to maintain their beliefs and swagger, and the other trying to solidify their swagger and place among the elites of college football.