Stanford taking the Pac-12 title would hurt. UCLA taking it would be even worse. It's one of those games where I don't even know who to root against. Bah. MALDONADOOOOOOOO!
Well, since the natty is out of reach, I'm going to be content with a BCS Bowl game and let this one go. I'm also rooting for UCLA.
It’s so maddening. We outscored our opponents this year on average 50-21, and most of those games could have been much, much worse had we not called off the dogs at halftime. We were the most dominant team in college football. But we came out flat one cold November night and found ourselves in a dogfight, something we knew nothing about. Had they found a way to grind out that game, I think we are easily the National Champs. We would have flattened UCLA at Autzen, and overwhelmed Notre Dame in Miami. What makes it so hard is the rumors that Chip is gone and sanctions may be coming. If this was our last shot, it just sucks. Sure, we’ll be good w/o Chip, but can we sustain this type of winning w/o him? Where we are in the hunt for the “Natty” every season? Probably not. I suspect it will look more like the Mike Bellotti days. Every 5 years or so, we’ll reach the top 5 at some point during the season, sprinkled in with some 8-5, 9-4 type seasons where we’re ranked somewhere in the top 25. I can’t believe I’m bummed out about going to the Fiesta Bowl at 11-1, but that’s where I’m at. I’d feel differently if I knew Chip was staying, and sanctions weren’t coming. Maybe we’d have another shot next year? Or the year after? But I can’t help but think it’s over, and we didn’t get it done. And we are going to play that stupid Stanford game (and DAT’s failed block, Maldonado’s kicks, Mariota missing the play call and throwing the opposite direction of a wide open Josh Huff in OT, Ifo’s dropped “pick six” with 6 minutes left, etc.). THIS WAS OUR YEAR!!! But for one bad night, they were close to perfect all season.
The Ducks "huh-huh" FG Kicker needs to take a hike, but they can't feel to sorry for themselves about that Stanford game. They had SO many opportunities to take control of that came with Stanford turnovers and they just didn't do it. There isn't a margin for error in college football if you want to play for the national championship.
True, out of all the 1 loss teams, I don't see how you can make a good argument that the Ducks really deserve to be #5. But that's the nature of college football. What would really be awesome is to have a 3 round playoff system like the NFL has. That should put all this to rest.
