This BCS stuff just got awfully weird after the huge victory by Auburn over Alabama this weekend. Today's quickies is just full of angst and possibilities. This one is going to be one of the most fun football seasons to watch just because of the fact that Alabama is no longer #1, and make no mistake, while they may deserve to be higher than 4th, they are not #1 and no longer control their own destiny. They may still wind up as national champs if a bunch of upsets happen, but they have done all they can do for now.
Alabama fans just became the biggest fans of Mizzou and Michigan St. outside their respective campuses.
Tweet of the Morning:
Mark Stoops made a scholarship offer to Henderson County junior OT Mason Wolfe after the UT game, his dad said. 6-7, 280. His first offer
— Steve Jones (@SteveJones_CJ) December 1, 2013
Good. We need beef. Lots of beef.
Your Quickies:
Kentucky football
- Bonds between seniors remain even after their college careers end. I'm glad to read about this, and hopefully, it serves as a cornerstone for a much improved team next season. I'll miss both Donte Rumph and Mister Cobble, but they really didn't have the great year I expected.
Kentucky basketball
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John Clay's reaction from last night's game. Did you know WCS is now tied for the most ever in a game by a UK player?
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Willie Cauley-Stein was "hyped" last night. What I want to know is, what can we do to get you hyped every night, Willie?
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Kentucky a "work in progress." To be honest, they looked more like a finished product last night, which ought to make you, dear Kentucky fan, giddy. They still have a vast, mostly untapped upside potential. But consider this:
Instead, we saw Willie Cauley-Stein put together arguably his most impressive game as a Wildcat, finishing with 15 points, eight boards and nine blocks. Kentucky’s elite athleticism makes them potentially a deadly defensive team, and knowing that they have an eraser at the rim will only make the perimeter players that much more confident when pressuring on the perimeter defensively.
"Arguably," Rob? Have you watched him play before? There is no argument. This was far and away his best game, and it isn't even within a mile.
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Cal says Aaron Harrison was the guy that changed the game for Kentucky. I think that's a touch hyperbolic. Cotton was on fire in the first half, and he cooled off and tired in the second. But honestly, Andrew Harrison has got to step up his game. See all his comments below:
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Sorry, Ed Cooley, I hate to taunt an opponent, especially one we defeated. But I am just wondering, do you give a damn now? Just askin'.
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Calipari turns a deaf ear to Knicks noise. Why would he want to go coach a worse team than he has now? Yeah, I'm paraphrasing "Not Jerry Tipton."
Other Kentucky Sports
- Cat Scratches talks about the Kentucky women's team and their huge victory over Louisville yesterday. It was a terrific game, and both teams played extremely hard and pretty well. DeNesha Stallworth was really excellent in the second half, and so was Jennifer O'Neil.
Links posts
College football
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BCS Bowl projections from Team Speed Kills. The prospect of not having an SEC team in the championship game is weird to me, and it's even weirder to imagine that Alabama only gets to go to the Orange Bowl at this point.
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The BCS picks the Buckeyes over Alabama, and it's a controversy? I'm not sure I get that.
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Luke Zimmerman of Land Grant Holy Land on Ohio St.'s BCS Championship hopes:
Where things begin to get concerning for Ohio State partisans, who have the benefit of a decade plus of BCS history on their side in that an undefeated from a power conference has never been left out of a BCS title game, is that a week ago when the hypotheticals were laid on the table related to an Alabama loss (and a presumptive Ohio State comfortable win over Michigan) the words "no chance" often factored in regarding a one-loss team passing the Buckeyes. Now, the very same experts are now saying it is possible, even with an Ohio State win over Michigan State.
I am an SEC partisan, and I come down on the side of OSU here. Yes, Ohio St.'s SOS is weak, but if they beat Michigan St., a very good team, in the B1G championship game, I'd say they deserve the nod. Auburn no doubt has the biggest win, but it was at home, and on a fluky play. If it was on the road, it would have much more panache, but a home victory in arguably the greatest rivalry in sport on a fluky play doesn't quite get it done for me.
I am not dissing Auburn here, they have had a magical season, and fluky play or not, they played great against the Tide and deserved to win the game. With that said, I don't think it's enough to jump them over OSU, and to me, it's not really close. No offense, Auburn, nothing but love for ya, but I have to call them as I see them.
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To their credit, College and Magnolia agrees that Auburn should not be upset if they don't jump Ohio St.:
If Auburn wins the SEC and doesn't advance to the BCS title game, no one should be upset -- Ohio State is undefeated and the Tigers have a loss -- even though Malzahn and Co. have faced a much tougher schedule. But, go ahead and dream the impossible dream, Tigers fans. It may take specific circumstances, and it's unlikely, but it's not that unrealistic.
I will grant you, it is not impossible or even unrealistic. Let's imagine this scenario: Auburn crushes Mizzou in the SEC Championship game, and OSU barely scrapes by Michigan St. on an unlikely play like the Iron Bowl ending. If that happens, you may well see Aubie jump OSU, and the cacaphony will be ungodly. There will be much hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth, threats of retribution, and all sorts of blog-worthy stuff.
I find myself hoping it happens just to marvel at the abject chaos. Is that wrong?
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"Twas the night After Auburn." Heh.
College basketball
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Memphis upsets Oklahoma St 73-68 to win the Old Spice Classic. This wasn't a huge upset, but it was an upset. Memphis may just be a real factor again this season. I can't tell you how proud I am of Travis Ford's work at Oklahoma St.
It's also worth noting that in this game, Josh Pastner got a huge monkey off his back. He was previously like 0-13 against ranked teams in his tenure, and that is the kind of embarrassing stat that gets fans really surly. So now he's 1-14. Problem solved?
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Ouch, North Carolina. Why you gotta go hurting our strength of schedule like that? But I still love you guys for taking down the Dirty Birds.
Other sports news
- Anthony Davis breaks his hand. That sucks. He was having an all-star season, and it will be a while, I suspect, before he gets back.