ON MATT’S MIND

Until the Football Bowl Subdivision gets a playoff system,
one of the most popular methods to burn time between a
regular-season finale and a bowl game will continue to be
whining about how you got gypped out of playing in “the
big show.” This season is no different.

College football programs teetering on the verge of playing
for the national title should be wary of putting their money
where their mouths are this bowl season.

As it stands now, Missouri would logically be invited to play
West Virginia for the BCS National Championship in New
Orleans. But, both teams still have work to be done. West Virginia
has an easier path – it’s wrapping up its season this weekend at
home against Big East cellar-dwelling Pittsburgh. Missouri must
defeat the one school that has tarnished its otherwise perfect
record this season – Oklahoma – in the Big 12 Championship
game to stay in contention for the national crown.

So, the Mountaineers will most likely take care of their own
business. That leaves either one or zero remaining spots for a
potential Sugar Bowl opponent, depending on Missouri. The
Tigers’ biggest fan this weekend should be Ohio State, which is
the team most likely to move up to the No. 2 position should
Missouri fall. The Buckeyes hail from the Big Ten, which has
no conference championship game, so the team is done with
its pre-bowl schedule and is currently No. 3 in the nation.

It might sound crazy, but Ohio State should not be eager to
play for the national championship for the second straight year.
Remember what happened last season? Seven weeks passed
between games for the Buckeyes, and they couldn’t slow the highpowered
Florida Gators’ attack upon returning to the field.

This season would be a repeat if the Buckeyes leap to the
second position. They won’t be able to contain the Mountaineers’
potent spread offense long enough for Todd Boeckman
to work his own magic for the Buckeyes.

If you’re a part of Buckeye Nation, would you rather get
thumped (again) by West Virginia or have a shot against a
team like USC in the Rose Bowl?

The added bonus is that you, the fan, can moan and complain
about how the BCS screwed you out of a chance to play for
all the marbles while secretly being relieved about receiving
a Rose Bowl bid. It’s a win-win!