Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Before the first eight weeks of the college football season, no one would have thought the polls would have changed so much. Then again, no one would have thought Michael Jackson’s face would change so much in the past 20 years. At this moment, they’re both equally ugly.
The biggest surprise of all is South Florida. The Bulls are currently ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and the BCS standings. Kansas beat South Florida last year 13-7.
Who knew the state could support four powerhouse programs? Maybe it will be South Florida playing in championship game this year instead Florida, Florida State or Miami.
The Gators, defending national champions, already have two losses and still have remaining games at Kentucky, at Georgia and at South Carolina. Each is ranked in the Top 25. Unless they get an incredible amount of luck on their side, they won’t be playing on Jan. 7, 2008 to defend their national title. In fact, according to the BCS poll, Kansas has a better chance to win it all.
Kansas has surprised many people, many even on its own campus. The Jayhawks are one of six teams still undefeated. No one thought they would be this good so far, but they have proved it by beating a ranked Kansas State team on the road, and are finally getting the attention they deserve. It’s just too bad they are not receiving the attention like No. 1 Ohio State, who is in similar shoes to Kansas.
The biggest surprise of all is South Florida. The Bulls are currently ranked No. 2 in the AP poll and the BCS standings. Kansas beat South Florida last year 13-7.
The Buckeyes didn’t exactly have a non-conference opponent that tested them either. They played cupcake teams just as the Jayhawks did and their only semi-respected win was at Purdue, which was shellacked by Michigan on Saturday. Nevertheless, why are they ranked 12 spots above the University of Kansas in the first BCS bowl standings, and 14 spots above them in the AP and USA Today/Coaches polls? Tradition, I guess, but some things will remain questions until the end of the season.
Boston College is another team that is still undefeated so far this year. Its most considerate win was at then-No. 15 Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets fell off the face of the earth with that loss, so does Boston College’s win even matter now?
But everyone can say similar things about Kansas. The Jayhawks played the cupcake schools and that’s why they are undefeated so far. But I don’t care what school you are, if you can beat a team as handedly as the Jayhawks have in each of their six games so far, then you deserve to be recognized and put on top of the map. And Kansas State bounced back after its loss to an undefeated team, unlike Purdue and Georgia Tech. Nevertheless, Ohio State and Boston College haven’t put up near the same numbers as Kansas, which ranks second in the entire country in both points scored and points allowed. Maybe a few more blow out wins for the Jayhawks will help their case in the end, especially with the schedule’s home-stretch upcoming.
The purpose of the BCS championship game was to make it clear who the top two teams in the country were so the teams could play in the respected bowl game for the national title. With so many crazy things that have happened this year, it will be hard for the BCS to live up to its hype. Would anyone buy South Florida and Kansas as the best choices to play for it all?
In the weeks to come, it is going to be fun to watch how the season finishes. More crazy and bizarre outcomes are going to happen. It would just be weird if it didn’t. In the end, two teams will play Jan. 7, 2008 in the Allstate BCS championship bowl game. Who are they going to be? Who knows? Ask next week, and it will have changed.
Kansan sports columnist Erica Johnson can be reached at ejohnson@kansan.com.
— Edited by Meghan Murphy
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