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I have some friends, including one in South Florida, who think Alabama coach Nick Saban should be working on an Alabama chain gang instead of an Alabama sideline, but I felt he said it best last night after his Alabama team took advantage of a game-ending injury to Texas quarterback Colt McCoy to defeat Texas for the national championship:
"Colt McCoy's a great player. As much as I enjoy winning games, you hate to see a great player not be able to finish a game that he's fought his entire career to be part of."
I know I'm playing a what-if game here, but with a healthy McCoy, that Alabama shovel-pass interception that ended the first half and gave the Tide its third touchdown never happens. That one play, more than any other, decided the game. If every other thing that happened during the game remained the same, that would have meant that when Texas got the ball back on its own 7-yard line with under four minutes left in the game, the Longhorns would be leading 21-17 and would only have to run out the clock to win the game and another title.
But it was not to be. I will not be one to dump on McCoy's replacement, Garrett Gilbert. For one thing, he didn't ask and want to be placed in this position. For another, Texas receiver Macolm Williams dropped a sure touchdown pass and normally sure-handed Jordan Shipley let two passes slip through his fingers. I am looking forward to Gilbert being the No. 1 quarterback next season.
McCoy and last year's Heisman Trophy winner, former Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, are the best of friends. It's sadly ironic that both ended their collegiate careers in the same tragic manner. I would like to know what words have passed between the two since last night's game.
AP voters (as did the coaches) had the good sense to put Texas No. 2 in their final rankings. Only two other Big 12 schools made the final Top 25 -- Nebraska at No. 14 (the Cornhuskers should have been in the Top 10) and Texas Tech at 21. By comparison, the Big 10 had three in the Top 10 -- Ohio State, fifth; Iowa, seventh; and Penn State, ninth. I would be willing to match Nebraska against any of them. If anything, the BCS title game proved Nebraska's defense was far superior to much-heralded Alabama D.
"Colt McCoy's a great player. As much as I enjoy winning games, you hate to see a great player not be able to finish a game that he's fought his entire career to be part of."
I know I'm playing a what-if game here, but with a healthy McCoy, that Alabama shovel-pass interception that ended the first half and gave the Tide its third touchdown never happens. That one play, more than any other, decided the game. If every other thing that happened during the game remained the same, that would have meant that when Texas got the ball back on its own 7-yard line with under four minutes left in the game, the Longhorns would be leading 21-17 and would only have to run out the clock to win the game and another title.
But it was not to be. I will not be one to dump on McCoy's replacement, Garrett Gilbert. For one thing, he didn't ask and want to be placed in this position. For another, Texas receiver Macolm Williams dropped a sure touchdown pass and normally sure-handed Jordan Shipley let two passes slip through his fingers. I am looking forward to Gilbert being the No. 1 quarterback next season.
McCoy and last year's Heisman Trophy winner, former Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, are the best of friends. It's sadly ironic that both ended their collegiate careers in the same tragic manner. I would like to know what words have passed between the two since last night's game.
AP voters (as did the coaches) had the good sense to put Texas No. 2 in their final rankings. Only two other Big 12 schools made the final Top 25 -- Nebraska at No. 14 (the Cornhuskers should have been in the Top 10) and Texas Tech at 21. By comparison, the Big 10 had three in the Top 10 -- Ohio State, fifth; Iowa, seventh; and Penn State, ninth. I would be willing to match Nebraska against any of them. If anything, the BCS title game proved Nebraska's defense was far superior to much-heralded Alabama D.
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