[NU Sports] BCS first half musings ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Some thoughts on the big game here in the gorgeous
Valley of the Sun tonight ...

* I guess John McCain can kiss the presidency goodbye.
No Republican has won without Ohio, I believe, and his
opening flop favored electoral power Florida over the
Buckeye state. Ouch!

* Great opening play for OSU!

* Great opening quarter for Florida!

* Quarter beats play every time.

* My guess is that the OSU players are noticing a
great deal of difference between the Notre Dame team
they faced in Phoenix last year and the Florida team
they're facing this year.

* Speaking of the Irish, I'm guessing with all those
players from Florida on his roster that Urban Meyer's
pretty happy with his decision to head to Gainsville
over South Bend a couple years back.

* The long layoff may be an excuse for sloppy
penalties like false starts and such, but there's no
excuse for those dumb, stupid personal fouls OSU had
early that gave Florida's short fields.

* The refs haven't played much of a role yet, but they
sure seem to be giving Florida some awfully generous
spots on their running plays.

* Troy Smith looks a bit out of it.

* If OSU loses, they can blame the playcalling on the
series where they got the ball back after their first
stop, down 21-14. Not only did they NOT call a run
play after the running game got going with Pittman's
earlier TD, they didn't even have a running back on
the field! It's tough to criticize Tressel as a coach,
but that quick 3-and-out series with three poor pass
plays seemed to kill all momentum. Hate to be in
agreement with Barry Alvarez yet again, but when
you're right you're right coach.

* Remember what I said about the refs? They sure ain't
giving Ohio State the kind of generous spots they gave
the Gators (and they appeared to miss a delay of game
call early when the clock ran out for about three
seconds before Florida snapped it).

* Remember what I said about Tressel? Well, criticize
away after that 4th and 1 call. They didn't get much
of a spot (again), but still a dumb call that deep in
your own territory. Who's he think he is, Pete
Carroll? :) At least the D only allowed a turnover
from the call.

* The Bucks need a turnover in the worst way. Oops,
Florida got it first.

* The Bucks need Ginn back in the worst way. Or else
they need to find out who snuck into Troy Smith's
uniform tonight and find out what he did with the real
Mr. Smith.

* That touchdown before the half is huge - remember
that the Gators get it after the half as well.

* I guess we'll have to hear a lot about SEC speed and
strength in the off season ... and a lot about how
that unbeaten Auburn team a couple years back should
have had a shot at the title (on which I agreed with
SEC fans :) ).

* That said, Urban Meyer should still send a very
large thank you gift to UCLA or else we'd have never
even seen this first half and the Gators would have
had to settle for the Sugar Bowl.

* Halftime - worst half of the year from OSU, best
half from the Gators. Will the Bucks wake up in time
to become the first double-BCS winner ... or will yet
another Heisman winner feel the sting of the BCS
curse.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!

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