BCS Title Game Preview!

The end of the bowl season has finally arrived. I don't know about you, but I feel that there are way too many bowl games nowadays. Approximately half the teams in Division 1-A get into a bowl game, whether it is the BCS title game or the Magicjack Bowl or Papa Johns Bowl. Personally, I think that there should be half the bowl games but a four or eight team playoff should also be offered. Regardless, the subject of a playoff is for another day. On to the BCS championship game, which pits the 12-1 Oklahoma Sooners against the 12-1 Florida Gators. Both these teams overcame early losses to tough competition (yes, I would consider Ole Miss a solid team following their defeat of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl) to sneak into the BCS title game. Oklahoma made it to the Big 12 title game via a tiebreaker over Texas, which had beaten the Sooners 45-35 earlier in the season. The Sooners were .01 points ahead of the Longhorns in the BCS standings so by Big 12 rules they advanced to the Big 12 title game which propelled them to the national championship and a #1 ranking. Texas settled for the Fiesta Bowl, in which it needed a last minute touchdown drive to defeat a mediocre Ohio State team.
Florida made it to the BCS championship game in similar fashion to Oklahoma. Following a heartbreaking loss to Mississippi, Tim Tebow pledged that he 'would work harder than any player had ever worked for the rest of the season.' Tebow was true to that pledge (okay, maybe Tyler Hansborough works harder than Tebow) and the Gators obliterated their opponents on their way to the SEC title game in which they defeated then #1 Alabama 31-20. Florida secured the #2 ranking in the BCS standings following the SEC title triumph.
So without further adieu here is the preview for the BCS Title Game:

Offense: Wow both these teams have such explosive offenses. Oklahoma set an FBS record by scoring over 700 points this season, thats over 50 a game. Sam Bradford passed for over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns while giving up just seven interceptions on his way to the Heisman Trophy. Receivers Juaqin Iglesias and Manny Johnson lite up secondaries, Iglesias catching 69 balls for 1,092 yards and ten touchdowns. All-American TE Jermaine Gresham is a key part of the passing game, accounting for fifteen touchdowns. Running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown both ran for over 1,000 yards; Brown rushed for 20 touchdowns. The question is, how does Florida stop this team? Well, to make things easier DeMarco Murray is out with a high ankle sprain sustained on the opening kickoff of the Big 12 title game against Missouri. However, Chris Brown is just as capable as Murray, although he was less involved in the passing game throughout the season. Florida's offense is just as explosive as Oklahoma's. QB Tim Tebow has an excellent supporting cast, including speedy receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy. Harvin has electrified fans since he burst onto the scene two years ago, when Florida won its last national title. RB's Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps offer more speed running behind a talented, but young offensive line. TE Aaron Hernandez is also a threat.

Advantage: Its difficult to give either team an edge here but I'd say the edge goes to Oklahoma. Alabama proved that a team can actually contain Florida's offense, but no one has been able to contain the Sooners. Both Quarterbacks are exceptional but Oklahoma has slightly better big play receivers.

Defense: Oklahoma's defense is nothing special, Safety Nic Harris is solid along with LB Ryan Reynolds. However, this team ranks #92 in the FBS in pass defense and gave up 45 points to Texas. Florida boasts a strong defensive unit led by LB Brandon Spikes and CB Joe Haden. This team gave up minimal points to strong offensive teams like Georgia and Alabama.

Advantage: Florida. Their pass defense is much better than Oklahoma's. Oklahoma hasn't played against a QB like Tebow either.

Special Teams: Florida has superior special teams with their speed on kickoffs and field goal kicking. Oklahoma has only attempted twelve field goals all year.

Prediction: Florida 41 Oklahoma 28, This Florida team is too talented all around for the Sooners. Tebow has been here before and knows how to handle the big game atmosphere.

Breaking down the Fiesta Bowl

The 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl features two teams with National Title aspirations earlier in the season. The Ohio State Buckeyes, sporting a 10-2 record, began the season with high expectations to go along with a Top 5 ranking until they ran into the Trojans of USC and the nations #1 scoring defense, losing 35-3 in what was expected to be a close contest. OSU enters the Fiesta Bowl ranked #10 in the BCS standings, sneaking into a BCS game following Oregon State's loss to Oregon, which knocked Oregon State out of the Rose Bowl. The Texas Longhorns are 11-1, there only loss being a last second defeat to Texas Tech, 39-33. Texas comes into this game ranked #3 in the BCS standings, and was 1/100 of a point away from passing Oklahoma in the previous weeks BCS standings which determined the tiebreaker for the Big 12 South champion.

Offense:

Ohio State sports arguably the top freshman quarterback in the nation: Terrelle Pryor. Pryor leads an explosive attack with Beanie Wells at tailback and a core of experienced receivers. Ohio State's line is huge and can open large holes for Wells and the other OSU backs.

The Longhorns run a spread offense with Colt McCoy under center. A Heisman finalist, McCoy is an efficient passer and a nimble rusher. McCoy threw for over 3,000 yards and rushed for over 500 this season. Although Texas has no standout WR's or RB's, Jordan Shipley and Cody Johnson are solid options. Shipley also poses a threat in the return game.

Advantage: Texas, Ohio State has better RB's and WR's, but Colt McCoy is a stud who has played in big games like this before.

Defense:

Ohio State boasts several future 1st round draft picks, led by Safety Malcolm Jenkins. This defense is oozing with talent and held Penn State to 13 points earlier in the season. Watch for James Laurinaitis and Marcus Freeman to make some big plays at linebacker.

Texas has one of the best defensive lines in the country, led by DE Brian Orakpo. Expect the Texas defense to allow a few big plays but overall play a solid game.

Advantage: Ohio State by a nose, Texas hasn't played against a QB like Pryor with such a talent base around him.

Intangibles: Ohio State has won the past three Fiesta Bowls it has played in

Score: Texas 31-24

Welcome to my blog!

Hello,

Today marks the creation of my blog through which I hope to serve the online community with my wealth of knowledge regarding sports, politics, etc. This blog will rarely contain information from my personal life, mostly useful sports information and critiques of certain sporting and political events.

Rob Brereton