Spring Break
No Need to Share with Utah
Andrew Mullins Williams
Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: Sports
Two weeks ago, one of my fellow sports writers wrote an article about the five things that the college football bowl season had taught us. I believe that there were some good arguments made, but there is one in particular I would like to challenge- the idea that Utah should be voted AP champions.
I mean-really?
I understand the actual argument presented in the article was perhaps a backlash at the flawed BCS system in place, and I agree that Utah should be given the opportunity to play for a title. Even so, to say that Utah deserves a split national title is outrageous.
While there is certainly a bias toward BCS conferences, it does not mean that this bias is unwarranted. For example could Utah leave the SEC with only one loss? I doubt it.
The last split title (as mentioned in the article two weeks ago), happened in 2003 when LSU won the BCS title, but USC was voted AP champions. But, comparing that situation to what Utah did this year is preposterous.
First of all, USC was No. 1 in the nation going into the bowl season-Utah was No. 7. It was not as if USC leapfrogged over anyone unjustifiably.
On top of that, to give Utah a split title would be saying that Florida didn't deserve it. Any team that runs through the SEC with the authority that Florida did should certainly not be punished by giving away half its title.
Even the raw statistics point to the fact that Utah doesn't deserve a shared national title. For example, the actual national champion, Florida, gave up 19 TDs on 279 yards a game. Utah gave up 24 TDs on 296 years a game. This isn't a big difference at all until you realize that Florida scored almost 25 more touchdowns to widen the gap. That gives Florida a difference of 56 touchdowns while Utah only has a difference of 29.
Sounds like a number one team to me.
But, wait, Utah was undefeated-who cares.
Take any team that is in the top 10 and place them in the Mountain West conference and you will start seeing a lot more teams go undefeated. This is a team that barely squeaked by a run down Michigan team.
Put all those things together, along with the fact that Florida beat an Alabama team that was at full strength, and that Utah played every "big game" at home (minus their bowl victory), and you have a team that got a fair ranking at number 2.
While in no way shape or form am I saying that Utah had a bad year, because they should be applauded for what they accomplished. All I am saying is that to entertain the notion of a split title would be ridiculous given the circumstances of the year. Utah just was not good enough and Florida played amazing down the stretch.
I mean-really?
I understand the actual argument presented in the article was perhaps a backlash at the flawed BCS system in place, and I agree that Utah should be given the opportunity to play for a title. Even so, to say that Utah deserves a split national title is outrageous.
While there is certainly a bias toward BCS conferences, it does not mean that this bias is unwarranted. For example could Utah leave the SEC with only one loss? I doubt it.
The last split title (as mentioned in the article two weeks ago), happened in 2003 when LSU won the BCS title, but USC was voted AP champions. But, comparing that situation to what Utah did this year is preposterous.
First of all, USC was No. 1 in the nation going into the bowl season-Utah was No. 7. It was not as if USC leapfrogged over anyone unjustifiably.
On top of that, to give Utah a split title would be saying that Florida didn't deserve it. Any team that runs through the SEC with the authority that Florida did should certainly not be punished by giving away half its title.
Even the raw statistics point to the fact that Utah doesn't deserve a shared national title. For example, the actual national champion, Florida, gave up 19 TDs on 279 yards a game. Utah gave up 24 TDs on 296 years a game. This isn't a big difference at all until you realize that Florida scored almost 25 more touchdowns to widen the gap. That gives Florida a difference of 56 touchdowns while Utah only has a difference of 29.
Sounds like a number one team to me.
But, wait, Utah was undefeated-who cares.
Take any team that is in the top 10 and place them in the Mountain West conference and you will start seeing a lot more teams go undefeated. This is a team that barely squeaked by a run down Michigan team.
Put all those things together, along with the fact that Florida beat an Alabama team that was at full strength, and that Utah played every "big game" at home (minus their bowl victory), and you have a team that got a fair ranking at number 2.
While in no way shape or form am I saying that Utah had a bad year, because they should be applauded for what they accomplished. All I am saying is that to entertain the notion of a split title would be ridiculous given the circumstances of the year. Utah just was not good enough and Florida played amazing down the stretch.
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