Sunday, January 16, 2011

How could anybody argue against SEC in title game? | jacksonville.com

In a down year with a 5-5 bowl record, the Southeastern Conference was still the best in the nation.

After five BCS championships in a row, we should start asking ourselves what scenario would lead us to put two teams from other conferences in the title game.

In the sports department, we often joke that the SEC title game is the de facto national championship. Maybe that’s not a joke anymore.

I’ve been critical of the SEC in the past for being a great conference that also benefits from the hype. But an unbeaten record in BCS title games is no hype.

Can anyone really be sure that a three-loss Alabama team wouldn’t have beaten Oregon, too?

Next year, if Oklahoma and West Virginia both go unbeaten with no conference title game, should they really play for the title over a one-loss juggernaut in the SEC like LSU, Alabama, Georgia or Florida?

I think not. I think a great team from another conference should have to beat an SEC champion in the title game to prove that the rest of the country has caught up.

The BCS system is flawed. But maybe the biggest flaw is that we’ve yet to have a national title game matching two SEC squads.

Click here for the answers.

1. Former Gators quarterback Tim Tebow was the first Football Bowl Subdivision player to pass for 20 touchdowns and run for 20 TDs as well. Two quarterbacks joined him on that short list this year. Who are they?

2. The Cleveland Cavaliers lost their 12th game in a row on Friday night. Who has the NBA record for consecutive losses and how long was the streak?

3. The Jaguars missed the playoffs for the third season in a row. What two teams are tied for the longest active playoff drought?

4. Rafael Nadal has won the last three Grand Slam events after retiring in the third set of the 2010 Australian Open. When was the last time he finished a Grand Slam match and lost?

5. Shaquille O’Neal scored 23 points Friday night for the Celtics — his sixth NBA team. What player drafted with the first overall pick is still in the NBA and playing for his 12th team?

Click here for the answers.

Auburn’s late field goal clinched my only undefeated week of the season. OK, so it was only three picks, but I’ll take it. Don’t be fooled. This has been a terrible year for my picks. Last week: 3-0. Overall: 52-57-5.

Seattle (plus 10 points) over Chicago: I think the Seahawks’ run ends at Soldier Field, but I don’t think the Bears will blow Seattle away. Chicago has the playmakers — Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Devin Hester — to turn this into a rout, but I think Seattle has a little left in the tank.

New York Jets (plus 9 points) over New England: I think New York is playing for some pride. The Jets will probably lose, but they’ll do everything humanly possible not to be embarrassed.

“Going to a bigger market and all that stuff is cool, but if I feel like I have a chance of winning a championship in Denver in the next five years, then I’ll sign the extension. It really doesn’t matter. I just want to win. At the end of the day, that’s all I care about.”

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