SEC enthusiasts diss Big Ten, Ohio State
It’s become common knowledge that backers of the SEC have little to no respect for the Big Ten, so it’s not surprising to hear that some college football pundits are complaining about a potential Ohio State-Boston College national championship match up.
“I’m a huge college football fan,” said Paul Finebaum, a columnist and sports talk radio host based in Birmingham, Ala., and one of the most influential college football voices in the South. “If it ends up Boston College and Ohio State, I’m getting a movie on pay-per-view that night. I’m not watching that game.”
“I don’t think anyone in Baton Rouge would take Ohio State and Boston College seriously,” said Josh Innes, a co-host in LSU’s hometown on The Score 1210. “People would think it’s bogus. People think Ohio State is a complete fraud.”
It’s hard to blame SEC enthusiasts for not wanting to see Ohio State or any other Big Ten team reach the title game after last year’s debacle. However, the problem lies with the BCS system, not OSU. The Buckeyes play whoever is on their schedule, as do teams in the SEC. Obviously the SEC and Big Ten are two completely different brands of football, and yeah, the SEC is arguably faster, more exciting and produces better overall talent. However, don’t hate a conference because it’s weaker, hate the broke system that leaves everything to a debate every year.
Regardless of the BCS system, do SEC fans (or college football fans in general for that matter) have the right to be upset if OSU potentially makes it to the title game without facing a rigorous schedule like SEC teams do? Or is this the year a Big Ten team earns respect by knocking off a top SEC team like LSU?
We’ll see how it plays out. OSU was supposed to have a rebuilding year, but they are playing better football than anyone in the country. If they can win out they deserve to be there.
That said, last year’s loss gives the SEC crowd plenty to complain about if they don’t get a representative in the game, but has anyone really been impressed with SEC football this season? Florida has no defense (they’re young, just like Ohio State last year) and now has three losses, and LSU has leveled off after a great start.
I think an Ohio State/LSU matchup for the BCS title would be great. LSU would be playing at home and given last year’s title game would probably be huge favorites.
Don’t blame the guys winning their games. Blame the coaches who vote for Boston college; blame the sports reporters who vote for boston college. Still, they are winning their games. LSU’s loss puts their fate in someone else’s hands; if they win big for the rest of their games, they may well get the go ahead nod.
As for the Big Ten, granting OSU had a horrible game against Florida, two other big ten teams firmly defeated SEC teams in bowl games. Of course, everyone knows that. The griping out of the SEC would be far less if they were not dependent on OSU or BC losing. Frankly, some, like Steve Spurrier, have gotten really nasty.
As for Ohio State, they have much to prove and their doing it the best way they know how -by winning. Don’t forget, they have an excellent history of beating bowl opponents; They want redemption too; & they’ll try for it in New Orleans against LSU; if its BC, well that won’t be redemption, but it’ll be a great game.