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We came to the end of the road, calculating, analyzing, and adding numerical data to various computers. In the end, we were given the names of two teams to play in a football game to decide the national championship. As always, the final BCS standing is the first moment of controversy, and we failed to end the trend. Florida and Oklahoma are destined to play for a trophy, leaving others to watch. But as the preliminary bowl games came to an end, leaving just one of significance to play, the entire BCS championship picture went from “confidence in choice” to “doubtful of selections”.

As January moves into its second week, some of the window dressing has fallen from the championship scene. Oklahoma scored huge style points for escaping the Big 12 South and its numerous ranked opponents. Two of the  “style points” lost in Bowl games, with the third standing 16 seconds from defeat, before edging the underdog. Oklahoma State and Texas Tech both fell to lower ranked opponents, with both defenses surrendering more than 40 points to Oregon and Ole Miss. Texas entered a dogfight with Ohio State, with the offense managing only 3 points at the half, before recording the dramatic come from behind 24-21 victory. Unfortunate for the Sooners, the lone victor from the Big 12 South is the one they needed most to lose. Texas continues to be the only blemish on Oklahoma’s season record, and a Fiesta Bowl victory now keeps them in the discussion. The Big 12 is 4-2 in bowl games, but you must consider that 3 of the victories came against the Big 10, a conference that finished 1-6 overall.

Utah is the only undefeated program in America. They managed to finish with a record unscathed by defeating Alabama, who happened to be the SEC championship game loser that pushed Florida to the 4th quarter. Florida scored major style points for the defeat of then unbeaten and top ranked Bama, enough to launch them clearly above Texas and into the championship game. With the Utes outplaying the Crimson Tide on national television, and before a large audience, the Mountain West  was able to finish 2-0 against SEC opponents this season. Some view the SEC’s entry into the BCS title game as a free pass, based on popularity and history.  But if Florida proved their worth by defeating Bama, didn’t Utah do the same?

The much maligned Pac 10 was resurrected in beauty this postseason. What makes the 5-0 bowl finish even prettier is the defeat of 4 ranked opponents in doing so. The conference that kept USC out of the championship game now looks better than ever. The Trojans handled Big 10 champion Penn State in the Rose Bowl, in a game where the final score fails to display the on-field domination.  And the Ohio State team that came 16 seconds from defeating 3rd ranked Texas was drubbed by the Trojans earlier this year, trailing 28-3 by intermission, and shutout in the second half. When you include Notre Dame, USC opponents that went bowling finished 5-1, but it’s the regular season view of those opponents that kept the Trojans from playing for the crystal ball.

The Pac 10 criticism came with their losses to the Mountain West Conference. That’s the same MWC where the Utes reside. If not for Oregon State surrendering the lead with 1:30 to play in Utah, this BCS buster would never get a shot at Alabama. The Tide would have likely played Boise State, which would have led to discussions about the SEC exposing the WAC as frauds. Instead, TCU (of the Mountain West) was given the opportunity, and handed the Broncos their first and only loss of the season. Normally, the first team to lose has the greatest opportunity to climb back to the top, but the scrutiny of the Pac 10 made it impossible for the Trojans.  Undefeated BCS programs will live comfortably at the top of rankings, but Utah representing a  mid-major conference was denied the luxury.

Now we have an upcoming championship game, but it doesn’t have a championship feel. Regardless of the outcome, there will still be a buzzing of controversy. You’ll have a one-loss team holding and kissing a trophy, while an undefeated program, along with other one-loss spectators, will be screaming that they could have done the same if given an equal opportunity. Do you still tell them they didn’t qualify? Looking at it now, what are the qualifications based on? We don’t get an overall look at a program until they perform outside of their element, so qualification is mostly determined by what you accomplish in your neighborhood, before taking on the rest of the world. This is the system we live by, and we’ll tune in to Thursday’s game. But as far as bringing and end to the college football season, be it Sooners or Gators on top, we are bound to end another without closure.