Friday, December 04, 2009

Florida-Alabama: Biggest CFB Game Ever?

I made the argument in today's Sporting News column:

Is Florida-Alabama in the SEC title game the biggest regular-season game in the (modern) history of college football?

Let me crib from my arguments at SN:

*1 vs. 2

*12-0 vs. 12-0

*It's a playoff: Winner is in the national title game, loser is out.

*Not just that, but the winner will be the favorite in the national title game, like the NFC championship game in the 1980s and early 1990s.

*It's the best two coaches in college football.

*The featured match-up has the best 1-on-1 match-up of the season: The nation's best WR (Julio Jones) versus the nation's best CB (Joe Haden).

*Alabama is the most powerful college football brand in the South; Florida is the best program in the country and the reigning dynasty.

*It features the most celebrated college football player of all time, playing in the most pressure-packed game of his career.

Any ONE of those factors would make the game interesting. Any combination of 2 or 3 of them would make this the Game of the Year. But the things that make this game interesting just keep going and going and going....

(In fact, the only game I can think of that reminds me of it is the 2005 national title game between USC and Texas. But that was a national-title game. For a regular-season game -- or, technically, a conference-title game -- this game comes really close, in terms of pre-game storylines.

That's why it's the biggest regular-season game in the history of college football.

UPDATE: By POPULAR DEMAND -- yes, Ohio State-Michigan in 2006 had many of the same qualifications as this game. It's hard to remember the pre-game lead-up when your memory of the '06 Ohio State team is so defined by the pasting they took in the national title game.

As for the commenter talking about '66 (Mich St-ND), I will take your word for it -- let's qualify "modern" as "Post-ESPN Era," meaning: Since ESPN has been around (1979/80-ish).

-- D.S.

8 comments:

Bill said...

What about 2006 OSU-Mich?

#1 vs. #2, winner goes to national championship.

sure it didn't have all the subplots you laid out above, but has to be in the discussion, right?

SwaggerTooth said...

Give some credit to 2006 Ohio St/Michigan:

-Undefeated #1 vs. #2.
-Winner goes straight to BCS champ game
-2 head coaches with previous national titles
-Future Heisman winnder Troy Smith
-Stars on the field: Smith, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, Chad Henne, Ted Ginn, Steve Breaston, Brian Robiskie
-Bo Schembechler's death the day before

And the actual game actually lived up to the pregame hype. Mike Hart: 142yd/3TD and Troy Smith: 29-41/316yd/4TD

Matthew said...

(In fact, the only game I can think of that reminds me of it is the 2005 national title game between USC and Texas. But that was a national-title game. For a regular-season game -- or, technically, a conference-title game -- this game comes really close, in terms of pre-game storylines.

Lord.

Dan, I realize you're handicapped by being mainly aware only of things happening RIGHT THIS SECOND and/or related to Florida & The Tebow Child, but I shouldn't need to remind you of the OSU-Michigan game of a few years back. Let me address your points:

1 vs. 2. Check.

12-0 vs. 12-0. Both were 11-0, obviously, but still, undefeated. Check.

It's a playoff: Winner is in the national title game, loser is out: Check-plus, as there was no small group of people who thought the loser might still make the title game. Check.

Not just that, but the winner will be the favorite in the national title game, like the NFC championship game in the 1980s and early 1990s. Check.

It's the best two coaches in college football. This is kind of arbitrary, but the '06 game featured two coaches who had won national titles, unlike Florida-Alabama. Check.

The featured match-up has the best 1-on-1 match-up of the season: The nation's best WR (Julio Jones) versus the nation's best CB (Joe Haden). I have to admit I don't remember the specific 1-on-1 matchup, so I'll give you this one.

Alabama is the most powerful college football brand in the South; Florida is the best program in the country and the reigning dynasty. Sure, though the 2006 game featured two of the top 5 winningest college football programs, with a combined 18 national titles, so no small fish. Check.

It features the most celebrated college football player of all time, playing in the most pressure-packed game of his career. Again, this is a tad "only this second matters" for me, but I'll almost grant you this one. Smith's Heisman was won in the 2006 Michigan game, but he wasn't the internet, but he wasn't the risen savior or whatever, so I'll grant you the higher profile player.

Um, and oh yeah, it was an actual regular season game, as opposed to an official championship of any sort, like the Texas-USC AND Florida-Alabama games. Check-plus.

Obviously, you know all that, and you knew where I was going with this. My point is, this is not the biggest CFB game ever. It's the biggest CGB game ever of the year. I get that your shtick is to be all hopped up on everything happening being the most whatever of all time, but dang. I'd think a rather comparable game from less than half a decade ago would remain SOMEWHERE in your memory.

Anyway, I think I granted you a couple points and gave the 2006 OSU-Michigan game a couple check-pluses, so let's call it even and look forward to next year's edition of the greatest game of all time, shall we? Should be a good one Saturday.

MizzouHoops said...

Dan,
See the arguments I make on your SN article about why 2006 Ohio State-Michigan was a bigger game.

Essentially all those things you just said, plus the weighed fact of having it played by the greatest rivalry in the history of college football. At night. On ABC. In front of the largest TV audience in 15 years.

As for players, Troy Smith won the Heisman that year. Jake Long ended up being a #1 overall pick. So you had the player factor also.

And not to discredit your argument too much, but if Julio Jones is the best WR in the country, why isnt he on the AFCA 1st team All America list?

And I am not talking about outcomes or end results of the season, but you are talking purely about the hype surrounding it and I am saying OSU-Mich was bigger.

Goberry said...

I know you often try to deny anything that wasn't on ESPN ever happened, but the 1966 Michigan State Notre Dame game (also one versus two, but an actual regular season game) was bigger.

Art Vandelay said...

Why does everything have to be the "Best Ever"?

By the way, Julio Jones isn't even one of the 10 best WRs in the country.

Mergz said...

I disagree that the much more hyped OSU-Michigan contest of '06 lived up to the hype.

81 total points, and 900 total yards, is one piss-poor college football game from the perspective of balanced play. In retrospect the result of the BCS title game was obvious - Ohio State's defense was highly suspect.

Which leads to tomorrow. If the game ends with a score like 10-7 it will be deemed "boring" by the football public.

But the team that scores 10 is going to kill Texas.

MizzouHoops said...

@Mergz I dont think anyone is talking about actual outcomes of the OSU-Mich game. We are talking about the hype machine and whether UF-Bama is the Best. Game. EVER, as Dan pointed out.

And you cant compare outcomes of a game that happened vs the outcome of one that hasnt happened.

Was 06 OSU-Mich the greatest game ever played? No (but I was there and it was great). But was it a bigger game before kickoff than today's game? My argument states that it is.