Apologies, folks, but today was my first day of work, I moved into my new apartment yesterday, and I have four hours until I have to wake up for a plane. So today won’t be a full column.
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Opening week of the college football season is characterized most often by two phenomena: Anticipation of a season-long battle between the best teams of the nation for a shot at BCS bowl berths and the national title, and those traditional powers beating the ever-loving crap out of John Doe State University to get the student body and alums excited for the season.
Less common events during opening week include teams from Division I-AA – now known as FCS, Football Championship Subdivision – whooping on those high-flying national powers. But this is what Appalachian State pulled off against formerly-No. 5 Michigan last Saturday, winning 34-32 in the Big House.
Michigan had entered this season with high hopes for a national title. The Wolverines boast a quartet of potent offensive weapons: Quarterback Chad Henne, running back Mike Hart, left tackle Jake Long, and wide receiver Mario Manningham. While the stellar defense lost more than half its starters to graduation or early entry into the NFL, second-year defensive coordinator Ron English was regarded among the best at his vocation, and was expected to have his unit ready to play.
Michigan was a legit contender. Appalachian State was nobody. This was a huge upset, one of the biggest college football has seen in a long time. But the upset looms larger on paper than it does in real life.
Michigan’s loss, one of a touted program to a virtual unknown, was absurd, unfathomable, laughable. But it was not awe-inspiring, incredible or world-shaking. Upsets are only as good as the matchups that produce them.
Two key factors build potent upset potential: The media hype surrounding a game, and what’s at stake. Consider the 2007 national championship game between Florida and Ohio State. The focus of the college football world was squarely upon that game, the sole remaining contest of the year and the one that would determine the nation’s best team. The national championship, the right to call one’s self the best program in the country, was up for grabs.
Everyone thought Ohio State would win, pundits and laymen alike. When the Gators pulled off the impossible, it became the type of awe-inspiring upset we dream of as sports fans, and Florida was handsomely rewarded for proving us all wrong.
None of us cared about the Michigan-Appalachian State before it happened. Why get riled up for a gimme? And we can’t say a national title was at stake in this contest. While Michigan was capable of putting together the season necessary to compete for that title, the Wolverines were four months of solid football away from realizing that possibility.
The loss is sad for Michigan and its fans, and Appalachian State deserves praise for slaying a giant. But I couldn’t care less about the game these two teams were about to play a week ago, so I can’t care too much about the result now.
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1 comment:
yea tell us something we don't know. Michigan sucks but don;t you think it may just be an early season fluke? Don't go so hard on the big guys, lets see what they do against "real" opponents and if they still suck then bash them to hell. hope you had fun on the plane.
p.s. write about Cornell sprint football, its the shit.
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