Ready for Monday Night Football (College Style) ?

With only two small games remaining until the "Championship" game between Florida and Ohio State it is time for me to make my final prediction of this year's bowl season. I'm pretty pleased with my totals as I'm 19 - 10 with these 3 games remaining and I'm pretty confident I'll see a 20th win.

Last year, USC lost to Texas in what was probably the best BCS Chapionship Game to date. USC was the defending champ having knocked off Oklahoma to end the 2004-05 season. The year before that, LSU beat Oklahoma to claim the championship (although the coaches gave USC the nod marking the only time the coaches poll differed with the BCS rankings for the number 1 spot). Ohio State was the champion for the 2002-03 season knocking off Miami (FL) much to the enjoyment of most of the country.

Until Ohio State managed the impossible against the Hurricanes, the Number 1 Team had always won the championship. Since then the BCS underdog manages to pull off the upset every other year. If this trend continues, the Buckeye's will get their championship.

We also have to consider the Heisman jinx. Heisman winners have participated in 5 BCS championship games and only Matt Leinart of USC came out on top (2004-05 season). He then lost the following year while sharing the field with that year's winner, Reggie Bush, meaning all Heisman trophy winners that have participated in a BCS championship game have lost. Since Troy Smith is a senior and not coming back, he could be the Ronald Reagan of college football breaking the curse of the Heisman for championship teams.

It is hard to look at this game and think of Florida as a winner, but to overlook their accomplishments this year would not be justified. Their only loss this year was a 27-17 road game at (Nr. 10) Auburn. They beat Tennessee (13), Arkansas (8) & LSU (4). LSU will likely be the number 2 team at the end of the season. Bowl winners Kentucky, South Carolina and Georgia were also among their victoms. To go through this schedule with only 1 loss is certainly impressive. Other than two Nr. 1 -vs- Nr. 2 match-ups against Texas and then Michigan, Ohio State has had a pretty easy road to the championship, at least comparitively speaking.

Nonetheless, I have to give OSU the win and it probably will be by 10 points or more. Florida was good enough to get to this game, but the Buckeyes are not a big-headed team and they won't be looking past the Gators to the trophy. That is bad news for Florida fans and they should just hope they can keep it close like Michigan did. That's the best that can be expected.