My First Pupil
September 13, 2002 by Gugals
Wow, in only my first article I already have my first pupil - I even impress myself sometimes. First off, though, I would like to thank Trojan for responding to my article in such a timely manner, in 24 hours. However, I might add that I would appreciate you could watch your writing, I don't want Matt's website going down the gutter like a Jerry Springer show. Honestly (sucks), it does not look very professional. I know I had a few things in my article too, but it will happen no more. And no, I'm not FING INSANE. In fact, on the contrary, I have a BS in geography and work for a Trans National Corporation in Little Rock, AR. To all those out there who told me to keep writing and that my article was good, I thank you and I will address your questions and comments next week or whenever I can write my next article. This will be the only time that I go back to last week's article, another words, I will have a new topic each article.
Oh my, I don't know where to start so, I guess I'll just start from the top. No, I don't think Oregon is Jesus Christ and that they are the savior of the PAC TEN and all of humanity, if Trojan got that from my article then Trojan has been mistaken. Also, I don't think the PAC TEN is the best conference every year. For instance, last year the best team in the PAC TEN (Oregon) beat the best team in the BIG 12 (Colorado) most handily 38-16(although it was not even that close). In fact, Oregon's defense made Nebraska's black-shirt's look like what would happen if Jenks played Miami and starting Miami with a 30-point lead (ugly). However, the second best team in the BIG 12 barely beat the second best team in the PAC TEN Texas over Washington 47-43 in what was by far the best bowl game of the year, no thanks to the BCS. Then there was the Nebraska debate and other PAC TEN and BIG 12 schools winning and losing their prospective bowl games (including my alma mater Oklahoma beating Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl). However, through all this I think the two conferences were tied in their final results and the best conference last year was the SEC just look at their bowl record. All I was saying is that the PAC TEN does not get the respect they deserve the year after showing the nation how good they are.
Now, as far as comparing the PAC TEN and BIG 12 schedules so far this year, the point was made but no counterpoint was given, hence, no logic can be formulated from the process. Ok all the schools given were good, Trojan, but what were their rankings and what was the BIG 12's schedule like and the SEC's. Well, this topic could take a whole article to describe in itself so I will keep it as short as I can. The PAC TEN has lost three games so far this season, one to the 6th ranked Michigan Wolverines (oh by the that game was pretty much won by Washington and then gift wrapped with a tidy bow on top for Michigan to take-read the recap if you have to Trojan.), one to 7th ranked Nebraska, and one to Boston College 34-27 which was a pretty good game (many lead changes). The PAC TEN is 1-2 against ranked teams. Now lets take a look at the BIG 12's schedule and the SEC for that matter. The best teams that the BIG 12 has played so far this year is Ohio State which is now ranked 8th in the ESPN poll, Florida State 5th and Colorado State which was ranked after the game is now longer ranked after getting beat by UCLA (a PAC TEN school). The BIG 12 lost all three of their games this year to ranked teams and even more teams (that look very similar to the schools mentioned in Trojans article) that were not ranked-adding up to 7 losses. Therefore, the BIG 12 is not the best conference so far this year. The SEC has a similar schedule. All the teams that the SEC has played that were previously ranked before the start of the game they have lost. Florida to #1 Miami, LSU to #9 Virginia Tech, Alabama to #3 Oklahoma, Auburn to #16 USC, and finally Miss. State to #12 Oregon. However, the good thing about this is that they are playing a harder schedule and trying to get tougher games which is good for them, however, you have to win those games to prove your worth.
If the mighty Jenks High school from Tulsa, Oklahoma can do better than that, then why don't they just join the BIG 12? Oh wait, that's because they are a high school team and that is just silly to think that high school football is the same as college football, I'm sorry, but it's not. College football is faster, stronger, and bigger than high school football, I guarantee. Oh, and as far as Oregon almost losing to Fresno State, well Nebraska had to have a miracle catch to win their national championship, Miami had to have a interception returned for a TD last year. My point is that all teams must have a test early in the season. Besides, I don't think Oregon is even the best in the PAC TEN this year. Oh, and by the way Fresno State battled the 18th ranked Wisconsin Badgers to 21-23 loss in Wisconsin. They are in the WAC, the same conference that Tulsa is in that Oklahoma played.
As far as the BCS Trojan, I respect your opinion and am pleased to know you are thinking about other options that do not include the BCS. Although, I don't think the season would be long enough for a double elimination tourney. Trojan mistook the preseason poll to literal. I was just joking on how bad the polls are at the beginning of the year and that they don't mean that much until the end of the year. It's called sarcasm, Trojan.
And finally, as far as National Championships go, I believe that there hasn't been one until there are playoffs, but if you must know, there are 10 teams in the PAC TEN, hence the TEN at the end of the name and 12 teams in the BIG 12 hence the 12 at the end of the name. Therefore, more teams mean more bowl games to go to. Also, this is what the NCAA had to say about national championships, "The NCAA does not conduct a national championship in Division I-A football and is not involved in the selection process". According to ncaa.org this is how many championships each Conference has won since 1970, I also used every team from the BIG 12 even though was not around back then and only one championship can be won by a conference per year (but more than one conference can win championships)
PAC 10-10
BIG 12-20 (Nebraska and Oklahoma winning 8 and Nebraska 11
From 1869
PAC 10-28
BIG 12-34
For all those who responded kindly and appropriately, I will not do any more of these type of defensive article and I promise to write new articles each time,
Mark Jaeger aka "Gugals"
