Recapping the Iron Bowl and the Rest of the Season

What a year of college football! And we still have a little bit left to go. Maybe this can be a sign of things to come - and that's not a bad thing. I want to see the unbelieveable, unpredictable, and games in which the honest and wise person will not in the least claim to know who will win.

What an Iron Bowl - well, sort of. Maybe it was dull for what we think of as the "classic Iron Bowl," but no Iron Bowl is really all that dull. Hey Auburn's Defensive player Jeraud Powers got bit by a security dog! And Auburn is at home! A sure TD for Alabama turned out to be an interception for Auburn. Overall, it was two mediocre teams playing pretty good ball for their standards. Not great, great football, but certainly some hard hitting, great effort, and not "too" many penalties - although the penalties that came proved costly.

In the mean time, LSU lost. Tennessee pulled out a win after Kentucky's impressive comeback. In the process, Tennessee clinched a trip to Atlanta for the SEC Championship Game, and LSU's Championship hopes are dashed. Georgia finished off their season great with another victory to Georgia Tech. Georgia won their last six games. Ohio St. without playing keeps their National Title hopes alive. West Virginia and Missouri, with their impressive win against high-powered Kansas, moves up to take over as the front-runners in the National Championship hunt. But they both play another game. Believe it or not, there is a *reasonable* chance that Ohio St. can play against Georgia in the National Title game. This would be yet another Big 10, SEC matchup, and Ohio St.'s second straight trip to the big show. Of course, this is a somewhat small chance, but a reasonable one, especially considering what has already happened this year.

So with all this and all of the other games in mind, may I give you my Top 40.

1. West Va.
2. Missouri
3. Ohio St.
4. Georgia
5. Kansas

6. LSU
7. Virginia Tech
8. U.S.C.
9. Oklahoma
10. Florida

11. Tennessee
12. Boston College
13. Arizona St.
14. Illinois
15. Clemson

16. Hawaii
17. Oregon
18. Wisconsin
19. Cincinnati
20. Texas

21. Auburn
22. Arkansas
23. Troy
24. Kentucky
25. South Florida

26. Virginia
27. BYU
28. Mississippi St.
29. Michigan
30. Texas A & M

31. Texas Tech
32. Conneticutt
33. Boise St.
34. Penn St.
35. Wake Forest

36. Kansas St.
37. Michigan St.
38. California
39. Oklahoma St.
40. Air Force

Well there you go. Some of it is just educated guesses, I admit. But hey, it's like that for most everyone, right?! Anyway, that's my word, and as always, I have The Final Word.

What do you think?

War Eagle!

November 25, 2007

Ryan Hampton