One Turning Tide

This past weekend was a day of upsets in the world of college football. Five of the then top ten teams lost to teams they were not supposed to lose to. Auburn, who lost to Mississippi St., beat Florida Saturday night off of the foot of eighteen year old Wes Byrum. South Florida, who was hardly heard of ten years ago, is now number six in the nation after shocking West Virginia Friday night.

Of course, being from Alabama, it is inevitable that the Auburn and Alabama games gain the most attention in the local media, and even in this very blog. I find it somewhat funny that two weeks ago, folks from Alabama, and perhaps around the whole nation for that matter, was saying that the "Tide has turned." Bama is back to a power-house program, while Auburn is back to a mediocre level. But my oh my how the tide has quickly turned again.

But I’m not surprised. I didn’t necessarily pick Auburn to beat Florida, but I did not pick them to lose either. I am not surprised Auburn now looks better- a lot better- than they did two weeks ago.

And this is not just jargon I’m all of a sudden using to make me sound good either. I predicted that Auburn would get better- even after losing to Mississippi St., I gave hope for Auburn- or at least attempted to. I never said as a fact that the Tide has turned.

Now do not get me wrong. I am not saying that Auburn will win the rest of their games. I am not saying that Auburn will beat Alabama, although I almost predicted it in a blog once, but chose not to. But I did say that there is hope for Auburn. I implied that they would get better. I implied that Alabama, though perhaps improved, is not a great team. I made very clear in the last blog that the college football playing field amongst teams is being leveled. Fifteen years ago, as hard as it was then, predicting the outcome of college football games was much easier. Now we really do not know. Who would have thought that Kentucky would be number eight in the nation, and that South Florida would have been number six?! Who would have thought Notre Dame would still not have a win? Who would have thought Auburn would lose to Mississippi St., but then beat Florida, who romped all over Tennessee? Who would have thought that Appalachian St. would have beaten Michigan? Not many people would have thought many of these.

And after all of this, people still bet so much money on college football- not just the victors, but the margin of victory. Please. This past weekend attested to the fact that you really don’t know what will happen. That’s why we play the game. That’s why it’s interesting. That is why people lose money.

I find it interesting to predict games, and it is possible to know what you are talking about when doing so. I find it fun to have small bets of lunches, ten dollars, and the such with good friends. But I find it interesting to watch people play smash mouth football all to know that they won when the clock reaches zero. And this is much more interesting when we don’t know the outcome before the game. More and more, this is the way it is becoming, and that is good.
So it’s time we stop our immature ranting of a turning tide. If it turned two weeks ago, it turned Saturday night by the foot of an eighteen year old- Wes Byrum. And the chances are it’ll turn again soon.

What do you think?

War Eagle!

October 1, 2007

Ryan Hampton