One Week Makes All the Difference

When Texas A&M knocked off No.1 Alabama last week in Tuscaloosa, SEC fans across the country saw their conferences aspirations for a seventh consecutive BCS title game appearance fade away. As the Aggies exited Bryant-Denny Stadium to a chorus of chants uplifting Johnny Football and his team's upset of the top ranked team in the land, the SEC's unprecedented streak of six straight BCS championships had apparently come to an end.

Fast forward seven days, and the conference with six straight titles has been given new life. It was a long shot, but did anyone ever think that both the BCS No.1 and 2 would go down and give the SEC another chance at making history?

Well, that's exactly what happened when the unranked Baylor Bears thrashed No.1 Kansas St. 52-24 and the Stanford Cardinal upset the No.2 Oregon Ducks in overtime 17-14. Maybe CBS commentator Gary Danielson shouldn't have cursed the Ducks last week when he made the remark that he could see the Oregon head coach smiling all the way from Tuscaloosa, as the Aggies managed a 4th quarter goal line stand and defeated the Crimson Tide 29-24. I for one, thank you Mr. Danielson.

So what now? How about an Alabama - Notre Dame BCS championship game? It would mark the 40 year anniversary since the two played for title, and I cannot think of a more tradition filled atmosphere than what that potential game would offer. Two of the top teams of all time squaring off once again for all the marbles.

But, it's still a little early for such talk. Alabama has still got to get by a struggling Auburn team and then defeat a resurgent Georgia Bulldogs squad that has seemingly been firing on all cylinders since their embarrassing loss to South Carolina earlier in the year.

Then there's Notre Dame. The Irish will travel to the Coliseum next week to take on a depleted USC team that may be without it's starting quarterback.

What does all this add up to? Well, it means that chaos is only a game or two away from rearing it's ugly head once again.

Should Notre Dame lose to the Trojans, and should Alabama defeat Georgia in the SEC championship, would the Florida Gators be next in line and offer us another all SEC BCS title game? Well, Florida would have to get by Florida St. first, but it could happen. I can hear the rest of the country now, "Oh no, not again."

It's all too much for me to handle at this point, so I think it best to take the remainder of the season one game at a time.

Next up, the Iron Bowl.

Until then, Roll Tide!