Oregon at number 2.

Can a team be unimpressive winning 51-13?

I saw most of the first half and third quarter of the Oregon (ranked 2), Arizona (ranked 7) football game as I fought against sleep last night.

Oregon looked disorganized, committed several sloppy penalties, and the coaching staff made at least one mind boggling decision on a fourth and inches from the goal line.  In that sequence, the Ducks committed one penalty to push the ball to the six. Then another penalty to push the ball to the 11. And then the kicker missed a short field goal.  This, by you, is a team ranked two in the country?

While the Duck quarterback, Marcus Mariota, made some good throws--he is supposedly the leading candidate for the Heisman trophy--he also made some very bad decisions and only got away with them because Arizona dropped potential interceptions.  Maybe last night was an aberration, but Mariota did not impress much.

Yet, Oregon clobbered their opponent 51-13--a team ranked 7th in the country.  And the last Arizona touchdown came on a meaningless play as time expired. It was really more like 51-7.

For years I have been a critic of college football. This year with the playoff system in place the season has become worth following and the eventual champion will have earned the title. The one concern I have about the system is that winning is not the lone criterion in determining who will compete; how much you win by has become a criterion.  It makes sense that this would have to be the case since all teams do not play a common schedule, but still in sports winning by one, or winning by forty, should not be a factor in determining champions.

Predictions for today. Alabama wins.  Florida State finally loses after tempting fate all year. TCU wins, but maybe not all that impressively.  Ohio State finds a way to beat Wisconsin.  Predictions for the final four will have to wait until the final four is determined, tomorrow, but I don't think Oregon--guaranteed a spot in the final four--will advance beyond the first round.

On another note and sport, in college basketball, Yale University beat defending champ University of Connecticut last night.  We are talking Yale now, not another major team.  Yale, who plays in the Ivy League.  Beat the NCAA division I defending champion.  A Yalie hit a three at the buzzer. And the game was played on UConn's home court.

Finally, if you are a junkie, there are a series of high school football games being played today on the New England Patriots home field.  From 9 am until about 10 tonight the so called super bowls of high school football will be played.  Somewhere in the crowd (and it will not be me) there will be someone or several who is/are parking their car right now and intends not to budge for 12 hours watching high school football championships.