Williams: College Football Blog, 11-28

I normally hate it when Iowa State has a Saturday off. It normally just doesn’t feel right. But I must admit, today was a special treat for me. I actually had the opportunity to sit down, drink a six-pack of Diet Dr. Pepper, and watch an endless amount of college football.

Here are some of my thoughts on games that I took in. For the record, I have a two TV set up here at my parent’s house in beautiful Clarinda, Iowa.

Missouri vs. Kansas

It can never be easy for Cyclone fans can it? For the small portion of you who have no idea what I am talking about, I’ll briefly put things in perspective. If Missouri beat Kansas today, Iowa State was assured a slot in one of the Big 12 bowls. With a Kansas win, the Jayhawks would become bowl eligible making things a bit hairy for the Clones.

Well, Missouri just beat Kansas to assure Iowa State a bowl game. The game came down to a last second field goal.

“God is a Cyclone fan,” my mom shouted at the end of the contest.

Obviously mom has had some blinders on over the decades. That’s okay though. I still love her.

Never in my life have I ever sat and rooted for the Missouri Tigers as hard as I did today in their match-up with Kansas. I stand by the fact that the only time I ever cheer for Missouri is when the play Nebraska annually.

Nonetheless, I am Clone to the bone so today, this was very necessary.

This was one of the best football games I’ve watched all season long. The defensive play was a total debacle but hey, it was entertaining. Gary Pinkel and the Tigers forced me to work up a nice sweat as well. I burned off exactly .0003 percent of the calories that I have taken in over the weekend.

Danario Alexander is a special, special football player. He reminds me of Terrell Owens mixed with Brandon Marshall. I’d like to be his agent in the future.

On the other shoe, you now have a Kansas team (that many picked to win the Big 12 North) that isn’t going to a bowl game. I can’t help but feel just a little bit sorry for Mark Mangino. I’m not saying that he didn’t do anything wrong. But why did it take so long for all of this to come out if he is such a bad guy?

I have no idea what has gone down in Lawrence over the past few years. But this whole thing smells like a rundown fish hatchery to me.

Oklahoma State @ Oklahoma

I really thought that when Oklahoma came out of the gates as a 10-point favorite over Oklahoma State that the Cowboys might be a bit irritated, plus you know, the whole rivalry thing. Hardly. That was a terrible job of coaching today by Mike Gundy and his staff. Losing that game is one thing. But being blown out and not even getting off of the bus is another. Having said that, I pose this question to you Fanatics this evening. Am I over exaggerating when I write that Oklahoma has the best defense in the history of 7-5 college football teams?

Florida State @ Florida I have a shameful confession to make Fanatics. I am a giant Bobby Bowden fan. This all begin with my dislike for Nebraska while growing up in southwest Iowa. Husker fans constantly surrounded me as a kid. They were everywhere and extremely obnoxious. I grew to despise that entire program due to the people who were always around me. When the Seminoles beat Nebraska in the 1993 Orange Bowl, I was instantly hooked. I was so excited to see this powerhouse bring the Husker Nation down about 40 notches. I’m not like a diehard Florida State fan here people. I’m talking, I root for Bobby Bowden and the Seminoles when they are on television. I don’t even DVR their games. It’s just a casual fan sort of thing that developed due to their dominance over my Husker fan friends.

So I sat down to watch today’s Florida-Florida State “rivalry” game and was instantly disappointed. Florida State has fallen so hard and so fast from the program that finished in the top five nationally (according to the AP poll) for 14 years in a row.

I don’t feel sorry for Seminole fans by any means. They’ve had their time. But it stinks that this game has decreased to the annual beat down that it is today. In that past, that’s always been a circled game on my college football calendar. Obviously, this is no longer the case.

Clemson @ South Carolina

It’s hard for Iowans to understand this football game but down south, it is a HUGE deal. I know this because my mother was born and raised Palmetto State. She is a diehard Gamecock fan. I support her in this so when we watch this game every season, I’m anti-Clemson. I guess you can say that it is in my blood to dislike the Tigers. Needless to say, it was a positive day in the Williams house when South Carolina bet their evil nemesis 34-17. My loves the Ole Ball Coach.

For the record

I’ve always been pretty vocal in the past about my love for BCS conference schools. It’s not that I disrespect mid-major conferences. I just prefer watching the big boys. I have to admit that I think that TCU deserves a strong, serious look at the BCS National Championship game. This team has done everything that they’re supposed to do to get a shot. They went on the road and took on two ACC opponents in their non-conference schedule (Virginia & Clemson). They’ve blown out the likes of BYU (on the road), Utah and pretty much everyone else who has crossed their path.

I’m not saying that this is the best team in America, but the Horned Frogs have really made me double, triple and quadruple take them all season long.

Actually, I think that Cincinnati and Boise are legit too. If I had to pick among the three, I’d take the Frogs.

I’m out to go watch some hoops.