More Weird

Yes, that's Baylor - BAYLOR! - at number 25 in the AP Poll.

Missouri shelled Oklahoma.

Which also means the number one ranked team in the nation lost for the third consecutive week.

Is Oregon a sitting Duck now?

Michigan State is undefeated and leading the Big Ten while Michigan is irrelevant and Ohio State still thinks beating Michigan is a big deal.

Oh, and Colt McCoy just whacked the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Really.

Its a weird year friends and will grow weirder still.

Do you wonder if the good people at Auburn are wondering if they could run the table, win the SEC, and still get left out of the title game? You KNOW those guys are nervous.

Lets see - Boise vs TCU for the BCS Title? Maybe Oregon vs. Auburn? The wacky thing is that its unlikely that either Auburn or the Ducks run the table, though Oregon clearly has the better shot. So assuming both lose at least one, that might give us TCU vs. Boise for the national title. Just crazy. Look, ANY of those four teams playing for a national title can happen only in a year officially declared 'Weird.'

Personally, I still think a one loss Alabama makes it back to the title game and wins it again, over Boise. Its more likely that Michigan State rather than Auburn ends up undefeated and snubbed.

Its a season to remember precisely because for the real football powers this is a year to forget. The earth will return to spinning normally again next year - when the Big 12 is actually the Big 10, and the Big 10 is actually the Big 12. Oh, wait. Maybe not. Hey, I even feel sorry for Oklahoma. They lose to Missouri for the first time since men wore platform heels and then discover that their win over Texas was drained of any meaning.

In conclusion, let us ponder a mystery: the number of games Texas will lose this year.

How do they beat Oklahoma State? Missouri? Can they beat Baylor? Right now, a Texas win over the Baptists would be an upset . Crazy man. Check the standings - Da Bears are in first place in the Big 12 South, ahead of Texas and Oklahoma. WHAT!? I'd love to say that the Longhorns come out next week and thump Baylor, but does anyone really think that's a sure thing? Its about as sure as beating Iowa State. Right. What do the coaches do with this sorry bunch of underperforming, passionless, arrogant (Mack's words, not mine), inconsistent players? That's terrible senior leadership; that's ridiculous offensive scheming; that's horrendous defensive execution. I'll say this as a Longhorn fan: if they come out flat against Baylor, I'd cheer for the Bears, a team that will no doubt be playing with passion. I'll take 'heart' over multi-star recruits who meditate on their press clippings any day.

I say they lose to Missouri, OSU, and A&M in what will be the Aggies last stand and Mike Sherman's last game as coach in College Station. Francione beat the Horns and then walked. Sherman has his bags packed too. That's 6 Longhorn losses. Maybe they find a way to recapture the Nebraska magic; maybe they win one of those games, or possibly two. Either way, it doesn't really matter for this year. Wave it goodbye and start following the recruiting reports. Start thinking Sun Bowl, if they're lucky; maybe the Alamo Bowl. It will be the irrelevant bowl, wherever its played, and the players and coaches have earned it.

Weird man, really weird.


**** This just in*****
The BCS has Auburn at 1, followed by Oregon. That's good news and bad news for the men from the SEC. The good news is that if they win out, they're not going to be snubbed. The bad news is that they won't win out; note record of previous three number one teams after they get top billing: 0-3. Hey, may the War Eagles exact revenge on the ghosts of championships past and invite Tommy Tuberville to the celebration.