A Great Game

When the day is Thursday, Monday is ancient history.  That's the way it works in our information saturated society.  I wonder how the greatest sportswriter of our time, Grantland Rice would have covered Monday's BCS National Championship Game.

Don't look at me to attempt that feat.  I'm not that good.  However, I want to give the players that earned it their due.

Florida State did an incredible job of making the best of their opportunities.  After a good opening drive, they spent most of the first half as confused as if someone had just put a Thermodynamics exam in front of them: maybe one or two could handle it, the rest would score zero.  Jameis Winston was one of the zeroes.

The adjustments called for shorter range passes.  Those changes set up the fake punt that turned the game around.  Jimbo Fisher and his assistants get full marks for the job they did.  It was worthy of a Championship Trophy.

Auburn's defense was looking at that Thermodynamics exam in the fourth quarter.  Winston showed some maturity, and Auburn's defense went the other direction.  I couldn't discern any real adjustments, and the amount of finger pointing and yelling late in the game spoke of a loss of teamwork.  Gus Malzahn still had a masterpiece season, and the expectations will be high next season.

The win is still not without controversy.  Some would like to see Michigan State, who played a strong, smashmouth game against Stanford in the Rose Bowl, get their shot.  However, Michigan State's only loss was to a slightly above average Notre Dame team.  It would have been a clash of styles, but the loss of State's best defensive player probably would have rendered them inert.  A general lack of team speed would have made it hard to watch.

Florida State are the champions.  We finally have a playoff to find one next year.

So...am I off base?