Warnings for college football teams

Warnings for college football teams

I hope I am not too late to warn some of these teams, usually I post this earlier than on a Friday afternoon. I was so busy watching the Auburn vs. West Virginia game that I completely forgot to give my warnings.

So I better get on with it, because as we get closer and closer to the end of the season, there will be many teams that are on the edge of qualifying for a bowl, but won’t make it. There will be teams that think they have a shot at a BCS bowl that won’t make it, there are teams that think they have a chance at the BCS Championship, but won’t make it. Who will tell them of the impending danger?

Shall anyone warn Texas Tech of the danger that could happen? Playing a morning game vs. ranked Kansas in their house could be a problem, but surely not for such a team that scores 799 points a quarter? But then there’s that kicking game… what shall you do if a game comes down to a field goal? What shall you do?

And yet, perhaps greater warnings go to Kansas. You sit on top of the division ONLY because you have yet to play Missouri. Few give you any chance to beat Missouri, but that would be a moot point if you fail to defend your home against the high scoring Red Raiders…one ranked team WILL fall at the end of this game.

Has anyone warned Ball State of the huge implications of their game? While there is almost no chance to go to the BCS Championship, there is a good chance to go undefeated. Yet in your own division you are not the best team (technically). This could be a very slippery trap for you should you fail to handle your business at home against Eastern Michigan. The eyes of the NCAA will be watching….

Take care of your record Northwestern, for losses can add up faster than your calculators….

For years you have been compared to Duke when it comes to football, but this year can indeed be magical. Only one loss, and that to a quality team that was ranked, but now you must play just as hard against the worst team in the conference. It’s easy to get up for the big games, but can you get up for the small ones…every game matters you know. You are eligible for a bowl right now, but can you shoot for a higher profile bowl? It would me a lot to the future of your program. Lose this game to Indiana and we’ll be forced to say that famous phrase of Dennis Green…

“They are who we THOUGHT they were”

And who shall travel to Chapel Hill to warn both Boston College and UNC? Weren’t these two teams ranked sometime this year, and yet neither are on the top 25? Who will stand up for this conference and declare supremacy, or are we forced to see the best of a bunch of AVERAGE teams? Boston College has the unique chance to shake the foundations of the ACC and the BCS. With only one loss (Georgia Tech), they must now play 5 of 6 teams that has been ranked or currently ranked, plus the game vs. Notre Dame. Win all these games and you’ll be in the ACC Championship and sports media will sing your praises. But if you are as average as many think, you may struggle to split these games, lowering yourself to a mediocre bowl.

And what of YOU, Tarheels? Are you not just a fingernail from the post season? Yet you have two losses, one just recently to Virginia. You have a tough schedule ahead, with games vs. Boston College, Georgia Tech and Maryland. We know when it comes to state rivals such as NC State and Duke, anything can happen (well, don’t really know about that Duke game..) so which UNC team did we see? The one that made it inside the top 20, or the one that fell out last weekend? We shall see.

We shall also see what Wisconsin is really about…lately is has not been much. I warn you Wisconsin Badgers, do not fail your fans this weekend in your house vs. Illinois. Four losses in a row, all to Big 10 opponents, cannot be tolerated any more by this once proud team. Where then is the pride? There is still a chance that Wisconsin can play in the post season, all they need is 3 more wins. Surely you can make a home stand against Illinois to begin the road to recovery? But if you fail this weekend, what then will they whisper about your greatness when there was none shown this year?

And who shall inform Wake Forest of the dangers of playing in Florida? Wasn’t Wake Forest the best team of the ACC for a portion of this season? Were they not seen as the darlings of the ACC and almost guaranteed a BCS bowl? Where then is that same team? With 6 games left, can we all pencil you in for a bowl? We KNOW you can get at least two more wins, right? But we wonder about your offensive power…or lack of it. The ACC needs leaders to bring credibility to the conference, and you must be the carriers of such power. But lately there have been stories of your weakness…and that loss to Virginia raises eyebrows. Indeed, we wonder of your scoring, scoring only 19 points in your last 3 ACC contests…that’s an average of just over 6 points.

I warn you, find more points or there may be yet another loss this weekend….

And who desires to warn either team at the Duke vs. Vanderbilt game?

Did I not criticize Duke weeks ago for jumping on one of their players when he dove in the end zone, drawing a penalty? Didn’t Duke WIN that game against Virginia? Who told Duke that they were worthy of the top 25 and thus swelled their egos? Since then, they have not seen a victory. You now must play to make the post season bowl, but with 5 of the remaining 6 games being of teams that have been ranked this year, how then will you find 3 wins? If ever there shall be any hope of this team, it must come in a quality win. Lose this game, and it will be nearly impossible to see 6 wins…or even 5.

But laugh not at Duke, ye of Vanderbilt? We sang of your glory earlier this year as you jumped to a 5-0 start, with quality wins over South Carolina and Auburn, but those games have been put away, as well as your winning ways, losing your last two games. You need only one more victory to qualify for a bowl, and it seems to have been hand-delivered to you in the form of Duke. But take care, for some say that your wins over Auburn and South Carolina may have been based on those teams underestimating you…is there any truth to that?

If so, then wouldn’t YOU be doing the same if you underestimated Duke? You know they are starving for a bowl, and need a win over YOU to make it happen…will you see them as an easy win, or take them seriously as you should every opponent. We shall see.

And finally, a great caution goes out to the entire state of Michigan. Where has all the football spirits gone in this state? Let us not mention the Detroit Lions for starters, but who can explain the failure of mighty Michigan?

And yet, we also fear for Michigan State. Both must play each other this weekend, and one must lose.

Michigan State will be in a bowl, to be certain, but some of your sting has been removed. Have we not seen this before, where you started out great, and faltered at the end? I warn you, this cannot be tolerated and you must put a stop to this. The beginning of a new power in the Big 10 is within your grasps, but you must grip it firmly. While it may be true that some will question your strength of schedule, none can argue the heart of the Spartans. We saw that movie “The 300” and we know the power and heart of the Spartans…but we also know that at the end of the movie, they lost. History also says that those Spartans were slaughtered after a short stand…will you fall along the wayside as well, or will you take control of your destiny?

But what destiny remains for Michigan? Your post season is almost gone, and the only way to get it back is to win 4 of the last 5 games. You cannot afford to lose more than one game…ONE GAME. And yet, who will give you hope when you must defend your turf against Michigan State this week, and then play Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State the last 3 games of the season. Currently all three of these teams are ranked, but many will still question the strength of Minnesota and Northwestern. These could be games you can take if there is heart left in the Wolverines.

But I warn you, you are allowed only ONE loss…any more and your season is over. Take heed.