College Football=American Beauty

It's early December which means the championship part of college football season. I'd call it the zenith, but that could be argued between the announcement of the Heisman Trophy, bowl season, the BCS games, et al. For some it's the Civil War, others the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party. From State College all the way to Honolulu, the blue turf in between and all things Catholic (Notre Dame), Christian (TCU) and drunk (ever been to a tailgate?), college football is easily one of the greatest phenomenons of the sporting subculture in America.

My concept of the most amazing rivalry in all of intercollegiate athletics is being waged in Philadelphia December 12th: Army vs. Navy. I realize there is no BCS game on the line or future NFL first round draft picks being showcased, but think about what that game means to this country. It's the only game played that day, giving it a national audience for a well-deserved match-up. Any Auburn fan who tells you a one-and-whatever season is acceptable as long as the Tigers beat Alabama in the Iron Bowl is lying. A cadet isn't lying when he tells you that about beating Navy. It's a beautiful thing. More on that game next week though as well as more after I read "The All Americans," a book about the Army-Navy game in 1941 that was played eight days before Pearl Harbor was bombed to bring the United States into World War II.

But back to beauty. Something else beautiful is when the nation's No. 1 and 2 teams meet in a game, especially when it's not the national title. Instead the SEC Championship game is for a shot at the title; likely Texas unless Nebraska can shock the Big XII which could certainly happen.

But seriously, this game is huge. An unbelievable amount of talent will be on the field at once. More than one Heisman candidate, a classic rivalry, two accomplished coaches; the Tide's Nick Saban has a BCS title, Urban Meyer has two. A dramatic movie couldn't put together a more intense, over the top, hype-driven football game.

The BCS is definitely happy about this situation. Assuming Texas beats Nebraska tonight, it will be the Longhorns and either Bama or Florida for the national title. Fortunate for those money-laundering bastards, the two best teams in the nation face off before the championship. If it were Florida, Texas, and say, USC, we would have a Virginia Tech/Miami (FL) mutiny on our hands. The BCS hasn't been getting it right, it has been getting lucky.

The Football Championship Subdivision has a playoff. Imagine that. Oh but wait, as the NCAA football gods showed us earlier this month in the cutting of Hofstra and Northeastern's FCS programs, you gotta pay to play. The system in place is all about money. A playoff wouldn't generate the dollars that the bowl games produce for the major conferences. It's a shame to say the least, but it's what we have.

More on the BCS to follow after the conference title game's dust clears. Enjoy the games.