New Year Round Up

Rose Bowl
Vegas listed the line as Michigan -3, I think a lot of people lost their parlay on that one. Michigan apparently forgot that New Year's was a time to show the world what your squad is made of, you bring out the best and you try to prove the fans and voters that you belong. In Michigan's case, it was also a chance for them to prove that their BCS title game snub was a mistake. Had they brought the house to the Trojans and completely dominated their PAC 10 opponents, they could have made a legitimate argument that they should have been included in the BCS party. After further review, the call stands.

Michigan was completely overwhelmed by Pete Carrol and the fellas, got dominated like they had been last season, when the Maize and Blue lost 7 games including a pre-New Year, who cares bowl. With it, the onced hyped and celebrated Woverine team that had only lost once all season, a thriller to rival Ohio State, has reopened the question everyone wants answered, is Lloyd Carr history?

After an uneventful first half, the Trojans went three and out on what looked like really bad play calling. Lane Kiffen and Steve Sarkesian called ISO right with Chauncy Washington that resulted in a loss of yardage and a fourth down. That is when Pete Carrol decided enough was enough. A Lawrence Jackson interception at mid field, and the Trojans decided the antiquated running game was done and over with. An offensive onslaught insued with John David Booty picking appart the Michigan secondary on what seemed like easy pitch and catches to Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said about the Woverines. Their desire to stick with the run resulted in digging themselves a huge whole in the third quarter that they could not get themselves out of. Mike Hart was useless, and the offensive line was being overmatched by a quicker defensive squad that often times met Hart or Chad Henne in the backfield. It got to a point where the best defender for USC was the clock in Henne's head that made him hear the foot steps and feel the pressure and release the ball early, underthrowing his wide open recievers.

What was left was a game that lacked any real interest, despite the touchdown strikes Michigan had in garbage time. With the game all but wrapped up, the only thing Bob Davie and "Mush Mouth" Brent Mussberger could zero in on was Dwayne Jarrett's taunting display toward the Michigan secondary. I guess they didn't watch the first half when the Michigan corners got away with holds and illegal contact down field, or when Michigan safeties would stand over Jarrett and Smith after they broke up a play and flap their gums. I think pointing at a guy and handing him the football pales in comparison to some of the crap Michigan was trying to pull. It's not DJ's fault the Wolverine secondary is slower and softer then they think they are.

So, officially the UCLA loss was a fluke, and the Bruins never won that game, they Trojans lost it. UCLA's blow out loss to a down Florida State in another preseason, whatever bowl that has come to be the symbol of the Karl Dorrell era is proof of that. With that said, the preseason hype will be much deserved, USC will be the preseason number, end of story. A distant second will be Michigan.

Fiesta Bowl
The only thought I have to say about what Boise State did to Oklahoma is to display my disgust for the officiating crew. If the NCAA wants OU to win so badly to make this "mid-major" argument go away then they should have just named the Sooners Fiesta Bowl champs. A phantom pass interference call on an uncatchable pass set up the tying touchdown for the Sooners, who would have won the game had Jared Zabrinsky not been a real "G" and led his squad down the field. A couple of trick plays later, and the Broncos pull off the "annexation of Puerto Rico" play win. God bless the WAC, Mountain West, WCC, and all mid majors everywhere.

By the way, how far has Bob Stoops fallen when he is cheering a game tying two point conversion like he just won the Super Bowl and gets out classed by a first year WAC coach. I guess the Big 12 isn't what it used to be anymore.