After all the tense games, the upset weeks, the blowouts, the squeakers, the injuries and the Beef O'Brady's Bowl, the 2011 NCAA football season will finally come to an end on Monday night as a National Champion is crowned. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the LSU Tigers will play the sequel to the "Game of the Century" to find out who is the best team in all of college football. But I think most of us in the Bay Area can there's a team out of Palo Alto that should just be awarded that crystal football know and spare everyone the trouble.
Sure, the Stanford Cardinal lost a game, but so did Alabama, Oklahoma State and the Oregon Ducks. Sure, the Cardinal didn't get an opportunity to play for the Pac-12 championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl, but that's only because of the way the divisions were arranged. Sure, Andrew Luck didn't win the Heisman Trophy, but that's only because...uh...conspiracy? And sure, Stanford didn't win all of the Tostitos, but I'm sure they won at least some. Every team makes lousy coaching decisions once in a while, right?
What we can say is this: when Stanford went up against Oregon in their big showdown, they at least made a game out of it. You know, like with scoring and everything. When LSU and Alabama faced off the first time, the highlight of the game was a 70-plus-yard punt out of the end zone. Woooooooooo footballlllllll.
Those of us who watched Stanford play all year had high hopes and aspirations for the team. They very well could have found themselves in Monday night's BCS National Championship, but had a couple of tough breaks. That's the way every NCAA season goes, though. A couple of tough breaks is the difference between playing for a national title and watching the Third Place Bowl slip away from you.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to play through a season on NCAA Football for the PS3 and put it on "easy" mode so I can make the Cardinal the National Champions on at least some paltry level. Enjoy the game tonight.
For all news and information regarding the Stanford Cardinal, please visit Rule of Tree. For updates on the Crimson Tide, head on over to Roll 'Bama Roll. For perspective on the LSU Tigers, check out And The Valley Shook.