A Big East Cinderella Story?
If you could care less about football, stop reading now.
I'm an avid college football fan, but I honestly couldn't tell you which teams are in the Big East conference. I know of three for sure - West Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers. Why do I know those three for sure? Here's why:
At the end of last year's college football season, West Virginia came on strong and defeated Georgia at the Nokia Sugar Bowl - IN GEORGIA!! So, naturally many were suggesting West Virginia stood a great chance at repeating such a season and possibly winning the national championship. However, many also rejected this idea because they play in the Big East conference. Despite my love for the Michigan Wolverines, I had WV pegged as the next champ.
Enter Louisville. Normally a basketball school, Louiville has also come on strong on the gridiron as of late. Last season they JUST lost their bowl game to the Might Virginia Tech Hokies, but made a statement nonetheless. This season they kept winning and kept climbing the national rankings. Yet everyone looked at them with a certain skepticism because, again, they play in the Big East conference. So last Thursday night Louiville found themselves undefeated and ranked 5th in the country with West Virginia, also undefeated and ranked 3rd in the country, coming to town. The game started off okay, but by the end Louisville had established their dominance and sent WV home with their first loss of the season. "What a story!" everyone said. It gave Louisville that much-needed credibility to continue up the national ranks. This past week they found themselves ranked 3rd in the nation, just behind Ohio State and the incredible, unmatched, powerhouse that is the Michigan Wolverines. Could a school from the Big East really play for the national championship? Michigan and Ohio State have to play each other, so if any other team goes undefeated, it stands to reason that they would play the winner of that game, assuming neither Michigan nor Ohio State loses between now and then. So yes, if Louisville were to win out, they would play for the national championship!!
Enter Rutgers: Where do you even begin? Okay, I know. Before last night's game, someone from ESPN took a camera into Times Square in NYC and asked people on the street what the Rutgers mascot is. People answered everything from Beavers, Bulldogs, Eagles, etc. until finally one woman hesitantly said, "The Scarlet Knights?" Yes, that's it. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights. To say their football program has been non-existent is an understatement, and a huge one at that. They are known for only one important fact in college football: they played the very first college football game back in 1869 against Princeton. They won 6-4, but have rarely repeated that victory since. Losing season after losing season has made them an embarrasment on the football field.
Until this year.
Last night, Rutgers found themselves undefeated - 8-0 - and ranked 15th in the nation. Why 15th? Because no one can seriously consider putting RUTGERS in the top 10...can they? Last night stood to be the biggest game in the history of Rutgers football; that's not hyperbole, that's a fact. There has been no bigger opportunity for their program to make a statement to the nation than their game last night. Who did they play? 3rd-ranked Louisville. Also undefeated. Also in the Big East. The beginning of the game seemed to deflate the balloon that had been carrying Rutgers and their fans. Louisville quickly jumped out to an early lead and seemed to dominate the Scarlet Knights. But, as their coach, Greg Schiano, has challenged them all year, they kept chopping that wood. They kept working, kept playing, never gave up and, at the end of the 4th quarter, were right in the middle of one of the best college football games of the season, maybe of the decade. Having fought and clawed back from a 25-7 deficit, Rutgers tied the game with a 46-yard field goal. Their defense got a huge stop on the next Louisville drive, forcing a punt. The punt was a beauty, sending the Scarlet Knights all the way back to their own 8 yard line. With only a couple minutes left on the clock, Rutgers continued driving the ball straight into the middle of their line, pushing Louisville back yard by yard. Louisville got a big stop on a 2nd down, forcing a 3rd and 6 situation. Rutgers looked a bit nervous and anxious as they came to the line and, honestly, I felt that way too. It seemed they were letting the moment overwhelm them rather than allowing themselves to just play football. But then the Rutgers QB hit senior fullback Brian Leonard in the flat. He sprinted up the sideline, crossed mid-field, and put Rutgers in position to win. After that play it was as if everyone knew it was going to happen, There was no alternative, no surprise ending, it was destined to happen. Rutgers would win.
After a few more big carries by running back Ray Rice, Rutgers was able to set up a 28-yard field goal attempt by Jeremy "The Judge" Ito, the kicker that had previously tied the game with a 46-yard chip shot. This one would be straight away, from the dead center of the field. It's like kicking a long extra-point. So the teams line up, the snap is a bit high but the holder does a good job getting it down, the kick is up and it's...
Wide left.
Yes, wide left. He missed it.
Silence filled the stadium. On ESPN's coverage, I promise I heard someone yell "THERE'S A FLAG!!!" It was like a Superman movie when everything seems hopeless, everyone's going to die. Heads are hanging in disbelief when suddenly someone spots something. "Look, up there, in the sky!" Eyes shoot upward and hope returns. The same thing happened here. Heads were burried in hands, fans had to look away or simply close their eyes. They couldn't believe what had just happened. Then, someone with the courage to watch, sees it. He sees the laundry on the field, the Yellow Flag of Glory. When he shouts, "THERE'S A FLAG!" eyes are again fixed on the field, watching the man in the white hat. He chats with the other refs, makes his way to a visible spot, and places his hands on his hips. The crowd goes NUTS!!!! Offsides. Offsides on Louisville. They get another kick! Ito lines this one up and kicks it straight down Broadway. The stands are shaking. The Rutgers "faithful" have no idea what to do. How do you celebrate a win, much less a win of this magnitude? So they jump and hug and high-five and yell. They're not yelling words, they're just yelling. Rutgers kicks off and with no time on the clock they, appropriately, sack Louisville QB Chad Brohm, and the field is engulfed with a mass of people.
Rutgers now has to travel to West Virginia next week. If they can beat the Mountaineers, who knows what kind of story that will write for this year's college football season?
So for now I'm content to only know of three teams in the Big East - West Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers. They seem to be the only teams that matter.
I'm an avid college football fan, but I honestly couldn't tell you which teams are in the Big East conference. I know of three for sure - West Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers. Why do I know those three for sure? Here's why:
At the end of last year's college football season, West Virginia came on strong and defeated Georgia at the Nokia Sugar Bowl - IN GEORGIA!! So, naturally many were suggesting West Virginia stood a great chance at repeating such a season and possibly winning the national championship. However, many also rejected this idea because they play in the Big East conference. Despite my love for the Michigan Wolverines, I had WV pegged as the next champ.
Enter Louisville. Normally a basketball school, Louiville has also come on strong on the gridiron as of late. Last season they JUST lost their bowl game to the Might Virginia Tech Hokies, but made a statement nonetheless. This season they kept winning and kept climbing the national rankings. Yet everyone looked at them with a certain skepticism because, again, they play in the Big East conference. So last Thursday night Louiville found themselves undefeated and ranked 5th in the country with West Virginia, also undefeated and ranked 3rd in the country, coming to town. The game started off okay, but by the end Louisville had established their dominance and sent WV home with their first loss of the season. "What a story!" everyone said. It gave Louisville that much-needed credibility to continue up the national ranks. This past week they found themselves ranked 3rd in the nation, just behind Ohio State and the incredible, unmatched, powerhouse that is the Michigan Wolverines. Could a school from the Big East really play for the national championship? Michigan and Ohio State have to play each other, so if any other team goes undefeated, it stands to reason that they would play the winner of that game, assuming neither Michigan nor Ohio State loses between now and then. So yes, if Louisville were to win out, they would play for the national championship!!
Enter Rutgers: Where do you even begin? Okay, I know. Before last night's game, someone from ESPN took a camera into Times Square in NYC and asked people on the street what the Rutgers mascot is. People answered everything from Beavers, Bulldogs, Eagles, etc. until finally one woman hesitantly said, "The Scarlet Knights?" Yes, that's it. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights. To say their football program has been non-existent is an understatement, and a huge one at that. They are known for only one important fact in college football: they played the very first college football game back in 1869 against Princeton. They won 6-4, but have rarely repeated that victory since. Losing season after losing season has made them an embarrasment on the football field.
Until this year.
Last night, Rutgers found themselves undefeated - 8-0 - and ranked 15th in the nation. Why 15th? Because no one can seriously consider putting RUTGERS in the top 10...can they? Last night stood to be the biggest game in the history of Rutgers football; that's not hyperbole, that's a fact. There has been no bigger opportunity for their program to make a statement to the nation than their game last night. Who did they play? 3rd-ranked Louisville. Also undefeated. Also in the Big East. The beginning of the game seemed to deflate the balloon that had been carrying Rutgers and their fans. Louisville quickly jumped out to an early lead and seemed to dominate the Scarlet Knights. But, as their coach, Greg Schiano, has challenged them all year, they kept chopping that wood. They kept working, kept playing, never gave up and, at the end of the 4th quarter, were right in the middle of one of the best college football games of the season, maybe of the decade. Having fought and clawed back from a 25-7 deficit, Rutgers tied the game with a 46-yard field goal. Their defense got a huge stop on the next Louisville drive, forcing a punt. The punt was a beauty, sending the Scarlet Knights all the way back to their own 8 yard line. With only a couple minutes left on the clock, Rutgers continued driving the ball straight into the middle of their line, pushing Louisville back yard by yard. Louisville got a big stop on a 2nd down, forcing a 3rd and 6 situation. Rutgers looked a bit nervous and anxious as they came to the line and, honestly, I felt that way too. It seemed they were letting the moment overwhelm them rather than allowing themselves to just play football. But then the Rutgers QB hit senior fullback Brian Leonard in the flat. He sprinted up the sideline, crossed mid-field, and put Rutgers in position to win. After that play it was as if everyone knew it was going to happen, There was no alternative, no surprise ending, it was destined to happen. Rutgers would win.
After a few more big carries by running back Ray Rice, Rutgers was able to set up a 28-yard field goal attempt by Jeremy "The Judge" Ito, the kicker that had previously tied the game with a 46-yard chip shot. This one would be straight away, from the dead center of the field. It's like kicking a long extra-point. So the teams line up, the snap is a bit high but the holder does a good job getting it down, the kick is up and it's...
Wide left.
Yes, wide left. He missed it.
Silence filled the stadium. On ESPN's coverage, I promise I heard someone yell "THERE'S A FLAG!!!" It was like a Superman movie when everything seems hopeless, everyone's going to die. Heads are hanging in disbelief when suddenly someone spots something. "Look, up there, in the sky!" Eyes shoot upward and hope returns. The same thing happened here. Heads were burried in hands, fans had to look away or simply close their eyes. They couldn't believe what had just happened. Then, someone with the courage to watch, sees it. He sees the laundry on the field, the Yellow Flag of Glory. When he shouts, "THERE'S A FLAG!" eyes are again fixed on the field, watching the man in the white hat. He chats with the other refs, makes his way to a visible spot, and places his hands on his hips. The crowd goes NUTS!!!! Offsides. Offsides on Louisville. They get another kick! Ito lines this one up and kicks it straight down Broadway. The stands are shaking. The Rutgers "faithful" have no idea what to do. How do you celebrate a win, much less a win of this magnitude? So they jump and hug and high-five and yell. They're not yelling words, they're just yelling. Rutgers kicks off and with no time on the clock they, appropriately, sack Louisville QB Chad Brohm, and the field is engulfed with a mass of people.
Rutgers now has to travel to West Virginia next week. If they can beat the Mountaineers, who knows what kind of story that will write for this year's college football season?
So for now I'm content to only know of three teams in the Big East - West Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers. They seem to be the only teams that matter.
posted by CoryJones at 10:14 AM
1 Comments:
I stopped reading in the first paragraph but figured I'd leave a little comment seeing as you might be a little desperate for an audience this go round. Just Kidding. Yeah Rutgers!!!
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