This was supposed to be the Year of The Quarterback. Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow were all going to battle for the Heisman and National Championship. But Bradford busted his shoulder, Tebow was KO'ed and McCoy got dead arm at the worst possible time. Congratulations to Alabama, but as a sort of neutral observer, it was a shame that McCoy was not 100%. Garrett Gilbert played a fine game, but a game in which he really had no chance. It didn't help that Texas' play calling in spots was almost as bad as Alabama's special teams.
In this supposed Year of The Quarterback, the winning quarterback was 6 of 11 for 58 yards. Greg McElroy did not have to pitch it around, since the Heisman winner was his first tailback and his second tailback was no bum either. McElroy was also blessed with an awesome offensive line, even if they struggled at points Thursday.
It was Alabama's defense, the calling card of SEC Champions, that won this game. McCoy's injury, at the base, was Bama's defense eliminating Texas' best weapon. It was cold blooded, but so was Earl Everett, Glenn Dorsey and Major Wright. As for Bama punching in their last score; as long as there are timeouts and time left on the clock, you keep scoring.
If McCoy had a pinched nerve or dead arm, it was probably for the best McCoy was out. All I could keep thinking about though was how Tebow would kill someone to get back on the field. In a game with no tomorrow, McCoy was working for tomorrow. I have a huge bias here, since all I know is a completely insane Tebow who doesn't give a damn about the next game. But looking at facebook and twitter all night, I wasn't the only Gator trying to push McCoy back in the game by referencing old No. 15. McCoy might be a good pro and maybe we will forget about this. But leaving a National Championship Game on the first series is a pain that never leaves.
As for Florida, do not think about what ifs. Alabama played a perfect game against UF and made a few perfect plays against Texas. Had UF defeated Bama, there's no guarantee UF defeats Texas anyway. I think most people were pleasantly surprised by how strong Texas' defense was. So who is to say Texas wouldn't hold UF to 2-12 on third downs and less than 300 yards of total offense as they did to Bama?
Of course, the thing that sucks most is that college football is over. In August, it seemed like this was the most anticipated season ever thanks to a combination of good teams, great players and how badly we needed something to distract us from politics and the economy. Well, the economy is a little better, our politics are still marked by screaming assholes, but college football did not disappoint.
A big thank you to everyone and everything who made it possible, in no particular order; Mark Ingram, crazy ass Les Miles, Joe Pa, that Boston College kid who survived cancer, the guy who was GWB's spokesperson that is now the BCS spokesperson, Brandon Spikes' eye exams, Jacory Harris, the followers of Championship Mode, Navy, Lee Corso and Lou Holtz, Boise State and their blind cowbell girl, Turner Gill and Charlie Strong getting gigs, the Ginger Ninja and the concussed Catfish, coaches named Bronco, that jackass who ratted me out for cursing at Steve Addazio during the Tennessee game and tried to get me arrested for yelling in the student section, Stanford running it up against USC, the coaches who were in "The Blind Side", the Mountain West and their giant middle finger to the Pac-10, random MAC and Sun Belt mid-week games, the ACC playing like a basketball league, Jerry Jones' football palace hosting college football, Chris Fowler, flip-flopping coaches, SEC refs, Greg Paulus, Temple in a bowl game, Ron Zook sucking, seeing Joe Haden and "Two Beer" Tate Casey in Grog House after the FSU game, "You're looking liiiiive," Big Ten players who run fake field goals in bowl games, Georgia Tech's option attack, C.J. Spiller, "30 for 30: The U", and Tim Tebow pitching it around in New Orleans.
See you next year. Hopefully basketball and baseball can hold us over.