The Empire strikes back, Oregon and K-State lose

            Less than a week ago, I wrote an article about why I believed the SEC would not make it back into the national championship picture, and tonight I must eat my words. I clearly forgot I was talking about college football. On any given Saturday, anybody can beat anybody, and that’s what makes the sport so great; it’s unpredictable. But I learned my lesson, never bet against the SEC. Now that the top 2 teams have lost, who is waiting to march into the title game? Georgia and Alabama. Nick Saban is sitting in a room somewhere looking at his championship rings and smiling.

We're back y'all

In very different but equally stunning fashion, both Oregon and Kansas State lost, ending their BCS title hopes. Kansas State was blown out by an unranked Baylor team, while Oregon missed a field goal in OT, failed to recover a fumble in the open field, and then was promptly sunk at the foot of Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson. Many people smelled an upset in Eugene, as Stanford had proved to be a formidable opponent all year. They handed USC their first loss and came very close to beating Notre Dame. However, the Baylor upset was a true upset. Most people thought that if Kansas State was to lose, it was going to be in their final game against Texas. But that’s the beauty of College Football; it’s often the overlooked, undermanned opponents that put up the toughest fight (think back to last year when Iowa State upset then #2 ranked Oklahoma State, and then lost their last 3 games).

Unless USC can beat Notre Dame this week, Notre Dame will go to the championship game. That's right, Notre Dame. That leaves the winner of the SEC. Both Georgia and Alabama have one loss, and will square off in Athens for a chance to redeem themselves and travel south to Miami. Alabama has been the number 1 team all year, and my money is on them to go back. Their players know what’s it like to play on that stage, and they have a proven winner in QB AJ McCarron.

Georgia is the most intriguing team still in contention. After a blowout loss to South Carolina in the first game of the year, I wrote them off. The SEC was too crowded, too many good teams, they were sure to falter against someone else. They didn’t. I have to credit friend, fellow Sideline Report columnist, and avid Georgia fan Davis Goldstein for being the first to tell me that Georgia’s season was not over. He’s right, it’s not, but they will have to bring their A game and then some to stop Nick Saban from getting back to the title game for a 3^rd time in 4 seasons. Regardless, the SEC is still king, and thanks to Stanford and Baylor, they will get to prove it again this year.