I am an unusual college professor (now emeritus). I only know a few academics who are football fans. Most look down their noses at athletics. I was once in a poker game with other professors. One English professor was grousing about the football coach’s salary. I told him that if he could fill the football stadium giving his lectures on Chaucer and sell the TV rights, then he too could be paid $7 million.
I am a fan as long as Georgia, Ohio State or Tennessee are playing. Otherwise, not so much. Did you hear me yelling at my TV when Georgia’s Kirby Smart suddenly became Kirby No So Smart and went for a fourth and two bypassing a field goal at Georgia Tech’s ten yard line? The score would have been 7-3 Tech. Then he made the really dumb decision to go for two points when the score was 17-0 Tech. I yelled “WTF!” I hate two point conversions unless absolutely necessary. The score remained 17-6. If Georgia had kicked the extra point, it would have won 28-27 and would not have had to play 8 overtimes to finally subdue Tech. But hey, I am not being paid $13 million to coach the Dawgs. BTW, how do you spend $13 million in Athens, GA?
Then there was the Ohio State fiasco. With their all-American center (an Alabama transfer) sidelined and a rebuilt offensive line, Ryan Day and his mentor, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly decided to run the ball (with their Ole Miss transfer), mostly up the middle into Michigan’s only strength. Eschewing letting their Kansas State transfer quarterback pass to the nation’s best receiving corps even though Michigan’s all-American cornerback was out for the game, the Buckeyes kept beating their heads against the wall. They only scored a measly 10 points as their usually reliable placekicker got the yips and missed two field goals. The Buckeye nation is up in arms. Many want the coach, Ryan Day fired ignoring his 47-1 record against the Big Ten other than Michigan where he is 1-4. But if he were 4-1 against Michigan and 1-47 against everyone else, he would still be fired. The new college playoff system will save him. Despite losing to Michigan, Ohio State will be in the playoffs and Michigan will be some minor bowl of no importance. Ironically, not going to the conference championship is now likely a benefit for the team. Ohio State has an extra week to rest, to heal and to correct its mistakes. Who would have thought that the championship games would be a curse rather than a blessing? Incidentally, who would be better than Day? Nick Saban?
Tennessee defeated the pesky Vanderbilt Commodores and secured themselves a place in the playoffs. I hope they do well unless they play either Georgia or Ohio State. Some experts predict that they will play Ohio State in the first round. Will I be conflicted? No. I wasn’t even conflicted when Ohio State played Georgia in that thrilling 2022 Peach Bowl. We were invited to the Bulldog pregame reception. I was wearing my Herschel Walker jersey and someone who knew that my PhD is from Ohio State came up to me and said “Aren’t you conflicted?” I said “Who me” as I raised my jersey to reveal my Woody Hayes t-shirt.
If they are in opposite brackets, don’t be surprised to see an Ohio State Georgia final. It will be back in Atlanta and I hope to be there, wearing my Herschel Walker jersey, my bulldog cap and of course, my Woody Hayes t-shirt.
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