Goodbye Bama? Here's Hoping

It actually happened.  Alabama lost to an SEC opponent not named LSU.  Those pesky Aggies of Texas A&M led from start to finish against the #1 team in the country and favorite to repeat as national champions, winning 29-24 in Tuscaloosa.  I honestly never thought it would happen in the regular season.  Alabama has looked pretty unbeatable most of the season.  After last week's comeback against LSU, it seemed like the team was destined for back to back BCS glory.  Instead?  The newbies to the SEC, led by a freshman QB named Johnny Manziel who just threw his hat back into the Heisman race, managed to beat up the bully in their own schoolyard.

This isn't just a big win for the Aggies, their fans, and my three cousins who went/go to Texas A&M.  This is a win for the soul of college football.  To be honest, I was getting bored with the sport I loved.  The SEC winning every year was awful.  The BCS Championship Game last season was unwatchable.  With so many other great games in bowl season (Remember that Luck-vs-Weeden Fiesta Bowl?  Or Michigan State's 3OT win in the Outback Bowl?), the title game was a snooze-fest.  The prospect of NOT having Alabama, a team that has dominated college football for half a decade, is music to the ears of any fans outside of the SEC.

Now, the only problem is that the season isn't over yet.  The three remaining unbeaten teams, Kansas State, Oregon and Notre Dame need to remain undefeated.  If any two of them run the season without a loss, then we will get the first BCS title game without SEC representation since 2006.  That game was Texas vs USC, and may be the best BCS title game ever (if not one of the best bowl games ever).  I love the idea of Oregon's high powered offense taking on Heisman front-runner Colin Klein.  I think that a Klein vs Ta'o matchup would be a fantastic storyline.  I think the prospect of Notre Dame's insane defense taking on the video game offense of Oregon would be amazing.  One of these needs to happen.  But there is still time for someone to trip up and let Alabama back in the door.

So, tonight, before you go to bed, whisper a small prayer to the football gods.  Ask them, for Christmas this year even, to keep the SEC out of the BCS title game.  If that ends up happening, it will be for the good of every college football fan in the country.... that doesn't wear Crimson.