by Jesse J. Lewis, Sr
This is what’s on everybody’s mind. At one period of time the Southeastern Conference (SEC) had at least 16 teams in the Top Ten in America. I was shocked at Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Alabama. I was not shocked by Auburn (even though I thought they would win) or LSU. Once upon a time there were three teams in the Top Five.
According to ESPN, in one season, the College Football Playoff turned what has historically felt like a regional sport – from the Pac-12 operating in its own time zone to the Southern traditions of the SEC to the East Coast ACC – into one giant melting pot of rooting interests. By doubling the number of teams contending for the sport’s greatest prize, the playoff simultaneously broadened the scope of interest in the entire season and drew the attention of fans and coaches to more games outside their region into a race that criss-crossed the country like never before.
The SEC went from having the top football teams in America to the bottom. Of the 12 Bowl games SEC teams played in, only five teams won. I predicted that Oregon St. would beat Florida St. and Alabama would beat Ohio St. Even though Ohio St., played very well, I was shocked at how composed and good they were, but Alabama should have won.
The football players at Florida St. just quit playing; the only person who did not quit was Jameis Winston, the quarterback. After they got so far behind they decided they couldn’t win, so why play hard?
Next year both Alabama and Auburn have a lot of rebuilding to do, they will lose a lot of players and I don’t think they will have National Championship quality teams. I do think they both will be undefeated until they meet each other in the Iron Bowl.
The year 2015 is going to be an interesting year for football. In Alabama, we play football half the year and make it headlines news the rest of the year. In other words, football first, religion second
