As the weeks wound down on the 2009 college football season, the amazing thing was how little the projected college tourney changed over the final weeks. In mid-November, the tourney projected to include the eventual seeds #1 through #9, with LSU residing as the last at-large entry. On 21Nov, some clock management issues folded the tents on LSU's chances after a 25-23 loss to Ole Miss.
Pitt then elevated to last at-large birth, amazing that two Big East teams could make it in the tourney given that none of the Big East schools were in the pre-season top 25. However, the at-large dream ended for Pitt that week after a last second field goal by West Virginia gave the Mountaineers a 19-16 win on 28Nov. Pitt could still make the tourney with a win over Cincy for the Big East crown, but WVU loss knocked them down a peg in potential seedings, even with a win over the Bearcats.
Big Ten's Iowa then found itself in the final tourney slot as December started, despite a sort of stumbling finish as they crossed the tape of their season. However, as the season's final week approached, the Hawkeyes needed to be wary of the bane of teams in their position, the conference championship upset. Of the key conference championship games, a win by upstarts Clemson or Oregon State were not a worry for the Hawkeyes, in fact they would love such outcomes. Clemson and Oregon State merely would have dumped their conference rival to lesser bowls, and Iowa would have an improved seed. However, a win by Pitt or Nebraska was a bad, bad thing. These teams would have taken the last precious golden ticket to the tourney, and their foe, be it Cincy or Texas, would have grabbed Iowa's at-large birth.
So the season's final week consisted of six games that would have determined the fates of 14 teams vying for 10 tourney spots. The first was a Thursday night affair. Oregon and Oregon State battled for the Pac 10 birth, and for a while it looked like the Beavers of OSU might emerge, possibly grabbing the tenth seed and a trip to Ohio to play the Buckeyes, and giving Georgia Tech a chance to stay close to home and play Iowa. However, Nike's favorite team prevailed and the Ducks grabbed the Pac 10 championship. Oregon State gets crossed off the list; now there were five more games and thirteen remaining teams.
Saturday kicked off with Pitt taking Cincinnati to the woodshed early on, and it looked like the Bearcats undefeated season and Big East title were on the line. Besides that, Cincy still looked to remain in the tourney, but the scope of the loss seemed like it might drop them out of the top six and into first round seedings, maybe allowing Oregon to get into the top six and make the Rose Bowl optimistic that there game could regain some tradition. However, you can't keep a good team down, especially if their coach wants the Notre Dame job, and the Bearcats came back and won an instant classic. Cross Pitt off the list and let Iowa breath a sigh of relief; now there were four more games and twelve remaining teams.
Boise State was a big favorite over New Mexico State, and did not disappoint, winning 42-7. Pitt's loss and BSU's win made it look like the Broncos would grab an at-large birth, and probably seeded in the top six, to get a BCS bowl game rather than a first round game, as they played in 2007 when they beat Oklahoma to advance to the Rose Bowl to play Ohio State. Wins by Pitt and Nebraska would have threatened Boise State's chances for an at-large slot, with Cincinnati, Texas, the Alabama/Florida loser, and BSU vying for three at-large slots. With Pitt's loss, such controversy was averted. Three more games and still twelve remaining teams.
Alabama and Florida played for the number one seed in the tourney and a Sugar Bowl game, whereas the loser would no doubt receive an at-large slot, maybe as high as the three seed. However, Alabama's performance not only gave them the bounty of the top seed and a trip to New Orleans, but also looked like Florida could fall to fourth seed or lower. Bama gets the top of the bracket; two more games and still twelve remaining teams.
Clemson and Georgia Tech played for the ACC championship. The Tigers gave signs that they might bounce the Jackets and find themselves with the tenth seed and a trip to visit the Pacific Northwest to battle some Ducks. However, the Jackets emerged from their loss to Georgia, which had dropped them from top six seed to first round game land, to win the ACC. Bye Clemson;one more game and eleven remaining teams.
Despite, an offense that could give their punter a permanently sore toe, Nebraska's defense gave them a chance to win the Big 12 title, sending them to a game against Oregon and dropping Iowa from the tourney. And even though Colt McCoy literally almost threw the game away, Texas used the final second of the clock to win the Big 12, grab the number two seed and the Fiesta Bowl bid, and make the Hawkeyes do a happy dance.
Six games, some instant classics, and four teams that will have to wait 'til next year. It was quite a whirlwind!!
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