By Staff
The Southeastern Conference and the Florida Gators have done it again. With their 24-14 win Thursday in the Fed Ex BCS National Championship game in Miami, the Gators proved that they are the dominant team in the ranks of college football.
Already having won a national championship two years ago in 2006 over Ohio State, the Gators grabbed another one under Urban Meyer Thursday night.
While this may be the second national championship for the Gators in three years, this was the third national championship for the SEC in three tries.
The last time this great achievement was accomplished was back in 1980 when the Georgia Bulldogs won the national championship. Prior to the Bulldogs winning in 1980, Alabama had won national championships under Bear Bryant in 1978 and 1979.
That was 29 years ago, so you can tell how hard it is to do, but the SEC did it.
Florida won the national championship in 2007 (2006 season) and LSU won it last year.
This just proves once again that the SEC is the best conference in college football.
The BCS began in 1998. Since it began 11 years ago, the SEC holds five national championships to lead all conferences.
The Pac-10 and Big 12 each followed with two each followed by one each from the ACC, Big East, and Big 10.
The reason there is 12 national championships in only 11 seasons is in 2003, LSU and USC won the titles.
LSU, Florida and USC are all tied with two national championships during that time followed by Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, Texas, Miami, and Ohio State with one each.
With all that being said, the SEC is a perfect 5-0 in BCS games followed by the Big 12 at 2-3, the Pac-10 at 1-1, the Big 10 at 1-2 and the Big East at 1-2. The ACC joins the Big 10 and the Big East in going 1-2.
All in all, the SEC is just the best conference in football hands down. This season, the SEC finished 6-2 this season with the only teams suffering losses being South Carolina and Alabama. Florida, Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Kentucky and LSU all picked up wins.
The Pac-10 went 5-0 and the only other team sending as close or as many teams to bowl games was the ACC and they went 2-6 in their games.
Just a little side note, I went an embarrassing 17-of-34 for 309 points and a fourth place finish out of six people in our Yahoo! Bowl Pickem group. (At least I got half of them! There is always next year!)
And if the predictions that's I have already been seeing and reading are correct, the SEC will show its dominance again next year.
Experts, non experts, ESPN people, and other media that I have saw say that Tim Tebow will return for his senior season with the Gators and defeat Alabama in the SEC championship game again and win a second straight and third ring in four seasons next season.
Not only will Florida add to their winnings, but so will Tebow as he will get his third ring and second Heisman trophy.
We will just have to wait until next season to see if all that will come true, but there is one thing you can tip your hat to and mark down for next season, the national championship will come from the SEC.
On a different note, in baseball, longtime Atlanta Braves starting and relief pitcher John Smoltz has left the Braves and joined the Boston Red Sox.
It will sure be strange seeing old “Smoltzy” in a Boston Red Sox jersey or any jersey for that matter other than a Braves jersey (but it wont hurt my feelings at all).
Smoltz played for the Braves all 21 seasons that he has been in the major leagues. He will get a guaranteed $5 millions dollars for one season and the possibility to earn another $5 millions in performance bonuses.
He is the only pitcher in baseball history with 200 wins and 150 saves and has pitched for the Braves since 1988 and is 41 years old.
On a more local note, I want to wish all our area teams the best of luck in their games this week. Come out to the T.R. Miller gym Tuesday and watch some basketball action as T.R. Miller will host W.S. Neal.
Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. with the two B teams facing off against each other and the girls and boys to follow.
This will be the last time the two teams will face off against each other this season.
Until we meet again here or out in the world of sports, God bless.