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The Odyssey is intrigued by a bunch of oddities heading into Monday night’s showdown in Houston:

In the wake of Michigan’s Rose Bowl thriller over Alabama, Maize & Blue faithful could sit back and watch the Sugar Bowl game with some bemusement.  Regardless as to who won, UM would have a 2024 rematch in the regular season (Check out Michigan’s 2024 schedule – BRUTAL!!)

One of the most underhyped games of 2023 involved Washington’s visit to Arizona on September 30.  The 2023 Washington and Arizona squads have played a total of 27 games.  The only game that either team lost in regulation was in Tucson as UW prevailed 31-24.

UW’s winning streak of 21 games is remarkable.  Even more remarkable is that their last 10 victories have all come by 10 points or less.  The Huskies have been Cardiac Kids in a Pac 12 that was the best conference in 2023 (Sorry, SEC).  UW has won 3 straight victories in 2022-23 over Oregon.  That the Huskies easily could have lost all 3 to the Ducks reflects the game day acumen of Kalen DeBoer (and/or deficiencies of Dan Lanning).

The Huskies were 9.5 point underdogs to an Oregon team they had already beat in the Pac12 championship game.  This lack of respect was due, in part, to underwhelming victories over Stanford and Arizona State.  How could an offensive machine like the Huskies not score an offensive TD against the Sun Devils?? One of the most mind-boggling stats of 2023.

When Michigan blew up Alabama’s 4th and goal from the 3, one element was amazing.  Right tackle JC Latham was pushed back by Josaiah Stewart to help trip Jalen Milroe on the game’s final play.  How does this happen when Latham has a 100-pound advantage over Stewart?

UW’s starting QB, Michael Penix, already has experience in beating UM.  As the Indiana QB, the Hoosiers cruised past Michigan, 38-21, during the Wolverines’ sorrowful 2-4 campaign in 2020  –  a season so bleak that the highlight for the Maize and Blue was their COVID cancellation of their game in Columbus.  Penix’s triumph was even more noteworthy in that the IU triumph was the first over UM since 1987.

With so many weird facts, the Odyssey will not be surprised if more surprises emerge in Houston.

Paradise is a sunny January 1 day in the shadows of the San Gabriel Mountains.  The Rose Bowl is not “just another bowl venue” as the Paul Finebaums of the world erroneously spout.  The Rose Bowl is the unique college football mecca which towers over any other venue in the USA.  All right, almost paradise if you park on the golf course, which doubles as the main Rose Bowl parking lot, and have to get somewhere soon after the game, good luck!

The Michigan-Alabama game was the 18th Rose Bowl attended by the Odyssey, with the first coming 52 years ago when another undefeated Michigan team stumbled against a plucky Stanford squad.

From an “x’s and o’s” standpoint, there were 2 interesting elements which would seemingly determine the outcome, one favoring Michigan and the other favoring the Crimson Tide.

ADVANTAGE ALABAMA;  Michigan has a solid group of receivers but no bona fide deep threat.  The strength of Alabama’s defense is their backfield.  They have a Corner named Kool Aid who lives up to the name.  They have a Freshman superstar in Safety Caleb Downs.  Among others.

ADVANTAGE MICHIGAN:  Alabama’s offensive line was, generously, mediocre in the early part of 2023 — especially in that sh*tshow at South Florida.  Their improvement was significant but they would be severely tested against arguably the best defensive line in the country.

Thanks to some creative play calling, the Maize and Blue wound up with 221 yards passing, blunting Alabama’s biggest edge.  Blake Corum caught 2 key passes out of his running back position.  JJ McCarthy made a spectacular catch (!!!) to set up a double pass.  Bottom line:  Michigan was forced to scheme for key passing yardage and did so successfully.

Alabama’s offensive line failed in multiple regards.  Jalen Milroe was sacked 5 times —in the first half!  The Tide’s offense was limited to 288 yards, their second lowest output in the playoff era.  Alabama’s center, who will go mercifully unnamed, was the clear LVP (“Least Valuable Player”)  of the game with numerous bad snaps to Milroe.

BOTTOM LINE:  Michigan better utilized its advantage than did the Tide.

For the Maize & Blue, the Rose Bowl win was sweet on numerous levels.  26 years had passed since the last UM victory in Pasadena.  Jim Harbaugh was the QB for Michigan in a 1987 Rose Bowl loss to Arizona State so the 12th hour heroics must have been extra sweet for Harbaugh.   In Michigan’s 2 previous losses to Saban-led Alabama, neither loss to the GOAT was very competitive.

Michigan had 2 pieces of uncharacteristic pieces of good luck in a venue that often had proved to be their chamber of horrors.  Their 2nd muffed punt of the game in regulation’s final minute came oh so close to gifting Bama with a game-winning safety. In Michigan’s game-tying drive, a key pass was completed despite being deflected by an Alabama linebacker.

The Odyssey will enjoy the national title tilt against Washington.  We do hope that the absence of an SEC team does not cause any Southerners to seek therapy.  Excuse us for not waiting to tune in Finebaum later today.  The dual hater of Harbaugh and UM had predicted a decisive victory for the Tide.  Should be a lot of fun to listen in to hear comments from “the mouth of the South” and his #1 caller, Legend!

Bowl season does not mean a lot for most of the participating squads.  Especially when there are massive opt outs in certain cases.

USC was one of those teams that had large numbers (20 or so) say NO to San Diego’s Holiday Bowl tilt against Louisville.  Seemingly, this was just the latest bit of bad news for a program that had been deluged with recent downers.  The Trojans, picked by some to reach the playoffs, dropped 5 games (and were quite fortunate not to drop a 6th against Cal and a 7th against Arizona).  The shine had totally gone off the hire of Lincoln Riley.  Fans fumed, “Would the guy ever field a squad with a half-decent defense?”

A few weeks ago, 5-star Freshman Malachi Nelson made one of the more head-scratching transfer portal announcements.  Nelson appeared to be the heir apparent to the coveted QB job.  (Riley may not know a thing about defense but his offenses have always been smoking hot).  Even more curious, Nelson was a local guy, prepping at Los Alamitos High School.  Was he fishing for more money?  Quite possibly.

After all this gloom and doom,  the Holiday Bowl provided a shockingly magic elixir for Trojan faithful.  Third-year backup, Miller Moss, came off the bench to throw for 6 TD’s and 372 yards, setting a USC bowl record for TD passes.  The Trojans, who had shown of the heart of the Tin Man during the regular season, played with lots of energy.

Suddenly, the Trojans have a star QB to replace Heisman Winner Caleb Williams.  Suddenly, the talk of KSU QB Will Howard transferring to Los Angeles does not seem at all urgent.  Maybe Malachi Nelson knew that he was far from a lock for QB1 on Figueroa Avenue in 2024.

Suddenly, the arc of the USC program has been dramatically altered.  All due to a “throw away” bowl.

The term “GU” often comes up in the dating realm.  A potential boyfriend/girlfriend may have a lot of potential but if they are GU (geographically undesirable), the relationship  may never get off the ground.

Mike Leach is the coaching king of GU status.  His head coaching stints:  Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi state

For college football fans, some FBS venues are VERY GU.  Based on the Odyssey’s extensive travels, we offer the fifteen venues that are GU among FBS programs, with #1 being the most GU.

1. Louisiana Monroe
2. Louisiana Tech
3. Penn State
4. Clemson
5. Arkansas
6. Southern Miss
7. Utah State
8. Texas Tech
9. Virginia Tech
10. Washington State
11. Georgia Southern
12. Kansas State
13. Arkansas State
14. Mississippi State
15. Louisiana Lafayette      The Odyssey bows down to any fan who has watched a game at more than two of these venues

The Odyssey proudly attended four (!) of these venues in 2023.  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

I thought (mistakenly, as it turns out) that the hubbub about the CFP Selections would have died down by now:  But, NO!

Yesterday, at the bridge table, I heard another dark comment about Alabama’s inclusion.

Let’s put this to rest with a few simple statements.  Depending on your selection criteria, the choices were clear:

If resume based, Florida State deserves to be in.  That means Texas is also in based on its triumph in Tuscaloosa.  Simple!

If based on best 4 teams, Alabama deserves to be in, despite its near calamity at War Eagle.  The Tide beat the #1 team, in its home state, for the SEC title.  If Alabama were to face a Florida State team today without Jordan Travis, the Tide would be roughly a touchdown favorite.  Still pretty simple!  If Alabama is in, Texas is in.

One fact that should be mentioned MORE.  Every college football fan should want elite teams to play elite schedules.  Certainly, ESPN and Fox should also crave that.  For example, Michigan fans can be  excused for not paying any attention to the Wolverines until Game 10.  Alabama could have scheduled Cupcake U instead of Texas.  In which case, Alabama would be undefeated today.  In a close case, Roll Tide should not be punished for scheduling Longhorn U.

Last, the Odyssey does not want Donald Trump going around the Country saying “FAKE CHAMPION, FAKE CHAMPION” if the SEC were excluded.  The CFP without a decent SEC champ is like:

Cain without Abel

Laurel without Hardy

Romeo without Juliet

Tinker without either Evers or Chance

Taylor Swift without Travis Kelce

You get the idea! (Plus, Las Vegas has the wrong team favored in the upcoming Rose Bowl tilt)

Florida State fans and the talking heads on the ACC Network are 100% aligned on one topic:  The undefeated Seminoles got royally shafted!  FSU was supplanted by Jesus Christ II and Jesus Christ III:  Nick Saban and the SEC.  You can decide who deserves the II and the III.

ESPN’s Gameday last Saturday provided a platform for Greg Sankey to pitch the virtues of the SEC:  “It Only Means More” and a reference to “Sesame Street” etc.  Sankey was lobbying for 2 SEC teams in the Final Four.  Sankey’s podium was not coincidental as the SEC is one of the big money spinners for Disney’s ESPN.

When Florida State got pushed aside, we reflected on the ACC’s record against the SEC in 2023:  6-4.  Sankey did not mention that.  Nor that the Seminoles had triumphed over 2 traditional SEC powers in LSU and Florida (neither in Tallahassee).  Hmmmm.  Who was the head of the 13-person committee who anointed Alabama as #4:  None other than the Athletic Director of North Carolina State: Boo Corrigan.  To FSU faithful, his first name is so apropos:  BOO!!!

Nobody from the ACC was politicking on Gameday or Fox.  A big mistake?  North Carolina State had drawn the ire of Florida State earlier in 2023.  For a period, four schools had effectively blocked the addition of Stanford, SMU and Cal into the ACC.  The objecting quartet:  FSU, Clemson, North Carolina and North Carolina State.  FSU’s prior objections about the ACC not having enough “upper tier pedigree” would be aggravated by the potential addition of these 3 schools.  Stanford and SMU cannot draw flies to their games with Cal only marginally better.   Objections also seemed justified on geographics.

However, the ACC execs kept at it.  The honchos were horrified by the inexplicable demise of the Pac 12 and wanted reinforcements.  Plus, the new trio were willing to take a financial haircut so that the existing 14 members could annually make a few more million apiece in the near term.  Eventually, North Carolina State flipped its vote, resulting in enough ayes to produce an unwieldy 17-team conference.

So, NC State is clearly not on FSU’s Christmas card list.  The Odyssey remembers one of the most shocking upsets in Florida State history.  FSU’s first decade in the ACC resulted in the Noles running roughshod over the ACC.  One of the very few exceptions was a 1998 night in Raleigh.  FSU was favored by 25 points.  The spread seemed justified when the Seminoles quickly scored a touchdown.  The balance of the game morphed into an interception-marred nightmare for Florida State.  Final score:  NC State 24, FSU 7.

Massive irony presents itself in FSU’s current massive discontent with NC State and the ACC, in general.   None other than their icon, Bobby Bowden, rejected the idea of FSU joining the SEC 30+ years ago when the door was open.  Bowden wanted an easier path.

When Ohio State loses 3 in a row to TTUN, craziness results.

Example:  Ohio State loses 3 straight to Bo in 1976-78.  Woody, always on the brink, goes totally haywire.  This provides some explanation as to why he slugged Clemson’s Charlie Bauman in the Gator Bowl after Bauman’s interception.  The third loss drove Woody terminally insane.  Any competent defense lawyer would have got Woody off from potential assault charges due to the insanity plea.

Fast forward to 2023.  Ohio State, with better talent, has lost 3 straight to TTUN.  By entering the transfer portal, the Buckeyes’ starting QB, Kyle McCord, has just abandoned ship from one of the very most glamourous positions in college football:  Ohio State QB.  Why this position is almost as sought as the OSU trombone player who gets to dot the “i.”  Either Mc Cord clearly did not have a 100% vote of approval from the coaching staff or he wanted to get the hell away from deranged Buckeye faithful.

The Odyssey had a weird thought in the light of his surprising announcement.  Suppose JJ McCarthy goes pro.  Further suppose that the Wolverines think that their coveted Class of 2024 recruit, Jadyn Davis, will not be quite ready to take the reins in 2024.  McCord transfers to, GASP, the Darth Vader of the entire Ohio State universe.  McCord leads the Maize and Blue to victory in Columbus.  Wouldn’t that be the all-time topper in the current bizarro world of college football?

While hilarious, the Odyssey certainly wishes this set of possibilities does not come to pass.  There are already enough mental health issues in Columbus.

Massive domestic turbulence in the South has been avoided this afternoon.  Thank God!

The Montgomery Alabama police can stand down.  Whew!

If the SEC champion, Alabama, had been snubbed, as many predicted, chaos in the Confederacy might have resurfaced 158 years after Appomattox.  The great, great, great, great, great grandson of Jefferson Davis was prepared to do what Jefferson Davis in 1861 on the steps of the Montgomery capitol.   Crowds had been amassing in Montgomery this morning.  If Alabama had been snubbed, the TIDE to again secede from the union would have been strong.  How could the vaunted, dominant SEC ever be shut out of the playoff was the mantra of the growing Sunday crowd in Montgomery.

America has already become polarized.  The Odyssey is truly thankful that a potential crisis of unknown proportion has been avoided.  Double whew!

An integral part of college football is the passion of its fans.

A great example is Ohio State uber fan Nique Dennis.  Go to youtube.com and search for “Nique Dennis Ohio State-Michigan” after THE game each of the past 2 years.  I guarantee you will not be disappointed in his podcasts.

Saturday night in the ATL marked the Odyssey’s first Georgia-Georgia Tech tilt.  One shocking episode occurred before opening kick.  I was wearing a Michigan hat to celebrate the Maize and Blue’s 3rd straight win over the Buckeyes.  Security only let me enter after I was the victim of an invasive body search and had to  check my cell phone with security.

“Would I be so obvious if I was trying to steal Georgia’s signs?” I heatedly complained.  “And why would Georgia Tech care?  They ain’t going to the playoff!”  This whole sign stealing saga was getting out of hand.  First, stealing signs is as American as apple pie.  Second, Ryan Day has no more excuses.  Day could always say that Buckeye drubbings of 2021 and 2022 were entirely due to Connor Stalions and his evil confederates.   What now?  The Odyssey is only guessing that the Buckeyes changed their signals.  What was interesting was that Day cut his post-game press conference short.  While we can understand his pain, rumors surfaced that his next act was to call Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz to give him the lowdown on the signals used by The Team Up North.

Can we please get back to football and stop talk about about how deep the conspiracy goes in Ann Arbor?

Please!!  Georgia’s winning streak was extended to 29 (and its regular season streak extended to 39 as its last loss was to Bama in the 2021 SEC championship game).  But the Peach State’s rivalry game was not a walk in the park for the Bulldogs.  Tech actually held a lead of 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, fueled by an early pick that led to their touchdown. Georgia reasserted control with 252 rushing yards.  Tech’s run defense has been a major issue all year for the Yellow Jackets.

In a year of coaching blunders, Kirby Smart committed a felony up 31-16 with 10 minutes to go.  With third and goal  at the GT5, a chip shot field goal would have made for a 3-possession game.  Inexplicably, Carson Beck threw a pass that was picked off.  Tech marched down the field behind the very capable hands of QB Haynes King to make it a very interesting 31-23 affair.  Tech’s onside kick was recovered by the Dawgs.  A couple first downs salted away the game for the hometown Bulldogs.

Oh, wait, did I say hometown?  Well, it seemed like it as about 70% of the fans were dressed out in red. The prevalence of support for the road team reminded me of Kansas State home games against Big Red in the pre-Bill Snyder days where woeful KSU teams had to contend with hordes crossing the state line to root on their beloved Huskers.

Georgia seemed human Saturday night.  The Dawgs had no semblance of a pass rush and surrendered more than 200 yards on the ground.  Now, Georgia Tech is not chopped liver and is clearly on the rise under Brent Key (thank God, GT showed Geoff Collins the door in 2022!).  Even if we factor in the notable absence of super duper receivers, Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey,  the idea of Georgia being unbeatable was Ludacris, a faint shadow of the squad that looked invulnerable in blowouts of Ole Miss, Tennessee and Kentucky (Ludacris was on stage for a pre-game concert).

So beatable that the Odyssey has changed its opinion of the playoff winner.  Our current choice is not even ranked in the top 4:  Oregon!