Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Texas Football: Do We Really Have to go to a Bowl?
The DMN says it's either the Alamo Bowl or Gator Bowl for the Horns.
Most Texas fans don't even know that the Gator Bowl now has a tie-in with the Big 12 (they're required to take a Big 12 team twice every four years), so it would come as a shock to thousands if the Horns ended up in Jacksonville. And that doesn't even count the thousands of former t-shirt fans that have already dumped their burnt orange and cleared the shelves at every local Academy Sports & Outdoors of all available maroon, in anticipation of the Aggies' trip to San Diego to get their asses kicked by Cal.
Anyway, with the Cotton and Holiday Bowls seemingly out of the picture, let's look at the pros and cons of Texas' potential postseason destinations (keeping in mind that the Dallas Morning News does make mistakes, from time to time)..
Alamo Bowl
Opponent: Iowa (6-6)
Last Trip: Never Been
All-Time Record vs. Iowa: 0-1
Last Meeting: L 55-14 in 1984 Freedom Bowl
Pros: Cheap tickets; Good Tex-Mex; The Alamodome sells beer; An opponent so inferior that complete lack of motivation on the part of Texas players may not be enough to completely kill any chance of victory; Bad taste left from '84 blowout loss might encourage a throng of geezers (or dorks like myself) to attend, in hopes that guys who weren't alive back then might want to exact revenge; Possibility of a football-basketball doubleheader between state's most successful college football program and state's most successful NBA franchise.
Cons: Everything about The Alamodome that doesn't involve it selling beer; driving in San Antonio; A 6-6 opponent; The potential for losing to a 6-6 opponent; Seeing Manu Ginobli's face everywhere; Having to witness Big Ten football live agast a team not named Ohio State or Michigan; Going from "The Grandaddy of the All" to "The Abuelo of them All"; Having to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Gator Bowl
Opponent: Clemson (8-4)
Last Trip: 1974 (L 27-3 v. Auburn)
All-Time Record vs. Clemson: 0-0
Last Meeting: Never Played
Pros: Texas has won two consecutive out-of-state bowl games, and three of its last four; The Horns have yet to lose to a first-time opponent this century (Michigan '04, Ohio State '05, Sam Houston State '06); Florida is supposedly nice this time of year; Opens a potential recruiting pipeline into SEC territory (should also be an easy trip for Texas' prized '07 recruit, and Florida native, John Brantley); Not having to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Cons: Clemson is better than Iowa; Who wants to spend New Year's Eve in Jacksonville?; No Tex-Mex; Clemson's purple uniforms = blech;
The Reality?
West Virginia is going to dominate Rutgers, unless they pull a Texas and decide not to show up for two consecutive games (South Florida upended the Mountaineers last weekend). So it's more than likely off to San Antonio.
Enchliadas, Margaritas, and boring, meaningless football. Oh well, the tickets will be cheap... and plentiful.
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If West Virginia loses to Rutgers on Saturday, Texas (9-3) is Gator Bowl-bound, the sources said. If West Virginia beats Rutgers, the Gator probably will take the Mountaineers.Hmmmm...
Most Texas fans don't even know that the Gator Bowl now has a tie-in with the Big 12 (they're required to take a Big 12 team twice every four years), so it would come as a shock to thousands if the Horns ended up in Jacksonville. And that doesn't even count the thousands of former t-shirt fans that have already dumped their burnt orange and cleared the shelves at every local Academy Sports & Outdoors of all available maroon, in anticipation of the Aggies' trip to San Diego to get their asses kicked by Cal.
Anyway, with the Cotton and Holiday Bowls seemingly out of the picture, let's look at the pros and cons of Texas' potential postseason destinations (keeping in mind that the Dallas Morning News does make mistakes, from time to time)..
Alamo Bowl
Opponent: Iowa (6-6)
Last Trip: Never Been
All-Time Record vs. Iowa: 0-1
Last Meeting: L 55-14 in 1984 Freedom Bowl
Pros: Cheap tickets; Good Tex-Mex; The Alamodome sells beer; An opponent so inferior that complete lack of motivation on the part of Texas players may not be enough to completely kill any chance of victory; Bad taste left from '84 blowout loss might encourage a throng of geezers (or dorks like myself) to attend, in hopes that guys who weren't alive back then might want to exact revenge; Possibility of a football-basketball doubleheader between state's most successful college football program and state's most successful NBA franchise.
Cons: Everything about The Alamodome that doesn't involve it selling beer; driving in San Antonio; A 6-6 opponent; The potential for losing to a 6-6 opponent; Seeing Manu Ginobli's face everywhere; Having to witness Big Ten football live agast a team not named Ohio State or Michigan; Going from "The Grandaddy of the All" to "The Abuelo of them All"; Having to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Gator Bowl
Opponent: Clemson (8-4)
Last Trip: 1974 (L 27-3 v. Auburn)
All-Time Record vs. Clemson: 0-0
Last Meeting: Never Played
Pros: Texas has won two consecutive out-of-state bowl games, and three of its last four; The Horns have yet to lose to a first-time opponent this century (Michigan '04, Ohio State '05, Sam Houston State '06); Florida is supposedly nice this time of year; Opens a potential recruiting pipeline into SEC territory (should also be an easy trip for Texas' prized '07 recruit, and Florida native, John Brantley); Not having to play in the Alamo Bowl.
Cons: Clemson is better than Iowa; Who wants to spend New Year's Eve in Jacksonville?; No Tex-Mex; Clemson's purple uniforms = blech;
The Reality?
West Virginia is going to dominate Rutgers, unless they pull a Texas and decide not to show up for two consecutive games (South Florida upended the Mountaineers last weekend). So it's more than likely off to San Antonio.
Enchliadas, Margaritas, and boring, meaningless football. Oh well, the tickets will be cheap... and plentiful.
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