Alabama, Florida State and Oregon lead the way in both The Associated Press Top 25 poll and the BCS standings, and there is little separating the top three teams, which all boast 8-0 records. In the latest BCS standings, released Sunday, Alabama's BCS average was .9797, Florida State was at .9525, and Oregon was at .9435.
If the season ended today, which two teams would you want to see in the BCS title game?
I would love to see Oregon and Alabama meet in the BCS Championship Game. Although I believe Florida State is the most complete team in college football, I'm fascinated by the prospect of watching the contrasting styles of Oregon and Alabama. The Ducks' fast-paced offense overwhelms opponents with tempo and exploits mismatches in space. Their collective speed and athleticism is breathtaking, and few opponents have been able to keep up. The Crimson Tide, on the other hand, bludgeon opponents with an old-school approach that would make Bear Bryant proud. They dominate the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and rarely deviate from the formula that routinely leads to championships: run the ball, stop the run and win the turnover battle. Their intimidating size and physicality would test the mettle and toughness of the Ducks. This is a matchup that would appeal to both casual and hardcore fans.
I believe the country really wants to see Alabama vs. Oregon for the contrasts they provide. I don't think the comparison is as cut-and-dried as old school vs. new school, but this is the matchup I hear about the most. In my humble opinion, though, the more I see Florida State play, the more I sense it can beat anyone. This looks like a vintage Seminoles team. If ever there were an ideal year to have a playoff, this would be it. The top six teams in the BCS poll could all be considered the best team in the country right now.
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- Chase Goodbread College Football 24/7
Alabama vs. Oregon needs to happen already
Hasn't the college football world waited long enough for Alabama vs. Oregon, a matchup that would put the ultimate clash of styles on display? If we are throwing "most deserving" out of the equation and simply pitting the two best generators of public interest, Florida State would get left out. Oregon's unstoppable force of an offense against the Tide's immovable object of a defense -- immovable for anyone but Johnny Manziel, anyway -- is the stuff of monster movies. The last four BCS title games have featured either the Ducks or the Tide. The time has come for both to reach it in the same year.
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- Mike Huguenin College Football 24/7
Speedy Ducks would inject fun into title game
All things being equal, I would like to see either Alabama-Oregon or Florida State-Oregon. Alabama and Florida State play a similar style on both sides of the ball, not surprising, considering the links between the coaching staffs: Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher is a former Nick Saban assistant, and former Seminoles defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is in his first season after serving as Alabama's secondary coach. Oregon plays a much different style, especially offensively, and the clash in styles -- not to mention culture -- would make for a more entertaining game. West Coast finesse vs. Southern power, if you will.
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- Dan Greenspan College Football 24/7
Alabama vs. Oregon too intriguing to pass up
Alabama and Oregon have been the two best programs in college football over the last five years, two intriguing contrasts in styles producing the same results. The Ducks have done it with tempo and speed, an innovative offense that demands opponents defend every inch of the field. The Crimson Tide have done it with punishing running backs and linebackers, a throwback approach that relies on physical dominance. But the question remains: How would they match up? That one query, along with their sheer dominance in the two premier conferences, makes it the required BCS title game.