Random Thoughts From Around the Country: Bonus Chaos

Michigan State 34 Ohio State 24

If you have had the misfortune of conversing with an Ohio State fan in the past several months - which is highly likely since everyone who graduates from OSU gets the bleep out of Ohio as fast as they can and moves down South to annoy us - then the subject of the Buckeyes' 24-game winning streak has probably come up a time or two. My counter to them has always been that it is thanks to the fact that they had lame schedules and did not have to play in the B1GCG or a bowl game last season which would've been their toughest games in the past 24 months. Well now they have played in the B1GCG and all the OSU fans are nowhere to be found.

Let's take a look back at this forgettable run and the cupcakes that were devoured:

* 2012 rankings are based on the final AP Poll. 2013 rankings are based on polls as of today (12/11/13).

Running back Carlos Hyde, leading receiver Corey Brown, and 4 of the 5 starting OL are seniors. If Braxton Miller opts for the NFL, 2014 might be a rocky road for Urban Meyer's offense.

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Git outta mah way, boy. (Richard Rowe-USA TODAY Sports)

Oklahoma 33 Oklahoma State 32

They don't call it "Bedlam" for nothing. Despite being a ten point home favorite, the Cowpokes managed to let big brother get the best of them for the second year in a row knocking them out of a BCS bowl. The Sooners have won the Bedlam Series ten of the last eleven times.

Mike Gundy is no longer 40. He's 46 and seems to be at a crossroad. Granted he's winning (41-10 in the past 4 seasons and 77–37 overall) and going to bowl games, but is that enough for a man as driven as he is?

Gundy was born and raised in the Oklahoma City suburbs and had four years of glory at OSU in the 1980s as the quarterback in front of Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders. He spent a total of 10 years in two stints in Stillwater as an assistant coach before being elevated to the head coaching job where he has been the last nine years.

Might some bigger program like, oh, I don't know... Texas for instance (see below) come to woo him away? More so, is he man enough to cut the apron strings?

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Oh no you don't! (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

Bowling Green 47 Northern Illinois 27

Bowling Green gets RTFATC'S Non-AQ Team of the Week for upsetting #14 Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship Game which ended the Huskies perfect season and a chance to play in a BCS bowl.

Every year there seems to be a team from one of these smaller conferences that certain trolls with national press credentials want to shove down our throats. Thank you Falcons for straightening out the cosmic balance.

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The Austin soap opera is heating up.

The University of Texas Board of Regents has a meeting planned for Thursday to discuss the future of President Bill Powers. The ripple effect could certainly involve the employment status of one Mack Brown. Brown is adamant that he will not resign and plans on staying in Austin until they call the National Guard.

You may recall that earlier this year 112-year old Texas AD DeLoss Dodds also refuted reports that he would be retiring yet his days are numbered. Somebody is not happy in Austin.

The rumors of Nick Saban to Texas are heating up again and whipping some fans into a frenzy.

What Bevo does not seem to realize is that Alabama alumni and boosters have DEEP pockets. Some may look down on us as a bunch of rednecks in trailer parks but they would be mistaken. Along with the University, they will do whatever it takes to keep Saban at the Capstone. U of A Chancellor Robert Witt said it himself that hiring Saban was "the best financial investment" the university ever made. He is not going to let that get away.

There are reports that Alabama is in negotiations with Saban for a contract extension that would be in the $7 million-per-year range.

It would not surprise me if Saban stays head coach at Bama three to four more years and perhaps take over AD for Bill Battle (age 72).

Or maybe he and Miss Terry will just retire to Lake Burton.

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Threematch

What if there had been a four team playoff this season? As it looks now, we would have an Iron Bowl rematch. Had UGA been undefeated going into the SEC Championship Game last season, you would be hard pressed to deny them a top 4 spot.

Many folks have posited that there could be two or even three SEC teams in the Final Four. Obviously, this ups the chance of a rematch. It is not unprecedented but what if...

Let's imagine that a team from the SEC East and a team from the SEC West split a regular season game and the SEC Championship Game in close hard-fought games that fall in the category of "instant classics". With these two teams clearly being the two best in the nation, could we see a "threematch"?

I think this would make Jim Delany's head explode.

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For you College Football junkies out there, do NOT despair! There will be CFB this Saturday.

Army Black Knights (3-8) vs. Navy Midshipmen (7-4) 2PM CT / 3PM ET CBS
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo took over for Paul Johnson after he left for Georgia Tech keeping the triple option offense intact. He has also kept the winning ways going in Annapolis. It might surprise you to know that Navy has had only one losing season in the last eleven. The Middies have won eleven straight in the series. Navy leads 57–49–7.

QB Keenan Reynolds has passed for 1,028 yards 7 TDs and ran for 1,124 yards 26 TDs.

Army has not been able to duplicate their rival's success going 8-27 over the last 3 seasons and only one winning season of 7-6 (2010) since 1996.