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Congratulations to the Utes on a second BCS victory. It was both improbable and impressive that they were able to take full advantage of all the breaks they got this season, which is precisely the point of this thread--to point out each wave in the perfect storm which allowed them to accomplish what they did. Perhaps this is merely my version of sour grapes, but it is undeniable, I think, that it takes a perfect set of circumstances for a non-BCS school to go undefeated and win a BCS game. Here are the first few that came to mind:
1) Away game at Michigan in a year when Michigan hires a coach whose offensive philosophy differs 180 degrees from that of every coach in the program's past. If Lloyd Carr returns, or even if Michigan hires a coach who uses a more traditional offense, Utah probably loses their season opener. But the combination of Rodriguez's offense and Carr's athletes proved beneficial to the Utes.
2) Home games against BYU and TCU. This is a circumstance which comes along every other year, but an away game at TCU this year would have resulted in a Utah loss.
3) Landing Alabama in their BCS game. The fact that it was Alabama wasn't as important as the fact that it was the team who had just lost their chance at a national title. You might say such an assertion is hindsight, but I am on record saying that Alabama would come out flat and disappointed at playing in a non national championship BCS game.
Others?
1) Away game at Michigan in a year when Michigan hires a coach whose offensive philosophy differs 180 degrees from that of every coach in the program's past. If Lloyd Carr returns, or even if Michigan hires a coach who uses a more traditional offense, Utah probably loses their season opener. But the combination of Rodriguez's offense and Carr's athletes proved beneficial to the Utes.
2) Home games against BYU and TCU. This is a circumstance which comes along every other year, but an away game at TCU this year would have resulted in a Utah loss.
3) Landing Alabama in their BCS game. The fact that it was Alabama wasn't as important as the fact that it was the team who had just lost their chance at a national title. You might say such an assertion is hindsight, but I am on record saying that Alabama would come out flat and disappointed at playing in a non national championship BCS game.
Others?
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