Can Wichita State “Shock” the World with an NCAA Tournament Championship?

The best college basketball team isn’t supposed to be a squad from the Missouri Valley conference.  Not when there are major college athletic programs that invest millions of dollars in state of the art facilities and recruit all the potential NBA talent from around the country.  Perhaps that’s why the Wichita State Shockers remain ranked just number 2 in the country, despite being the only undefeated regular season team since 1991!  Yes, their schedule was softer than most major conference basketball teams, but wasn’t Wichita State the Cinderella team of the 2013 NCAA tournament, who shed their number 9 seed and beat both top-ranked Gonzaga and 7^th ranked Ohio State to reach the Final Four? It’s not like the Shockers haven’t played (and beaten) anyone.  So could they actually finish the job this year and win a National Title?

Of course they can.  In fact, they should be coming into this tournament as definite favorites and a number 1 seed!  But that seed really means little once the games begin, especially for title contenders.  All that matters in the next game, and winning it.  And as we have seen over the last four months, the Shockers are really good at doing that.

Railing off 34 wins this season, the team is led by the same core group that performed that tremendous March run last year.  Ron Baker, Cleanthony Early, Fred VanVleet, and Tekele Cotton are each producing over 10 points per game, and have the talent and awareness to beat anyone.  Rebounds and assists are spread out amongst the team who click better than most, even those major conference teams laden with NBA prospects.  What is most inspiring, however, is the their ability to generate turnovers and steals on defense, and their ability to turn those plays into points.  With their defensive fortitude, Wichita State can handle anyone.

But it will definitely be interesting to see how they fare in the tournament.  They haven’t played a nationally ranked team all year, and have yet to really be put to the test.  They’ve hardly even played any close games, especially in the last few months of the season!  What will happen when they face a Duke or a Syracuse or a Florida?  Can they handle the pressure of a tight game?  Will they be able to adapt from playing against teams they can breeze past, or will the tough opponents send the Shockers into, dare I say, shock?

Needless to say, the incredible Final Four run of 2013 should be a major point of strength and experience for this team.  They clearly learned that they could handle anyone, and they still have that burning desire to win, as evidenced by their impressive 34-0 record.  Whether or not they complete the miracle and earn a shocking National Title for Wichita State, the team has competed at the top level for the past 2 seasons and is fully deserving of whatever glory comes their way.  While predicting a champion is always a tough and tricky science, especially with 68 teams to choose from, I think that if there’s a strong bet in this event that will surely have the casual fans rooting for them, it’s Wichita State.  Let’s see if these guys can shock the world once again!

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Is College Football Set For 1 Last BCS Championship Controversy?

 With the NCAA college football season heading down its final stretch, the time has come for preparations for the BCS National Championship match.  2013 is the final year in which there will be a single game that determines the winner, as in 2014 a 4-game playoff will be adopted by the NCAA.  But as it stands, this year could end up being quite controversial, as 5 major national contenders are undefeated and could potentially finish the year as so, leaving one final major controversy in the old BCS system that has plagued the game for so many years.

Right now the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida State Seminoles, Ohio State Buckeyes, Baylor Bears, and the Oregon Ducks have yet to lose a game.  They each have a legitimate case for being the nation’s best team, and yet each is still facing major challenges up ahead.  By the end of the season, which of these teams will still be hanging strong and ready to win a BCS title?  Or will they all lose, opening the floodgates for numerous other team’s faint hopes?  Or will we be facing a final controversy with 3 or 4 teams equally qualified for that title match?

Fortunately, there are countless big games ahead for all these teams, meaning someone will surely slip up.  Baylor has had the softest schedule so far this year and haven’t played a top 25 opponent all season, but are facing a make-or-break section of their schedule ahead.  They face 10^th ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Thursday, and then have games against the Texas Tech Raiders and Oklahoma State Cowboys (both ranked).  Texas also looms large at the end of their season.  I foresee at least one loss for the team that currently has the nation’s best offense.

Another team with a tough road ahead is Alabama, who faces LSU and Auburn in addition to another SEC force should they make the SEC Championship.  If anyone is prepared for such a challenge Alabama surely is, as Nick Saban is vying for his 3^rd straight national title with quarterback AJ McCarron.

Oregon has been a usual national contender in recent years.  With a formidable rushing attack and a strong defense, they have every chance to be in the title game.  Up ahead though will be a major task against Stanford that could decide their fate this weekend, though the rest of their schedule is favorable.

Ohio State has probably the easiest run-in, with their massive rivalry against Michigan looking to be the toughest test.  Ohio State went undefeated last year but was ineligible for the postseason.  Head coach Urban Meyer looks to have righted the ship and could well see this team through to the big match.  However, the soft Big Ten has presented favorable matchups for the Buckeyes and it would be curious to see how they would fare against an Alabama or Oregon.

Lastly, there is Florida State, with freshman quarterback Jameis Winston. The team looks a major force and to me to be the best team in the nation.  They have already passed major tests against Clemson and Miami, though they may have to play Miami once more in the ACC title game and still must play rivals Florida.  Nevertheless, their dominance in those games suggests they can handle another test.

So how will it all play out?  The beauty of college football is that we really don’t know.  Games can always go either way, and chances are some of these losses may even occur against teams not deemed that big of a threat.  However, my money is on a Florida State – Alabama title game, with Alabama’s experience pulling them through.  However, I also have a hunch that the old BCS format will go out with a bang, and that either Ohio State or Oregon could get frustrated and left out.  Either way, it will surely be an interesting final month of college football to determine who plays in that glorious BCS Championship game!

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