Throwdowns > Closed

Bigalke said 12/17, 09:41 PM
How soon we all forget the last Cinderella story and resume doubting talented squads from non-BCS conferences...

Hawaii is a great team, indeed the only remaining undefeated team among the 119 FBS schools... and it has not been all powderpuff teams along the way. Dare we forget the last non-BCS darling, Boise State? Yes, Hawaii made it to 12-0 after playing last year's Fiesta Bowl champion over Oklahoma... and that Bronco defense isn't half bad. In fact, Boise State is ranked #23 in total defense, only 1.8 yards more allowed per game than #21 Georgia... and the Broncos keep their opponent's score one point lower on average than do the Bulldogs. Hawaii nearly doubled Boise State's point allowance in a 39-27 victory.

And, lest these stats be dismissed hastily, and it be shown that Georgia is #27 in passing defense and Boise State #38, let it be known that there is a difference of 6.4 yards per game. Boise State averaged 211.6 yards allowed through the air per game... AFTER giving up 495 yards to Colt Brennan in a 40-of-53, 5 touchdown performance. In that game, Brennan proved he was more than simply flash... he drove Hawaii back from a 27-26 deficit to win handily...

Bigalke said 12/18, 03:28 PM
If there is one thing that the crazy results of this season can teach us for future game prediction, it is that one cannot simply look at the talent on either side of the ball to determine the victor. Who has Applachian State played? Few great teams... but the were able to go into the Big House and defeat a highly-touted Michigan squad...

The fact remains that only one team has waded unscathed through the adversity which has plagued so many teams this season: Hawaii. Georgia has proven itself beatable -- South Carolina and Tennessee showed that it was possible. But no one team on the Warriors' schedule has been able to pull off such an upset. Whether in shootouts or tight contests, June Jones' team has found a way to keep filling the win column...

It certainly is possible for Richt's Bulldogs to win the Sugar Bowl... but to blindly guarantee such a victory on paper talent matchups is ludicrous. Hawaii too has speed... a lot. Boise State, a team who knocked off Stoops only last season, could not win against Hawaii. The team who ended the Broncos' winning streak, Washington, couldn't defeat Hawaii. No one has, and to write them off now would be a fatal oversight.

Bigalke said 12/18, 06:11 PM
First, let me respond to some comments by stating that this is a debate forum, not a personal-opinion forum. I personally vote based on who makes the better debate; I hope that everyone strives to do the same...

On that note, let's wrap up rebuttals to my opponent's points, since he has not chosen to refute any of mine.

1. Brennan has been exemplary in leading the Warriors to the Sugar Bowl... and the team didn't even need him for every victory. This team is more than June Jones and Colt Brennan; it has faced the teams set before it, and it has come out the only undefeated team heading into bowl season.

2. Boise State's offense is ranked higher than Georgia in every statistical category. Ian Johnson proved his ability in last year's Fiesta Bowl... and Hawaii held him to 86 yards on 22 carries. Hawaii can play defense.

3. Speed is not the only determinant in whether a team will win. As I argued in the second rebuttal, this season should have awoken us as fans to the fact that talent does not always equal victories. Being faster does not mean being better... or Justin Gatlin and Asafa Powell would dominate college football.

Declaring a victory, based only on paper, is foolhardy.