Wait, I Have to Hate Cinderella Now?

So in "this just in" news, Alabama has been chosen (as expected) to play in the Sugar Bowl on January 2nd.

And their opponents are the Utah Utes.

Let that sink in for a second.

Now that it has, let me reveal a few things about myself. In my egotistical quest for life to be fair, grass to be green, and the world to be fair and just, my favorite conferences in college football to follow are the mid-majors. I have a cousin who goes to Louisiana-Monroe, who play in the Sunbelt Conference and who we had a little bit of an unfortunate encounter with during Homecoming last season. Now, the Sunbelt statistically is the worst conference of the nation, no doubt. After all, the Idaho Vandals infamously had a streak of horrible football seasons in the Sunbelt and actually upgraded to the Western American Conference (the WAC) a few years back. And sadly, yes, they have the only team from Alabama holding a conference title in 1-A college ball this season. (Troy won the title on the heels of a strong 6-1 conference run and an 8-4 overall record. Plus, they almost beat LSU, which would've been the greatest laugh ever had they held on in the fourth quarter.)

Now in the past few years, the mid-major conferences have finally come out with guns blazing in terms of their athletic ability being competitive versus...well, everyone else. Teams like Utah, Boise State, and East Carolina have started to have a history of being very dominating in their own conference, and then putting up a fight versus their BCS-approved opponents. Boise State has a famous bowl win versus Oklahoma back in 2006, and the last time Utah finished 12-0 back in the 2004-2005 season, they beat their bowl opponent. (Mind you, said opponent was then 8-4 Pittsburgh, who lucked in based on winning a shambled Big East.)

Simply put, they've been exciting to watch. Seeing a team that has been mostly unproven versus bigger competition is extremely fascinating because no one ever truly knows how good the squad is. In fact, because they've barely been under the microscope, no one knows much about the team at all. In reference to the Utes, the only thing I could tell you about them is that their coaches appear to simply head to better shores and win national titles in one of the big six conferences. (As in, Urban Meyer was the coach of the 2004 team...and...and I don't need to tell you any more about him.)

Utah and Boise State have almost become my second teams (i.e. the team you cheer for when your favorite team is not playing). Utah's ability to keep producing great football teams because they have a great team spirit about them is an inspiring story. I couldn't tell you a single athlete currently on the Utes football team, and I doubt a cocky ESPN analyst probably could not do it off of the top of his head, either. However, they play consistent football and build and re-build and have gotten back to peaks under coach Kyle Whittingham that they haven't reached since that one guy who coached before Whittingham's appointment during the 2005-2006 season.

As for Boise, they continue to be consistent and shadowy. They usually have to take a Humanitarian Bowl bid, which kind of works since the Humanitarian Bowl is home to their awesome blue turf. In fact, the turf's more recognizable to me than any player in recent Boise State football history. (Yes, even the one who made the cover of NCAA Football 08.) And yet, under coach Chris Peterson, they're always likely the WAC conference champs, always finish with a near-unbeaten (if not unbeaten) record, and always bring on a high-powered offense. I mean, any team that puts 61 points on Fresno State (who doesn't actually suck) is an awe-inspiring mid-major powerhouse. That said, they played no one major and will settle for a home game for their bowl. Kind of disappointing, but they'll probably put up 60 against the unfortunate soul that dares to play on the blue.

So I'm left with a little disappointment. This isn't sadness by any means. I'm not going to kill myself over having to see the young unknown battle the big powerhouse, with the case being that we're the big bad BCS-approved guys. I'm not hurt by cheering the more established program versus the scrappy young guys. Still, I do have a tinge of regret. Honestly BCS, couldn't you let Texas and Utah scrap it out? I'd pay to see some red jersey hit Colt McCoy a few times.

Roll Tide, and sorry Utes. I'm sure you'll be 12-0 next year and I'll just have to cheer for you then.