ShareThisThrow out the record books?
If you're talking about the Iron Bowl, you'd have to be at least three-quarters out of your mind to think records have no bearing on the annual showdown between Alabama and Auburn.
Maybe the fierce nature of the rivalry, the passion of players and fans, caused someone to coin the phrase, even though, for the most part, it's a misconception.
Over the past 50 years, the team with the best record has won 38 Iron Bowls and lost nine. That's a winning percentage of .775, hardly enough reason to throw the record books out the window. In fact, it's a pretty good reason to hang on to them.
Friday's 2009 Iron Bowl is no exception. Alabama's 11-0; Auburn, 7-4.
If you want to look further, consider Alabama's motivation beyond beating its in-state rival.
Nick Saban's Crimson Tide are on a national championship mission. They can't afford a loss to Auburn, even if they beat Florida in the SEC championship game Saturday, Dec. 5. Not with three unbeatens -- No. 4 TCU, No. 5 Boise State and No. 6 Cincinnati -- breathing down their back.
Add purpose and perfection to the passion -- oh, and let's not forget the top-ranked defense in the land -- and it all points to a resounding Alabama victory, Jordan-Hare Stadium notwithstanding.
As for the Backyard Brawl between No. 9 Pittsburgh and West Virginia Friday night in Morgantown, go ahead, toss out the record books.
Pittsburgh is 9-1; West Virginia, 7-3.
They've both beaten conference opponents Connecticut and Syracuse by relatively close margins. Pitt beat Louisville, 35-10, on the road, and West Virginia beat the Cardinals, 17-9, at home.
Their real Big East separation game involved South Florida. Pitt routed the Bulls, 41-14, at home; West Virginia lost, 30-19, in Tampa.
Not enough to convince you the Panthers have the upper hand in the Backyard Brawl?
Consider this: Pittsburgh's three primary playmakers -- quarterback Bill Stull, running back Dion Lewis and wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin -- are a notch above their West Virginia counterparts - Jarrett Brown, Noel Devine and Jack Sanders.
If that doesn't tip the scales enough in Pitt's favor, perhaps some defensive stats will.
Pitt ranks 21st overall, yielding an average of 17.6 points and 314.7 yards per game. West Virginia is 44th (21.2 points and 341.7 yards per game). Also, the Panthers' turnover margin is plus one; West Virginia's is minus .30.
Everything in the 2009 record books seems to point to a Pittsburgh victory in Morgantown. But everything isn't always what it seems, especially in college football. Which is why the oddsmakers see this one as a even and why The Unbalanced Line is calling for a West Virginia victory by a field goal.
The Florida-Florida State rivalry is a different story. It's everything it appears to be: An unbeaten SEC powerhouse versus a 6-5 ACC weakling that has little to no chance of even making it a game.
Whoever would have thought the once mighty Seminoles would be reduced to celebrating a 3-point victory at home over 2-9 Maryland? Maybe the same people who thought they'd live to see the day Stanford would be a double-digit favorite (10 points) over Notre Dame.
For the most part, rivalry weekend features some pretty lackluster in-state affairs.
Georgia could make its battle with Georgia Tech in Atlanta interesting, if it can slow the Yellow Jackets' option rushing attack (314 ypg). So far, Miami is the only team that's been able to, holding the Jackets to 95 yards on the ground.
Oklahoma and No. 12 Oklahoma State have lost so much star power -- Sooners Heisman-winning quarterback Sam Bradford and receiver Jermaine Gresham and Cowboy receiver Dez Bryant, to name a few -- does anybody outside the Sooner State really care who wins this edition of Bedlam?
Nebraska (8-3) and Colorado (3-8) didn't have any star power to begin with, so add Friday's game in Boulder to the lackluster lineup.
After No. 3 Texas, the rest of the Big 12 ranks right down there with the ACC. Which is probably why nobody is even talking about Oklahoma State's at-large BCS bowl possibilities.
It's all about No. 11 Iowa and No. 13 Penn State. And since the prospective TV viewing audience weighs so heavily in the decision, why wouldn't it be?
Now that Southern Cal (7-3) has finally taken a step back, the USC-UCLA game Saturday actually has an inkling of interest.
Don't throw out the record books too quickly... The Bruins have lost nine of the last 10 in the rivalry. It's probably a bit premature to expect a reversal of fortune.
(Contact John Tucker at jtucker(at)unionleader.com)
(E-mail John Tucker at jtucker(at)unionleader.com)
columnUNBALANCED LINEMust credit New Hampshire Union LeaderColumn
