COTTRELL COLUMN: Texas Tech win shows off parity

Saturday night was one of those nights that showcases what is truly beautiful about college football as we now know it.

Sixth-ranked Texas Tech took on top-ranked Texas in front of a packed house of rabid fans and came away with a huge, dramatic win, propelling the perpetual also-ran right into the midst of the BCS conversation.

This was the kind of game that never would’ve happened 10 years ago, and not just because the spread
offense didn’t entirely exist yet.

The proliferation of the spread, and other factors I’ve outlined a thousand times, have all combined to give teams like the Red Raiders a fighting chance against their big brother schools like the Longhorns.

So when you take an innovative, quirky coach, get a couple of big-time playmakers like quarterback Graham Harrell and wide receiver Michael Crabtree and sprinkle in an insane crowd, you get what we saw Saturday night.

From top to bottom, Texas Tech is not as talented as Texas. They’re probably not as talented as anyone in the top seven of the current BCS standings.

But the brave new world we now live in gives teams like Texas Tech a chance to shine, and that’s something to be happy about.

You’re going where?
The overall mediocrity of virtually every conference not named the Big 12 could produce some truly strange bowl matchups this season.

Considering the SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten will most likely all get at-large bids to BCS bowls, it will leave some pretty questionable teams in some high-profile bowl games.

A good example might be the Outback Bowl, where we could see a matchup along the lines of South Carolina vs. Northwestern.

Bored yet? I’ve got more.

Another New Year’s bowl game in Florida, the Gator Bowl, will be stuck with whoever comes out of the quagmires in the Big East and ACC, although they have the option of picking Notre Dame.

They’ll probably do that, but it doesn’t make it any better.

So there you could see something like Florida State vs. either Pittsburgh or Notre Dame.

Yawn.

But perhaps no conference will come out smelling like roses so much as the Big 12, which will send Oklahoma State, Missouri and one of the
Texas/Texas Tech/Oklahoma troika to massacre overmatched opponents from the SEC, Pac-10 and Big Ten in the Cotton, Holiday and
Alamo bowls.

Basically, I’m just warning you right now that your New Year’s Day bowl-viewing plans — and virtually all the bowls, for that matter — could be a bit on the boring side.

That’s what I’m here for.

Coaching carousel
With Clemson and Washington having already fired Tommy Bowden and Tyrone Willingham, respectively, and Syracuse having already hired a coaching search firm despite not firing Greg Robinson yet, the old season of coaching changes is starting up.

Tennessee’s Phil Fulmer is now gone, as he and the school reached a “mutual agreement” Monday. And that could set off a huge domino effect throughout the college ranks.

But an interesting situation to watch may be Penn State.

While he’s saying he’ll coach next year, if Joe Paterno does elect to finally call it quits this year there’s no telling where the chips may wind up falling.

Rutgers’ Greg Schiano and Temple’s Al Golden have been mentioned as candidates in the past — I’d say it’s safe to say Schiano has moved down the list this season — but if the Nittany Lions don’t promote from within they could have virtually anyone.

Another interesting offseason could be on the horizon.

Tim Cottrell is sports designer of the Opelika-Auburn News. He will write a weekly column on college football during the season. You can also read him on the O-A Sports Blog at oanow.com. He can be reached at 737-2511 or tcottrell@oanow.com.