College Football “Semis” Today

The college football semi-final games are today with top ranked and defending champion, Alabama, which is seeking an amazing 7th crown under current coach Nick Saban, a near two touchdown favorite vs upstart Cincinnati, in the first game, commencing around 4 P.M. Eastern Time.

At night, Georgia is a little more than a touchdown “choice” vs Michigan.

Both ‘Bama, that being the first of 5 crowns they won under legendary coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant (by the way, both Bryant and Saban with their plethora of crowns, if any coach does, are among the few who might deserve the acclaim John Madden received upon his death. Madden won but one title and you would have thought the Pope died. He was a good coach, who lost so many big games and won but one crown. That year when his Raiders finally beat Pittsburgh under their exponentially under publicized, (4-0) in Super Bowls, coach, Chuck Noll, Madden and the Raiders did so vs a depleted Steelers’ team in the AFC title game. That followed a “div” game win vs the Patriots that was frankly largely gained by a  truly questionable penalty on the Pats’ Ray “Sugar Bear” Hamilton) and Cincinnati, who did so in basketball, won crowns 60 years ago, in 1961.

Cincy did so, winning the first of two straight crowns under Ed Jucker, after their great player, Oscar Robertson had graduated and gone on to the NBA, where he had a great career.

Georgia’s lone football title was in 1980 while Michigan’s lone undisputed crown, was in “same calendar” 1948.

I do not think THEY want an all S.E.C. final between Alabama and Georgia for the second time in 5 seasons (Tua Tagovailoa’s heroics led Bama’s 2017 season, comeback title game win), thus since I believe, as most do, that Alabama will win vs Cincinnati, I predict an upset victory by Michigan, vs Georgia.

However, if Cincy somehow upsets ‘Bama, which would surprise, but not completely shock me, I then say Georgia wins and maybe even “covers” vs Michigan.