The Orginal House of Late Season Match Ups

There is a lot of talk about this weekend's game that pits No. 2 Michigan against THE No. 1 Ohio State. I would love to see Michigan win, but I feel that Ohio State is just too powerful. On the other hand, it would be silly to ignore the bandwagon theory here. That is if everyone is jumping on the bandwagon for one team in a big game, there is a good chance that the other team ends up winning--causing the entire sports world to uncontrollably wag its tails for the next three weeks while sports writers every where make knee-jerk assumptions about the ramifications. Some good examples of this is last years West Virginia/Georgia Sugar Bowl game, the '97/'98 Super Bowl where Broncos beat the Packers, and when the Miami Heat won three in a row, but still lost to the Mavs in the finals in 2006....wait. Forget that last one.

Anyways, the thing I wanted to bring up (in the biggest homer call I have made on this site) is that everyone is making a huge deal about how a number 1 team and number two team never meet this late in the season. But wait, it does happen. Not often, but every now and then a gem of game comes along, and I wanted to use this as an opportunity to refresh some memories that in 1935 the number 1 ranked SMU Mustangs defeated the number 2 ranked TCU Horned Frogs on their way to their first National Championship. It was called the "The Game of the Century" and the winning TD is known as the "$85,ooo Pass." It featured a Mustangs team that allowed only thirty nine points on the season. Which is not too shabby.

What was interesting is that this was the first time number 1 and 2 met so late in a season. It also should be noted that this game pitted two rivals, just like this weeks game. Granted the SMU/TCU rivalry is more like a snowball fight when you compare it to Michigan/Ohio State, but back then it was a huge game.

What was interesting is that this was the first time number 1 and 2 met so late in a season. It also should be noted that this game pitted two rivals, just like this weeks game. Granted the SMU/TCU rivalry is more like a snowball fight when you compare it to Michigan/Ohio State, but back then it was a huge game.

Go Ponies!