Goodnight, Sweet Knights

Before anyone becomes too caught up in the Who Will Ohio State Play In The BCS Title Game? talk, let's take a moment to lament the end of college football's best storyline, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, who laid an egg against Cincinnati, losing 30-11 and ending any (probably fanciful anyway) dreams of an undefeated season at a title game appearance. We know we should be relieved that Rutgers lost — considering a BCS matchup with Ohio State would have, by all appearances, been rather gruesome — but we're just bummed that our Northwestern fun has been ruined. For a disinterested observer, it's tough to find a huge rooting interest in any of the teams that are left. Arkansas, maybe?

As for that Ohio State-Michigan business, the Game To End All Games on Saturday was entertaining enough but didn't quite enter the land of Epic like many had hoped. That could be fine, considering there's still a chance the same two teams could play again in a month and a half. (We wouldn't mind this, actually; it's more inspiring than another USC appearance). The atmosphere in Columbus, as pointed out by an admittedly bitter The M Zone, involved just as much couch burning and "rioting" as the Texas game earlier this year, but this time, nobody seemed to mind. Maybe it was the rather outstanding gesture from the Dead Schembechlers, who are officially the classiest football punk rockers in recorded history.

Knights Need To Bulk Up [Newark Star-Ledger] When Is A Riot Not A Riot [The M Zone]