Unsatisfying championship in an unsatisfying season

Going into the 2009 college football season, we were set up to witness incredible drama and unbelievable performances. The top 3 Heisman candidates from last year were returning, there were 2 top teams from the Big 12 and SEC that were going to compete head-to-head in the season for a chance to get to the BCS title game. Redemption for teams that were near-misses last year would be at the forefront of this season's storyline.

Very quickly, we saw the season derail- Sam Bradford goes out in game one with an injury. He returns in the Texas game only to get injured again. Tim Tebow suffers a concussion early and Florida goes through the regular season undefeated but never looks like the juggernaut everyone expects. Texas and Colt McCoy also go undefeated but never look quite as crisp on offense as expected although the defense is much improved.

In general, there seem to be several really good teams and a lot of mediocre teams. But the top teams are never convincingly elite and many mediocre teams never improve enough to make things interesting. Texas barely escapes the Big 12 title game with a win and the ultimate clash of the titans in the SEC turns into a romp by Alabama over Florida. Neither games are what everyone expects and both serve up the unexpected in a bad way. The season ends with five undefeated teams all with legitimate claims as to why they should have a shot at it all.

The Heisman race is equally muddled with only one of last year's top three finishing in the top three this year. McCoy comes in third in one of the closest races ever, with Tebow in a distant fifth and Bradford a non-factor due to injury. Alabama's Mark Ingram wins the award and while certainly a worthy winner, the lack of a single standout leaves us unconvinced.


The fireworks were dramatic

But finally... while the season itself was fairly uneventful and lacked the drama expected, the championship is set and is a welcome clash of historic programs. Texas and Alabama will square off and while both teams have shown chinks in the armor, the history, tradition and unblemished records set the expectation of an epic showdown in the most hallowed ground of the Rose Bowl. Mark Ingram, Heisman winner and Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football, will face the two top defenses in the country.

As has been the case the entire season though, we were not delivered the game we expected. Five plays into Texas' first possesion, McCoy is out with an injury- of sorts. Numbness. Much like this season, it is not dramatic. Colt isn't hurt on a devastating hit or left in immense pain. His throwing arm is numb and has no strength. The Rose Bowl deflates. Texas fans know their chances are slim at best and Alabama knows that even if they win, it is a somewhat hollow victory.

Texas backup quarterback Garrett Gilbert overcomes early struggles and with help from a strong second-half performance from the Texas defense, leads a comeback that provides more drama than anyone expected once McCoy went out. However, Alabama remains stout and rides their defense to seal the victory.

Alabama earns the championship fair and square and it is well-deserved but still unsatisfying. Texas fans leave convinced they win going away if Colt McCoy plays. Alabama fans celebrate an undisputed championship that will always have a cloud of doubt about whether the outcome would have been different against Texas' best shot.

The final result is not fair to either set of fans but seems to fit perfectly with the season that unfolded in 2009. The only certainty we leave 2009 with is that Alabama and Texas, among others, will be more anxious than ever to get to 2010 and settle unfinished business.