This is probably the most objectively true thing you will read today amid all the hubbub about Florida winning the national championship. The Gators spanked/demolished/derailed/obliterated/embarrassed/went medieval on the Buckeyes last night. The reason we know that is because of how they played on the field, and since on-field play is the only truly objective measure of a team's worth, the Florida-Ohio State game provides a logical and fantastic basis for comparison between the Vanderbilt Commodores and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Why don't we take a look at the key statistics?
Score:
Florida 41 Ohio State 14
Florida 25 Vanderbilt 19
Conclusion: Vanderbilt 21 points better than Ohio State.
1st downs:
Florida 21 Ohio State 8
Florida 18 Vanderbilt 19
Conclusion: Vanderbilt 14 first downs better than Ohio State.
Total Yards:
Florida 370 Ohio State 82
Florida 330 Vanderbilt 391
Conclusion: Vanderbilt 349 yards better than Ohio State.
I could go on and on, but the logic is air-tight and the outcome remains the same: Simply put, Vanderbilt is a definitively better football team than Ohio State.
Oh, and how about their Heisman Trophy winner, the supposedly "best player in the country," Mr. Troy Smith?
Against Florida:
Troy Smith - 4/14 for 35 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT
Chris Nickson - 27/44 for 298 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
Definitively better...in every way.
(Acknowledgments: Chad Thompson, Bobby O'Shea)
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Further evidence that Vanderbilt is definitively better courtesy of the T-Shirt king of the Panhandle:
Vanderbilt beat Georgia
Georgia beat Auburn
Auburn beat Florida
Florida beat Ohio State
Something that really is a shame which I wish we could address is a comparison of Ohio State's Ted Ginn vs. our very own Earl Bennett. I've mentioned it several times, but I was personally outraged that Bennett was not even strongly considered for the Biletnikoff despite being second in the SEC in receiving. Since the absolute rout of Florida evidences the quality of defenses in the SEC vs. that of the Big Ten, we can now truly understand how huge a season 1146 yard season against the most difficult secondaries in the country really is. Oh yeah, and Earl is only a sophomore. In any case, his stat line against Florida: 13 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. This came against a Florida secondary that allowed only 35 yards passing in the national championship game. Yeah yeah, Ted Ginn was hurt, but if you're the Heisman trophy winner, aren't you supposed to adapt and overcome that little set-back?
Earl for Heisman 2007.
I will go so far as to say Vanderbilt has a superior 'program' to Ohio State's. Not only do we greater analytical and better overall mental skills as students and athletes, but our phyiscal attractiveness undoubtedly outshines everything that is Ohio State (except for the sad, gourgeous blonde State fan who the cameras caught several times weeping).
I have also had an ongoing debate with a roommate about the Big Ten v. SEC in football.
SEC: After being 3-3 the last 2 years in bowl games, the nation's superior football (and sports in general) conference was 6-3 (though 2 losses came against Big 10). Last time I checked, that's 9 teams in bowl games with the greatest achievement being last night's win (Vandy clearly would've won by at least a TD).
Big Ten: 2-5
This gives credence to what kind of talent Vanderbilt faces every Saturday in what is inarguably the best conference in NCAA football.
Here's to a 2007 Bowl, Commies!
Picking up on that comment, all who would seek to criticize us "SEC homers" should be aware that, with the exception of the Big East, the SEC was the ONLY big conference that finished ABOVE .500. Props to the Big East for going 5-0 -- I was impressed (though Rutgers played Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, a ridiculous draw considering the season they had, and South Florida and Cincy played games that can barely be classified as bowl games).
Here's how they stack up:
Big East 5-0
SEC 6-3
ACC 4-4
PAC-10 3-3
BIG 12 3-5
Big Ten 2-5
As if we needed further proof that Vanderbilt is better than Ohio State...
I think one more thing to point out is that Ohio State is now 0-8 in bowl games when facing an SEC opponent. Just one more reason why Vanderbilt would dominate OSU in post-season play.
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