When the final BCS Bowl Game selections came down I looked upon with a sense of dread and inevitability. My beloved Sooners were going to face Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and another rout and more questioning of Bob Stoops ability to coach in big games seemed a foregone conclusion.¹ But even as I resigned myself to a bleak few months ahead, a thought dwelt in the back of my mind: what if the top three teams in the SEC all lost? Sure it was highly unlikely, it would require a huge upset by Oklahoma, me rooting for Oklahoma State, and Florida State to not be a false contender, but man, what if? The more I thought about this possible outcome, the more it brought me joy. What if the SEC went down.

Sure it was an arbitrary definition of going down. Who truly believed Missouri was one of the three best teams in the SEC? And Wouldn’t they need to lose most, if not all of their bowl games? And why did I care so much about the SEC going down? But I did care, for the same reason people defend the shitty cities they reside in,² We are attached to, and often allow ourselves to become defined by, these regional alliances and made up organizations and geographical locations that we have no control over. So I loved Oklahoma, and the Big 12, and dammit I was tired of hearing about SEC superiority. So I dreamed a dream, and low behold it came (mostly) true.

And how fitting was it that Oklahoma, my Oklahoma, where I went to college, where I learned to pessimistic about college football, began my wave of optimism. What the Sooners did to Alabama was nothing short of magical. An aggressive, we don’t give a fuck, punch in their mouth attack that featured great quarterbacking from Trevor Knight (who knew?) and good coaching. Well that’s not true, it featured GREAT coaching! From Bob Stoops! Nick Saban was frustrated, and dare I say, perplexed on the sideline. And the first domino had fallen. The mighty Tide had been rolled!!³

Next up was Okie State, and well, do we have to talk about it? I mean I already feel really dirty for rooting for them. And of course the one time I want them to win they can’t. And to Missouri? Really? But the silver lining was that Missouri was barely and SEC team, I mean really it was a Big 12 team losing to a Big 12 team. At least it was in mind afterwords, and YOU CAN’T TAKE THAT FROM ME!!! Besides, the Pokes played well. So really let’s move on.

Then there was the big one. The BCS National Championship Game.⁴ Florida State was a 14 point favorite and I don’t know if I ever felt worse about a double digit favorite in my life. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Wasn’t Auburn’s record at least partially fools gold? Talking heads always tell you that winning close games is sign of fortitude and mental toughness and helps in big games, but anyone who gambles knows never to trust a team who has to depend on miracles. Sure, I thought, Florida State will win. Of course they’ll win.

Then the first half happened, and all of my confidence was gone and I sat in despair over two teams I didn’t really give two shits about all because the Damn SEC was going to win again. It was my nightmare scenario. Florida State looked like a team that had faced no competition all year. Auburn’s much maligned defense was smothering the Seminole receivers, and Jameis Winston was feeling the most pressure since…well let’s move on. Sure there was the fake punt, a gutsy call that wasn’t that gutsy considering how much they needed something to rally behind at that point.⁵ But even with the late touchdown everything seemed lost, so I sauntered over to the fridge, I grabbed a beer, and I sat down and brooded.

The popular narrative will probably revolve around how Florida State looked like a different team in the second half, but that’s not exactly how I saw it. Sure the offense played better, but it really felt more like Auburn tightened up on defense. They played like they had a lead, and they predictably lost that lead. Don’t get me wrong, Winston was fantastic, but not until the final touchdown did I honestly feel like Florida State was going to win. But it all happened. Kickoffs were returned, pass interferences were committed, and Jameis Winston WAS fantastic. And more importantly my dream had come true!!! (again, mostly). The SEC was conquered, the beast was slain! And I was overjoyed about something that was so frivolous and dumb any normal man would have looked upon me in disgust.⁶

What does it all mean? Well nothing really. I mean it’s a game, “amateur” sports, an inferiority complex that has nothing to do with my actual self. And these are but individual games, and the SEC has still been great for a decade, and we have a playoff system starting next year. So it meant nothing. And it yet it meant everything. Because I dreamed a dream, and it came true! (I know I know, mostly).

Ronny Hutson doesn’t actually know shit about college football, which is unfortunate considering he sells college football merchandise for a living.  Follow him on twitter @SlackerRon

1How much of an albatross had the nickname Big Game Bob become? Early success is a curse man.