The Irony In This Year's BCS Championship Game

While it is still not official, it is just a formality that Notre Dame will play in the BCS Title game on January 7, 2013. Just the thought of that gets me excited. For Irish fans, it has been a long time coming. While the Fighting Irish playing for a national championship is how it is supposed to be, I can't help but think of the irony of them being there this year.

It is a bit ironic that when the experts finally decided the BCS needed to be replaced with a four team playoff, that the teams participating actually make sense this year. Notre Dame is the only eligible undefeated team. Ohio State may be a great team but they are on probation. Therefore, putting the Fighting Irish in is a no brainer. It is also a no brainer that their opponent will be the SEC champ as Alabama and Georgia are ranked #2 and #3. They also play in the toughest conference in the SEC. It is kind of funny that two years before the playoff goes into effect that the BCS actually worked (at least for the title game).

The next part that is a bit ironic for Notre Dame is that in the same year that they formed a partnership with the ACC that they will play the game in the heart of ACC country two years before that agreement goes into effect.

But the thing I find most ironic is this. There are two kinds of college football fans. There are those who love Notre Dame and those who hate Notre Dame. There is no middle ground. In recent years though, SEC fans have really had all the bragging rights as they have won six straight titles. It started in 2006 with Florida then it was followed by LSU, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, and Alabama again. As a result of this, SEC fans have become a bit arrogant and many of them believe that college football revolves around the SEC. Meanwhile, fans in other parts of the country are tired of the SEC and would love to see them dethroned.

Whether it is the Crimson Tide or the Bulldogs, it is Notre Dame that will be fighting to dethrone the mighty SEC. How ironic is it that the team that many love to hate will be the very team they have to depend on to fight for the rest of college football?  It is the Fighting Irish that is there for the country to show the Southeastern part of the country that there is good college football in other parts. Many college fans will have to decide what is more important to them (their hate for Notre Dame or their desire to see the SEC dethroned). That is what makes this BCS Title game like no other in history.