ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL

Sugar Bowl News, Rosters, Stats and Pictures

AP Photo / Bill HaberThe Tigers' biggest comeback ever stood out in a somewhat tame weekend.

LSU showed some actual gumption and fire in a dramatic comeback win over Troy, the big boys in college football played some compelling football, and there were even some nice upsets.

But the story of Saturday was not that day's action (and it was never going to be unless something gigantic like Alabama losing happened), but rather what college football fans now have to look forward to.

Florida-Alabama. Texas Tech-Oklahoma. Michigan State-Penn State. The Civil War. Rivalries. Huge games. Championship dreams dashed.

We ain't seen nothing yet.

AP Photo / Jay LaPreteCan Ohio State make fans miserable a third straight season?

It's perhaps a touch early to even be discussing this, but given how much fans love to talk about it, it seemed prudent to discuss the BCS and a couple of nightmare scenarios that might lay in store for it.

The Bowl Championship Series has surely had its share of messed up situations thus far. One need only look back to last December, when the top two teams in the standings lost on the final weekend, creating mass chaos for the pollsters in trying to determine who should represent the sport in the BCS National Championship Game.

Ultimately, critics were split on whether the pollsters got it right, as LSU was lauded (given its credentials and eventual dominating championship win) and Ohio State was criticized (because of its own track record and eventual one-sided loss).

AP Photo / Charlie NeibergallPenn State's loss to Iowa shakes the rankings up this week.

The biggest question in coming up with a college football top 25 this week is what to do with Penn State.

The Nittany Lions' last-second loss on the road to Iowa wasn't entirely unexpected for those paying close attention, but it also cast into doubt just how good Penn State actually is.

My take is as follows.

AP Photo / Butch DillJulio Jones offers the Tide a big-play threat in its quest for an undefeated season.

It's always nice to have one's faith (or even one's lack of faith) in a team rewarded.

Such was the case for me Saturday, as I watched my No. 1 team Alabama continue to chug along toward an undefeated season, and my No. 2 team Texas get knocked off by Texas Tech.

Of course the season hasn't transpired exactly as I have foreseen it, and Alabama will face a slightly stiffer test this weekend in the "Saban Bowl" against LSU, but I do love being right (for a change). And if the Crimson Tide win this one, watch out folks - their path to a BCS Championship Game appearance gets a whole lot easier (realistically, only the SEC Championship Game stands in their way).

AP Photo / Matt SlocumSam Bradford is likely an early favorite for the Manning Award.

One of the more prestigious awards in the nation is awarded every year in our own back yard, and while the Allstate Sugar Bowl's Manning Award may not have the national name recognition of the Heisman Trophy (for instance), it is still worthy of watching.

Among the standouts on this year's watch list released today include Florida's Tim Tebow, Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Missouri's Chase Daniel, Texas Tech's Graham Harrell and West Virginia's Pat White.

For the complete Sugar Bowl release (and list of quarterbacks), read on.

NEW ORLEANS-- Boston College senior quarterback Matt Ryan was selected as the winner of the 2008 Manning Award, presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates' bowl performance. The award is voted on by a panel of local and national media, as well as each of the Mannings. Florida's Tim Tebow finished second.

Ryan completed just over 59 percent of his passes (388 of 654) for 4,507 yards with 31 touchdowns. He led the Eagles to an 11-3 record, their highest win total since 1940. Ryan, who was a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and the conference's Offensive Player of the Year, led BC to a No. 2 BCS ranking as the Eagles began the season with eight straight wins.

Chuck Cook / Times-PicayuneLSU is the easy choice at No. 1, but who's No. 2?

Okay, truthfully, I'm more interested in a month's worth of recuperation in a hot tub, but that's beside the point. 2007 was the kind of year that can restore one's faith in the game (or completely destroy it, if you happen to be one of those crusty, old "tradition" types).

I am not one of those crusty old "tradition" types, so I very much enjoyed the season. Chaos is fun, and chaos is good, and we all better learn to repeat that mantra as much as possible because it doesn't appear to be going away any time soon.