The Oregon Ducks and Auburn Tigers enter college football's final weekend with complete control of their own destiny. It's simple: If they win, they're in. In this case, "in" means into the National Championship game. If they lose, well....we've been there. And by "we" I mean Missouri Tigers fans and West Virginia fans. We remember.
Back in 2007, Missouri was the No. 1 team in the country coming off of a victory over the then-No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks on the final game of the Big 12 regular season. West Virginia was chilling as the No. 2 team in the country at that point.
The Tigers then entered the Big 12 Championship game against the Oklahoma Sooners while West Virginia was facing the Pittsburgh Panthers. Those two teams sat in the same spot Oregon and Auburn sit now. No. 1 and No. 2 playing one more game and if they win they'll play each other for the National Championship.
The results last time? Mizzou loses to Oklahoma and Pittsburgh tops West Virginia. They both lost. As someone who follows the Missouri Tigers, I can tell you how disappointing that was. You go from the highest high -- beating Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium in what was, frankly, one of the best college football games I've ever seen -- to losing to Oklahoma, losing the Big 12 Championship and losing a shot at a national title.
So beware Oregon and Auburn. I know your situations are completely different but, if you both lost today, it wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened.
What's different this time is that both Oregon and Auburn have proved all season they belong at the top. The 2007 season was one that saw a new No. 1 team week after week so Mizzou and West Virginia didn't establish their spots at the top until the final week.
But I'm just sayin'....it could happen.