We at Music Times have, at best, a tenuous connection with college athletics. We write about music. At the same time, nothing is trending like the first ever NCAA College Football Playoff. The University of Alabama and University of Oregon held tight to their top spots in the bracket of four, Florida State slid up one spot after a close game with Georgia Tech and Ohio State jumped into the last available spot with a crushing victory over Wisconsin. The best thing we can do, lacking the athletic know-how, is check out how this would turn out based on famous musical alumni from each school. Check it out.
Editor's Note: Writer Ryan Book attended Ohio State University. We have asked him if he could report on this story in an unbiased fashion, to which he snorted and continued listening to "Hang on Sloopy." We took this for a "yes."
No. 1 University of Alabama VS. No. 4 Ohio State University
The complaint against the Big-10 in comparison to the football powerhouse SEC is the former's lesser recruiting strength and reliance on old-school, smash mouth football (kind of). Ohio State brought that same old-school approach to its musical showdown with the Alabama: Ruby Elzy—the original Bess from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess—and folk icon Phil Ochs made a stand for the Buckeyes. Unfortunately, this time the Crimson Tide were at a disadvantage in terms of recruiting, as jazz pianist Ray Reach was the best they could scrape for this game. Nick Sabin angrily attempted to challenge our decision but Reach, a music professor and director for Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, agreed that the OSU lineup was pretty solid.
No. 2 University of Oregon VS. No. 3 Florida State University
The University of Oregon attempted to emily its famous spread offense early against Florida State—with a variety of genres spreading from the blues of Watermelon Slim to the swing revival of Steven Perry and The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, to whatever the heck alum Colin Meloy and his Decemberists felt like doing depending on the album. Florida State relied on its own go-to strategy, relying on the huge talents of its star player, Jameis Morrison. Er, Jim Morrison, vocalist of The Doors. Meloy might be a popular name in the indie scene right now but he's got nothing on Morrison, arguably one of the greatest voices in the history of alternative rock. Florida State advances.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP: Florida State University VS. Ohio State University
In a final showdown that in all likelihood will be the exact opposite of the final game of this year's NCAA season, the Seminoles and the Buckeyes will face off for college music/football dominance. Although Alabama got knocked out last round, the championship game still comes down to a battle of country music: The Buckeyes come hard, starting with icon Dwight Yoakum upfront, backed by Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts fame. Florida State isn't intimidated however, bringing it hard with Jake Owen and breaking the Bucks' line with Brian Kelley. Not the Notre Dame head coach…Brian Kelley of Florida Georgia Line. That band's sales streak crushes Ohio State's hopes and results in a victory for Florida State.
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