Spread the word: Mizzou-West Virginia is the game to watch

Freeman: Hicks vs. Hee-haws

Missouri is on the front page of the New York Times today.

Ohio State is not on the front page of the New York Times, unless Maurice Clarett was just named a GA.

Would you rather watch West Virginia's dynamic Patrick White ... (US Presswire)

Get it? Ohio State is old news. Real old news. Like finding the entire first season of Freaks and Geeks half off, old.

The same goes for both the football team and the sitcom: Who wants to see that again?

That's why Ohio State-West Virginia in the BCS title game does nothing for me. If the center holds, those two teams should not be playing for it all after the haze clears this weekend. That's assuming a lot considering this season, but for some reason or other Mike Freeman finds it a sexy matchup.

Sexy? Grab the makeup case, dude, we've got some work to do. What are we going to learn, that the Buckeyes still can't defend the spread? That the site of the championship game matches the description of their schedule?

The Big Easy.

Before you Luckeyes light up the message boards, three syllables for you: Ill-i-nois.

How many of you were booking New Orleans two weeks ago when the Ohio State University dropped to seventh in the BCS?

No, the best matchup for everyone's health and welfare is Missouri-West Virginia. They are the poster children for what has shaped this season. The two best executioners of the spread option/zone read/shotgun blast, ah, whatever. You know it when you see it.

The spread offense has been the biggest reason this has been the highest-scoring season in history. It can't be stopped. Balls flying in the air. End arounds. Quarterbacks (well, Tim Tebow) running for 22 touchdowns. Tailbacks (Darren McFadden) playing quarterback.

Do you know the three highest-scoring games in history have been played in the past five weeks? Do you know that the nation's 1-2 teams each average more than 41 points? Do you know that Missouri is the only team in the country to score at least 31 points every time out? Do you know that West Virginia just dropped 66 on Connecticut?

And neither Jim Calhoun nor Bob Huggins were involved?

College football has morphed into the equivalent of gorging on a pizza with everything -- without the guilt. Disney should be working on a new theme park right now.

The Chase Daniel Experience?

If the NCAA decides to make a highlight film of 2007, it should be 15 minutes of Missouri's offense, 15 minutes of West Virginia's offense and 30 minutes of a defensive back with his weeping face buried in his hands.

West Virginia and Missouri conjure visions of pinball machines. The nation's No. 2 rushing offense -- ping! ping! ping! -- vs. the country's No. 5 passing offense. You'd need a curfew because the championship game starts at 7 p.m. local time. Five hours later we'd be in the third quarter.

... or Ohio State's sedentary QB, Todd Boeckman? (US Presswire)

Ohio State? There's no story there. Sen. Jim Tressel (R-Columbus) and his well-rested squad spent 51 days last year getting ready for a game they lost by 27 points. This time they would have sat on their, uh, laurels for 15 days before being awarded a trip to New Orleans. That isn't game prep, it's water boarding.

The reigning mood would be irony. In a rebuilding year the Bucks somehow got back to the championship game after losing to an unranked team at home. Gee, what a heart-warming story. Someone please pass me a Kleenex.

The game, dear Michael, is reinventing itself in front of our eyes. The Tigers and Mountaineers would take our hands and lead us into the 21st century. I counted four receivers for Missouri on Saturday night that I thought could play in the NFL. Wideout/return man Jeremy Maclin is the best all-purpose return guy since Reggie Bush.

West Virginia's Rich Rodriguez practically invented the spread. He was running it 15 years ago at Glenville State. The Mountaineers have won at least a share of four of the past five Big East titles.

You're not looking for the best game, Mike, you're looking for a brand name. Well, shucks, Nebraska isn't available so why not Ohio State? As I mentioned, the game is changing around us. Twelve teams in the top five have lost to unranked teams this season.

Poll Whose side are you on?   27%  Freeman: I want OSU USC     73%  Dodd: Give us Mizzou and WVU     Total Votes: 42700

Ohio State is the only one of the dozen still in realistic championship contention.

In the interest of full disclosure, yes, I am a Missouri grad. We've all got to be from somewhere. But I'm also a Tiger who picked Kansas last week. My degree doesn't disqualify me from weighing in on the topic.

I know Missouri's current entertainment value. It has earned its place at No. 1 if suffering counts for anything. This is a program that once gave up 77 to Oklahoma -- and scored zero. I know that fans waited 14 years between bowl games from 1983 to 1997. I know that we, er, they also had a coach flashing a Super Bowl ring (yes, Missouri had its own Charlie Weis), now he coordinates the defense for New Mexico State. Thanks, Woody Widenhofer.

For the sake of keeping everyone awake until Jan. 7, make it the best game. The sexiest game.

Yeah, baby.