Sign of the weekend?

As Ball State was fumbling away its shot at a perfect season and the Mid-American Conference championship last night, I started thinking ... is this beginning of another upset championship weekend?

It seems these conference championships never really go the way they are supposed to. Remember 2003? Oklahoma entered the Big 12 title game undefeated and No. 1 in the nation. Then Bill Snyder's K-State dominated the Sooners to the tune off 35-7. The Sooners still played in the BCS title game, where they lost again.

I even remember the first season of the BCS in 1998. That year, four teams entered the final Saturday unbeaten: Kansas State, Tennessee, Tulane and UCLA. OK, Tulane doesn't really count since they didn't register high enough on the BCS rankings.

UCLA, which looked like the nation's best team, had to go to Miami because the game was rescheduled from September following Hurricane Georges. The Hurricanes, led by Edgerrin James, won a shootout in the Orange Bowl 49-45.

Tennessee did rally to defeat Mississippi State in the SEC title tilt, but K-State fell to Texas A&M in double OT. The Wildcats' loss let Florida State, with one loss, back into the title game against the Volunteers in the Fiesta Bowl.

Could it happen today? It sure would shake things up with the BCS and give us a lot to talk about. Much more exciting than a playoff.