NCAA Football 2008 Discussion - It All Starts Here.
- Thread starter Turbo
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I am talking about a case when 1 team has clinched the conference championship and still has the chance to win the national championship. Under the current system (or the plus 1) they still have to win the rivalry game to keep their high ranking. Under a system where conference champion qualifies for playoffs, they may decide not to play some key players to avoid injuries and get ready for playoffs. We see this all the time in NFL, it's a natural byproduct of this type of system and would diminish these rivalry games.
Well, Bama didn't lose the game as much as Tebow won it. Congrats to the Gators. Bama will be back and with more talent. Roll Tide. The Sugar Bowl ain't a bad consolation prize.
I didn't get to see the game, but from what I've read and heard.... that was a GREAT game. Exactly what you want in a conference championship. In some ways it was a statement game for Florida, that they could win this without one of their most important players. Florida appears to have been the superior team, but Bama did themselves proud. Only one turnover, pretty even stats... Bama makes a couple of mistakes on special teams.... but Florida comes back after a solid performance by the Tide in the 3rd qtr.
Florida should be proud of the way they came back. The Tide should take pride in the way that they played as well, and acknowledge just what Vadimus said.
Florida should be proud of the way they came back. The Tide should take pride in the way that they played as well, and acknowledge just what Vadimus said.
That would be incredibly unfortunate for the BCS, Florida should be there, but I'm willing to deal on OU or Texas.
"Incredibly unfortunate" might be understating things. You'd have the entire SEC in open revolt, as well as the Heisman voters. The AP would probably declare Florida the co-national champion.
Of course, I think this will be moot in the end, as we'll probably see Oklahoma #1 and Florida #2 in the Coaches' Poll. I just like spinning BCS doomsday scenarios.
Of course, I think this will be moot in the end, as we'll probably see Oklahoma #1 and Florida #2 in the Coaches' Poll. I just like spinning BCS doomsday scenarios.
With wins at Michigan (mentioned to show their sincerity in attempting to schedule quality out-of-conference foes as opposed to implying it's an impressive win) and Air Force, as well as against Texas Christian, BYU and Oregon State, does Utah, at this point, have a case for inclusion in the BCS title game?
Frankly, at this point, I'd take them over USC, Penn State, Alabama or Boise State. Their schedule strength is virtually equivalent to each of the first three (according to CBS Sportsline), and notably superior to that of the Broncos. And the Utes in my opinion deserve a shot more than does Texas Tech, after the embarassment the Red Raiders suffered at the hands of Oklahoma.
Add to the above the mystique of being the lone "bigtime" undefeated, and it seems that they really have a decent argument for participation.
Frankly, at this point, I'd take them over USC, Penn State, Alabama or Boise State. Their schedule strength is virtually equivalent to each of the first three (according to CBS Sportsline), and notably superior to that of the Broncos. And the Utes in my opinion deserve a shot more than does Texas Tech, after the embarassment the Red Raiders suffered at the hands of Oklahoma.
Add to the above the mystique of being the lone "bigtime" undefeated, and it seems that they really have a decent argument for participation.
Then the BCS would die the death it deserves, a team that fails to win its conference has absolutely no business being near a national title game.
The question you should be asking is "should they be picked over Oklahoma or Florida?" since the other teams you mentioned aren't in the mix for the title game. Utah certainly should have been in the conversation had Missouri pulled the upset, but that obviously didn't happen.
A bit off topic - Penn State's women's volleyball team has won a record 60 games in a row (dating back to the beginning of last year) with the last 34 of those wins coming in straight sets. If they can run the tourney without dropping a single set it would be pretty amazing.
A bit off topic - Penn State's women's volleyball team has won a record 60 games in a row (dating back to the beginning of last year) with the last 34 of those wins coming in straight sets. If they can run the tourney without dropping a single set it would be pretty amazing.
I mentioned those other teams because both USC and Texas Tech were still being discussed until last night, the former regularly and the latter on very rare occasion, while Penn State and Boise are both in the Top Ten as well. We know which teams are still solidly in the mix, after all. We've been talking about them for a while.
That said ...
... there's not a single undefeated team left in the upper echelons—except Utah. [I don't consider Boise State quite of that caliber.] They've played and handled quality opponents, along with everyone else put in front of them—unlike Florida, whose loss to a good-but-by-no-means-great Ole Miss was at home ... or Oklahoma, which had five points shy of fifty laid on it by Texas.
Saying Utah should be in the conversation is not saying "they should win the argument."
I think they've been shunted aside in some measure as an inconvenient truth due to the preponderance of quality teams from the Big 12 this year. Normally, a season like this and they'd be in the mix. They've certainly done a lot more than, say, Hawaii last year, and yet have not cracked the Top Five.
This talk of Texas is bordering on the ridiculous. They're not going to get vaulted over Florida in the BCS. Waaaa, waaaa, waaaaaa, we have the same record as Oklahoma and we beat them head to head on the field.
Texas Tech also has the same record and they beat Texas on the field. Texas has no problem with Tech being eliminated with other criteria. Funny, that.
Tech beat Texas at home. Texas beats Oklahoma at a neutral site in their home state. Oklahoma beats Tech at home. Round and round they go. All with the same record. It was a three way tie. Texas with their cream puff out of conference schedule needs to get over it. I don't even like OU, but seriously, enough is enough. OU has more than proved itself.
Texas Tech also has the same record and they beat Texas on the field. Texas has no problem with Tech being eliminated with other criteria. Funny, that.
Tech beat Texas at home. Texas beats Oklahoma at a neutral site in their home state. Oklahoma beats Tech at home. Round and round they go. All with the same record. It was a three way tie. Texas with their cream puff out of conference schedule needs to get over it. I don't even like OU, but seriously, enough is enough. OU has more than proved itself.
JM's Top Twenty-Five, Week Ending December 6th, 2008
1 – Oklahoma (12-1)
Can't argue with the body of work.
2 – Florida (12-1)
That loss to Ole Miss is just enough to keep 'em from the top, and rightly so.
3 – Texas (11-1)
Shut the fuck up, will you? It's over.
4 – Utah (12-0)
Can they somehow get to number one? If there's any justice—and in this poll there is—yes. It's highly unlikely, but still possible.
5 – Alabama (12-1)
At least the better team won.
6 – Southern California (11-1)
To those pundits saying this USC team is the nation's best: Get off the crack. It rots your brain.
7 – Texas Tech (11-1)
Amazing that they're to be denied a BCS bowl. They should be given one, and when UT protests, point to the argument the Longhorns used against the Sooners.
8 – Boise State (12-0)
They offered to play Ball State in a match of potential unbeatens—in Idaho on the blue field. Yeah, that'd have been fair. Wow, what a class act.
9 – Penn State (11-1)
I'd love to see the Lions silence the USC brayers.
10 – Ohio State (10-2)
Still in the BCS mix. Still not more deserving than Utah or Boise.
11 – Cincinnati (11-2)
The difference between UC, OSU and TCU is so slight an extra win at Hawaii makes the difference.
12 – Oklahoma State (9-3)
Ultimately, though, they lost all three big matchups.
13 – Texas Christian (10-2)
They'd have gotten a BCS bid over Boise if they'd beaten Utah.
14 – Georgia Tech (9-3)
The ACC's best doesn't even play in its title game. What a shame.
15 – Oregon (9-3)
If there was any poetry to the bowl system, they'd be matched with Cincinnati in the NoQB.com Bowl.
16 – Georgia (9-3)
Still stunned at how easily GT trounced 'em.
17 – Pittsburgh (8-3)
Though records don't lie, I'm still not emotionally sure they deserve the Sun Bowl over a Rutgers team that waxed 'em.
18 – Brigham Young (10-2)
If the Cougars were 12-0, it might be their quarterback winning the Heisman.
19 – Michigan State (9-3)
One of the better imitations of an elite team we've seen this year.
20 – Ole Miss (8-4)
Can't wait to see 'em next year. They'll be the only team to have beaten the national champs.
21 – Virginia Tech (8-4)
Disgraceful that they get a BCS bowl while Boise State and Texas Tech dont.
22 – North Carolina (8-4)
Is the ACC really that bad, or are they all pretty good? Looks like the latter.
23 – Boston College (9-4)
Tough D. No O.
24 – Iowa (8-4)
Still gigglin' over their PSU win.
25 – Rutgers (7-5)
You can make a case for about thirty teams in this slot ... but none have won six in a row after a start that had people about to declare them a laughing stock again. There's not a team they've played that they wouldn't whip with ease in a rematch, including Cincinnati. On character and the hot streak, I give the Knights a spot over other, shinier teams.
1 – Oklahoma (12-1)
Can't argue with the body of work.
2 – Florida (12-1)
That loss to Ole Miss is just enough to keep 'em from the top, and rightly so.
3 – Texas (11-1)
Shut the fuck up, will you? It's over.
4 – Utah (12-0)
Can they somehow get to number one? If there's any justice—and in this poll there is—yes. It's highly unlikely, but still possible.
5 – Alabama (12-1)
At least the better team won.
6 – Southern California (11-1)
To those pundits saying this USC team is the nation's best: Get off the crack. It rots your brain.
7 – Texas Tech (11-1)
Amazing that they're to be denied a BCS bowl. They should be given one, and when UT protests, point to the argument the Longhorns used against the Sooners.
8 – Boise State (12-0)
They offered to play Ball State in a match of potential unbeatens—in Idaho on the blue field. Yeah, that'd have been fair. Wow, what a class act.
9 – Penn State (11-1)
I'd love to see the Lions silence the USC brayers.
10 – Ohio State (10-2)
Still in the BCS mix. Still not more deserving than Utah or Boise.
11 – Cincinnati (11-2)
The difference between UC, OSU and TCU is so slight an extra win at Hawaii makes the difference.
12 – Oklahoma State (9-3)
Ultimately, though, they lost all three big matchups.
13 – Texas Christian (10-2)
They'd have gotten a BCS bid over Boise if they'd beaten Utah.
14 – Georgia Tech (9-3)
The ACC's best doesn't even play in its title game. What a shame.
15 – Oregon (9-3)
If there was any poetry to the bowl system, they'd be matched with Cincinnati in the NoQB.com Bowl.
16 – Georgia (9-3)
Still stunned at how easily GT trounced 'em.
17 – Pittsburgh (8-3)
Though records don't lie, I'm still not emotionally sure they deserve the Sun Bowl over a Rutgers team that waxed 'em.
18 – Brigham Young (10-2)
If the Cougars were 12-0, it might be their quarterback winning the Heisman.
19 – Michigan State (9-3)
One of the better imitations of an elite team we've seen this year.
20 – Ole Miss (8-4)
Can't wait to see 'em next year. They'll be the only team to have beaten the national champs.
21 – Virginia Tech (8-4)
Disgraceful that they get a BCS bowl while Boise State and Texas Tech dont.
22 – North Carolina (8-4)
Is the ACC really that bad, or are they all pretty good? Looks like the latter.
23 – Boston College (9-4)
Tough D. No O.
24 – Iowa (8-4)
Still gigglin' over their PSU win.
25 – Rutgers (7-5)
You can make a case for about thirty teams in this slot ... but none have won six in a row after a start that had people about to declare them a laughing stock again. There's not a team they've played that they wouldn't whip with ease in a rematch, including Cincinnati. On character and the hot streak, I give the Knights a spot over other, shinier teams.
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Agreed.
Texas Tech also has the same record and they beat Texas on the field. Texas has no problem with Tech being eliminated with other criteria. Funny, that.
Excellent point.
Who's to say bald-faced hypocrisy can't be straight-faced, too? Mack Brown has become the Mack Daddy of B(C)S Politicking. What he did to Cal a few years ago was a travesty, too.
Texas is trying desperately to stress "we won at a neutral site," when it's obvious that Dallas, while not a home-field advantage, isn't quite so neutral as many claim. They're trying to downplay, of course, that only Oklahoma has an absolute blowout in the roundabout. Such mitigates the "neutral site" and head-to-head arguments that strength of schedule and body of work win out.
Even if things were even, which they're not, OU deserves the nod simply because Texas fans' hypocrisy and Mack Brown's disingenuous stumping wash them right off the ethical high ground into the Valley of STFU.
Oklahoma deserves it because they have the most convincing road win--at Oklahoma State, which pains me to remind myself of, but it's true. I've been there many a time. Stillwater is a plenty hostile environment for the Sooners to play in. I've enjoyed making it hostile for them in the past.
If it were a two way tie, I'd go with Texas and the head to head tie breaker. But it's not a two way tie.
If it were a two way tie, I'd go with Texas and the head to head tie breaker. But it's not a two way tie.
