Who Plays in the NC?
The Biscuit
The BCS Tonight:
WVU is out with a horrible performance against Pitt. Mizzou blew it against a pretty-good Oklahoma team. So 1 and 2 are gone…
Who should play in the BCS Championship game.
Ohio State? Who lost at HOME to the freaking Zookster’s Illinois team? Who won a weak Big 10 conference and last played what seems like a year ago? Yeah, they’re probably in. But that seems incredibly weak. Are we all really ready to see them choke again?
And if OSU is in, who’s the opponent?
Georgia makes sense if the voters and the computers got it right prior to this week. They were the #4 team ahead of Kansas, Va Tech and LSU. But, Georgia has 2 losses. Not the best losses in the world either - to South Carolina earlier in the year and to Tennessee more recently. That’s Tennessee that LSU beat tonight. And, Georgia didn’t win the conference.
Some think that LSU should leapfrog up and play OSU. Really? 2-loss LSU? With those losses coming against UNRANKED Kentucky and UNRANKED Arkansas? I don’t care if they were both in triple OT. An NC team shouldnt be going into OT with 2 unranked teams, and they shouldn’t lose both games.
What about Kansas? They played a pretty weak schedule but were undefeated until a week ago. Mizzou handled them pretty well. How can you put Kansas in and not put Mizzou in? But you CAN’T put Mizzou in after that shellacking by OK tonight.
(Anyone ready for the playoff talk again yet??? I freaking am, this is absurd!)
The last team you can really consider is Va. Tech. They played a solid game to beat BC to win the ACC. They have 2 losses, against LSU and BC - both quality, highly ranked teams. But LSU blew them out in VT’s worst game of the year…the first BC game could’ve gone the other way easily.
I know it’s a tough call, and I don’t pretend to think it’s “right” (playoffscoughcoughplayoffspleasecough), but I go with this order:
1) OSU
2) Kansas
3) Va Tech
4) LSU
5) Georgia
Yes, I know Kansas played a weak schedule and stunk it up against Mizzou. But they have 1 loss, against a Top 10 team (this week Top 10-can obviously change shortly after today). I think Va Tech should be next in line to play OSU after KU. They have 2 losses, but the first game at LSU was their stinker for the year and they’ve played much better since. The first BC game could’ve gone either way, and they redeemed themselves in the conference championship game. Their 2 losses are against quality, top tier opponents.
LSU in the NC would be a joke, and would be a result of the lemmings of the SEC conference hype having their way. LSU lost to TWO unranked teams. That is not worthy of an NC berth.
There is no easy answer here. I’d love to see the final BCS Top 8 play one another in a playoff so we could really get to a definitive answer. Instead, we get to see how the coaches and the computers all view the football world. It makes for great discussion, but there’s no way to get to a ‘right’ answer.
What do you all think? Who would you put in the NC game? Would OSU be there? Who should they play? Hit us up in the comments, I want to know if I am completely whacked here or what. (And don’t just say ‘yes, Biscuit, you are whack’. Please.)
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19 Comments
Please don’t put KU in the big game. One of the other BCS Bowl Games is bad enough, but not the “big” one. I live in Wichita, we have had enough of KU. A weak schedule…that doesn’t describe it. One respectable team in the form of Missouri, and after last night that might even be debateable. I hope that next year KU has to play some quality teams out of the Big XII South…OK, Texas, and Texas Tech would be great.
I love your Web site and usually your posts, but you’ve talked yourself out of your own argument. You acknowledge KU played a creampuff schedule and lost the only big game they played, so why should the poll voter choose them? Do you think they would beat Oklahoma? No way. At least Ohio State beat Michigan (not a great team, but undeniably second best in the Big 10) and LSU beat: #6 Va. Tech (they g’damn bloodied them, actually), Florida, Auburn, and Alabama (all ranked teams). When LSU lost to Kentucky, the Wildcats were ranked #17. The only other loss was to Arkansas. OK, fine, Ohio State lost to unranked Illinois.
No other team has as many impressive wins as LSU. If we had a playoff, which is the only fair solution, LSU would beat either Oklahoma or USC for the NC. But in this fatally flawed system, you have to respect OSU’s one loss in their sorry conference, so here is how I’d rank the top 5:
1) OSU
2) LSU
3) USC
4) Okla
5) Kansas
I realize it’s all circular. That’s the problem - at some point you just have to make a pick among all these contenders.
I like the ‘quality wins’ argumentin favor of LSU - it’s a valid point. But how can you ignore 2 losses to unranked teams to put LSU in the NC? I get that they won tough games, but I can’t get past those 2 losses. I am willing to give away 1 hiccup, but not 2.
I agree, it’s tough to put Kansas in there - as I said, I don’t think this is ‘right’ - I don’t know what is. But I go Va Tech before LSU, despite that blowout loss. At least Va Tech lost to good teams.
But, there’s no simple answer…
Va. Tech’s losses were to quality teams, but one of them was a 48-7 country-mule-whipping to LSU. Va. Tech is not the best team in the country, not even close.
Furthermore, we shouldn’t get sidetracked by the one- or two-loss thing in a season when there have been so many upsets. This season has shown that top teams are closer to parity than ever (there are only a few pretenders: KU, Ohio State).
Interesting arguments here for various teams. The thing I look at is while the arguments are interesting the teams are not. Past O$U there isn’t one team I’d tune in to watch. I suspect BCS ratings would drop about like NBC’s ND did this year. I’m a Weis loyalist and watched them all for three years. But I do know Ty’s last year I gave up watching many and simply went fishing with my daughter on Saturdays.
Most are but ‘regional’ powers with little interest out side of their State except for bookies and betters.
What about OU? They should be in the conversation as well, considering they won the Big 12, and that should also usurp KU’s claim (just as LSU’s SEC title usurps UGA’s claim).
Polls are out. LSU is #2. Okla is #3. KU dropped to #8. Finally fairness trumps hype.
anyone with two losses is out. It doesn’t matter what conference they play in or if it what is overtime. Put Hawaii in the NC against either KU or OSU. They may not be the best teams but after watching college football this year does it really matter?
I think it’s tough to put a 2-loss team in there too. But the knocks on Kansas are legit. OU should be in the conversation as well, although obviously the conversation is pretty much over.
I don’t agree with Elkona though - LSU is as hyped a team as any this year. And they’re in the NC because of that hype, and despite 2 losses to unranked teams. In this year’s CFB, that’s almost normal, but it doesn’t make it right. A playoff is our only hope for any sense of justice/satisfaction in a year like this…
How about NO “National Champion” this year?!!
It seems that no team has played consistently well enough to distinguish themselves, nor be crowned, as “National Champion”.
Given the upsets, play, and parity this year, it would be a very good year to declare that there was not a national champion. Fans could still celebrate their individual seasons, their conference championships, and whatever last game they happen to play in a bowl game.
Hey man, Love your blog. And I hate the BCS as much as anybody. But make no mistake about it - LSU playing unranked Kentucky and Arkansas - those two teams aren’t exactly creampuffs. Kentucky was (and still is) a very solid team with several playmakers. Andre Wooden (QB) will be on the of top QB’s chosen in the draft. And oh year, Arkansas has this guy named McFadden who is pretty good.
Still, if I were king for a day, I would put Hawaii in the championship just to stick up the BCS’ A**
One last thing. I would have to put Missouri above Kansas. Not sure where that would be, but having Kansas as #2 is just silly. The only good team they played was Missouri (on a neutral field) and got beaten pretty convincingly. The very next week Missouri got beat by a very solid Oklahoma team. So basically Missouri is getting screwed out of a BCS game just like we got screwed out of the NC in ‘93.
The should go back to the old bowl system, since they aren’t going to have a playoff. In the past, they at least called it a mythical national championship. Now they pretend to have a National Championship Game, but the participants are decided with the same old BS. At least the old sytem was more honest and many bowls were interesting. This would be a much more interesting bowl set up. Rose: OSU vs USC, Orange: OU vs. VaTech, Sugar: LSU vs. Kansas or Missouri. Then the voters could watch the games and vote. It would still not determine a true champion, but it would be alot better than this BCS BS claiming to have a National Championship Game.
After thinking through things, reading a bit more and pondering (yes, pondering) I have been convinced that KU isn’t the right #2. I am also convinced that OSU isn’t the right #1.
I don’t know what is right for 1 and 2, but it’s not OSU and KU, but I dont think it’s LSU either.
I like Viewpoint’s idea - no NC for me this year. I will still enjoy watching the games, but will not consider the winner of the BCS NC a ‘champion’ by any stretch of the word. I’ll consider that team a Top 5 team, and no more.
All this uncertainty is why we need a playoff. Some teams lose games because of injuries. You could certainly make this argument about Oregon. Some of them would be healed by the time the playoffs start. Then everyone is back (theoretically) on a level playing field. And we’d find out whether LSU is too damn hyped or just the real thing.
The fair solution is trim the season to 10 games and have an 8- or 16-team playoff. But the NCAA and most of the conferences won’t allow it. Too much moolah generated by the conference championship and bowl games. Let’s be honest … college football is about money, and the interest groups, including corporate sponsors, won’t allow any alternative that does not include the bowls.
The thing with KU is this: their one loss is to Missouri. Missouri’s two losses are to OU, a team that KU didn’t play. Ergo, Missouri has to be in front of KU as far as ranking is concerned, although the Orange Bowl cmte is still free to leave us scratching our heads by picking KU instead.
Outside of the two teams that are in, I’d say that OU and to a lesser extent USC have legitimate questions about not being included. If you call OSU into question, then VPI is on the board as well but only in a rematch against LSU.
To me it’s relatively simple….1 and 2 lost, so the polls should work the same way they have worked every other week of the season….3 and 4 move to 1 and 2.
anOSU v. Georgia
Don’t think that’s fair since Georgia didn’t win their conference? OK.
How about OU then? They just throttled the #1 team in the country by 3 TD’s on neutral ground.
choice #2 anOSU v. OU
Personally I think anOSU (the one team that every took as a given) is really the team that needs to be debated. I’m not sure they really “deserve” to play for it. The general consensus is that Hawaii doesn’t “deserve” it because the didn’t play anyone. Well anOSU didn’t play anyone either and they have one more loss.
But even though I don’t think anOSU “deserves” it I still think they should go and be playing UGA/OU, just to maintain some integrity in this mess. It’s absolutely ridiculous to have the polls suddenly and magically work differently than they have every single other week of the season.
Given the match-ups we have, I would love nothing more than for:
1. LSU to squeak by anOSU in OT, but only as the beneficiary of an atrocious officiating call/non-call.
2. Hawaii to slaughter UGA.
3. OU to completely embarrass WVU.
And chaos ensues.
I agree with the playoff. I think it could be made to work within the bowl system. Drop the reg. season to 11 games (we’ve only had 12 for a couple years now, it wouldnt be that tough to go back), and take the Top 8 into the BCS Bowls. Bowls rotate order in pick of games (1 vs. 8 and then NC, 2 vs. 7 then quarterfinal game, etc.) each year and pick the games they want. How could the BCS Bowls resist getting TWO top-tier matchups every couple years? It could work, bowls (and schools) would get more money and it would spread around. It’d be great. Other non-playoff bowls would get their pick from teams 9 and up. Joy.
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