Ravenwood - 12/08/03 06:10 AM
Once again, the BCS computers have made a mockery of college football. This year, they have selected LSU and Oklahoma (ranked #2 and #3) to play for the "national championship", leaving behind the #1 team, USC, reports the AP. Oklahoma has a chance to be crowned the "national champion" by the BCS, even though they didn't win their conference.
But hold everything. USC, who is ranked 1st in both the AP and Coaches poll also has a chance to be crowned "national champion" as well. While the Coaches must vote for the BCS winner, the AP can still vote USC as number one if they win the Rose Bowl. That could create a shared title, which the BCS was supposed to prevent.
What the BCS is missing is that they have pretty much set the stage for a mini-playoff. With #1 USC playing #4 Michigan, and #2 LSU playing #3 Oklahoma, all they need to do is set up another game where the winners play each other. That would settle once and for all who the national champion is. It would also be an additional game from which to derive revenue, which is what the BCS is all about. Of course we all know that a playoff will never happen if the BCS has their way.
So, what we are left with is the human coaches and AP saying that USC is number 1, and the computers saying that they're wrong. Just what do football coaches and sports writers really know about football any way? Complex computer models prove that by getting more first downs, touch downs, and points this season than anyone else, Oklahoma is the best team. What the scoreboard actually says doesn't really matter.
Michigan is going to bust USC's chops and all of this with ruckus will be for not. GO LSU!
Posted by: Joseph at December 8, 2003 10:10 AMI think that OK just didn't show up on Saturday. They will likely pound the daylights out of LSU (sadly). Combine that with the fact the Michigan is going to stomp USC and you don't have so much of a problem. But what really matters is Tech kicking the Bejesus out of Cal. Go Hokies, beat those Hippies!!
Posted by: Jeffro at December 8, 2003 11:11 AMI really don't know what the issue is. Look at the losses of LSU and USC vs the loss of OU...no question OU should be ranked higer than both of them. I'm not sure what the voting members of the Coaches and AP polls are on, but it must be pretty stout.
Wouldn't this be even more intersting if TCU had won out?
Posted by: MMW at December 8, 2003 11:27 AMBy it's own incompetence, the BCS did manage to get the Pac-10 and Big-10 champs in the Rose Bowl, which is how it should be.
As a UW fan, personal rivalries are set aside - Go Trojans.
Posted by: jimg at December 8, 2003 1:29 PMI agree that we need a playoff system but I disagree with USC being ranked number 1.
USC is currently ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches poll. How can this be?
LSU played more ranked teams (see tougher schedule) than USC and their only loss of the season was to the 17th ranked and bowl bound Florida Gators. LSU finished out the season on the road with a thorough whipping of Georgia. Georgia was ranked #6 in the nation at the time.
Oklahoma played more ranked teams (see tougher schedule) than USC. Their only loss of the season came in a conference championship game that should'nt have been played in the first place. Oklahoma lost to 13th ranked Kansas State.
USC's one loss was to the unranked California Golden Bears. Ha! USC finished out the season at home by beating an unranked Oregon State team but allowed OSU to score 28 points in the victory. LSU held #6 ranked Georgia to 13 points in their final victory.
Both LSU and Oklahoma won 12 games this year and USC only won 11.
If LSU beats Oklahoma (ranked #1 all season) and USC beats #4 Michigan, how on earth does USC deserve a share of the title? And if Oklahoma beats a very strong and impressive LSU team, a team with only one loss, why should USC get a piece of the pie for beating a Michigan team with two losses.
They say that a tie is worse than kissing your sister, but I say a split championship is worse than kissing Tipper Gore. But I'll give the BCS credit for once. The two best teams are playing for the title so I say to hell with the AP and Coaches polls.
The winner of the LSU vs. OU matchup should be the sole national champ.
It all boiled down to strength of schedule and LSU and Oklahoma had tougher schedules.
The Official Ville Poll
#1 - LSU
#2 - Oklahoma
#3 - USC
Go Michigan!
Posted by: Brent at December 10, 2003 3:25 PMAssuming your question was not rhetorical, it is easy to explain. When teams lose, they fall in the polls. When teams win, they tend to retain their position unless the lost close (or did not play). Regardless of who they beat, USC lost early and won big and thus didn't get "jumped" by LSU. That has always been the problem with the AP/Coaches polls. It creates situations where it is better to lose early than lose late, no matter who you lose to.
Posted by: Ravenwood at December 10, 2003 4:27 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
