Thunderstruck's Column - Week 4: The BCS Mess

[Thunderstruck]

Does Oklahoma deserve to be in the Sugar Bowl? Maybe. Does LSU? Yes. Does USC? Nay, I say. By now you're thinking of hitting that back button, but hear me out.

First of all let's take a look at who each team lost to. LSU lost to Florida, a very respectable team. Oklahoma, as we all know, lost to K-State, a pre-season favorite for the Sugar Bowl. And USC lost to Cal. Cal who?

But USC was number 1 in the polls, you say. Human polls. That's because human polls leave teams with late-season losses at a disadvantage. Ohio State finished with 2 losses. If they lost their 1st 2 games, and won out, they'd be ranked high in the human polls. Oklahoma played the best football in and out throughout this season.

USC only lost because of strength of schedule is your next argument. Well, the BCS didn't make the schedule. The BCS didn't play the games. The BCS just computes the info.

But Oklahoma didn't win their conference, they shouldn't be in the National Champiopnship, you tell me as you're running out of arguments. But that shouldn't matter. They played the best football out of anyone. With one loss, you shouldn't go from one of all-time best to not playing for the Nat'l Title. Sure, they're no longer one of the all-time greats, but definately played the best this season.

The most complaining for the BCS is from people who "wanted to see a USC-Oklahoma matchup." Well, though ****. People are throwing out "What-if's" all over the place. What if USC wins and OU loses? What is K-State wins, USC loses, and OU loses? We should let this resolve itself. See what happens, and it does work out so that OU loses, then we look for changes. But for now, have trust that the 2 best teams are playing in the Sugar Bowl.

And the winners are(Week 15 NFL)...
Sunday, Dec. 14
Atlanta Falcons (3-10) at Indianapolis Colts (10-3)
Pick: Indianapolis

Buffalo Bills (6-7) at Tennessee Titans (9-4)
Pick: Tennessee

Detroit Lions (4-9) at Kansas City Chiefs (11-2)
Pick: Kansas City

Houston Texans (5-8) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7).
Pick: Houston

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) at New England Patriots (11-2)
Pick: Jacksonville

Minnesota Vikings (8-5) at Chicago Bears (5-8)
Pick: Minnesota

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8) at New York Jets (5-8)
Pick: New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks (8-5) at St. Louis Rams (10-3)
Pick: St. Louis

San Francisco 49ers (6-7) at Cincinnati Bengals (7-6)
Pick: Cincinnati

Baltimore Ravens (8-5) at Oakland Raiders (3-10)
Pick: Baltimore

Cleveland Browns (4-9) at Denver Broncos (8-5)
Pick: Denver

Carolina Panthers (8-5) at Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
Pick: Arizona if McCown starts, Carolina otherwise

Dallas Cowboys (8-5) at Washington Redskins (5-8)
Pick: Dallas

Green Bay Packers (7-6) at San Diego Chargers (3-10)
Pick: Green Bay

New York Giants (4-9) at New Orleans Saints (6-7)
Pick: New Orleans

Monday, Dec. 15
Philadelphia Eagles (10-3) at Miami Dolphins (8-5)
Pick: Philadelphia

[QuinntheEskimo]

But for now, have trust that the 2 best teams are playing in the Sugar Bowl.

well i guess that you must know something more then the 117 Division 1 coaches who voted USC No. 1 in the coaches poll, or the 320 media members who voted USC #1 in the AP poll... LSU and OU should breathe easy and give a sigh of relief that they dont have to play USC. Apparently a triple OT loss in early Sept to an average team is worse then a blow out at the end of the season to a good team?? Again- how can you be a National Champion when you weren't even a conference champion? the Big 12 wants all the $$$ that goes along with having a championship game but not the repsonsibility of the consequences if you actually Lose that game!

[mrdobolina]

I dont really follow college football all that much, but from going around and looking at some of the top teams win/loss records, their schedules over this last season, and who they beat or lost to, it seems to me that this whole "OU isn't a conference champ" issue is pretty moot. I mean, USC didn't have to play an extra game to win their conference. OU did. If there was no conference championship in the Big 12, and even if that game with KState was still played, OU would still have been conference champs. Their winning percentage is still higher than USC, and it is true--they lost to a much better team than did USC. Plus, USC played only one ranked team all year(going by final rankings). Whereas OU played at least 3 ranked teams(again, final rankings). I dont know, it seems like the BCS computer BS was set up to compile all of these factors, and eliminate human error. I think it did a pretty good job.

[QuinntheEskimo]

[QUOTE=mrdobolina]it seems to me that this whole "OU isn't a conference champ" issue is pretty moot. I mean, USC didn't have to play an extra game to win their conference. OU did. QUOTE]

well the Big 12 and OU decided a few years ago that they wanted to reap millions and millions of dollars from having a conference championship- they knew damn well at the time they were creating this super game at the expense of hurting one of their teams chances at a Nat'l Championship...
Essentially the conf championship is nothing more then an exhibition game? what purpose does it serve other then to rake in TV and ticket $$$? Obviously in the eyes of the BCS you dont get penalized for playing and losing this game- though your school rakes in the $$$ for playing the game? if your conference wants the championship game- then the teams in the conference should be able to face the consequences if they LOSE that game. The Pac 10 or the Big 10 isn't twisting the Big 12's arm to have a Conference Championship game...

[kchamber]

The conference championship is not an exhibition game. It counts the same as any other game. In the eyes of the BCS teams ARE penalized for losing conference championship games. If LSU lost the SEC championship it would not be competing the national title. OU was penalized for losing too, except a loss to Kansas St. is not as much of a penalty as a loss to Cal. Oklahoma suffered consequences, but the resume it built for itself over the season was enough to overcome those consequences, according to the BCS rules.

[mrdobolina]

Yeah, even with that loss, the way I see it, OU's winning percentage is still higher than both KState and USC's. They still played a tougher schedule than USC.

It just seems to me that the BCS paired the teams well this year. You have the traditional Rose Bowl(Pac 10 champ vs. Big 10 champ) and you have 2 damn good teams vying for the national championship.

Then again, I don't really care who wins the national title. I just like to watch good games.

[Boredom]

Pick: Arizona if McCown starts, Carolina otherwise

Sorry, but I gotta say that Carolina has got to win this one. Even with McCown playing, Arizona lost, and lost bad. Personally, I think that if Blake starts they have more of a chance. At least they know that there's a small chance that he'll have a good week.