[NU Sports] Maybe the Big Ten ...

[Eric West]

At 07:15 PM 12/3/2007, SjT (Stephen J. Truog) wrote:
>... oughta get one of those championship game thingys.
>If it's anything like the SEC's, those things are
>magic! Consider ...
>* Last year, a Florida team ranked #4 barely beats an
>Arkansas team that isn't even in the SEC's three best
>teams that year to magically leap two spots over a
>Michigan team that didn't even lose into the title
>game!
>* This year, LSU again squeaks by a Tennessee team
>that isn't even one of the SEC's top three teams and
>vaults up FIVE spots, leap frogging THREE teams that
>didn't even lose to get into the title game.

You are, of course, leaving out that other teams had to choke for either 
team to make the title game...and that Florida certainly proved they 
belonged last season (while Michigan proved they didn't).

>Wow - there must be some magic in that game. This is
>even more of a joke than when the B in B(C)S stood for
>Bowden or Big XII a few years back when FSU or a Big
>XII team that didn't win their league title would
>magically jump into the title game. Unbelievable.

Why would this recent example be "more" of a joke? We are talking about the 
champion of a conference that basically every computer says is the 
strongest. How is that more of a joke than Nebraska 2001 or Oklahoma 2003?

>I'd like to see the B(C)S reps at least try and defend
>their system to ...
>* Georgia. You were #4 and #1 and #2 lost. Normally
>that would mean you're in the title game ... but
>instead you even DROPPED a spot.

While I'm not a rep, here goes: Georgia shouldn't have been #4 in the first 
place. I'll never understand the mentality that football rankings should be 
like a supermarket line. And if they had made it into the title game, 
wouldn't you have called that a joke too (given your statements above)?

>* Kansas. You were #5 and 11-1, just like the team we
>moved up from #3 into the title game, but again, you
>dropped a spot.

Dropped three spots, actually, and rightly so. When you don't beat anybody 
all season, and it's fully clear that you are (at best) the third-best team 
in your conference, you don't make the national title game. Again, surely 
you would call the BCS a joke if they had made it?

>* Virginia Tech. You were #6 and won your game
>Saturday  - even moving into the top spot on the
>computers, but no title game for you either.

48-7. They ARE the weakest link. Goodbye!

>* Oklahoma. You destroyed #1, looked far more
>impressive than LSU and had the same number of losses,
>but they get to vault in, you don't.

A good point. The Sooners at least have a valid claim -- at least, as 
"valid" as any 2-loss team can have. However, both the pollsters and the 
computers favored LSU, and that's what the bowls go after. Sorry, but next 
time don't lose to Colorado, okay?

>* USC. You were the preseason #1, had more key
>injuries than LSU and were playing better than anyone
>in December - looking more impressive than LSU as well
>- but we buried you long ago, unlike the Tigers.

They lost to Stanford. I repeat: They. Lost. To. Stanford. The only reason 
we're even talking about them is that Dennis Dixon got injured and allowed 
them to back into the Pac-10 title. The Trojans simply don't have a claim 
at all.

>* Missouri. In perhaps the cruelest cut of all, you
>beat two BCS teams on neutral fields, finished #6 and
>only lost to #3 all year ... but you're not even in
>the game.

It is a surprise that the Orange Bowl folks chose Kansas instead of 
Missouri; they must have thought the Jayhawk fans would bring in more 
money. That's what happens with the bowl system. It's been true since long 
before the BCS ever came around. At least they got two chances to beat 
Oklahoma...next time they should capitalize.

>* Arizona State. You were 10-2 and didn't even get
>picked by the bowl in your own back yard. A bowl that
>got its start because other bowls were snubbing you. I
>guess they too have forgotten their roots.

This is inaccurate. The Fiesta Bowl were not allowed to choose Arizona 
State. When it was their turn, their only choices were West Virginia and 
Hawaii. The Sun Devils could only have been available if the Rose Bowl had 
forgotten *their* roots and snubbed Illinois. I'm glad that didn't happen.

For the record, I'm not playing devil's advocate or just disagreeing with 
you for the sake of it (as you once suggested); these are my real opinions. 
Virtually all of the problems of the BCS are actually just problems of the 
bowl system, and they've been around for decades. The notion that we're 
even talking about "deserving" to go to this bowl or that one shows how far 
we've come from the days when the bowl organizers would simply issue 
invitations regardless of ranking, often before all games were played.

>I guess we can't complain too much in the Big Ten. We
>seem to be the only other league besides the SEC to be
>happy with how it shook out (though we were screwed by
>Urban's whin, er, politicking, last year). Although
>it's not all good. Yeah, OSU moved up and got a shot
>at redemption for last year's rare Tressel screw up,
>but they get to face LSU in a home game (the Tigers
>should at least have to EARN home games!). And while
>it's nice to see the Illini get to Pasadena since
>their 2001 title didn't get a Rose Bowl berth, they
>get to face a red hot USC team, again in the
>opponent's back yard.

The BCS does seem to like the Big Ten, that's for sure; we have more 
appearances than any other conference. Of course, the downside is that we 
often play against the best of the other conferences, so our win percentage 
takes a hit. Then again, if the Big Ten were better this wouldn't be an 
issue anyway. Urban Meyer may have whined, but he was obviously right.

I see wins for Wisconsin, Penn State, and Purdue, with Indiana a maybe. 
Even though it may not look good for the others, each of their opponents 
have lost to weaker teams (except maybe Boston College). Victory is 
certainly possible for all, especially this season -- and of course that 
means defeat is possible for all too. Here's to chaos! :)

---
Eric West
e-west at northwestern.edu