[NU Sports] 12th game blues

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> NOOOOOO
> We have to hold the line against the abomination
> that is the conference
> championship.  The only reason it is played is money

Well, a 12th team that makes sense (i.e. Notre Dame)
would not be a bad thing for the league. The title
game is about money, but it would also settle those
ties created by the uneven scheduling of the league
(which is a big factor - OSU/Wisky last year, OSU/Iowa
in 2002, our titles with OSU, etc.).

But just grabbing any team for a title game, I agree,
is bad.

> OSU was simply too slow for Florida and it wouldn't
> have mattered if the
> Bucks had played two games after Thanksgiving, they
> still would have lost.

I disagree with that - a two-month layoff does affect
teams. Given how Big Ten teams already have a
disadvantage in bowls with often playing on other
teams' turf, the layoff is another barrier for us.

Last year there were a lot of factors which all seemed
to break right for the Gators, which could be why it
seemed like such an unearned championship. USC's
upset, the anti-rematch vibe with Michigan, the long
layoff for OSU, Ginn's injury, Tressel's sudden
transformation into a coach who forgets adjustments
and the running game, etc.

The B(C)S had gotten off the hook in the past when the
lone remaining unbeaten played the system's #2 team
out of all the 1-loss teams ... but this time, the
unbeaten team lost. Was Florida the best team that
night? Yes. Would they beat OSU on another night? I'm
not so sure. Were they the best team in college
football last year? I doubt it.

But hey, they won under the current system and good
for them. I'm sure it bugs FSU and Miami fans to no
end, which means it can't be a completely bad thing.:)
But I'm ready to move on to this year and hopefully
not feel like the title game is so manipulated as a
Big Ten team drops two times without playing a game.

The Big Ten may not need to add a 12th team, but we
still do need to consider moving some games later in
the year. If the Sporting News' predictions come true
and LSU, USC and Michigan all march through their
campaigns undefeated this year - Michigan will have
ended their season while both the Trojans and Tigers
each have two games left and two more chances to
impress the voters. That hurts us as a league to be
done 2-3 weeks before the rest of major college
football - both in being in the news and in long
spells off before bowls.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


       
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