[NU Sports] Penn State and Bowl hopes

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

First off, if we get to six wins, we ABSOLUTELY deserve a bowl. There are PLENTY of less qualified six-win, seven-win or even eight-win teams (have you SEEN the Big East?!?!). Plus, we've been left home a few times with six wins.

That's the way this idiotic B(C)S system is set up - there is no incentive to play tough teams outside of league play. We played by the same rules as everyone else, we got six wins ... therefore we deserve to get the extra practice and mid-level exposure of a mid-level bowl. Besides, NU is not a program that can turn its nose up at a bowl yet. Maybe someday, but for now, we'll take the bowl. Will Notre Dame turn down a B(C)S bid if they get in at 10-2 against an awful schedule? Hecks no!

Secondly ... Jeff's absolutely right about Detroit. Great stadium, nice downtown - it's just a no-win game for any Big Ten team. A loss is an embarrassment, a win is no big deal (even though the MAC is underrated). Central Michigan is a DARN good team. Their loss was to Arizona (a top 20 team) - they won at MSU. They certainly deserve just as much consideration for the top 25 right now as Houston (who gave up 50+ to UTEP ... UTEP!!!) or Pitt (who lost at woeful NC State) or BYU (blown out at home vs. FSU/TCU ... beat overrated OU).

Finally, as for Chuck's bowl picks, aside from the Alamo/Champs order, I'd agree right now (OSU could top Wisky if they beat Iowa). The Big Ten is looking more and more like a lock for the B(C)S if PSU and Iowa win out (or even if Iowa loses at OSU, since they'd still go to Pasadena).

- SEC = 2 bids ... only question is Bama/LSU for Sugar vs. Cincy
- Big East = 1 bid ... despite the ABC hype, this is a woeful league as the Mountaineers were crushed by Auburn at home and Pitt lost at NC State
- ACC = 1 bid ... Miami looked like a possible second, but they blew it and Georgia Tech doesn't have following to get an at-large bid ... plus, everyone in that league will be 6-6 by December anyway.
- Big XII = 1 bid ... Okie State blew their chance vs. Houston unless they take Texas to the brink on Saturday, and Nebraska has utterly collapsed after looking like a strong contender, so unless someone upsets the Horns, it's one and done.
- Pac 10 = 1 bid ... the only two teams capable of meriting an at-large bid play each other this week and will give the loser a second loss. If it's a close game and TCU or ND trips up, they could sneak another in.
- At-large = 1 bid, possible 2 ... Boise State seems to be in, TCU is surging but still has Utah and Notre Dame is lurking thanks to Charlie's whining. Hmmm ...

Mack whines and jumps Cal to get the at-large bid.
St. Urban whines and magically leapfrogs Michigan for a title shot.
Charlie whines and get ranked ahead of a Michigan team with the same record WHO THE IRISH LOST TO ... and keeps their BCS hope alive.

Lloyd Carr, who whined about nearly everything during his tenure, stays silent and "dignified" and watches a title shot slip away.

The lesson? Crying works in the B(C)S. Just reason #24601 that the B(C)S absolutely and utterly sucks ... though still not as much as major league baseball. :)

GO CATS!!!
-SjT