The BCS and the “Rest” Revisited…
In an interesting discussion with two fellow college football fans, the topic of BYU and the national championship came under fire. Our scenario was if Georgia goes 12-1 and Ohio State goes 9-2 and then all the other top 25 schools have 3 or more losses, except for BYU who goes 11-0. Would the BCS let BYU play Georgia for the national championship? Or would the big brothers of the BCS keep us out? (granted that this scenario is very hypothetical, but its a good discussion.)
Our conclusion:
If the BCS schools end up losing to each other and BYU is undefeated going into the bowl season, the cougars would still be left out of the big dance. Georgia and Ohio State would play for the national championship and the Cougars would then have to play a 3 loss team for 3rd place. This would be due to the simple fact that the BCS conferences do not want to share their money with the smaller conferences. The BCS computer system is flawed to the core and is built to insure that the Cinderella can never make it the the championship game. Plus, Lee Corso’s, and Kirk Herbie-street’s (or whatever his name is) heads would explode because their beloved Buckeyes, Gators, and Trojans aren’t vying for the title. We then thought, if BYU would go undefeated in two consecutive years and win BCS bowls; the third year would be the year that the Cougars could again contend for the title. They would then have to let us in, or their precious “system” would be blown to hell be the critics. (We all didn’t agree on this conclusion, but we did all agree that BYU needs to jump the MWC ship and head to the PAC-10 for some street-cred with the BCS bowl officials.)
We also agreed that BYU would have to be undefeated in numerous seasons, which history has shown is very difficult. Can it be done, yes. Will it, that is yet to be seen. Are the Cougs leaning towards the right direction,…. yes. But I leave the question up to you, would the BCS let us in to a championship game this year, or even next year; if the BCS schools stumble and falter throughout the season? Or does the money play to big a role, and how could the Cougars better their chances? Sound-off in the comments, lets here what you have to say.
There’s no way we go to the BCS championship game this year.
Even if BYU is undefeated and every other BCS team has two losses, we’ll still be relegated to the Fiesta Bowl or some other non-championship bowl game. The entire BCS system is designed to keep teams like BYU out of the championship game. The best they’ll ever do for a cinderella team from a non-BCS conference is throw them the Fiesta Bowl–the scraps from the banquet table, if you will.
If, however, BYU wins their BCS bowl game and goes undefeated again in 2009 I think the chances are slightly higher. I think the pressure from fans, from the team and from the media would start to beat some cracks in the BCS fortress, and the powers that be might allow a non-BCS team to play for the championship. We’d have to go undefeated both years, though, or the deal’s off.
In any event, I am confident that the next non-BCS team to win a national championship will be BYU–however we have to do it.
No way does BYU get into the NC game. Not that I don’t think BYU can play with the “Big Boys” but that the fat cats sitting on top will never allow it to happen. I think that the only way it could is if BYU goes undefeated begins next year in the top 10 and then beats some power houses and leaves no doubt in any one’s mind that they should be ranked 1 or 2. I think that being a part of the MWC hurts BYU as it is an easy target for how weak their schedule is never mind how weak some of the other BCS conferences are getting (Big 10, for example). I don’t see the BCS budging if there any blemish. That makes it difficult because BYU would have to open the season against big teams (no tune up games and trying to get them to play BYU) and then they have the easier slate in MWC.
There is a real argument to be made for 2009, and it’s not that the Cougars are 12-0 again going into the bowl season. The argument that has teeth is that BYU is 34-0 going into 2009’s bowl season. Add to that the fact that ASU on the road and Fla St at home are another step up from UCLA and U Dub this year, and the schedule hounds can’t complain.
Add to that the fact that BYU has more tradition than a good number of the “automatic qualifiers” and the case could be compelling–IF BYU would officially chirp loud enough.
34-0 with a BCS Bowl win in 2008 is not easily ignored.
Let’s get it all straight, it ought to bear the official name “BSCS,” more befitting its worth.
The BCS is illegal. Here is an legal article I wrote about a few years ago.
About the only way I see BYU ever getting the nod is that all except one BCS team loses three maybe four games. The pressure to play the two “undfeateds’ would be fairly significant. For it to happen this year we would need UCLA or WA (stop laughing this is a hypothetical) to win the Pac-10 and Michigan to win the Big Televen. It would also help if all the three loss teams were beaten at least once OOC.
But aside from this type of senario or the second coming I think you have a better chance at winning the MegaMillions lottery. After all this is the exact thing the BCS was created to prevent.
I think BYU could be in the BCS championship game under that scenario provided the following conditions:
1. The Big 10 is proved to be totally weak. That means Wisconsin loses to Fresno State and Penn State loses to Oregon State in addition to ridiculous parity within the conference. This would devalue Ohio State’s romp through the conference.
2. UCLA, Utah, and TCU turn out to be really good. If all 3 teams finish nationally ranked that would get the voters’ attention.
3. USC has to have at least 3 losses. If USC has 2 losses and beats Ohio State they get in. A 2 loss ACC and Big East team would not get in ahead of an undefeated BYU if #2 happens.
Even under the hypothetical, we’ll still get called out on lousy SOS. 3 of the teams we play this year were either on the pre-season or week 1 ESPN list of the 10 worst teams: UNLV, Utah State, and SDSU. Add to that a 1-AA team and everybody’s dog is going to howl and draw unsavory Hawaii comparisons.
But I agree that next year it could be done. Hypothetically…
Leave your response!
Categories
Archives
Meta
Good Info.
Most Commented