Bowlology

[Cyclopsis Joe]

Georgia's going to be the SEC Champ, friends. 'Bama's going down to both LSU and Auburn and won't sniff the BCS. Oregon deserves some at-large love, but Notre Dame moves the needle and should be an at-large if they win out.

The Big East better hope West Virginia wins out, because if not, their conference may be out at the end of the contract.

You show no love to the Tide..and for that, I hate you.

BTW, CZzyzx41: They have 150 fans? Did they expand their fan base or something?

[FightinIrish11]

i dont see penn state losing to michigan state. as a matter of fact, penn state really hasnt lost all year, if you all remember the clock blunder in the michigan game, but for the sake of the argument, i'll leave that alone. the teams penn state has beaten in conference leads me to believe they will throw michigan state around like they did illinois. eventhough mich. st. went into notre dame and won, that doesnt mean they are a good team; they lost to purdue a team in which ND beat up. so to say penn state is going to lose in east lansing is a bit ridiculous. just like that michigan will even hang with ohio state.

[buzzcut]

The second projection of bowls, thru games of this past Saturday.

BCS Games

Rose: Southern California vs. Texas

Orange: Miami(FL) vs. Ohio State

Sugar: Louisiana State vs. West Virginia

Fiesta: Notre Dame vs. Penn State

Non-BCS Games

Capital One: Michigan vs. Alabama

Gator: Florida State vs. Louisville

Cotton: Texas Tech vs. Georgia

Outback: Wisconsin vs. Auburn

Houston: Nebraska vs. Western Michigan*

Liberty: Central Florida vs. Fresno State

Meineke Car Care: Clemson vs. South Florida

Peach: Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina

Independence: Oklahoma vs. Maryland*

Sun: Northwestern vs. Oregon

Music City: Iowa vs. Florida

Holiday: Colorado vs. UCLA

Emerald: Arizona State vs. New Mexico

Alamo: Minnesota vs. Iowa State

MPC Computers: Nevada vs. Virginia

Insight: Rutgers vs. Stanford

Champs Sports: Boston College vs. Missouri

Motor City: Toledo vs. Michigan State

Hawaii: Boise State vs. UTEP

Fort Worth: Kansas vs. Houston

Poinsetta: Texas Christian vs. Navy

Las Vegas: Brigham Young vs. California

GMAC: Southern Mississippi

New Orleans: Arkansas State vs. Tulsa

*Fills available SEC spot

[WJMorris3]

Rose: USC v Texas

Orange: Miami v Alabama

Sugar: LSU v West Virginia

Fiesta: Penn St v Oregon

Gotta take both Alabama and Oregon as the at-larges.

[See Red]

Rose:  USC v Texas

Orange:  Miami v Alabama

Sugar:  LSU v West Virginia

Fiesta:  Penn St v Oregon

Gotta take both Alabama and Oregon as the at-larges.

You call Notre Dame overrated, and then proceed to say that Oregon, the team that beat a 3-7 Wash. St. team by only 3 points, deserves to be an at-large for a BCS Bowl Game? You can't be serious.

[WJMorris3]

You call Notre Dame overrated, and then proceed to say that Oregon, the team that beat a 3-7 Wash. St. team by only 3 points, deserves to be an at-large for a BCS Bowl Game?  You can't be serious.

Yes, but you need to take one loss teams before you can consider the two loss teams -- both Alabama and Oregon have only one loss. In any case, both lost to conference champions -- Notre Dame lost to a very mediocre Michigan State team.

In any case, just because Notre Dame is Notre Dame doesn't mean they should discount the fact that they had two losses. Two losses is one too many to make a BCS bid.

[FightinIrish11]

oregon lost to USC by 30+, notre dame should've beaten them. maybe that shouldnt be the only thing to consider, but you know they are going to take a 9-2 notre dame team over a one loss oregon team because it is notre dame. but as much as i love ND, the name recognition doesnt make it right. but they have the 9 wins to be eligible, so they should have just as good a chance of going to a BCS than any other team thats in the top 12.

and for the record, notre dame is NOT over rated.

[Jigga]

Georgia's going to be the SEC Champ, friends.  'Bama's going down to both LSU and Auburn and won't sniff the BCS.  Oregon deserves some at-large love, but Notre Dame moves the needle and should be an at-large if they win out.

The Big East better hope West Virginia wins out, because if not, their conference may be out at the end of the contract.

You show no love to the Tide..and for that, I hate you.

BTW, CZzyzx41: They have 150 fans? Did they expand their fan base or something?

One down, one to go...yeah, Alabama.

Hopefully Georgia lays an egg at Kentucky and South Carolina can sneak into the SEC Championship game. That would be great!

[WJMorris3]

Okay, let me amend my statements -- two of Virginia Tech, Alabama, and Oregon should be the at large. You can't deny two of them in favor of Notre Dame, when ND played a soft schedule.

[JQK]

Rose:  USC v Texas

Orange:  Miami v Alabama

Sugar:  LSU v West Virginia

Fiesta:  Penn St v Oregon

Gotta take both Alabama and Oregon as the at-larges.

You call Notre Dame overrated, and then proceed to say that Oregon, the team that beat a 3-7 Wash. St. team by only 3 points, deserves to be an at-large for a BCS Bowl Game? You can't be serious.

Just more of that Irish hatred around the country...

[andrewharrington]

Willmorris, you're absurd, and here's why.

First, at this point, the SEC champion has not yet been crowned. It may very well be Auburn, Georgia, or even Alabama taking that honor instead of LSU, depending on the outcome of games yet to be played.

The Pac-10 champion has yet to be determined as well. The winner of the USC/UCLA game is the Pac-10 Champion. That's right. If UCLA wins, they both will have one conference loss, and UCLA will have the head-to-head tiebreaker over USC. That looks bleak, but it's possible.

Therefore, your statement that Oregon's and Alabama's only losses have been to conference champions is simply not true at this point.

Second, on what grounds can you call Notre Dame's schedule "soft?" They have played a Michigan team that was pretty legit at the time, and has really come on strong as of late. Pittsburgh started slow but also has come on very strong to become bowl eligible. Purdue and Michigan State were both legit at the time they played Notre Dame, though they have faded considerably. They put up 41 points on a solid Tennessee defense. They have games against decent, bowl-eligible BYU, Navy, and Stanford teams, and then the big one against USC, which was decided by one 4th-down play, more or less. Washington and Syracuse are the only truly "soft" games on the schedule. They have put up huge offensive numbers on good teams, and held them in check with a decent defense.

Third, there is no way the BCS should take all the 1-loss teams before they take any 2-loss teams. There is no doubt in my mind that 2-loss teams like Ohio State and Notre Dame should definitely receive at-large bids over a few 1-loss teams, based on strength of schedule, who they've lost to, and how they've performed in both their wins and their losses. Blowouts aren't good, UCLA and Oregon fans.

Impressive with 1-loss: LSU, Miami, Penn State. (Notice: All probable conference champions.)

Not impressive with 1-loss: Oregon, UCLA.

Neutral with 1-loss: Alabama, Virginia Tech, West Virginia.

Ohio State has lost close games to two of the country's elite teams, and was driving for a potential tying or winning score in both, when good defensive plays caused game-ending fumbles in both games. None of their other games were ever in jeopardy. They were best-described as complete Buckeye domination. There's my lobby for a Buckeye BCS Bid.

[andrewharrington]

Here's how I see the BCS season playing out.

Big East

As long as West Virginia takes care of business against South Florida, they should be in, with their only loss against a good Virginia Tech team. The Big East is a joke, but West Virginia is the most complete team in it. Nobody but the champ will get a bid.

SEC

There can be a maximum of one SEC team to emerge with 1-loss. LSU, I believe, is stronger than many BCSers think. I think the late loss to Tennessee was an unfortunate fluke that cost them a shot at the National Championship. They showed a lot of guts with that 2nd half comeback against a great defense on Saturday. I think LSU will win the championship over Georgia, but with Shockley, Georgia has a fair chance. If Alabama beats Auburn, I think they will get an at-large bid.

ACC

I think Miami's first game loss to Florida State was really unfortunate as well, because they would definitely have a shot at the Rose Bowl, too. I think they will avenge that loss in convincing fashion in the ACC championship game. Depending on their late season performance after that embarrassing loss at home, Virginia Tech may be a good at-large choice. If they struggle or lose against Virginia and/or North Carolina, probably not.

Pac-10

I don't see USC letting it go. If UCLA does win, though, I still think USC gets a spot in the championship game, similar to 2001 and 2003 in which Nebraska and Oklahoma, respectively, went to the National Championship game following a loss. If USC wins, Oregon is the only other team with an at-large chance, but I do not think they will get it.

Big XII

Likewise, I really don't see Texas letting this slip away, either. They should crush Colorado again and sail into the Rose Bowl. The other teams are not strong enough to earn an at-large bid. If Colorado wins, though, I think Miami moves into the #2 spot.

Big Ten

Penn State should clinch the automatic bid this weekend. If Ohio State beats Michigan, they could gain an at-large bid, based on previously stated resume.

So, without further ado, here are my picks, in a perfect world . . .

ROSE BOWL

USC v. Texas

ORANGE BOWL

Miami v. [Ohio State]

SUGAR BOWL

LSU v. West Virginia

FIESTA BOWL

Penn State v. [Notre Dame]

Those would be some great games. The battle of unbeaten USC and Texas is obviously great for obvious reasons.

Two of the nations best defenses in a rematch of the 2002 National Championship game is equally as great, in my opinion.

I don't know where the Big East champion fits in, because I really don't think they can hang with any of the other conference champions, but I think LSU is the weakest of the other conference champions. The BCS needs to drop the Big East from the contract.

One of the nation's best defenses against one of it's better offenses in a battle of storied programs in their return to glory will have me watching.

NOTE: The [bracketed] teams could be replaced with Alabama, Oregon, or Virginia Tech in this situation, but I think both those 2-loss teams are stronger than any of these 1-loss teams.

Finally, think of the possible great matchups if there were a playoff bracket of the top 16 teams.

My analysis is done, for now.

[vicfurth]

I will make a statement...

The Bowl Championship Series, right now, has the biggest love affair with SMU that they've had with anyone.

(In case you don't know, SMU is the only team to beat Texas Christian, thus keeping the Frogs out of the--most likely--Fiesta Bowl)

[TBGKon]

do you guys really see the Big East being dropped when Tranghese has such a position of power in the BCS, and if they are dropped, what other measley conferece will replace them?

[HatCityEnforcer]

do you guys really see the Big East being dropped when Tranghese has such a position of power in the BCS, and if they are dropped, what other measley conferece will replace them?

Somehow, I can't make a convincing arguement for dropping the Big East for either the MWC, C-USA, or MAC.

Also, I didn't exactly hear a clamoring for dropping the Big 10 or Pac 10 when they had down years...as the Big East is having this year.

[andrewharrington]

Nothing Should replace the Big East. It should recede into mid-major land. Starting next year, there are five bowl games: The four current BCS Bowls, plus a separate National Championship game. That's 10 spots in the BCS. Five of them should be taken by conference champions, the other five should be taken by at-large teams.

[HatCityEnforcer]

OK...Easy fix to the whole "Big East Shouldn't Have A Spot" whinefest that's going on (yes, I take it personally b/c I AM a Big East fan )...

Expand the grouping to 8 auto bids...

Notre Dame shares the bid with the Big East Champion

MWC and C-USA get provisionals

Two at large bids kept.

By provisional bids, I mean they have to be ranked in the BCS Top 15 to get in...if they rate that high, they deserve it, IMO. If not, those provisionals become at-larges, meaning in the course of one year, you could have 4 at large teams and the Big 6 represented...

Now for the Big East mix...this makes more sense seeing ND is a member of the Big East in everything but football...might as well make the tie-in a bit more permanent...

If Notre Dame's ranked higher in the BCS ratings than the Big East champ, ND gets the bid...if the Big East champ is ranked higher than ND, then the Big East champ (be it WV, Louisville, So Fla, the Cuse, Pitt, Rutgers, the Natti, or UConn) gets the nod.

If both are ranked high, then ND grabs an at large, seeing ND is kind of a huge draw.

Simple fix...everyone's happy...

End of fluffing debate.

[rockchalk]

OK...Easy fix to the whole "Big East Shouldn't Have A Spot" whinefest that's going on (yes, I take it personally b/c I AM a Big East fan )...

Notre Dame shares the bid with the Big East Champion...

If Notre Dame's ranked higher in the BCS ratings than the Big East champ, ND gets the bid...

End of fluffing debate.

Nah, that makes sense.

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So next year, have the 5 games, 5 conference champions, Notre Dame (if eligible) that's six out of 10 teams. The champion of the 4 remaining conferences (Big East, CUSA, WAC, MWC) with the best record (or highest ranking, whatever) gets an automatic bid, that's 7 out of 10. Three at-large's, and you're done.

[Cujo]

Sugar: Louisiana State vs. West Virginia

West Virginia, and the Big East for that matter, DOES NOT deserve an automatic bid to a BCS bowl game. WVU is a decent team, but come on, they are NOT worthy of being in with the elite. You saw what happened with Pitt last year in the BCS. They got shredded by Utah. Give that spot to a good one-loss school, like how about Alabama, who's not in the BCS picture according to these projections, which is a shame.

[Jigga]

Georgia's going to be the SEC Champ, friends.  'Bama's going down to both LSU and Auburn and won't sniff the BCS.  Oregon deserves some at-large love, but Notre Dame moves the needle and should be an at-large if they win out.

The Big East better hope West Virginia wins out, because if not, their conference may be out at the end of the contract.

You show no love to the Tide..and for that, I hate you.

BTW, CZzyzx41: They have 150 fans? Did they expand their fan base or something?

One down, one to go...yeah, Alabama.

Hopefully Georgia lays an egg at Kentucky and South Carolina can sneak into the SEC Championship game. That would be great!

Two down...

Nope, no love to the Tide at all...way to step up in the big games...Fold Tide!!