2010 NCAA Football Thread

[pianoknight]

Big XII - Nebraska (higher ranked in BCS than Oklahoma; Oklahoma ranked higher than Oklahoma State (Baylor eliminated by division record); Nebraska over Missouri via head to head)

WTF?!? OK, Baylor is 4-1 in the Big 12. Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are 3-1 in the Big 12. 4 is greater then 3. Apparently they don't teach basic math at whatever high school you graduated from.

And I stipulated that I'm calling the ties by a tie in the loss column. All five teams have one loss in conference. Just because Baylor was lucky enough to have played one conference game extra right now doesn't mean I should automatically slide them in ahead of everyone.

First off, like I give a damn what you stipulated. What I'm saying is common sense, smart guy. Baylor is 4-1 in the Big 12 One half game (and I'm bolding this to get my point across) ahead of Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. It's not about your stupid ass stips, it's about common sense and right now, common sense has Baylor as the best team in the Big 12 in terms of conference record.

In terms of record perhaps, but does anyone realistically see Baylor winning the Big 12? Nope.

I wouldn't rule it out. Baylor-Oklahoma is the de facto South Division title game, and weird crap has happened before in the Big XII title game.

I certainly think Baylor has a better chance at a Conference title than Iowa State.

Right, but could Baylor beat OU and then beat NU in the CCG? Doubt it. Win the south division, maybe- but I highly doubt they'll win the conference.

[HedleyLamarr]

This is going to be interesting. #3 TCU goes into Salt Lake City to take on #5 Utah this weekend. Does the winner of this game vault into the Top 2 and into the driver's seat for a NCG spot?

And sorry Boise, barring any craziness, you're not getting a title game shot. The only things you can blame are the other WAC schools. It's not your fault, but your conference blows.

Possibly, but TCU/Utah will only temporarily be in the top two, assuming Oregon and Auburn win out. Auburn still has Alabama, and Oregon has Oregon State and Arizona to boost their schedule strengths and better themselves in the computer polls. No way TCU/Utah will stay in the top two if Oregon and Auburn end undefeated....the computers will like the totality of their schedules and results over the Mountain West champ.

While the Georgia-Florida game was on, the game analyst outlined the top-ten (entering Saturday's games, that is) of who's in line to get in the BCS national championship game. Boise State was 10th on that list, and TCU/Utah (whichever goes undefeated) was 9th. Two of the teams ahead of them lost (Missouri, Michigan State), but there's still a lot that needs to happen for Boise or TCU/Utah to get in, at least to their list.

[Lights Out]

And sorry Boise, barring any craziness, you're not getting a title game shot. The only things you can blame are the other WAC schools. It's not your fault, but your conference blows.

Nevada is ranked and Hawaii could be ranked by the end of the year. The WAC is also arguably better than the Big East this year. It's not their fault, it's obvious collusion between the BC$ and the media to keep Boise State out of the title game. The high preseason ranking Boise got was only to pay lip service to the idea of giving them a fair shot. Now the BC$ is showing their true colors again.

[rams80]

It's collusion only so far as the "think of the children" argument got margin of victory tossed from the computer polls (among other things). The computers are only allowed to know that Boise State beat its opponents. Not that Boise State left the broken and shattered remnants of its Conference opponents in 20 point plus beatdowns.

Of course, pay attention to the "rise" of Baylor. TCU absolutely destroyed their ass at the start of the season, and that could be important in the computer rankings* (and the human polls as soon as people actually start looking at the-aw who am I kidding, in the event that they look at TCU's schedule, they'll say LOL BAYLOR and move along)

*-Excluding the Billingsley rankings, which, from what I understand are also designed to say LOL BAYLOR because they hand out bonuses or punishments based on where the teams were ranked when they played.

[tj4eck]

Woke up to find my team sitting on top of the BCS/AP/Harris polls

made my day that much better

^ those sum it up

[knnhrvy16]

I'm really, really, reeeeally hoping Utah wins out. Nothing would make me happier than to see the Utes in the Rose Bowl. I had thought I'd have to wait until Utah won the Pac-12 someday to do it, but to hear that the Rose Bowl will likely take the Non-AQ this year is fantastic news. And of course, as I said in another post before, I have family ties with TCU so if they end up going, I'll be happy for them as well. BUT, as a lifelong Utah fan, it would make my entire YEAR to see Utah play in the grandaddy of 'em all.

*I should note, I'm sure this all sounds funny coming from a USU student, but I'm only attending USU temporarily. It's been my plan since high school that I'd come here for a year or two, then eventually transfer and finish my education at Utah. So no, I'm not some reactionary Utah bandwagoner

[infrared41]

And sorry Boise, barring any craziness, you're not getting a title game shot. The only things you can blame are the other WAC schools. It's not your fault, but your conference blows.

Nevada is ranked and Hawaii could be ranked by the end of the year. The WAC is also arguably better than the Big East this year. It's not their fault, it's obvious collusion between the BC$ and the media to keep Boise State out of the title game. The high preseason ranking Boise got was only to pay lip service to the idea of giving them a fair shot. Now the BC$ is showing their true colors again.

No offense but you just can't make the argument that undefeated Boise State would deserve a title shot over undefeated Auburn or Oregon. Especially Auburn. And before you come roaring back keep in mind that I want to see Boise State in the title game. The truth is simply that Boise State's schedule strength isn't there and schedule strength is part of the equation. I don't like it either but the facts are the facts. Barring Auburn and Oregon losses, and a few other things, Boise State isn't going to the title game.

It's got nothing to do with "collusion." If you want your team included at the "big dance" then you have to play by the same "big dance" rules as everyone else and those rules say Boise State's schedule strength is going to hurt them. That's not a knock on your team. It's just the way it is.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Auburn deserves to make the title game after being the odd team out a few years back.

Also, multiple undefeated teams needs to happen more often if we ever want a playoff.

[Lights Out]

Auburn deserves to make the title game after being the odd team out a few years back.

By that logic, Boise deserves to be in simply because they've been screwed over lately, too.

[infrared41]

Auburn deserves to make the title game after being the odd team out a few years back.

Also, multiple undefeated teams needs to happen more often if we ever want a playoff.

All that would do is take the argument from one and two to five and six or whatever the last two spots end up being. The same teams will still end up getting screwed. We all need to stop thinking about it from the standpoint of fairness or competition. College football is about money. TV money to be specific. The teams that draw well and get good ratings will be the teams that make a playoff. The real irony is that the decision process will be the very same one used to determine BCS title game participants. Strength of schedule, etc.

We're screaming at the ocean folks.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Fair enough. But by the end of the season, we really argue zero-loss versus one-loss teams. An undefeated Boise State would be part of a six team playoff -- all BCS teams, in theory, should.

Okay, I'll stop playing REEL LINE MINT now.

[pianoknight]

No offense but you just can't make the argument that undefeated Boise State would deserve a title shot over undefeated Auburn or Oregon. Especially Auburn. And before you come roaring back keep in mind that I want to see Boise State in the title game. The truth is simply that Boise State's schedule strength isn't there and schedule strength is part of the equation. I don't like it either but the facts are the facts. Barring Auburn and Oregon losses, and a few other things, Boise State isn't going to the title game.

It's got nothing to do with "collusion." If you want your team included at the "big dance" then you have to play by the same "big dance" rules as everyone else and those rules say Boise State's schedule strength is going to hurt them. That's not a knock on your team. It's just the way it is.

Agreed. Undefeated Auburn and Oregon trump the Non-AQs. Heck, the way the season is going with the BCS computer margins, 1-loss Bama and 1-loss Nebraska might pass Boise and/or TCU.

[TFoA]

I better not hear anybody crying "LAWSUIT" this week after Boise got jumped by a non-AQ team. I mean, come on, if Boise got jumped by another non-AQ, what does that say about Boise? infrared, as usual, is spot on. It's not a conspiracy to screw Boise State, it's not because "they" don't like them. Boise State has played NOBODY, and under the current system, if you play nobody, you're going to get your reward for playing nobody which is a nice BCS bowl, but not the title game.

TCU actually has a better shot at making it to the title game because their conference is better than the WAC & they will have gone through a tougher road to get their if they go undefeated. I mean, it's no BCS-conference schedule, but if TCU can go into Utah and win, they deserve to be in the conversation. If anybody deserves rampant homerism & campaigning in this thread, it's TCU. They're the ones that would've actually defeated a Top-10-in-November team if they go undefeated. I'd actually be mad if an undefeated TCU got jumped by a one-loss BCS school. They beat a mediocre-Oregon State team like Boise State did, but they also beat Baylor who is currently on-top of the Big XII South. They beat them by 35 too. TCU deserves to be ranked where they are.

And, oh yeah, Auburn & Oregon are currently running through teams like buzzsaws right now. Sure, there's a few questions about the defense of these teams, but in this day & age of football, if your offense is good enough you will win championships. Just ask the Saints. So yeah, until those two teams lose (and a couple other 1-loss teams lose again for good measure), and/or TCU & Utah lose, I don't wanna hear complaints from Boise State when your toughest challenge will probably come from Nevada. I understand that was the schedule that the Broncos have been given & are doing their absolute best with it...but the schedule is what it is. If Boise fans wanna blame anybody for being knocked out of the BCS title game, blame VaTech for losing to James Madison the week after you beat them, blame Oregon State for being mediocre this season, and blame your conference for sucking so hard. Please don't confuse this for Boise State hate. This is no conspiracy.

[Lights Out]

Nobody's merely crying "LAWSUIT" - the end of the BCS is closer than you'd think. Boise State and the Mountain West have been retaining lawyers for a long time now waiting for the chance to strike, the Department of Justice has been threatening to investigate the BCS for a while now, and the Playoff PAC has filed an IRS complaint against the BCS bowls. The end of the BCS is coming, it's just a shame that it hasn't come yet.

[rams80]

I am just amused by the fact that if TCU joins the Big East their SOS will probably go up in voters eyes even if the actual competition is dropping.

[slightly shotgunned]

Nobody's merely crying "LAWSUIT" - the end of the BCS is closer than you'd think.

As much as I'd love to believe this, I think it's just wishful thinking. The BCS will continue on as it has and give their normal excuses that a playoff would diminish the great regular season and that strength of schedule matters and the experts will talk about how contraversy is good for the sport and nobody will care once the games start.

I've been barking up this tree for years.

[infrared41]

Nobody's merely crying "LAWSUIT" - the end of the BCS is closer than you'd think. Boise State and the Mountain West have been retaining lawyers for a long time now waiting for the chance to strike, the Department of Justice has been threatening to investigate the BCS for a while now, and the Playoff PAC has filed an IRS complaint against the BCS bowls. The end of the BCS is coming, it's just a shame that it hasn't come yet.

The fact that under the current rules, Boise State doesn't deserve a title shot doesn't matter to you? I should add that these are the very same rules that every "BCS" team plays under. No one is out to screw Boise State. They play under the same set up everyone else does. Isn't that what you wanted in the first place? For the past five years it's been "Boise State deserves to be included with the big schools" etc. Well, welcome to the big time folks. Now you know how Auburn or USC felt.

Honest to God, I'd rather see Ohio State go 2-10 for five seasons before I'd come on here to whine and cry and talk about using lawsuits to get my team into a game. Have a little pride dude.

[pianoknight]

Nobody's merely crying "LAWSUIT" - the end of the BCS is closer than you'd think. Boise State and the Mountain West have been retaining lawyers for a long time now waiting for the chance to strike, the Department of Justice has been threatening to investigate the BCS for a while now, and the Playoff PAC has filed an IRS complaint against the BCS bowls. The end of the BCS is coming, it's just a shame that it hasn't come yet.

The sad reality is that the BCS system actually gives Boise a better chance than a playoff. It gives EVERY team a better shot than a playoff. With a playoff system, you would be facing the likes of Alabama, Oklahoma, Penn State, Nebraska, USC,... etc, EVERY WEEK for at least a few rounds. A playoff system would mean that several 1-loss teams would likely get consideration and honestly, as lucky/good as Boise has been, I just don't see them beating the Big Boys for 4-5 weeks in a row.

[Lights Out]

No, we're not playing under the same rules as the Auburns or USC's of the world. We will never play under their rules as long as we're in a non-AQ conference. The AQ schools make more money and therefore get the benefit of the doubt in bowl selection and the polls, whereas the Boise States of the world are nitpicked to death and bumped down for any excuse.

For example, Oklahoma only beat Utah State by 7 this year - not a peep about keeping it too close against an inferior opponent. Boise State "only" beat Louisiana Tech (an inferior opponent) by 29, and not only did they not beat LTU badly enough for the media, they move down to #4 despite the win. Come on now, you can't seriously tell me that Boise State is subject to the same criteria as a big-name school.

And as for the playoff supposedly "screwing over" Boise - come on now. Boise State can at very least give any top team in the country a game. They might not beat every top team every time, but they will at least compete due to their discipline, poise, and coaching. I have no doubt that they would be on the top of their game and focused during a playoff, and while they might not win a title with a playoff system, they'd at least compete.

[rams80]

For example, Oklahoma only beat Utah State by 7 this year - not a peep about keeping it too close against an inferior opponent. Boise State "only" beat Louisiana Tech (an inferior opponent) by 29, and not only did they not beat LTU badly enough for the media, they move down to #4 despite the win. Come on now, you can't seriously tell me that Boise State is subject to the same criteria as a big-name school.

I'm not sure how long I need to repeat "The Computer Rankings Cannot Recognize Margin of Victory" before it begins to register. The problem is that by and large pollsters and certainly computers only look at how good the opponent is and whether or not the game was won. The computers value Oklahoma's 3 point home escape over Air Force as much as they value TCU's 31 point home thumping of Air Force (and Utah's 5 point road escape over Air Force.)

That said, folks who were paying attention (like I) noticed Oklahoma's succession of narrow escapes over the course of the season, (correctly) diagnosed it as "Oklahoma has a crappy defense/secondary" and concluded they were going to lose at least once (or more than once; they still have Oklahoma State and Baylor).

From an SOS perspective, however, I am having trouble comprehending why the Big XII is getting all this strength of schedule love and say the Pac 10 isn't.