2011NCAA Football Thread

[Chicageaux]

I've got no problem with a LSU - Bama final... they're clearly the best two teams. If OSU wanted to get in, they should have beaten Iowa St.

Thank you!

/awaits not playing in conference championship rebuttle.

I understand this argument might not stand because other sports have a playoff or tournament, but there's plenty of times when a team that doesn't win their conference plays in a title game. Alabama didn't win their conference for a reason, LSU plays in their conference, they even play in their division, so there was no way they were going to have a chance to win the SEC Championship Game unless they beat LSU. As DC said, if Ok State wanted in the NCG, maybe they should have beat Iowa State.

As was expected, Oklahoma State did jump Alabama in the computer polls. However, it came down to the voters this time and the people chose Alabama. All along I've said I didn't think Alabama should play in the NCG, and I still believe that, however what's done is done. Alabama won just as many games as Oklahoma State. Just because they didn't win the SEC doesn't mean anything, especially that isn't a rule to play in the BCS NCG. The BCS is to determine the number 1 and number 2 teams in the country and that's what it did.

[Kramerica Industries]

I don't think Alabama is certainly the 2nd best team.

We know Oklahoma State has more quality wins on their schedule than Alabama does. We know Alabama already lost to LSU earlier.

If Alabama wanted to play for the Title, they should've beaten LSU. They didn't, they shouldn't be given this second chance.

[Chicageaux]

The fact their only loss was to the unanimous #1 team who dominated their opponents, with the exception of Alabama, helped their case.

[HedleyLamarr]

Well, looks like an SEC team will finally lose in the BCS Championship Game....

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I've reconsidered my position on Alabama/LSU. I initially thought the BCS championship should be between two different conferences, but I think you need to take it on a case-by-case basis.

Hedley had a great list of if-not-Bama-then-who, so I won't rehash that. However, I will say that a 9-6 loss in OT is basically a tie. LSU is clearly the best team, and no one played them closer than Alabama. I'm interested to see what happens in round two.

[Sport]

Way to go, Iowa State. Look what ya did.

I hate this. I don't think I'm even gonna watch the game. Can we have a playoff now. Even just a 4 team playoff would be better than this.

If LSU wins then we've learned nothing. They've proven what we already know, that they are better than Alabama.

If Alabama wins they'll technically be the national champions, but that will feel hollow and this season will feel like it ended without a successful conclusion. They won the national championship by a final score of 1 to 1. We've learned nothing there either. That totally sucks. Just like it sucked in 96 with Florida and Florida State, but even then, both teams were at least conference champions.

If we have a rematch in the Super Bowl, then at least both teams earned their appearance in that game by going through the rigors of the postseason. The only way Alabama's earned their spot is by not losing to their rest of their marginal schedule and by being apart of the SEC. If we're judging resumes, it should be LSU-OSU.

It's ridiculously unfair to ask LSU to not only beat Alabama twice, but also to play an extra game (SEC championship).

This also means that all of the hype, the college gameday appearance, the moaning about the hype, and the moaning about how it didn't live up to expectations, the "game of the century" was, in the end, completely meaningless. Greatest regular season my ass. Every game matters my ass. We can't trust college football anymore as this sets a terrible precedent.

Geaux Tigers, I guess.

[infrared41]

I'm a big fan of infrared's playoff system. Top 6 ranked conference champs plus the next two highest ranked teams. Here's how it would look with the final BCS Standings:

#1 LSU (SEC) vs. #18 TCU (Mountain West)

#2 Alabama (At-Large) vs. #15 Clemson (ACC)

#3 Oklahoma State (Big 12) vs. #10 Wisconsin (Big Ten)

#4 Stanford (At-Large) vs. #5 Oregon (Pac-12)

Of course it's not perfect, but it's better than what we've got right now. Maybe you can switch around the seeding so two teams from the same conference don't meet in the first round, but that's not necessary.

Also, is there any chance that LSU loses the title game and gets a split national title. If you compared their resumes, LSU would have a neutral field loss to Alabama and Alabama has a home loss to LSU. Plus LSU has better wins than Bama. The chances of a split title actually happening are slim, but it does make some sense.

Thank you. And yes, it is.

Seriously though... There is one thing I left out and it addresses your question about two teams from the same conference playing each other. In my playoff, the BCS bowls would keep their traditional tie-ins. Granted, that would mean the playoff isn't seeded but who cares? For example: Wisconsin and Oregon would not only be the traditional Rose Bowl game this season, the Rose Bowl would be a first round playoff game. Call me crazy, but I think that only helps the Rose Bowl.

I think my playoff addresses every concern or argument that the "no playoff" side can come up with.

1. It addresses the "what about the bowls?" argument. The bowls all stay exactly like they are. Even the BCS bowls. Nothing would change.

2. It addresses the "Boise State/TCU/Non-AQ/small schools being left out" argument. Boise State and/or TCU would have made my playoff each of the past few seasons. This season, had they gone undefeated and remained in the top 16, Houston would have gotten in.

3. It addresses the "a playoff will diminish the importance of the regular season" argument. If anything, my playoff makes the regular season even more important. It wouldn't have eliminated Alabama or Stanford this year, but there will be years where if you don't win the conference, you may as well plan on staying home.

Here is what my playoff would look like this season. (Your group left out the conference champ has to be top 16 in the rankings.)

These are the teams that make the playoff with my system... *denotes conference champion.

*LSU, *Oregon, *Wisconsin, *Oklahoma State, *Clemson, Alabama, Stanford, Arkansas. That's the five conference champs who are in the top 16 and the three highest rank non-champs. Since TCU isn't top 16, it adds another at-large. If we went with the top 20 as the cut off then your teams are in.

I'm fine with making the top 20 the cut off point for conference champs. I just went with the top 16 to negate the "the Big East doesn't deserve a spot/only the best teams should be in" argument. So based on my system, we'd get an extra at-large this season. If memory serves, there would have been only one at-large last season. Also, Nevada would have gotten in last year.

Anyway, I think it's a good system and it seems to address most of the arguments against a playoff.

[infrared41]

It is also more football for all fans to enjoy. What is not to like about bowl games?

I'm sure I'm in the very small minority, but I really like all the bowl games. Some of the "lesser" bowls are the most entertaining games of the season. Capital One Bowl Week is heaven to me.

[rams80]

I've got no problem with a LSU - Bama final... they're clearly the best two teams. If OSU wanted to get in, they should have beaten Iowa St.

Thank you!

/awaits not playing in conference championship rebuttle.

I understand this argument might not stand because other sports have a playoff or tournament, but there's plenty of times when a team that doesn't win their conference plays in a title game. Alabama didn't win their conference for a reason, LSU plays in their conference, they even play in their division, so there was no way they were going to have a chance to win the SEC Championship Game unless they beat LSU. As DC said, if Ok State wanted in the NCG, maybe they should have beat Iowa State.

As was expected, Oklahoma State did jump Alabama in the computer polls. However, it came down to the voters this time and the people chose Alabama. All along I've said I didn't think Alabama should play in the NCG, and I still believe that, however what's done is done. Alabama won just as many games as Oklahoma State. Just because they didn't win the SEC doesn't mean anything, especially that isn't a rule to play in the BCS NCG. The BCS is to determine the number 1 and number 2 teams in the country and that's what it did.

Just throwing this out there, this guy helps determine who plays in the NCG.

[rams80]

The fact their only loss was to the unanimous #1 team who dominated their opponents, with the exception of Alabama, helped their case.

Except that could have been LSU's "bad" game.

[FiddySicks]

So if Alabama beats LSU by 3, and Oklahoma or Stanford just boat race the other team, how is this going to be at all definitive? There has to at least be some consideration to a split National Title, right?

[Chicageaux]

I might be in the minority on this board, but in no way should there be a split national championship. I've heard rumblings that there's a possibility that LSU will be awarded the AP National Championship if they lose close to Alabama and I'm against that as well.

[OnWis97]

I have a BcS question regarding Army/Navy playing next week.

These are both FBS teams. Just about any game has a ripple effect in BCS scores. Has it ever been addressed that this game could impact the standings? I know it is unlikely, but in theory, you could have a #2 that beat Army and a #3 that beat Navy and the result of the game could be meaningful. Or maybe a Michigan this year could drop down a space if they'd beaten the loser of the game.

Is there just a rule in the BCS that says this game does not count toward the standings? That seems weird, particularly since a once and perhaps future powerhouse, Notre Dame, plays Navy every year (I think).

Just curious whether this has been addressed; or whether it's just assumed that the game will never impacted the BCS standings enough...

[Chicageaux]

The Army/Navy game does not count towards the final BCS Standings. I think this rule was made either in 2010 or 2009 and it goes for any schools that decide to play after the final BCS Standings come out.

[raysox]

I just feel like there could be an easy point system, rather than the current percentage deal. Take NASCAR, they simplified their format they had forever, and now this past season was easy to calculate what you needed to do, and what you needed other drivers to do. If there was something like that, it'd be less stressfull. No opinions, or bias, just numbers.

But I like playoffs, much much better. 8 of the best teams, or 16 with every conference and at larges. First round are on a home site for the 16 team field, then pick the 7 biggest bowls and have the rest play it out on the field. Have other bowls as an NIT type deal or w/e but it seems like D2 does it good enough. Merge the two, who cares at this point. Everyone just wants to be fair.

[infrared41]

But I like playoffs, much much better. 8 of the best teams, or 16 with every conference and at larges. First round are on a home site for the 16 team field, then pick the 7 biggest bowls and have the rest play it out on the field. Have other bowls as an NIT type deal or w/e but it seems like D2 does it good enough. Merge the two, who cares at this point. Everyone just wants to be fair.

There is no good reason for someone like Arkansas State to get curb stomped by the #1 team every year. If LSU and Arkansas State played 100 games, LSU would win all 100 of them. This ain't basketball. There will never be the football equivalent of Butler making the title game.

[AJM]

It is also more football for all fans to enjoy. What is not to like about bowl games?

I'm sure I'm in the very small minority, but I really like all the bowl games. Some of the "lesser" bowls are the most entertaining games of the season. Capital One Bowl Week is heaven to me.

Agreed...some of the lesser bowls are super entertaining games.

[dfwabel]

I have a BcS question regarding Army/Navy playing next week.

These are both FBS teams. Just about any game has a ripple effect in BCS scores. Has it ever been addressed that this game could impact the standings? I know it is unlikely, but in theory, you could have a #2 that beat Army and a #3 that beat Navy and the result of the game could be meaningful. Or maybe a Michigan this year could drop down a space if they'd beaten the loser of the game.

Is there just a rule in the BCS that says this game does not count toward the standings? That seems weird, particularly since a once and perhaps future powerhouse, Notre Dame, plays Navy every year (I think).

Just curious whether this has been addressed; or whether it's just assumed that the game will never impacted the BCS standings enough...

The Army/Navy game does not count towards the final BCS Standings. I think this rule was made either in 2010 or 2009 and it goes for any schools that decide to play after the final BCS Standings come out.

Download the current NCAA manual to solve all your questions.

The regular season for scheduled games officially ends after the second Sunday in December. Remember, Army and Navy are not within the BCS contract per se as they are Independent schools.

Every conference could have played their title games next weekend, but they still could only play 12 regular season games plus the title game (12 team conference execption). It would have given them less days to prepare for their BCS or bowl opponent and would have given them less practice time.

The BCS title game must be played by the second Monday in January.

[ninersdd]

I remember in 09/10 when it would be either UCLA/Army in the EagleBank Bowl, and Army lost, so UCLA played Temple in that game.

[Chicageaux]

I have a BcS question regarding Army/Navy playing next week.

These are both FBS teams. Just about any game has a ripple effect in BCS scores. Has it ever been addressed that this game could impact the standings? I know it is unlikely, but in theory, you could have a #2 that beat Army and a #3 that beat Navy and the result of the game could be meaningful. Or maybe a Michigan this year could drop down a space if they'd beaten the loser of the game.

Is there just a rule in the BCS that says this game does not count toward the standings? That seems weird, particularly since a once and perhaps future powerhouse, Notre Dame, plays Navy every year (I think).

Just curious whether this has been addressed; or whether it's just assumed that the game will never impacted the BCS standings enough...

The Army/Navy game does not count towards the final BCS Standings. I think this rule was made either in 2010 or 2009 and it goes for any schools that decide to play after the final BCS Standings come out.

Download the current NCAA manual to solve all your questions.

The regular season for scheduled games officially ends after the second Sunday in December. Remember, Army and Navy are not within the BCS contract per se as they are Independent schools.

Every conference could have played their title games next weekend, but they still could only play 12 regular season games plus the title game (12 team conference execption). It would have given them less days to prepare for their BCS or bowl opponent and would have given them less practice time.

The BCS title game must be played by the second Monday in January.

That's only because if they're bowl elgible, they have contracts to play in certain bowl games. Remember, teams that are BCS elgible still play them and thus are still affected by their performance. If Air Force were to lose big to Navy and Navy went 9-2, it would in return affect Boise State, their SOS, and their BCS ranking.

From the BCS rules:

1. The top two teams in the final BCS Standings shall play in the National Championship Game.

The BCS Standings are released for eight consecutive weeks each season, including the final Standings on selection Sunday.

From further down, in the "Harris Interactive College Football Poll" section:

The Harris Poll is released for nine consecutive weeks each season, including the final poll on selection Sunday.

Games after December 3rd aren't factored into the BCS standings since the selections are based on the final BCS poll released on Selection Sunday.

Here's an article discussing it as well: Army-Navy Won't Factor into BCS