Will the SEC get shut out of the BCS championship game?
The first BCS Standings are six days away. So what did we learn this weekend?
1. After four straight national championships, will the SEC get shut out of the BCS title game? There is no way to understate what Alabama’s loss to South Carolina meant in the big picture. Just when a lot of people (this writer included) were convinced that the Crimson Tide was going to Glendale, they lose in Columbia and it throws the door open for just about anything.
This morning, with the first BCS Standings set to be released on Sunday, the SEC has three teams in the Top 10 of the coaches poll (No. 7 Auburn, No. 8 Alabama, and No. 9 LSU.) Those three teams all have to play one another in October and November. We don’t know a whole lot but this much we do know: Like it or not, if No. 1 Ohio State runs the table, the Buckeyes will be in the big game. So unless Ohio State loses at Wisconsin on Saturday or at Iowa on Nov. 20, everybody is playing for No. 2. Of course, we said the same thing about Alabama.
We know that a one-loss SEC got to the big game in 2006 (Florida), 2007 (LSU actually had two losses), and 2008 (Florida). But if you’re an SEC fan, your teams have a tough uphill climb.
Bottom line: There is going to be a lot of scoreboard watching in SEC territory the rest of this season.
2. South Carolina just flat beat Alabama: Yeah, Alabama was No. 1 and had won 19 straight games. But the fact is once the game started, South Carolina’s best players–WR Alshon Jeffrey, RB Marcus Lattimore, DB Stephon Gilmore, and yes, quarterback Stephen Garcia–were better than Alabama’s best players. It was one of the best games I’ve seen Steve Spurrier call in the 30 years I’ve been covering him. He kept the Alabama defense off balance all day.
Here is my favorite stat from that game: South Carolina had 10 offensive possessions. One was right before halftime and another was at the end of the game when South Carolina was trying run the clock instead of score. On the other eight possessions South Carolina scored five touchdowns.
It is another example where the grind of the SEC schedule just takes the edge off even a great team. Alabama had emotionally invested in two straight games at Arkansas and at home with Florida.
3.The Coaches Poll makes no sense: South Carolina beat Alabama, the nation’s No. 1 team, by two touchdowns. But when the new coaches poll comes out Alabama is No. 8 and South Carolina is No. 12. Auburn is No. 7 and South Carolina lost by a touchdown at Auburn two weeks ago. On what possbile level does that make sense?
4. Auburn is going to get its shot. The Tigers, who kicked a field goal at the buzzer to win at Kentucky, starts the week at No. 7 in the coaches poll. But in the next three weeks Auburn will get a chance to play its way into the national championship discussion. There are five SEC teams in the top 13 (Auburn, Alabama, LSU, South Carolina, Arkansas). By the end of this season Auburn will have played the other four.
The Tigers have No. 13 Arkansas and No. 9 LSU in back-to-back games at Jordan-Hare Stadium the next two weeks. Then there will be a trip to Ole Miss. Win those and the Tigers will be in the mix for the final two games with Georgia and Alabama.
5. Georgia Tech is getting better: It’s been painful to watch Georgia Tech go through some of its growing pains but this team is getting better. It looks like Anthony Allen is finally getting on track at the “B” back position with 195 yards. Joshua Nesbitt is getting a little more confident throwing the ball. Tech had over 36 minutes time of possession. The defense continues to give up a bunch of yards but is creating some turnovers. This team is a long way from being as good as the ACC champs of 2009, but the trend lines are going in the right direction. The Yellow Jackets should handle Rick Stockstill’s Middle Tennessee team on Saturday but then there is a trip to play a wounded Clemson at Death Valley. Win those both and get a week off before a Thursday night trip to Virginia Tech followed by a home game with Miami. In other words, everything Tech is playing for is still in front of them.
Please follow me on Twitter:
“Barnhart and Durham:” We’ll welcome Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill and discuss what Alabama’s loss means to the big picture of college football as we approach the release of the season’s first BCS Standings. Please join us at 10 a.m. www.790thezone.com.
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646 comments Add your comment
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:28 am
“War Buzzard is Tammy from Paul Finebaum show your mother or girlfriend?”
Better question: Would you please get your comebacks from someone better than Keith Olbermann?
JB
October 11th, 2010
9:28 am
Saban realized Saturday after the loose that they’d screwed the pooch……As my Georgia hater friends say to us all the time, gotta depend on someone else now to BACK IN……
Mike
October 11th, 2010
9:28 am
South Carolina? No way. Spurrier collapses evevy year at te end of his seasons. He’s acutally had better starts than this at SC, like a 7-1 start, but then lost 5. Check his habots at South Carolina, never really does well at SC at the end, he has a lot of excuses, but no conference Championships at SC. Always implodes. Name 1 season at SC where Spurrier went on a winning streak the last 3 games of the season?
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:29 am
“I was in attendance last night at Turner Field. Talk about a weekend that earned a good bottle of cheap booze.”
I am shocked that people were not throwing batteries at Conrad. But, then again, we southerners are not aholes. I did however throw my controller at the tv and now have an excuse to go buy a new one.
MURPHY
October 11th, 2010
9:29 am
3rdn8,
Yeah I think some have not given the AU team the credit due them. I dont think any less of the for letting Key back in the game on Sat. Any away game in the SEC is tough. Im impressed with Cam but dont over look that little running back-He is awesomw
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:30 am
“Yeah I think some have not given the AU team the credit due them. ”
They’re called Bama fans.
Nice
October 11th, 2010
9:30 am
Another uga arrest. What a surprise. Idiot couldn’t pay a ticket. typcial stupid uga player.
Mike
October 11th, 2010
9:30 am
Spurrier’s Defense has been licky so ar. They’re last in the SEC in pass defense, but got Georgia wihtout AJ Green, and havn’t played teams like Arkansas yet. Teams will start hammering at Steve’s pass defense, clearly the weakest link on his team. They’re not just bad, they’re the worst in the SEC.
Joe Bob Thibodaux
October 11th, 2010
9:30 am
Beast from the East
Thank you for your comments on the LSU win.
Bama is a team that lays the wood on their opponent, and the
week after a contest with Bama always creates injury problems.
In the past, teams that beat LSU usually get a L the following week.
When the wood gets layed on you, it takes time to recover.
LSU is getting better.
For the life of me, why didn’t Ingram get the ball more for Bama.
Also, the Bama D must have been tired, because that D, until Saturday, looked like the best D in the country (and I’m the biggest LSU fan
in the country).
I think I will go to the plains to see the LSU/AU game, because that
game will be huge. Probably a day game complete with game day.
Anybody that doesn’t think the SEC rules?
There is a lot of great football left this season.
JBT
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:31 am
Mike
USC will fall to Clempson. They always do.
The rest of us
October 11th, 2010
9:31 am
Dagny
October 11th, 2010
9:22 am
AJC headline: UGA running back Caleb King jailed.
That’s arrest #11 this year if you’re keeping score (and we are keeping score, aren’t we).
Thugs and felons, that’s why UGA is known far and wide as The Cesspool of the South and the runaway winner of the Fulmer/Richt Cup.
Turn to your left and get Jud’s attention, since I assume you’re both in the same room this will be to both of you. Being arrested for failure to appear doesn’t make a thug. Shooting AK-47s, using dead girls credit cards and being arrested outside your ex-girlfriends for stalking makes thugs.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:31 am
“I think I will go to the plains to see the LSU/AU game, because that
game will be huge. Probably a day game complete with game day.”
Will be an epic game if both teams are undefeated.
Beast from the East
October 11th, 2010
9:31 am
Mike,
All I’m saying is that you are wrong in stating “most People” believe UGA will win the East. Dead wrong.
The point is simple. USC and UF control their own destiny. UGA must hope for losses for both of them to be able to make it to Atlanta. I’m 99.9% sure that would be the main reason “most people” wouldn’t agree with you.
Joey
October 11th, 2010
9:32 am
Mike-
I agree, I remember when Spurrier started out 5-1 1 year, and collapsed. Another year, he started out 7-1 and finished 7-6. The guy’s not a closer at SC. He’s a below average coach at SC. Really, Spurrier’ss been an abysmal failure everywhere he’s been except talent rich Florida.
jc_atl
October 11th, 2010
9:32 am
Though the SEC champion will likely be the best team in the country, at least a BCS “Championship” game featuring Overrated State University and Choklahoma might actually be entertaining. It won’t determine the best team in the country but at least we don’t have to see the SEC beat the snot out of the pretenders again.
Best scenario is 3 undefeated teams from major conferences to expose the BCS as the fraud that it is. Ohio State #1? Right. Call me when they play an SEC schedule.
War Eagle!
All Barn
October 11th, 2010
9:33 am
will get smoked by bama. bama will still win the sec and if not the bcs champ, they will be in the bcs game.
3rdn8
October 11th, 2010
9:33 am
@ WAR DAMN EAGLE!
I agree re: the rankings. I disagree re: Arkansas.
I think Arkansas is a very good football team. I’m not sure that the A&M game is a good gauge to measure them by. I thought their defense played a great game vs Bama, and is the fastest defense I’ve seen Bama face this year.
Now they get a chance to see if that speed can help them vs Newton.
Good luck Saturday.
David
October 11th, 2010
9:33 am
Ga fans telling Alabama what is right and what is wrong? You guys are arrogant fools.
So Saban is crap and CMR is the better coach? Saban has lost one regular season in 2 and a half seasons. Stupid Ga fans. But hey, you do have that saint CMR signed to a lifetime contract.
We will take you guys on any time, any place.
JB
October 11th, 2010
9:34 am
I don’t think Clemson wins this year…..and SC will play SOMEBODY from the WEST in the Dome later this year…….I think Garcia has grown up…….
MURPHY
October 11th, 2010
9:34 am
Mike,
If USC defense is lucky? I ll take that anyday. Wow they sure do have a long lucky straek going?
Mike
October 11th, 2010
9:34 am
Really? Most people think Spurrier will suddenly finish strong at South Carolina, when he never had in 5 seasons? Please. Not gonna happen.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:34 am
“will get smoked by bama. bama will still win the sec and if not the bcs champ, they will be in the bcs game.”
Poor whittle Bama tard.
JB
October 11th, 2010
9:35 am
David……………..I haven’t read that anywhere here this AM…..Give me a previous blog to refer to……
Mike
October 11th, 2010
9:35 am
Spurrier’s rush defense is good, but his past defense is the worst in the SEC. Arkansas will show people how to beat them.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:36 am
3rdn8
Yeah, I think we’ll be ready for Mallet. A few years ago, McFadden killed us and the next year we shut him and Arkansas down. I think Auburn made a $hit list of teams that beat them last year and, like a sniper, is crossing those teams off every week.
Bama being enemy number one.
GaGator
October 11th, 2010
9:36 am
The Gator’s offense is TERRIBLE. How many games will it take for Coach Meyer to move the ball VERTICALLY!I’m so sick of seeing 2yard dives and jet sweeps. Throw the ball down the field! This offense is a joke and probably will lose 2-3 more games.
how2fish
October 11th, 2010
9:36 am
Gen Neyland nice post at 9:22 much to do about a speeding fine..by the way after watching all those UT freshmen play this weekend I’m thinking the UT “recovery” is sooner rather than later.
DawgPride
October 11th, 2010
9:36 am
Tony……Bama is still ranked above USCe because the coaches know USCe played the game of their existence and would probably only beat BAMA 2 out of 10 tries. They also know USCe will probably implode like that usually do. History MATTERS. Besides, you don’t go from # 19 to # 8 with one victory….you know that.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:37 am
“We will take you guys on any time, any place.”
Then again David, you don’t get that call.
Another Ed
October 11th, 2010
9:39 am
I am not quite sure why this always deteriorates into insults and other garbage. Why can’t we have just a little civilized discussion?
Is it possible that SCAR was simply better? I think most “experts” believed they would have to play a perfect game to win. It sure looked to me they played as perfectly as they could have played. Maybe they played so well because ‘Bama is simply not as good as advertised. Maybe SCAR is simply better. Maybe the gauntlet of tough emotional games caught up to ‘Bama. What difference does it make now? If ‘Bama wants a rematch, they must win out. That means winning at LSU, and beating Auburn. Do that, and they are in. LSU and Auburn control their own destiny as well. It is still too early to get into all this.
My opinion is last Saturday simply showed how close the margin is between winning and losing. To win a championship requires luck and everything must fall into place. That happened last year for ‘Bama. With this young defense that is not happening this year. Other teams are taking advantage, as they should.
Despite SCAR playing a perfect game, ‘Bama was still in it in the 4th quarter. SCAR made the plays and ‘Bama did not. That is simply what happened. So again, on that day, SCAR was better. Maybe we have seen the ‘Bama is not nearly as good as last year.
As for Auburn, people keep saying that Cam is their team, and if he takes a few good hits he will go out and Auburn is done. I admit to not having watched a ton of their games, yet I have not seen anyone get a clean hit on him. If he keeps that up, he will last the season. From my view, he has been tremendous. He must be in the discussion for Heisman. Imagine if he was at Florida-they would be saying, Tim who?
LSU has multiple personalities. Maybe they are great. Maybe Florida is not that good. Maybe it is a combination of both. We do know this-Miles seems to be a bit crazy.
Rick
October 11th, 2010
9:39 am
A one loss SEC champ will get in the BCS championship game over a one loss champ from any other conference and even an undefeated Boise State or TCU. However, if there are two undefeated conference champions from among the Big 10, Pac 10, and Big 12, the SEC will be out. There’s a lot of football to be played, but right now it doesn’t look good.
Mike
October 11th, 2010
9:39 am
A good passing team makes SC back off the run, and get 8 out of the box. Auburn ran all over SC, for like 330 yards rushing, because they could pass. When you prove you can pass, SC has to respect that, they are forced to respect pass & run, and they lose.
Auburn put 35 on SC’s defense. It’s vulnerable to the right kind of offense. Arkansas will blow them off the field.
3rdn8
October 11th, 2010
9:39 am
@ WAR DAMN EAGLE!
since when is Bama the enemy? All I ever see is lots of love between the fan bases.
Tony
October 11th, 2010
9:40 am
Hey dogtards
Missouri 26
Colorado ZERO
PapaDawg
October 11th, 2010
9:40 am
If you don’t think Alabama is the best in the Country, then would you rather play them or maybe Boise St. or whoever is ahead of them in them silly polls.
Dogs Smell
October 11th, 2010
9:42 am
Go Bucks, What is your teams overall record against the SEC ? I know do you wanna post it?
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:42 am
“since when is Bama the enemy? All I ever see is lots of love between the fan bases.”
I hope that your question is sarcasm. If not, by all means, come to the state of Alabama and ask any Alabamian just how much love there are between the two schools.
Bill
October 11th, 2010
9:43 am
I think college football has parity this year and any top 3 teams from any conf could beat the top 3 from another any given sat. Just look at the nfl. Very similar.
Beast from the East
October 11th, 2010
9:43 am
Mike,
Why the obsession with SC? They are good. They just proved that on Saturday. Let the season play out and we’ll see where it all ends up.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:43 am
“From my view, he has been tremendous. He must be in the discussion for Heisman. Imagine if he was at Florida-they would be saying, Tim who?”
Yep, and if he were at Florida, they would have one loss right now.
Bonehead Thuga
October 11th, 2010
9:44 am
If he doesn’t pay a speeding ticket, I wonder how much other stuff he feels he shouldn’t pay for.
Bama Fan #2
October 11th, 2010
9:45 am
War Buzzard the cow college is a one man team and if the one man team tweeks a knee or
gets hurt some how the cow college is DOA in which your inbred mental brain can not handle
the situation. I still think Tammy is your inbred mommy!!
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:45 am
“If he doesn’t pay a speeding ticket, I wonder how much other stuff he feels he shouldn’t pay for.”
He should get Obama to pay for his ticket.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:47 am
Inbre Fan #2
So now the Eagle, the nations symbol, is a buzzard? Insult fail, ma’am.
Woulda, shoulda, coulda. Cam Newton isn’t hurt and may very well win the Heisman. Nuff said.
You must really hate life right now since Cam is doing amazing things at Auburn.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:47 am
Inbred Fan #2 has the IQ of a carrot. Typical for a Bama fan.
gdawginkalamazoo
October 11th, 2010
9:48 am
Gen Neyland, Thanks. I do believe that Herschel did threaten Derek with an MMA match on Sunday if you guys had won. So we can see that your coach is pretty smart.
Oh boy seeing all this smack talk between Aubie and Bama is hilarious. From booing your new coach on the tarmac last year to being ranked ahead of the great Tide is pretty heady stuff for the tigers. WDE.
Med
October 11th, 2010
9:48 am
Can someone tell me if yahoo sports has the correct time for the bama game and if so, why is kickoff so late?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/teams/aad
3rdn8
October 11th, 2010
9:49 am
I think Bama was a bit overhyped.
Don’t get me wrong. I bleed crimson and white, and I’ve bled quite a bit since Saturday.
But there are glaring issues that I’m quite sure the coaching staff is addressing as we speak. Namely: The offense (particularly the run) has become too predictable. WRs are not getting seperation, and our QB is holding the ball too long (there were about six coverage sacks in the USC game). The defense has a poor pass rush if there is no blitz from the secondary. There is confusion on defense, especially at LB. The secondary has had many blown assignments (I think all Bama fans expected this one).
Part of the problems on defense relate to injuries (i.e. Upshaw is playing on one leg), part is due to a new secondary, and part is a mystery.
Here’s news flash: Ole Miss is not a cake walk.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:50 am
“Oh boy seeing all this smack talk between Aubie and Bama is hilarious. From booing your new coach on the tarmac last year to being ranked ahead of the great Tide is pretty heady stuff for the tigers. WDE.”
I didn’t boo Chizek. One person did, but you probably understand why War Eagle nation was confused as to why they hired him. But hey, at least we didn’t hire Lane Kiffen.
WAR DAMN EAGLE!
October 11th, 2010
9:51 am
“I bleed crimson and white, and I’ve bled quite a bit since Saturday.”
Tampax can help you.