BCS quirks mean Georgia has more to gain with SEC win
This is the time of year when following the BCS is sort of like watching an accident in the making — you know you don’t want to see it happen, but you can’t quite force yourself to look away.
And this year even the so-called truisms that frequently have been applied to the process don’t seem to be holding up.
I keep reading in the national sports press that LSU and Alabama, currently ranked No. 1 and No. 2 with one more week to go, probably will meet in the BCS championship game no matter what, despite already having played each other. The consensus seems to be that LSU will make it to the game even if they lose to Georgia in the SEC championship because of their record, which includes wins over three teams that were ranked in the top three of the coaches poll at the time they played: Oregon, Alabama and Arkansas.
Meanwhile, Alabama, which didn’t even win its own division in the SEC, appears unlikely to be dislodged by No. 3 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Stanford or No. 5 Virginia Tech, even if Okie State decimates Oklahoma in its finale or the Hokies do the same to Clemson in the ACC championship.
So much for the reasoning used against Georgia in 2007 when the inactive Dogs were jumped in the BCS standings the last week, despite being the hottest team in the country. At the time, the Dogs not winning their own division was chiefly cited by ESPN’s talking heads as the reason.
Likewise, the old saw that if you’re going to lose a big game, it’s best to do it early in the season apparently has been thrown out the window in the case of the 2011 Dogs, who have reeled off 10 straight wins since opening 0-2 against highly ranked opponents, and yet who seem unlikely to crack the BCS Top 10 even if they win the SEC championship. Having just dominated a ranked Georgia Tech, Georgia proceeded to drop one spot in the latest BCS standings!
Guess that also means the SEC champion is no longer a lock for the BCS title game, as has often been proclaimed in recent years.
So LSU basically has nothing much to gain by beating Georgia in the SEC title match other than preserving its unbeaten record. The Dogs, on the other hand, can secure a BCS bowl (the Sugar) with a win.
I’m not suggesting that the Tigers will be looking past Georgia to the BCS, because LSU by all evidence is a team that shows up ready to play every week.
But it’s clear which team has the most to gain with a win in the Georgia Dome.
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297 comments Add your comment
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
11:58 am
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
11:41 am
Just like every year, UGA isn’t in the running. Good thing they’re in the East Division, or they wouldn’t be playing in any kind of championship game. LSU could lose this game and Georgia still wouldn’t make the Top 10.
The SECCG has been the most irrelevant game in CFB for the past two years. Maybe next year Missou will make it more relevant?
——————————-
Wow, where do I start? First off, if UGA pulls of the upset, you’re high if you don’t think they would crack the top ten. It makes absolutely no sense but keep with it.
Second, since when does the CG from the best conference in the country, the one that has produced the last 6 national champions become “irrelevant”? Could there be a more stupid statement than that?
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
12:08 pm
The best “conference” in the country is the SEC West.
Chuck Dowdle
November 29th, 2011
12:10 pm
Georgia gone get punked by LSU. GA fans will be leaving ga dome 3rd Qtr. Then Ga gets spanked by WISC. Reality arrives when you have to play good opponents. Fantasy is over puppy dogs.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:18 pm
Hey Chuck, check our bowl record before you predict our bowl demise. Last year’s team is one of the exceptions and I am sure you know that since you know so much about our bowl performance right?
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:19 pm
Yeah Beano, that’s why two of those last 6 NCs came from the East. Regardless of which side it comes from, the outcome of that game USUALLY plays a huge part in the NC picture.
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
12:25 pm
Yep. From Florida. The lack of production by Tennessee and Florida are the real reasons that the East is down. Georgia was never much of a contender to begin with.
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:31 pm
Then you’re saying your life’s entertainment is spent on blogs of teams that are not contenders? Teams that you’re not a fan of and no vested interest in? Pretty sad.
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
12:32 pm
Nah. I’m just goofing off. You guys are hilarious.
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
12:33 pm
Not a funnier fan-base in all of CFB!
TampaDawg
November 29th, 2011
12:39 pm
Yeah there is Beano. Have you seen a Notre Dame blog in the last 10 years? Have you ever seen the OSU blogs (Ohio State that is)? Especially when they get in the running for ANYTHING, they are hysterical.
Nom Nom Nom Chuck's Taylor, or Norris if he is avaliable
November 29th, 2011
1:29 pm
“Nah. I’m just goofing off. You guys are hilarious”
Huh?
Pago Pago Dawg
November 29th, 2011
1:35 pm
We agree, the DAWGS should out loose, have a good time and enjoy the atmosphere.
J.T. Keene
November 29th, 2011
2:18 pm
Right. Bama didn’t win the division because LSU did. Bama and LSU are still the best 2 teams this year. Georgia represents the East, but Georgia didn’t win the “division “either. South Carolina didnt have a loss to a division foe. Georgia lost to South Carolina. Georgia represents the eastern division thanks to Arkansas.
LawDawg
November 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
It sort of boggles the mind that people are complaining about a rematch when that is not unprecedented (FSU/UF in 1996) and before Oregon laid an egg, there was a decent chance of an Oregon-LSU rematch.
It seems to me that the people complaining about a BAMA-LSU rematch are really just borderline football fans who are bored by a well-played defensive battle and would rather see 80 points in the title game. Then again, anyone who thinks the “high-powered offenses” that apparently do not exist in the SEC (like OSU) would put up 40 on LSU are crazy. Even Oregon only managed 27 points and some of that was garbage time. Bottom line: SEC is king.
I hope UGA beats LSU (and would even if I were not a UGA fan) because if a LSU-BAMA is the NC game and NEITHER TEAM is the conference champion, we may finally get the groundswell of support for a playoff system from the administrations at the PAC/BIG – # schools.
who cares
November 29th, 2011
2:42 pm
UGA beaten by 30+ points. I’d give UGA 10 points each half and take LSU all week and twice on Sundays. UGA has no shot. Game over at kick off.
MD
November 29th, 2011
2:54 pm
BCS is around to pit the 2 best teams against each other. Who wants to disagree that LSU & Bama aren’t the 2 best teams?
dawgfacedboy
November 29th, 2011
2:58 pm
LEt’s not forget the “you can’t penalize BOise and Houston for the schedule they play” eventhough that is what is happening to UGA right now.
Beano Cook
November 29th, 2011
3:09 pm
Change of heart, GO DAWGS.
who cares
November 29th, 2011
3:09 pm
I think I now care.
who cares
November 29th, 2011
3:11 pm
Sharing is caring so I think we should share the national Championship like GT did with UC in 1990
who cares
November 29th, 2011
3:14 pm
original who cares #2. The only national championship UGA has a shot at is womens gymnastics. There can only be one Mr. Wrestling #1 and only one who cares. go be original.
Adam
November 29th, 2011
3:40 pm
Who cares not since Yoculan retired. They suck now.
Preston
November 29th, 2011
4:17 pm
Mark May is a pathetic, biased, anti-SEC analyst. He should NOT be employed as such.
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 29th, 2011
4:18 pm
Yoculan is nasty. She is dating/living with a married man. That is just NASTY. I guess Adam’s morals can be bought. He loves to take Leebern’s millions and know he is married but shacking up with Yoculan.
bitter dawgie style
November 29th, 2011
4:28 pm
beating LSU will be easyer than removing those red panties from a freshman co-ed——hahahahah
————————41-10——murrry throws pick 6 to give LSU a TD——–GO dawgs@co-ed’s
Still@theKool-aidBAR
November 29th, 2011
4:42 pm
Beating LSU will be harder than you think then because Freshmen coeds don’t wear panties.
bitter dawgie style
November 29th, 2011
5:09 pm
@the bar—–cheers ——–freshman —no panties—–right——stand corrected
The Ole Ball Coach
November 29th, 2011
5:44 pm
Ole Lady luck was with us tonight, Ole Lady luck just saved our whatcha_mu_callits. My gawd we hunkered down look at the sugar falling from the sky, look at the sugar……….
RIP Larry
gtfanfrom1951
November 29th, 2011
6:29 pm
NO SUGAR, NO Chance, NO Class = UGA
FAN
November 29th, 2011
6:32 pm
This old news because we’re about to play LSU but when Tech Fans say “what’s the good word” we dawg fans say “WE OWN YOUR AZZ”
Look at the Sugar…
November 29th, 2011
8:36 pm
That ain’t sugar. That’s snowflake crack fallin’ down on Athens!
Watch out! It’s landing in the Kool-Aid!
bsinnott41
November 29th, 2011
9:00 pm
This is an idiotic post. Georgia’s chance of beating LSU approaches zero.
big kracker dawg
November 29th, 2011
9:04 pm
well crap…. edited my post….again… used no bed words… oh yea… Crowell is probably thinking of a way to get hurt before sat… he just doesnt have that fight in him like a #1 back in the nation should have… he is a poser!!!!!! Crowell is scared and Honey badger is proud of it… hope someone hits him and lays him out…..Honey badger that is…
WestOfAthens
November 29th, 2011
9:07 pm
Beware of common sense big kracker, i think ESPN has infiltrated this blog
big kracker dawg
November 29th, 2011
9:10 pm
Look at the sugar…. yea u… listen up Techie boy… ur team sucks!!! so does ur coach… ur stadium needs to be smaller so can sell a game out… So take ur comment and and stick it up ur a-hole… Leave Larry Munson out of it… Its a red and black thing… u want understand…
Sugar...
November 29th, 2011
9:20 pm
Oh, Honey Honey.
WestOfAthens
November 29th, 2011
9:24 pm
I see what you mean big kracker dawg….
Have posted yet nothing is revealed, wow, the conspiracy grows deep, and is not only named “BCS”
BCS Illuminati
November 29th, 2011
9:53 pm
no evil live on
BC$ Slave
November 29th, 2011
11:24 pm
In 2007 the ESPN talking heads and the poll voters gave us the prevailing wisdom for ignoring UGA for consideration for the mythical NC. They didn’t win their conference.
Today the prevailing wisdom is that UGA is not even worthy of a top ten place in the BCS even if they win the SECCG.
The prevailing wisdom each year is about nothing but matchups and money.
Get this people: the MNC is meaningless.
It is not really about the two best teams competing for a championship.
It’s a beauty contest.
We need a playoff.
BC$ Slave
November 29th, 2011
11:31 pm
The only games that should be relevant to a national championship game are the conference championships.
They are at least based on competition and not the subjective and biased votes of media and coaches.
E$PN would crap if we had no more polls for them to use to hype up their games.
We need a playoff.
BBQ MAN
November 30th, 2011
1:08 am
NC is and should be between the 2 best teams in the country. regardless of conference standings. Period! just because uga WAS GYPED IN 07 DOESN’T MEAN WE SHOULD DO IT TO BAMA THIS YEAR. DON’T BE HYPOCRITS GAWG fans
birddawgbill
November 30th, 2011
3:26 am
As a Dawg fan I will say LSU probably wins. But I’m sorry Dawg haters it wont be a blowout. This stuff about a weak schedule is crazy. The SEC is down on both sides this year when you get past the top two teams. Arkansas’ signature wins were against an overrated Taxas A&M team and SC missing Lattimore. if he’s healthy Ark doesnt win. While with him they may have beat UGA but they were totally dominated. A win is a win but a pick 6 a FR for a TD a fake punt for a TD and a five yd drive. SC was very lucky. No excuses for Boise St. Ala cant say anything about schedule all they played was LSU. The only team in the country that can say anything about schedules is LSU. I give them all the credit in the world they won early with suspensions. But give UGA some credit too. They’ve had injuries and suspensions and won 10 in a row. Looking forward to a great game. As far as the NCG if Ok.St. blows out Oklahoma they should have their shot. Bama had theirs and blew it. But only if Oklahoma St. wins by double figures.
BCS Illuminati
November 30th, 2011
6:24 am
We are biased against Georgia because of all of the games that they lose. We understand that you guys want a trophy anyway, but we have rules. Win your games first – then call us. And no… It doesn’t count when you woulda, shoulda, coulda won. You have to actually win on the scoreboard. Concessions from the opposing team’s coach that you played a good game does not count as a “win”.
DelServDawg
November 30th, 2011
12:20 pm
All of this crap about the BCS could be solved with a legitimate Division 1A (FBS) play-off system. Hey guys, it ain’t rocket science. I sat down and within twenty minutes designed a single elimination play-off bracket, based on the 12 conferences in Division 1A (FBS), that would decide a real national champion within the timeframe of the current BCS. I would pair all of the Division 1A (FBS) champions (decided on or before Dec. 3) on Dec. 10, play the winners of those games on Dec. 17, break for the week of Christmas, pair the winners of the games on Dec. 17 on Dec 31, and play the national championship game on January 7. The top bowls could be worked into this scheme if they wanted, and the lesser bowls could pair teams that were bowl qualified (6 wins or better) but not conference champions.
I say that such a system would generate enormous excitement (and revenue) across the country and select a REAL national champion regardless of conference strength, strength of schedule, or anything else. It would also take the influence of the “talking heads” completely out of the picture. Now, I’m not blaming the sports journalists, they’re just working with what they’ve been handed. However, having their opinions decide the national champion is just wrong. If their opinions were always right, there would be no reason to play the games. They could just review each team’s make-up at the beginning of the season and award a national championship based on their votes.
Some believe a play-off can’t be done and these people usually cite a bunch of reasons ultimately related to their losing money. I would argue that since practically every other organized sport in existence has some logical system for deciding a champion on the field of play, that Division 1A (FBS) could too. All that is needed is the guts to break the stupid system we now have and do what is fair for the men and coaches who play the game and for those of us who support and watch them.
It appears that the only way a change will be made is for everything to get so screwed-up that everyone gets outraged. I am a Georgia Bulldog and want to see my team win the SEC championship. However, I also want them to win just to add more turmoil to the mix in deciding the national champion. I hope OK State blows-out OK for the same reason. It’s only through a total collapse of the BCS system that there will ever be any chance of a play-off being considered.
big d dawg
November 30th, 2011
3:56 pm
Here’s the BCS rule for having 3 teams from the same conference
No more than two teams from a conference may be selected, regardless of whether they are automatic qualifiers or at-large selections, UNLESS TWO NON-CHAMPIONS from the same conference are ranked No. 1 (AL) and No. 2 (LSU) in the final BCS Standings
BC$ Slave
November 30th, 2011
6:13 pm
DelServDawg:
I have to agree with you–the BCS must collaspe before we’ll have a playoff.
But I don’t think the media or the college presidents will ever let it happen.
There’s too much money in it.
The only thing that will eventually work is if we stop supporting the bowls. The fans will have to make it clear we don’t take the MNC seriously.
rickithebear
December 1st, 2011
5:32 pm
If Dawgs Win Against LSU. Georgia, LSU, and Alabama will all be 1 loss in the SEC and only Georgia will be conference Champion. So it goes to say that Boise who beat SEC’s best and Is 100% against SEC should be in the national Championship or does beating the SEC mean nothing nationally.