The SEC West tiebreakers: Hold your breath and count to five
"If I'm the world's greatest coach, how come I keep losing to Leslie Miles?" (AP photo)
The most intriguing team in the land isn’t the one that won The Greatest Game Ever Played If You Don’t Care About Touchdowns. It’s the one that lost. As it stands, Alabama has a better chance of winning the national championship than it does the SEC crown, and wasn’t it only 2007 — help me on this, Georgia fans — when we were told a team that doesn’t win its conference doesn’t deserve to play for the BCS title?
That was the reason given then for elevating two-loss LSU, which had lost its final regular-season game at home, ahead of two-loss Georgia, which hadn’t lost since Oct. 6, in the final BCS poll. Never mind that the Bulldogs entered the final weekend ranked ahead of the Tigers. But the same thinking mightn’t apply if it comes to a choice between one-loss Alabama and one-loss Anybody Else. (Oklahoma, Oregon, Arkansas, even Clemson.)
Alabama, see, has the aura of a champion, if not necessarily the results. (It has Nick Saban, who somehow remained the world’s greatest coach after finishing fourth in a six-team division in 2010.) It was ranked No. 1 in preseason despite having lost four Round 1 NFL draftees plus its starting quarterback, and it fell only one spot in the BCS rankings after losing at home on a night when all Nick’s men couldn’t muster a TD.
The calls for an LSU-Alabama weren’t just immediate in the aftermath; they’d been raised even before the game began. (The thinking being that, since an SEC team is going to win the BCS anyway, why not make the title game at least interesting?) After prevailing in Tuscaloosa, LSU shouldn’t need to prove it can beat Bama twice to be national champ, but that could well be its assignment. Which would be grossly unfair, but when has big-time college football even been fair?
Even more confusing: LSU can lose to Arkansas in Baton Rouge on Nov. 25 and still represent the SEC West in the Georgia Dome. This is because of a complicated-but-sensible SEC tiebreaker. Were LSU to lose that game and finish in a three-way tie with the Tide and the Razorbacks, the Tigers would still get the West nod as long as they don’t fall more than five BCS spots behind Alabama. The SEC rule in question:
The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the last weekend of regular-season games shall be the divisional representative in the SEC championship game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the SEC championship game.
You might recall that Texas beat Oklahoma in 2008 but couldn’t play for the Big 12 title and was omitted from the BCS title game because the Sooners finished first in the BCS rankings to the Longhorns’ third. That wasn’t right: When teams are tied, head-to-head should be the determinant. The five-or-fewer rule comes close to making that a reality. But there are loopholes within this loophole.
If Alabama is No. 1 in the Nov. 27 BCS standings to LSU’s No. 7, Alabama would represent the West, head-to-head be hanged. If Arkansas should beat LSU and nose ahead of the Tigers in the rankings, Alabama would likewise prevail. Because Arkansas would then be the second-place SEC team in the BCS standings, and Alabama beat the Hogs on Sept. 24.
Here we pause to consider Arkansas’ possible plight. Should they beat LSU, the Razorbacks could make the case that they’re playing the best football in the nation’s best league, but they’d surely be blocked from playing for the SEC title. And the team Arkansas just upset would not, provided LSU stays ahead of Arkansas in the BCS standings, which could well happen. (As we speak, the Tigers are No. 1 to the Hogs’ No. 6.)
Yeah, a nice eight-team playoff would come close to solving all this, but I’ve abandoned hope of that. But at least we in the Eastern time zone are facing a welcome bit of clarity, championship-wise. If Georgia beats Kentucky on Saturday, the Bulldogs will play for the conference title. If they lose to Kentucky, the Georgia athletic association will announce Sunday that it has dropped the sport.
By Mark Bradley
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351 comments Add your comment
JamminJ
November 16th, 2011
12:40 pm
Arkansas should go to the SEC championship if they beat LSU. What ever happened to who ever has the highest point total goes in a tie-breaker? Plus I hope Arkansas goes, because I think UGA would have a better chance beating them than LSU or Alabama.
well?
November 16th, 2011
12:49 pm
How did bama lose and drop one damn spot? wow? they are setting them up for a BCS championship game! remember 2007…… that’s all i got to say! they screwed Ga over and they are about to do the same again!
must be nice!
well?
November 16th, 2011
12:51 pm
If Georgia wins the sec championship then they need to play for the title!
LSu did it! Bama dropped one spot after a loss. if that was
Ga they would have dropped out of the top 25
J-Tag
November 16th, 2011
12:51 pm
Boise State vs. Rutgers for all the marbles??
@aw
November 16th, 2011
12:52 pm
How is it not the same? UGA was ranked #3 in the nation going into the final week of the regular season in 2007. The top 2 teams (correct me if I’m wrong–Missouri and WV) lost. Simple math would equate to UGA jumping to #1. Instead, the #7 team, LSU, jumps everyone except Ohio State. Since you know everything, please explain that tom me. UGA and the real USC were the best 2 teams in 2007, yet we had to watch that crappy NC game. The BCS was created to eliminate the human element. College football is a double standard at face value. Most writers never played football, so they rely on “expert” opinions. How is Kirk Herbstreit an expert? They guy sucked at Ohio State, just sayin’.
Maybe you don’t understand the logic (minus the Bama education –too easy) b/c during the time Bammer was fighting to finish about .500. You guys were like the Lochness Monster, we heard about you, but we never had proof you existed.
RNB
November 16th, 2011
12:54 pm
You mean Nick Saban lost? Someone needs to let Finebaum know.
doodoobailey
November 16th, 2011
1:00 pm
How about a spulling contest as a tiebreaker?
Texas Dawg
November 16th, 2011
1:02 pm
It’s a MONEY and POWER issue.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
d2 has had a playoff system for years now and it works just fine!
We can put a man on the moon but we can’t fique out a d1 playoff system????/GIVE ME A BREAK
It will continue to be subjective until we have a playoff………not a big fan of government but if the NCAA can’t get it done maybe congress should look at it!
StingEm
November 16th, 2011
1:08 pm
All you drooling mutt fans are delusional and overlooking Georgia Tech. You will lose.
Texas Dawg
November 16th, 2011
1:10 pm
IF a frog had wings……..
Of course I think if UGA wins the sec (which we will by the way) then we should play for the NC……..but I’m a UGA fan…….fans of LSU<Babma everyone else has the same….. subjective……. opinion?/????
Playoff eliminate the human element….you loose….your out…that simple! Two left standing play for all the marbles!
dap01
November 16th, 2011
1:17 pm
No one would dare deprive the great Saban of a NC even if he did not win the big games. Hail to Saban. Hail to oversigning.
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
1:19 pm
GTBob
November 16th, 2011
12:21 pm
Then LSU could still play and win the BCS championship, thus keeping the SEC streak alive.
“After the Oklahoma debacle and the fallout that followed it, this is very unlikely to ever happen. If UGA wins the SEC championship then the SEC is not going to have a team in the title game.”
Ah geesh. There you are displaying your ignorance again. Where is your crystal ball? A one loss SEC team will get in the BCSNC even if they didn’t win their conference. There is no stipulations in the BCS formula to keep that from happening. If the polls continue to prop up the team in question, they will play.
SEC Commissioner
November 16th, 2011
1:22 pm
Nick Saban = 2NC
Mark Richt= 0 NC
FINAL VERDICT
Alphare
November 16th, 2011
1:29 pm
Mark,
I know whatever water you stir, the dawgs will bark. You just proved it again today.
Why don’t find a bigger fish to fry like Athens Herald, instead of in a small pond like AJC? LOL.
GTBob
November 16th, 2011
1:32 pm
ARdawg, you are right, there are no stipulations, but there will be tremendous uproar if a 1 loss Pac 12 champion or a 1 loss Big 12 champion, or even a 1 loss ACC champion get left out over a 1 loss team that was not the best in their conference. It would be even worse if Alabama got in without even winning their division, over other conference champions. If LSU were to lose the SEC championship then we are probably looking at an Oregon vs. Ok St / Oklahoma championship.
True Dawg Fan
November 16th, 2011
1:32 pm
SEC Commissioner
November 16th, 2011
1:22 pm
Nick Saban = 2NC
Mark Richt= 0 NC
FINAL VERDICT
As you guys always say come one quit living in the past. Its all about what have you done for me lately and for Satan that means knocking yourself out of the SECCG and NC. LSU will roll Ark and come in to Atlanta trying to figure out who they will play for the title. so hopefully they overlook us and give us a chance to pop them in the mouth.
If we beat LSU the following will have already hopefully happened:
USC over Oregon
OK State over OK
VaTech over Clemson
LSU over Ark
Auburn over Bama
then its UGA vs OK state for the title. All of this could very well happen and shape up just like 07, but this time we get to play in the Dome first. Auburn is the only stretch to those games, but I wont count out anyones hatred for Bammer.
True Dawg Fan
November 16th, 2011
1:33 pm
Stop modderating my comments you gutless coward. Just post them and if you dont like them take them down later. This is getting very old. You guys let all the trolls come in here and say whatever they want but yet you moderate my comments for calling them idiots. GET OVER IT, stop trying to spare peoples feelings, its a blog.
True Dawg Fan
November 16th, 2011
1:40 pm
GTBob
November 16th, 2011
1:32 pm
ARdawg, you are right, there are no stipulations, but there will be tremendous uproar if a 1 loss Pac 12 champion or a 1 loss Big 12 champion, or even a 1 loss ACC champion get left out over a 1 loss team that was not the best in their conference. It would be even worse if Alabama got in without even winning their division, over other conference champions. If LSU were to lose the SEC championship then we are probably looking at an Oregon vs. Ok St / Oklahoma championship.
the other conferences can cry all day long, but when you play in a weak conference 1 loss really equates to 2-3 in the SEC.
aw is a clueless Bammer
November 16th, 2011
1:47 pm
just typical of a Bammer…thinking they are above the rules (whether they be unwritten or written)…How is it not the same? UGA was denied to the right to play for the BCS title in 2007 because they didn’t win their Division nor Conference Championship….Fast forward to 2011…Bama is as of right now not in a position to play in the SECCG because they are not the Division leaders….It’s pretty simple if they don’t win the Conference they shouldn’t be allowed to play for the BCS Title…And yes other Conferences don’t have title games but they still have Conference Champions…..
Road Dawg
November 16th, 2011
1:49 pm
That would be unprecedented and stupid to allow Alabama to play for NC when they wouldn’t let UGA do it in 2007. Stick with precedence.
I thought if Arkansas blew out LSU that they would be West champ in a 3 way tie since all 3 would have only 1 loss and victories over the others ?
Mark's Right
November 16th, 2011
1:50 pm
Mark is absolutely right. The NCAA has no clear cut rules – the two top teams as determined by the BCS formula will play for the national championship. That’s all that matters. It may produce a weird result – i.e. Bama playing for and winning the National Championship without winning its conference, but when has college football ever made any sense.
GTBob
November 16th, 2011
1:54 pm
If Bama gets in with one loss without winning their division and Oregon ends the season with only one loss and a Pac 12 championship then Bama is going to have a pretty hard argument for why they should be in over Oregon.
7 Year Locust
November 16th, 2011
1:56 pm
Rework the 4th paragraph? May have missed a there and ever/even? Is Oklahoma State going to be the non-SEC team in the BCS title game?
Old Dawg
November 16th, 2011
2:05 pm
Bo Duke, you need to get back on your medicine. You’re a very angry dude today!
williebkind
November 16th, 2011
2:07 pm
“If UGA wins the SEC championship then the SEC is not going to have a team in the title game.”
That would mean football has digressed to ESPN analysts.
sam
November 16th, 2011
2:16 pm
Really Top Row Dawg, OK deserves to play in the BCS ahead of Bama! Bama got beat in overtime by the number one team in the country while OK lost to a team that will have a losing record and will not even qualify for a bowl game. I am not saying Bama should be in the championship but they are more qualified than OK.
82Dawg
November 16th, 2011
2:17 pm
Bottom line Bama does not belong in the BCSCG
StuDawg
November 16th, 2011
2:17 pm
The Dawgs will be any of em.
StuDawg
November 16th, 2011
2:17 pm
“beat”
Mark You are Right
November 16th, 2011
2:21 pm
Mr Bradley you are right for the first time.UGA should have a very good argument if it were able to beat Kentucky and LSU,cause like you reminded us as in 2007 YOU HAVE TO WIN A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TO PLAY IN BSC TITLE GAME..You people seem to forget
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:24 pm
GT Bob
As it stands now Bama is a bit of a darling to the voters. That will unlikely change if they take care of business with AU. Two things to look out for, if LSU continues undefeated they will be there. If Okie St loses to OU, very likely we’ll have a rematch of Bama/LSU for the NC.
I don’t think it’s right but, it is shaping up to that’s what it’ll be. If LSU should stumble you’ll most likely see a Bama, non-conference winner vs an Oregon or OU, Okie St. or possibly a Clemson.
It does not look at this point that any of these teams will stumble on the remaining schedules but, anything is possible. You can rest assured though, there will be LSU or Bama or possibly both in a NCG
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:28 pm
IMHO, if LSU cruises they should be playing for the NC and should not have to beat Bama twice to win it. Bama should be out of the picture unless they find themselves in the SECCG and have to win it to go. In such a scenario LSU could take the darling place of Bama should Bama lose the SEC championship game
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:29 pm
Bama blew it and does not deserve a “do over”
TC
November 16th, 2011
2:32 pm
There is no way team who only plays 12 games, without winning their confernce should be able to jump conference champions who played 13 games. Alabama (or any other school, any other year) should not be able to sit back in the top 5, without winnning their conference, or even playing in the game, and watch the other top 5 teams play and have to win their conference championships. (Talk about backing into the NC game.)
If UGA was to win a great game in the SECCG over LSU. why should the idle team reap the benefits?
Alphare
November 16th, 2011
2:33 pm
ARDawg,
Green Bay blew it many times last year including against Falcons, but ended up as Superbowl Champ. What do you think?
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:34 pm
TC
That’s the system we have guy. It’s not right but, it is what we have. If LSU stumbles, Alabama doesn’t, you’ll see Bama playing for the NC. It’s the human factor of the polls
Alphare is a clueless Bammer
November 16th, 2011
2:39 pm
Apples and Oranges dude…Apples and Oranges
sam
November 16th, 2011
2:40 pm
so what you are saying is all conferences are equal? if a team from the big east goes undefeated they should go to the BCS ahead of a one lose sec team which everyone knows is better? The entire rationale behind the BCS was to put the best 2 teams together not give equal billing to each and every conference.
Bamma is ESPN's favorite
November 16th, 2011
2:40 pm
Yeah if OKState slips up then you will see Alabama and LSU play for BCS because that’s what ESPN wants
WRONG ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:41 pm
No way SEC Champion gets bumped by Bama
Bamma is ESPN's favorite
November 16th, 2011
2:41 pm
The entire rationale behind the BCS is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Javarious C.
November 16th, 2011
2:43 pm
Mark, great article as usual. Maybe help Jeff Schultz with his writing skills in your spare time?
Alphare
November 16th, 2011
2:45 pm
“Yeah if OKState slips up then you will see Alabama and LSU play for BCS because that’s what ESPN wants”.
Not just ESPN, the last BAMA/LSU game had the biggest viewership in 28 years.
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
2:46 pm
Troll
Exactly. It is all about the money and the desires of the giants (espn) and the other money changers. If LSU loses the SECCG, that would leave Georgia as the champ. That will reflect badly on LSU and move Bama up (from it’s current third).
What changes the current path is Okie St beating OU and securing it’s place in the game. Okie St losing and a number of scenarios appear and most favor Bama
sam
November 16th, 2011
2:46 pm
Bama will jump the SEC champion if it is GA.
Randy
November 16th, 2011
2:49 pm
Um Alabama hasn’t lost TWICE Bradley. Are you that dumb?
Also Alabama’s lone loss was two the #1 team lsu and in Ovetime. How about some logical thinking next time idiot.
Alphare poisoned the Toomer Trees
November 16th, 2011
2:50 pm
“Not just ESPN, the last BAMA/LSU game had the biggest viewership in 28 years.” …. True..people wanted to watch that first game because it was hyped up for 2 months by ESPN…I doubt it gets the same viewership the second time…
Shug
November 16th, 2011
2:55 pm
Hey, dolt, do we have to go through this again. In 2008 there was a 3-way tie for the Big 12 South championship. Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma each had one loss. Texas beat OU, OU beat Texas Tech, and Texas Tech beat Texas—so it’s a bit simplistic to say that Texas should’ve finished ahead of OU because it beat them. Using that logic, Texas Tech should’ve been champ because it beat Texas. But wait OU beat Tech so OU should be champ. It was a 3-way tie w/ no one winning the head to head matchups, thus, that league used the BCS rankings as its tiebreaker. Anything wrong with that?
Alphare & Randy poisoned the Toomer Trees
November 16th, 2011
2:56 pm
Your the idiot! Leave Bradley out of it!!!!…it’s not the win & losses here…it’s the fact of not winning a Conference championships and still being allowed to play for a BCS title after a team was not allowed in 2007 for that very same reason
ARdawg
November 16th, 2011
3:10 pm
“it’s the fact of not winning a Conference championships and still being allowed to play for a BCS title after a team was not allowed in 2007 for that very same reason”
That was the dated argument to leave Georgia out of the CG in 07. Doesn’t mean that it will apply to Bama this time around although the scenario is exactly the same. Certain things will have to happen for this to happen. Hopefully, they won’t