For its latest trick, the BCS renders the SEC title game moot
"Is this the year you have to win your conference or the year you don't?" (AP photo)
Q: When is a conference championship really just a exhibition game?
A: When the BCS “system,” whatever that happens to be in a given year, gets its maladroit hands on it.
LSU faces Georgia for the SEC title Saturday at the Georgia Dome. If LSU wins, it will play for the BCS title. If LSU loses, it figures to play for the BCS title anyway.
This is college football, where we’re told Every Game Counts. This year another big fat asterisk gets attached: Every game counts except the SEC championship, which lately has counted the most. And that’s not the worst part.
On Sunday I was speaking with Falcons center Todd McClure, who has a figurative dog in this fight. (He played at LSU.) When I mentioned that I’d rather be Alabama, which is guaranteed not to lose another game before the final BCS standings are announced, than the Tigers, he said: “Do you think that’s fair?”
No, I don’t think it’s fair. The BCS is never fair. Occasionally there comes a year in which the outcry is minimal, and invariably some talking head will say, “The BCS worked this time.” Reality check: The BCS never works. The best the BCS ever can hope is to get lucky.
Case study in inconsistency: In 2007 Georgia was ranked No. 4 in the next-to-last BCS standings. The teams ranked first and second — Missouri and West Virginia — lost on the regular season’s final weekend. Georgia didn’t play. It finished atop the SEC East but was shaded by Tennessee on a tiebreaker. LSU, which had lost its final regular-season game to Arkansas, beat the Vols for the SEC title, and the Tigers got to play for the BCS title.
LSU moved from No. 7 to No. 2. Georgia didn’t play a game and slid to No. 5. Why? Because LSU coach Les Miles kept making the point that his team had “won its conference” and because the many talking heads on ESPN took up the cry. (As we know, what’s said on ESPN has an outsize effect on college football, the only sport in which opinions matter.)
Some of the same voices who’d lobbied for an Ohio State-Michigan rematch in the 2006 BCS title game dismissed Georgia a year later because It Hadn’t Won Its Conference. Never mind that winning your conference isn’t a criterion for BCS title inclusion. Never mind that Michigan hadn’t won the Big Ten the year before. This just seemed like the thing to say at that moment in time, and by golly those ESPN chatterers kept saying it until it became reality.
Georgia wasn’t passed just by LSU but also by Oklahoma and Virginia Tech; see, the Sooners and Hokies had won their conferences. After that season, the BCS considered making a conference title a prerequisite for a berth in the BCS title game but decided against it, which is a good thing if you’re Alabama but another pie in the face if you’re a fan of consistent thought.
If you’re a BCS hater — and who isn’t? — you have to root for Georgia to beat LSU and render this ongoing farce even more farcical. Picture the incongruity: The Bulldogs hoist the SEC championship trophy on Saturday night and trot off to the Sugar Bowl to play this year’s version of Hawaii, and 24 hours later not one but two SEC non-champions get invited to the game that’s supposed to reveal the nation’s best team.
And now you’re asking: Don’t LSU and Alabama look like the nation’s top two teams? LSU has been the absolute best team from start to finish, but the Tigers still have a game to play. The Tide lost its biggest game on its home field and has beaten two teams ranked in the BCS Top 25. If Oklahoma State, which is ranked No. 3 to Alabama’s No. 2, beats Oklahoma on Saturday, the Cowboys will have beaten five Top 25 teams and will be the Big 12 champ. Should Alabama get that nod just because it plays in the almighty SEC and is, you know, Alabama?
The problem with the BCS is that it can tweak its “system” until the cows come home and never be prepared for the vagaries of a given season. And with conferences expanding to elephantine size and schedules growing more imbalanced, this will only get worse. Four years ago Georgia was penalized for not playing in the SEC title game; this time Alabama could be handed a de facto semifinal bye.
Do I think the BCS is fair? Yes indeed. A fairly Big Crock of Sludge.
By Mark Bradley
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810 comments Add your comment
J-Dawg
November 28th, 2011
10:21 pm
I went away for awhile and came back and found Tide Rising vs. the entire board. Not a bad job of defending yourself Tide.
Listen, everyone knows the BCS is garbage. Everyone knows that we need a playoff. I agree with the premiss of Mark’s original post – the BCS is sludge. But, if the point of a national championship game is to see the two best teams (based on a season of work) go head to head then I still say that is exactly what we are getting here. Again, you look at wins and losses. It’s a much more powerful argument to look at who teams lost to then who they beat if all teams under consideration are in a power conference because teams have 100% control over who they lose to and very little control of who is on their schedule (their wins). A team that is in a power conference should not be penalized for who they beat over and above who they lost to. Alabama destroyed everyone on their schedule except for the unequivocal number one team who they lost to in overtime. You just can’t make the same argument for any of the other one loss teams. Win games and you won’t have to worry about your losses but when you lose than look at who you lost to.
As a dawg fan, did we have an easy schedule? Yep. Did we win enough of our games to make it to the SEC championship? Yep. Could we have beaten Arkansas or Bama if they were on our schedule? Who knows – we didn’t have to play them. In the future we will and we’ll see how those games play out.
Until we have a playoff ALL arguments are subjective and that’s why the system blows. BUT until we have a playoff the most rational argument is that LSU and Bama are the two best teams in the country and should be playing for the national championship.
Is it fair that LSU has to beat Bama twice? Who said anything about fair? Since when are championships based on fairness? If LSU beats Bama in the regular season and then had to beat them again in a playoff would that be fair?
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
10:21 pm
@Dilligaf who wrote: “Oh yeah, heck of a schedule with wins over USC, Oregon St., Cal. and N.D. Keep on dreamin’.
LSU would destroy Stanford and you and the rest of the country knows it. Ok St. or Houston would be a better match up.
UGA/85′
You are comparing Notre Dame, USC, Oregon State and Cal. to Kent State, Georgia Southern and Northwest Texas Polytechnic?….seriouly dude…too funny. Stanford has the best QB in the country and a bunch of fast and athletic WRs&TEs to catch the ball. Neither Bama nor LSU has seen an offense like Stanford’s this year (Georgia did the first game of the season and look what happened to them…LMAO). LSU or Bama’s defense would be looking like the Dawgs against Boise if they played Stanford…..the Pac 10 rules the SEC in the last decade.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:22 pm
Special k
I for one am not saying anyone is out to get UGA.
I do know that if a team from the SEC goes undefeated they will get love from “the powers to be”
I do not think the 07 team deserved to play in the NC game or this years team if they beat lsu.
I’m just trying to say that another team should get a shot at LSU cause they beat bama already.
I’m not having a hate fest toward alabama or trying to get out from under some shadow.
Paul in NH
November 28th, 2011
10:23 pm
If we are talking about precedents for teams playing in the BCSCG without winning their conference, nothing quite beats Oklahoma playing in the 2003 game after getting blown out in the Big XII championship game.
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:24 pm
Dawg48,
Sorry but that’s just the vibe I’ve always gotten from dawg fans. I understand your argument. But as I’ve stated there is precedent for a rematch and if the purpose of the bcs is simply to match the 2 best teams then that purpose has been accomplished regardless of whether or not they’ve already played.
And if we went by your argument that the game was played and we got beat then we might as well yank Florida’s 96 title since the first game with FSU had already been played and Florida got beat. Just sayin…
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:27 pm
As a dawg fan we can yank all of florida’s titles!
Lol
JDW
November 28th, 2011
10:27 pm
@Tide Rising…I am sure you are quite convinced that Bama DESERVES another shot, even though they already lost to LSU at home, even though they are at best number 3 in the SEC pecking order this year, even though the BCS continues to be hypocritical and inconsistent (see 2007), and even though Satin oopps sorry Saban himself thinks and has STATED that a team that doesn’t win the conference championship doesn’t deserve a shot (though I am sure he like you is willing to make an exception just this once).
But I will give you this…you are right it is the FINAL BCS ranking that is important…my guess is when that time comes you will be one unhappy dude.
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:29 pm
Dawg48,
It just comes down to one of 2 arguments. Do you want the 2 best teams playing for the title regardless of whether they’ve already played or not? Or do you want to give a lesser team a shot for the simple sake that someone elses deserves a shot as your sole argument and ignore the merits of quality of loss, margin of victories, national offensive and defensive standings, etc. I’ll go with just putting the 2 best teams out there despite the fact that it is unfair to LSU to have to beat us twice.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:32 pm
I have seen comments from fans that think the SEC wants to throw the SEC championship game to keep LSU undefeated.
The BCS game is already written in stone for tis year…….
If the SEC wanted to throw the game they would want UGA to win to send 3 teams to a BCS games.
More $$$$$$$$$$ for the SEC
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:32 pm
JDW,
Exactly how is Alabama no. 3 in the sec pecking order this year? Please don’t mention Georgia. Georgia is merely the recipient of being the least bad team in what is easily the worst division in bcs conference football. Hell the 3rd ranked team in the west Arkansas is still ranked 10th in the nation which is better than Georgia at #12. If the dawgs played in the west you would be the 4th best team and be 7-5 as opposed to 10-2. Even you know that.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:34 pm
TR
For arguments sake……….
If ISU did not upset okie st…….
Would you still be debating this topic?
GTBob
November 28th, 2011
10:34 pm
Do you want the 2 best teams playing for the title regardless of whether they’ve already played or not?
The system we have now is completely subjective and the word best has different meanings for different people. There is no way to prove who is best other then actual games. We know LSU is better then Alabama. We have no idea if Alabama is better then the other 1 loss teams. For that reason alone there should never be a rematch in a BCS title game.
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:37 pm
“But I will give you this…you are right it is the FINAL BCS ranking that is important…my guess is when that time comes you will be one unhappy dude.”
JDW,
Well I can tell you this sir. We won’t be losing to LSU by 3 or 4 touchdowns like some folks.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:37 pm
Agree with GTbob
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 28th, 2011
10:38 pm
Mark, a play off system would have already eliminated Alabama. Then, perhaps, Houston would play LSU next? What would be a bigger joke to college football rankings than that?
Why don’t you spell out a better system. We are all ready to hear the next fix.
Of course, what about an undefeated Auburn in 03?
Yeah, its an imperfect system. Is there a fix?
JBT
01HAWK
November 28th, 2011
10:38 pm
OK STATE Coach seems to think BAMA is # 2 also:
Diplomacy played out at Oklahoma State on Monday where Cowboys coach Mike Gundy addressed the current BCS standings. He was specifically asked about Alabama.
“Alabama lost to what would be the No. 1 team in the country and Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State,” Gundy said. “In our situation, if I was doing it fair, I don’t know how I could put us in front of them right now.”
DP
November 28th, 2011
10:39 pm
Diplomacy played out at Oklahoma State on Monday where Cowboys coach Mike Gundy addressed the current BCS standings. He was specifically asked about Alabama.
“Alabama lost to what would be the No. 1 team in the country and Oklahoma State lost to Iowa State,” Gundy said. “In our situation, if I was doing it fair, I don’t know how I could put us in front of them right now.”
Any questions????
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:39 pm
Dawg48,
If Okay state or Stanford or someone else from a bcs conference was undefeated then its a no brainer. That team goes over a 1 loss Bama team. Plain and simple.
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
10:39 pm
GT Bob wrote: “We know LSU is better then Alabama. We have no idea if Alabama is better then the other 1 loss teams. For that reason alone there should never be a rematch in a BCS title game.”
This X2
DILLIGAF
November 28th, 2011
10:41 pm
BroncoBilly :
“You are comparing Notre Dame, USC, Oregon State and Cal. to Kent State, Georgia Southern and Northwest Texas Polytechnic?….seriously dude…too funny.”
No….I’m comparing the rest of Stanford’s schedule. What a joke. San Jose State, Washington, UCLA, Colorado! Gimme a break dude. You’re on the coast to be preaching that nonsense, you will get no sympathizers here.
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
10:41 pm
01Hawk,
I think I’ll just defer to Mike Gundy’s opinion. After all he’s 40. And he’s a man!
Andy
November 28th, 2011
10:41 pm
JDW, I have never watched American Idol.
Everyone else who can not get this. Let me explain it. Alabama is going to play in the National Championship for several reasons.
1. Any trained football observer, can tell that they and LSU are in a different league as compared to all other teams, in college football. The biggest experts of all, Vegas would have them a double digit favorite over every other team out there, except LSU. That speaks volumes.
2. Of all the one loss teams, there loss is more impressive by far.
3. Certain teams get the benefit of the doubt and Alabama is one of those teams. They have earned that right not only this season but throughout history. There are a few other teams that would not be passed either including: Notre Dame, Texas, USC, Penn State(pre sandusky), Nebraska, Oklahoma, Ohio State,among a few others.
4. It will be moot come Sunday because LSU and Oklahoma will win, and then it is a no brainer.
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
10:42 pm
@DP who wrote: “Any questions”
Yep, I have one…do you have a similar quote from Stanford’s coach?
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:42 pm
Ok…..thanks for your honesty.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:45 pm
Andy
So you are saying that their are media teams out their then?
What you just said in # 3 of your post………
You just summed up the whole topic of tonight!
Why people say that espn and BCS is rigged.
DP
November 28th, 2011
10:46 pm
01 Hawk, you beat me to it.
I don’t think Gundy wants any part of LSU. Ask any NFL scout or executive to compare the number of future pros, the collective talent levels, schemes and execution of the LSU and Alabama defenses to any other defenses in college football. The defensive numbers Alabama has put up this year are virtually unheard of (#1 nationally in rushing defense, passing defense, total defense and scoring defense) and given their tougher schedule LSU’s defense is just as good. Anybody who has watched college football this year knows these two teams are in their own league. The scores of LSU and Alabama against common opponents are virtually identical, not only in aggregate but game by game. They’ve both crushed every team they’ve played except each other.
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
10:47 pm
@Dilligaf who wrote: “No….I’m comparing the rest of Stanford’s schedule. What a joke. San Jose State, Washington, UCLA, Colorado! Gimme a break dude. You’re on the coast to be preaching that nonsense, you will get no sympathizers here.”
Dude, quit even trying to say that Alabama had a better SOS this year than Stanford…..geez….say it with me “Georgia Southern, Kent State, Northeast Texas Polytecnic (I know its another Texas school…but the name is so unrecognizable I keep forgetting it….I don’t forget names like USC, Notre Dame, Oregon State, Cal., Washington, Colorado, etc.)….as far as Colorado is concerned, that Pac10 school didn’t have any problems handling the BooDawgs last year….LMAO
UGA ‘76
01HAWK
November 28th, 2011
10:48 pm
Tide Rising ……………………………….I agree. How dare anyone talk about his players……………………….Talk about me, I’m 40, I’m a MAN.
You are a MAN………………………..GUNDY………………………………….For having the guts to say what most people already know except for UGA fans.
He know BAMA would take him to the WOOD SHED.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
10:48 pm
Andy
So your saying their are media teams out their then?
As you stated in #3 of your post.
Bulldawgette
November 28th, 2011
10:49 pm
I don’t know about all the times Lou Holtz bad mouthed UGA, but he was all but laughed off the set by Mark May during the post game show on ESPN this past weekend. And this from a man who played on a Redskins team that was openly derided at on national sports shows…until they won the Superbowl. The word on the street was that they were bottom feeders with a no account coach. Huumph What does this say? Winning is the only answer to give a critic. Let the BIG DAWG eat ‘dat sweet Tiger meat! Let the Men on the Bus loose. Sic ‘em!
DP
November 28th, 2011
10:49 pm
Stanford? The team that lost by 23 to Oregon 3 weeks ago? The Oregon team that scored a late touchdown to lose to LSU by 13 and gave up 38 points in a loss to USC a week after whipping Stanford? The Stanford without an NFL caliber player on defense and virtually no speed on offense? That Stanford?
Are you serious?
01HAWK
November 28th, 2011
10:54 pm
BroncoBilly……………………………………..You must be smoking some weed.
College FB Team Strength of Schedule Power Rating 2011
1. LSU
2. BAMA
3. ARKY
41. UGA…………………….You will not get any respect with a # 41 ranking in SOS.
And coming in at # 13 is STANFORD………………………LOL
Red Stick
November 28th, 2011
10:54 pm
GTBob,
Perhaps it is subjective that Bama is considered one of the 2 best teams in the country.
How do you explain that all 3 polls have Bama as the unanimous #2? Every voter has them as the 2nd best team.
Obviously those that have a say in who plays in the BCS Title game believe as of today that Alabama is one of the best 2 teams.
The system is not perfect but is a playoff? How many times has a team come out of nowhere to win the NCAA Basketball Title?
The Giants beat an 18-0 Patriots team in the Super Bowl but many would acknowledge that New England was the best team in the NFL that year.
And what about the St Louis Cardinals? They made the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and won it all.
The best team doesn’t necessarily win a playoff.
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
10:56 pm
@DP who wrote: “The Stanford without an NFL caliber player on defense and virtually no speed on offense? That Stanford?”
So the ninth ranked offensive team in the country has “virtually no speed on offense”….you’re too funny dude….won’t have to watch Letterman’s monologue tonight to get my laughs. As far as “NFL caliber players” go….was Wes Welker, the leading receiver in the NFL for the past five or so years an “NFL caliber player” coming out of college? How many NFL caliber players were on the Boise State team that dominated Georgia on September 3rd?
UGA ‘76
Andy
November 28th, 2011
10:58 pm
Dawg 48, yes I am saying it, some teams get the benefit of the doubt. I am also saying they deserve it out of respect that they have earned. But remmeber the media does not vote on the BCS. It is coaches.
GTBob
November 28th, 2011
10:59 pm
How many times has a team come out of nowhere to win the NCAA Basketball Title?
Many times. Just last year is an example. UConn as a three seed won the tournament. That means that at least 8 teams were considered better then them. The two supposedly best teams were Ohio St and Kansas. Neither even made the final four. How sad would it have been if we just let those two teams play and crowned a winner?
DP
November 28th, 2011
10:59 pm
“The system is not perfect but is a playoff? How many times has a team come out of nowhere to win the NCAA Basketball Title?”
We could start with 2010 NCAA champion UConn that went 9-9 in regular season conference play. That’s a great system and the BCS is flawed? Why play the regular season, just let everybody into a single elimination tournament.
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 28th, 2011
11:02 pm
Hello Red Stick, how about LSU playing Houston next week instead of Georgia, then there will be only one team at the top of the stack? End of discussion– and why have a bowl season since only one team will stand undefeated and then have all the one loss teams play in a bracket for the right to play best 2 out of 3 with the undefeated?
Sometimes I amaze myself.
JBT
GTBob
November 28th, 2011
11:03 pm
If you argue that the BCS is better then a playoff then you are basically arguing that personal opinion is a better way to decide who is best then the result of actual games.
Blackoutanyone?
November 28th, 2011
11:03 pm
Bradley forgot to mention Oky St. lost to IOWA STATE but that might mess up his lame argument. The SEC championship game was played last month LSU vs Alabama. Anyone who knows college football knows UGA would be #4 in the west. If you want to blame anyone for rendering the SEC championship game moot…. blame the SEC least.
PJohn
November 28th, 2011
11:04 pm
I second the motion to yank Florida’s 1996 title.
Florida’s never had an undefeated season. Yet, they have 3 NC’s in the last 15 years. Go figure. I wonder how many other teams have finished the season with one loss during that stretch.
Blackoutanyone?
November 28th, 2011
11:05 pm
A plus one system is the only way to go. A full blown playoff would ruin the regular season. If you can’t finish in the top 4 then you probably have at least 2 losses and don’t deserve a shot.
sports
November 28th, 2011
11:08 pm
This is the biggest bunch of bull$hit. Why even play the game…LSU can’t lose and Georgia can’t win!
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 28th, 2011
11:10 pm
Blackoutanyone?
Getting back to the guy who said leave it to the experts in Las Vegas: How about we cut for the high card or perhaps “Paper-Rock-Sissors, perhaps a friendly game of Jax?
aarh
November 28th, 2011
11:11 pm
Seth- The east may be down, but UGA & SC are both good teams that are in the east. They only lost 2 games ea., & that was after SC lost both Garcia & Lattimore.
Blackoutanyone?
November 28th, 2011
11:12 pm
Joe Bob Thibodaux… 2 out of 3? LOL why not have best of 7?
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 28th, 2011
11:13 pm
Blackoutanyone?
Brilliant!
I like the way you think.
JBT
BroncoBilly
November 28th, 2011
11:14 pm
@DP…so the ninth ranked offense in the country has “virtually no speed on offense”…..you’re too funny dude….LMAO.
The
November 28th, 2011
11:16 pm
biggest problem I see for a GA win Saturday is the lack of consistency at running back. Crowell has been hurt on and off all year, and LSU’s Defense will be gang tackling all day, not sure he is in good enough condition to take the pounding and still be effective.
Tide Rising
November 28th, 2011
11:16 pm
Red stick,
I just realized! Is it the one and only jumbeaux tiger speaking?