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
ckennyb
November 28th, 2011
6:04 pm
I’m a Bama fan but even moreso an SEC fan. I actually wish they would serve up a sacrificial lamb in OK State, OK, Oregon, Stanford or whomever to play LSU and prove how significantly more dominant the sec is relative to those teams and most all the rest of the country. LSU 42-7 over OK State AND Alabama 38-14 over Stanford or Oklahoma would be fine with me. Also, Bama would much rather be playing in the sec game rather than sitting at home, I assure you. As for Georgia, good luck. Even if they were to win vs LSU, they have no resume for the NC game.
godoggo
November 28th, 2011
6:04 pm
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The ONLY way that UGA will win this game is if LSU leaves @ the end of the 3rd quarter to go back to Baton Rouge……and Uga can score 45 unanswered points…. ..Sorry…just sayin
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Pollster guy
November 28th, 2011
6:05 pm
You are correct about espn, I am surprised more don’t write articles about the bias they show week to week. Even with uga playing in the secc game, you won’t hear them talk about uga but a couple times all week. In fact, my guess is they discuss the bama-lsu matchup more than the title game. Great article Bradley.
mature dawg
November 28th, 2011
6:05 pm
There is an outcry every year. The BCS is never fair. Money and corruption keep one division of college football from having a true national champion, unlike every other division of college football and every other college sport. The number one money maker in college sports has been bought out.
JDW
November 28th, 2011
6:07 pm
@Andy…”If Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State, (and they will), and then if Clemson beats Virgina Tech, (they might), who do all of you people think should play LSU in the title game then, if not Alabama?”
First off LSU should have to win to get in…at the end of Sunday the top 2 conference champs should play. Otherwise the entire BSC is nothing but a fraud. It’s entire reason for existing is to “preserve” the regular season. What are you preserving if winning your conference does not mean something? How would they explain AL vs LSU…#3 SEC vs #2 SEC?
Pollster guy
November 28th, 2011
6:07 pm
Your comments about congress are correct, I spoke to a Ga senator and he was thrilled when Boise lost so that they would not be pressured to step in.
Sid
November 28th, 2011
6:08 pm
wow, that’s ALMOST a compelling enough argument to get me to pull for georgia (almost)…
Pollster guy
November 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
Not only will espn root for lsu, expect the NCAA and probably the officials that pay them to do the same.
But most on espn want a playoff, seems they have the power to make it happen.???
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
6:09 pm
Not only is the BCS going to do it. They are going to do it thumbing their noses up at the general public as they do
Orange11
November 28th, 2011
6:11 pm
“Uga can score 45 unanswered points…. ..”
That might not be enough.
phil
November 28th, 2011
6:12 pm
add UGA to my list also.
P. Bull Terrier
November 28th, 2011
6:15 pm
None of this discussion matters anyway. With Urban Meyer at Ohio St., everyone else will be playing for 2nd place from now on (at least as far as the major media in concerned).
falconfan58
November 28th, 2011
6:15 pm
This is why college football is a joke. “Every game’s a playoff” and yet no one gets eliminated when they lose. Until they go to at least an eight team playoff it won’t be worth watching.
LakeDawg
November 28th, 2011
6:15 pm
You are right on about the BCS, Mark, but you’re wrong about the SECCG being an exhibition. IT’S FOR THE SEC CHAMPIONSHIP! If UGA wins, they will be SEC champions and Bama and LSU will be also rans.
BiggDawgK
November 28th, 2011
6:17 pm
Some of you need to check out the actual rules for bcs bowl games. A conference can have 3 teams in bcs bowls if two of those teams play for the bcs championship but neither of them won their conference championship.
GT
November 28th, 2011
6:17 pm
talking head say Georgia had one of the weakest schedules in the country more less the SEC. They need to play somebody and beat them. If they feel cheated how about Spurrier who if he had played the same schedule would have been the winner of the east, instead of running in Ark. Not a word about the old ball coach just about Georgia. Is this like FOX where only one opinion is printed?
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:22 pm
AU folks were upset because AU went undefeated, won the SEC and had the best defense in the country.
Whine, whine, whine…sounds like more AU whining to me.
Andy
November 28th, 2011
6:24 pm
JDW I did not mention LSU potentially losing in my post, because it is my opinion (only an opinion) that there is a better chance of Kim Kardashian’s next marriage lasting a year than UGA beating LSU this weekend.
mike
November 28th, 2011
6:24 pm
It’s all about the money in the BOWL games folks nothing else. What is it something like 8-10 million for each team in BCS bowls and minimum of 3-4 million for the lesser games? There’s 35 bowl games this year and there will probably be 1-2 more next year. That means some teams with 5 wins are going to go to a bowl game somewhere. I got it since the NFL is talking about 2 or possibly having 3 games in U.K. why don’t we start playing a bowl game in U.K.?
Dulusional "Mutt" Fans
November 28th, 2011
6:25 pm
Spencer
November 28th, 2011
2:38 pm
“Dawgs win 51-9″
And I got a unicorn you can borrow…….
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:25 pm
2010 BCS Champs say: Two legs baaaaad, four legs gooooood.
Flat Tire on I-95 in Jacksonville
November 28th, 2011
6:26 pm
I agree with the weak schedule
Playing Div II GT made our schedule really week
BiggDawgK
November 28th, 2011
6:28 pm
All you sad little nothings that hate Georgia revel in your comments about how badly lsu will beat Georgia. The mighty University of Georgia ripped off an astounding 10 game winning streak after an 0-2 start that all you bitter losers swore would get CMR fired and destroy Georgia season and set the program back. Instead Georgia is playing for the Championship of the best Conference in college football. The Dawgs are loaded with young talent and are a lock for the highest rated running back for 2012 and already have a commit from the highest rated running back for 2013!
As we in Dawg Nation bask in the glory glory of an incredible season and look forward to the wealth of young talent that will only get better, it’s hard to be too upset at the possibility of losing to a team that has beaten everyone else they played this year.
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:29 pm
@Bucket: I know! That’s what this whole thing is based around, but as usual, you have AU people taking a break from their normal pursuits of bestiality, crying about when they got passed over for a NC shot and LSU and Bama clones ignoring what their coaches said in the past.
@2010: I think it’s customary for pig pokers to go shirtless.
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
6:30 pm
Flat Tire
Yeah I knew we shouldn’t have scheduled GT. Such a win only weakens our strength of schedule
Paul in NH
November 28th, 2011
6:30 pm
I absolutely hate the BCS system and would love to see playoffs. Unfortunately, the top schools would never go for a real playoff (as done in FCS) with conference winners and a few wild cards because they won’t risk losing revenue to the smaller schools.
GeorgiaBoner
November 28th, 2011
6:31 pm
If UGA could beat the crap out of LSU then the Tigers might drop significantly.
Yeah, ‘07 was some BS but look at the SEC West, what do you really expect of them? If anybody can find a bigger group of douchebag coaches in the world, I’ll buy you dinner.
Roger
November 28th, 2011
6:31 pm
Thank God! Hopefully, the many morons of the world will read this and realize that you don’t spell “moot”, “mute”.
Mark, hopefully you have done the world a service.
GATA
November 28th, 2011
6:32 pm
Check yourself Bama fan. Yes, you are a good team, but before you go boasting about your schedule, and slamming UGA as having a ‘weak’ schedule, keep in mind there are 6 common opponents, and UGA went 6-0 against them just as you did, including beating your in-state rival by a wider margin. You had ONE quality win against Arkansas. You are being artificially kept at #2 because of media love for Saban. Deal with it.
daddo
November 28th, 2011
6:32 pm
Why do u Georgians care? U should be rooting for the SEC and hoping for an all-SEC BCS championship game…..that’s best for our conference. Instead, u r still whining about 2007. U know why u got passed over yet Alabama will make the big game? Because u r just Georgia, u will always be just Georgia, and we are Alabama. I know the truth stings but deal with it.
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:32 pm
Playing Div II GT made our schedule really week.
AU made it even worse.
2010 BCS CHAMPS
November 28th, 2011
6:32 pm
“Well….when you learn not to capitalize remedial in that context, we can discuss English classes….”
I emphasized the two words to catch your attention, tard.
“What year did you “graduate” from Fraudburn?”
Not sure what “Fraudburn” is, tard. Speak ENGLISH.
2010 BCS CHAMPS
November 28th, 2011
6:34 pm
“Whine, whine, whine…sounds like more AU whining to me.”
Nope, AU won the NC last year, ma’am. I was just stating a few facts about the 04 season. Funny how you don’t want to mention USC cheating and getting punished.
2010 BCS CHAMPS
November 28th, 2011
6:35 pm
“AU made it even worse.”
What’s really funny about UGA fans, like Kelly and phil, is that they don’t even realize the beating UGA will get this Saturday from a MUCH better football team and program.
UGA: 31 years and counting.
2010 BCS CHAMPS
November 28th, 2011
6:36 pm
“you have AU people taking a break from their normal pursuits of bestiality”
Kelly loves blowing goats.
GATA
November 28th, 2011
6:38 pm
BAMA FAN check yourself. You are a good team, probably a top 5 team but stop pounding your chest about strength of schedule while bashing UGA’s schedule. Both teams had 6 common opponents, and UGA went 6-0 as did Bama. And UGA beat your in-state rival by a wider margin. Your are closer to UGA than LSU, who beat 3 top 3 teams this year plus a couple other ranked teams. You had ONE quality win against Ark. and beat a mediocre State Penn. Deal with that.
Georgia fans are always crying foul
November 28th, 2011
6:39 pm
When they don’t gets things their way.Keep crying mutts, enjoy the beat down from LSU.
GeorgiaBoner
November 28th, 2011
6:39 pm
I’m not a conference homer. I like Georgia, the rest of the SEC can go to hell.
Orange11
November 28th, 2011
6:40 pm
Maybe UGA can hire the Zooker
Coffee Bluff DAWG
November 28th, 2011
6:40 pm
Don’t think real fans want to see a 9-6 rematch of LSU-AL (boring) regardless of the SEC game… DAWGS can win the SEC championship with an effort similar to the AU win.
Play like they did against UF and forget it.
GeorgiaBoner
November 28th, 2011
6:41 pm
GT is one of our better wins, you guys are stupid to suggest otherwise.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
6:41 pm
How does any pen know bama is better than okie st?
Georgia fans are always crying foul
November 28th, 2011
6:42 pm
when things don’t their way. keep crying losers.
Dawg48
November 28th, 2011
6:42 pm
Sorry any ” one”
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:42 pm
Funny how you don’t want to mention USC cheating and getting punished.
That’s just more whining from AU, who, up until they had the laptop thief last year, hadn’t won a NC in over 50 years! By the way, you need to come up w/ your own jokes.
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
6:44 pm
Kelly,
Yeah we shouldn’t have played Auburn this year either. While we are at it why didn’t Richt refuse to play Boise St? Who’s bright idea was that. We shouldn’t have played Carolina either. Will somebody get them off our imposingly weak schedule for next year?
Tom
November 28th, 2011
6:45 pm
If GA beats LSU, what happened to the BCS rule about not allowing 3 teams from the same conference into the BCS games? GA would be the automatic berth but can LSU, AL and GA all go?
ARdawg
November 28th, 2011
6:46 pm
GeorgiaBoner
Apparently there is a bunch of you Yahoo’s that believe Georgia had options on the game schedule. Don’t mind me I’m just going along. CAN WE GET FLORIDA AND TENNESSEE OFF NEXT YEAR TOO. No need in taking any chances
Kelly
November 28th, 2011
6:47 pm
AR, I know. You remember when Florida had that weaturn of the schedule against those Mississippi teams, and when they beat….wait.
Oops.
LOL
November 28th, 2011
6:48 pm
Who cares, I don’t recognize Auburn as the Champsfrom last year, why should I even care what that joke of a system gives us this year. Its gonna be LSU – Bama, and thats just stupid. I can guarantee this though, if that does happen it’ll be the second year I don’t watch the title game in my entire life.