Could mighty LSU wind up in a non-BCS bowl? Er … maybe
Don't worry, Leslie: Your darn strong team won't fall as far as the Chick-fil-A Bowl. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Raging consensus holds that LSU will play for the national title no matter what it does Saturday and that the Tigers’ opponent Jan. 9 will again be Alabama. But there’s a slight — slight, let me emphasize — possibility the team that has been No. 1 in every week of the BCS rankings might land in a non-BCS bowl. (And here let me thank esteemed colleague Kevin Whaley for bringing this to my attention.)
Say LSU loses to Georgia by three touchdowns. Say No. 3 Oklahoma State beats Oklahoma by three touchdowns. (By way of comparison, Georgia is No. 14 in the BCS standings to OU’s No. 10.) Say there’s a major Oklahoma State groundswell in the human polls. Say LSU slides to No. 3 in the final rankings behind Oklahoma State and Alabama, the latter of which cannot lose this weekend because it isn’t playing.
Know where LSU, the team that has been the nation’s best from September through November, would be headed? To Orlando for the non-BCS Capital One Bowl. Or to Dallas for the non-BCS Cotton Bowl.
I say again: I don’t think that will happen. Given the Tigers’ strength of schedule — three victories against opponents in the BCS top 10 — and glowing SEC profile, it’s hard to imagine them suffering a Boise State-like fate. (One loss and you’re relegated to the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl.) But if Georgia beats LSU, it goes to the BCS-affiliated Sugar Bowl as SEC champ. If Alabama stays No. 2 or ascends to No. 1, it’s in the BCS title game. And the only way a conference can send a third team to a BCS game is if two of them are playing for the national title and neither is the conference champion.
I say yet again: I don’t think that will happen. Should LSU lose, the debate would become: Who are the two best one-loss teams? At this moment, LSU would figure to have the most impressive body of one-loss work, but the voting won’t be done at this moment. Balloting — and computer-tabulating — will occur late Saturday night, and voters tend to rely most on what they saw last. And what if they just saw the Tigers lose 35-14 to a team that, according to the BCS rankings, is the SEC’s fifth-best?
Never forget that this is the BCS, where weird happens. In 2003 unbeaten and top-ranked Oklahoma lost by 28 points to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship, and somehow the Sooners stayed No. 1 in the BCS rankings. In 2007 once-beaten and top-ranked Missouri lost by 21 points to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship and didn’t even wind up in a BCS game. (But Kansas, which Missouri had beaten two weeks earlier and which finished two spots behind the Tigers in the BCS rankings, did. Georgia wasn’t the only team that got short shrift in ‘07.)
For the fourth or fifth time: When the standings are announced Sunday night, LSU and Alabama figure to be Nos. 1 and 2 (or 2 and 1) even if Georgia topples the Tigers. And that would look funny, too. A national championship game would pair a team that didn’t win its conference against one that didn’t win its division? But that’s the BCS: It’s always going to look funny. Smell funny, too.
By Mark Bradley
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595 comments Add your comment
old yeller
November 30th, 2011
1:29 pm
Have to admit it, UGA89 is spot on. There’s no denying it.
SteveW
November 30th, 2011
1:30 pm
I don’t even like LSU, but gotta give them props for beating West Virginia, Oregon, ‘Bama, and Arkansas in the same year. No 4 out of conference weak sisters of the poor like so many SEC teams do, not even 3, just two gimme games. And when you beat 3 top 10 teams in Oregon, ‘Bama, and Arky in the same year, well just your good.
7576DAWG
November 30th, 2011
1:30 pm
If LSU end’s up in a non-BCS bowl I hope they keep their starters in for 60 minutes. Announce before they are matched with anyone that you better think before you accept a bowl invitation because we are going to play hard for 60 minutes with no mercy. Who know’s maybe the effort will get LSU moved to the top team after the bowl games.
Technically Correct
November 30th, 2011
1:31 pm
I don’t care where LSU goes, as long as it isn’t the Sun Bowl!
SteveW
November 30th, 2011
1:32 pm
Just don’t let Orson Charles anywhere near the SEC championship trophy…He broke UF’s National championship trophy on a recruiting visit there!
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:32 pm
We will expose the puppies this weekend. They haven’t beaten anyone and the two teams that are decent they lost to. Bring it on puppies.
timthebrave
November 30th, 2011
1:32 pm
Mark,
To my earlier post. Even if LSU loses they will remain in top 2. Even if they lose by 40 they will stay ahead of Bama in polls and computers because of strength of schedule and head to head. Ok St can still get in BCS championship but it will have to be at the expense of Alabama and not LSU
Delbert D.
November 30th, 2011
1:34 pm
The BCS contracts expire in 2014.
The Real SOS
November 30th, 2011
1:34 pm
All I hear from the LSU fans right now are “what academic ineligibility?”
Huh?
old yeller
November 30th, 2011
1:34 pm
@Geaux Tigers.
Expose what?? GA is already expected to lose. Think before you type.
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:36 pm
Tell me who you have beaten that is worth a damn? I’ll be waiting.
LSU fan
November 30th, 2011
1:36 pm
I’m a LSU fan and I’d love a play-off system..but who’s gone get it done..I believe we will win, but UGA does worry the hell out of me. Turn-overs may decide game..anything can happen on any given day.
Just keep it clean.
Alphare
November 30th, 2011
1:37 pm
UGA89,
Sorry, I don’t watch ESPN or Les Miles.
Were they part of BCS formula back in 2007? I know they are not in 2011.
old yeller
November 30th, 2011
1:38 pm
You are right. We should be 0-12. Please “expose” us.
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:39 pm
Answer my question….who have you beaten that is worth a damn??
old yeller' mom
November 30th, 2011
1:40 pm
yeller!
Don’t you go outside in that raincoat. You know what happened last time. I ain’t bailin’ you out again!
Idiot Dawg
November 30th, 2011
1:41 pm
geaux, I hope the only team we have beaten that is ‘worth a damn’ is lsu
old yeller
November 30th, 2011
1:41 pm
You are right. They all rolled over for us. Please “expose” our team since we are already favored to lose.
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:42 pm
Well….I’m still waiting on you puppies to tell me who you have beaten that is worth a damn? Oh yea…NOBODY
old yeller
November 30th, 2011
1:43 pm
LOL!!!!! Please bail me out!!
old yeller' mom
November 30th, 2011
1:43 pm
They beat Tech.
Oh… wait – never mind.
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:45 pm
Coastal Carolina, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Florida, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, Auburn, Tennessee, Georgia Tech…..WOW those are some world beaters.
FLA DAWG
November 30th, 2011
1:47 pm
Geaux,
I am in agreement with you about the weakness of our schedule – The Dawgs that is.
Though Auburn and GT were ranked lowly they both stink.
Boise State has a very good football team and they whacked us. SC is average and though Garcia tried to give us the game many times we just couldn’t execute to beat them.
The rest of the schedule was weak But no one knew what it would be like when the schedule was decided years ago and I think even you’d agree the team that played GT and Auburn is vastly different from the one that lost to SC.
I hope all LSU fans, players and coaches are as cocky as you boy.
That, and my Dawgs playing flawless ball might just get us a win!
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Red&Black
November 30th, 2011
1:48 pm
Exposing an underdog team??? HMMMM??? please splain Lucy.
sec
November 30th, 2011
1:48 pm
has anyone ever been to sec fanfare? I thought about taking my girlfriend is it worth it?
Thanks
freddy
November 30th, 2011
1:48 pm
lol
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:49 pm
The sad thing is you puppies really think you are good because of the crappy teams you have beaten.
Tiger Bait
November 30th, 2011
1:50 pm
We got our @$$ kicked by GA last time we played them. Hope it does not happen this time.
I want a perfect season.
timthebrave
November 30th, 2011
1:50 pm
Geaux Tigers,
Do you remember the last time you were favored big against us at the dome?
I remember Jamarcus Russell showing the NFL how well he handles pressure
Go Dawgs!! Woof! Woof!
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:52 pm
I don’t care about last time. I can’t wait to beat you puppies. The sad thing is you pups will probably have an easy schedule again next year.
UGA89 that's not what happened in 2007, sir
November 30th, 2011
1:52 pm
In 2007, LSU beat two (2) teams who finished in the AP Poll Top 10.
Mark Richt here at UGA beat zero (0) teams who finihsed in the AP Poll Top 10 and LOST to a sorry South Carolina 6-6 team not even in any bowl game.
LSU # 1
UGA # 2
Get over it and quit with the crudola that LSU jumped us because we didn’t win SEC Championship Game, didn’t even win our Division.
Mountain DAWG
November 30th, 2011
1:52 pm
Last I checked, the game still has to be played, guys. The only way LSU would get an auto-win is if UGA were on probation for, say, paying to get a star player here. (Sound familiar, Auburn fans?) There have been bigger upsets in the history of college football. Heck, Tech has even beaten UGA before; that is proof that ANYTHING can happen. To me, it will be so much fun to watch a game where we have “no chance” to win, when we shouldn’t have been playing there to begin with. Look what happened with the St Louis Cardinals. Did anyone give them a prayer at catching the Braves? Or Beating the unbeatable Phillies? But the Braves and Phillies flopped and the Cardinals got hot, all a the right time. It CAN happen again, no matter the odds. LSU has more depth, better athletes, more speed, better coaching (IMO) and SHOULD win the game. If I were betting money, I’d put it on LSU. But LSU also has EVERYTHING to lose, UGA has NOTHING to lose. Ouback bowl sounds great to me; sugar bowl would be be gravy. GO DAWGS!!
timthebrave
November 30th, 2011
1:53 pm
Geaux Tigers, if you anger the football gods and LSU loses I hope you realize that it is your fault
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
1:54 pm
WE WON’T LOSE! You haven’t seen a team like this yet this year.
old yeller' mom
November 30th, 2011
1:55 pm
By my recollection, Georgia lost to LSU the last time they played.
Bobo is Not the Problem
November 30th, 2011
1:56 pm
SEC fan here. But only conference champions should be in the BCS championship. Right now, it’s a championship of losers who didn’t win a conference. If LSU loses to UGA, I’d rather see Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (presuming both win), or whoever are the next best conference champions.
Tiger Bait
November 30th, 2011
1:58 pm
old yeller mom,
I meant in 2008 when they came to LSU and beat us at home. I didn’t go to the away game in 2009.
old yeller's mom
November 30th, 2011
1:59 pm
Georgia fans really shouldn’t even be allowed to call themselves SEC fans. Cheapens the brand.
UGA89
November 30th, 2011
2:00 pm
GIVE ME A BREAK
Please re-read the article.
The article is not about UGA winning the game,( clearly states very very unlikely), it is about how the BCS has too many flaws that get exposed throughout each new season.
In your post you say SC deserves to play in the SEC Championship game, but using your logic it would be impossible to figure out who plays in the NC unless there were two undefeated teams each year.
Do I think if UGA will beat LSU in the SEC Championship they deserve to play in the National Championship?
No way, we already have 2 losses, but I also do not believe Bama deserves to play in the NC instead of a one loss Conference Champion from one of the other conferences.
The BCS is BAD, and will never ever give us a TRUE champion.
I never hear anyone argue about who deserves to be called the National Champion in College Basketball at the end of March Madness.
Why is that?
Because it all gets settled in a playoff system.
All of you need to read the book Death to the BCS, and you will see that corruption and greed are all that keep College Football from going to a playoff system.
p-coal dog
November 30th, 2011
2:00 pm
geaux tigers: ole miss, miss state, auburn, fla, TENN, vandy all on bamas schedule as well. OOC for UGA way better than bamas (Boise, GT vs PENN state), after saturday this list will also include a win over LSU and a Loss for bama. We have beaten the same teams bama has with the exception of the tigers who are next. Despite this weak schedule it seems to have gotten bama in the conference game without winning their division or competing for the conference title. That same bama team will likely clean your clock the second time around, as well. Good luck saturday.
Go Dawgs!
WDE
November 30th, 2011
2:00 pm
@Geaux Tigers damn son tone it down a few degrees. Your bunch is a legit no.1 team and we are honored to get to play you for the SEC title, bring your best game and lets see who the best team is no need to get angry leave that for the fans of the schools we already beat. See ya in the Dome.
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
2:00 pm
How many carries before we put Crowell out of the game? 5 or 6?
Idiot Dawg
November 30th, 2011
2:01 pm
@timthebrave, maybe the football gods have already heard geaux and he is destined for a big bellyful of delicious crow! I know I won’t have to eat any if UGA loses. This stuff is funnier than “I love Lucy”.
Ooogitty-boogity, give me a crawdad head to suck on!
Vince Drooley
November 30th, 2011
2:02 pm
Ho hum, another college football season draws to a close and another Georgia team fails to win a national title. Just like clockwork.
sec
November 30th, 2011
2:02 pm
has anyone ever been to sec fanfare? I thought about taking my girlfriend is it worth it
Thanks
Geaux Tigers
November 30th, 2011
2:02 pm
P-Coal…and then you woke up. You couldn’t even beat South Carolina.
UGA89
November 30th, 2011
2:03 pm
UGA89 that’s not what happened in 2007, sir
Who did LSU get beat by in 2007 and at what point in the season?
munsondawg
November 30th, 2011
2:03 pm
with my luck I’ll get that loud drunk lsu fan next to me wanting to taunt people. But, like the other poster stated, please, “expose” us!!!!
Old Times Sakes
November 30th, 2011
2:03 pm
Too bad we can’t blame it on Ray Goff, we blamed everything else on him. Maybe we can get a Ponzi scheme going and Jim Donnan can run it. We have a really great coach, and these fair weather bulldogs want his scalp, even after this year.
Idiot Dawg
November 30th, 2011
2:08 pm
@WDE, very well said, but Geaux is fun to aggravate. He loves his team but seems to insist that the dawgs bow down to them. Even if we get slobber knocked Sat. nite that ain’t gonna happen.