Yet another BCS whiff: Alabama’s brand burns the Cowboys
Maybe there'll be a touchdown scored the second time around. Then again ... (AP photo)
Nobody ever said the BCS made sense, and this year it makes less sense than … well, can you make less sense than zero? Alabama did not win its division and did not win its conference but could well be the national champion in a sport where we’re told Every Game Counts.
Actually, what this year’s serving of BCS glop tells us is that it’s good to have an aura. Nick Saban has an aura, albeit one of fire and brimstone, which means Alabama has an aura, which means Alabama got a nod it didn’t deserve.
Bama played its two toughest conference games — LSU and Arkansas — at home. It didn’t play either Georgia or South Carolina, the best teams in the SEC East. It played five teams that finished with a winning record, and one was Georgia Southern. The Tide beat three teams that finished the Top 25 of the BCS standings.
Oklahoma State played four such teams and won all four games. It played seven teams that finished with winning records. The Cowboys did, for mavens of minutiae, win their conference title. The knock on them is that they lost to unranked Iowa State. But they did lose on the road, and in overtime.
Alabama, the counter-argument goes, only lost in OT to the nation’s No. 1 team. But Alabama lost at home. Alabama was favored that night and couldn’t win. But because Alabama is coached by the dark lord Saban and because Alabama is from the SEC, which is the feeder league for BCS titlists, the Tide gets a second chance.
And this time the talking heads on ESPN, who make less sense with every week, had no problem with the concept of a rematch or the reality of a non-conference champion playing for the BCS crown. (Oddly enough, some of those same voices hooted down Georgia’s credentials in 2007. “Can’t consider a team that didn’t win its conference,” the ESPN choir harrumphed.) And Saturday night, moments after Oklahoma State finished routing Oklahoma, which entered the season ranked No. 1, some ESPN boys leaped at the chance to say, “Ah, that doesn’t really matter.”
“SportsCenter” opened with the highlights of the SEC title game and then Oklahoma State’s dismissal of its bitter rival. Then the Bristol anchors tossed, as they say in TV, to Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit. Musburger, who had famously lobbied for Georgia Tech to be promoted above Colorado to No. 1 when calling Tech’s victory in the Citrus Bowl in January 1991, started with a little joke. What’s wrong with a rematch, he asked, and cited the extremely appropriate case study of Rocky Balboa versus Apollo Creed.
Then Herbstreit dismissed Oklahoma State by saying the Cowboys had lost in Ames, Iowa, and, more to the point, didn’t pass “the eyeball test.” Which made you wonder: How could Kirk Herbstreit know just how Oklahoma State had looked against Oklahoma? He (and Musburger) had been sitting in a booth in Charlotte, N.C., calling the ACC title game.
Because big-time college football has no playoff grid, ephemeral stuff like “the eyeball test” and someone’s opinion — yours, mine and especially Kirk Herbstreit’s — are allowed to hold disproportionate sway. Alabama won’t be playing for the (exceedingly mythical) national championship because it had a better season than Oklahoma State but because its has the stronger brand. It’s Alabama. It plays in the SEC. It’s coached by Saban. Good enough for me! Give that team a second chance!
And that’s what big-time college football has become — a game of brands, not reality. Is it mere coincidence that ESPN has a 15-year contract to carry SEC games? (ESPN also has a contract with the Big 12, Oklahoma State’s diminishing league, but the bigger Big 12 package is with Fox Sports.)
This was a year when opinion mattered. Five of the seven computer rankings had Oklahoma State above Alabama, but the Tide finished ahead in both human polls. Why? Because of the brand. You cannot tell me that if Alabama’s name were attached to Oklahoma State’s body of work and vice versa that the results wouldn’t have been different. We all know they would have.
And now we’re faced with this scenario: A winner of nothing save some eyeball test can split two games against another team … and be declared national champ. Some “system” this is.
By Mark Bradley
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1,739 comments Add your comment
bamaguy
December 4th, 2011
9:31 pm
If Alabama smells like #2, what does “we own this state” but got out backsides handed to us by LSU smell like?
hamptondawg
December 4th, 2011
9:33 pm
Bullseye Mark. I will have every TV in my housed on and tuned to something other than the game as a one man ratings protest.
tmc
December 4th, 2011
9:33 pm
SEC Fact Finder-
Your argument is false. The “body of work” of which you speak favors OSU not Alabama. You might want to do a little research before you type.
(unless you want to show your ignorance? in that case, job well done!)
Broadway Joe Willie #12
December 4th, 2011
9:34 pm
No whiff! Bama should have won the first game, & will win this one, REALLY if you had to put up your house at risk, who would you take to beat LSU? Bama or OK. State??? thats what I thought, no brainer its ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dutch
December 4th, 2011
9:35 pm
Oklahoma State lost to a 6-6 and unranked Iowa State. Alabama lost to #1 LSU…in overtime. Easy decision and the BCS got it right.
Bull
December 4th, 2011
9:36 pm
This is what happens when college presidents refuse to consider a playoff. The BCS is flawed and college football, like our nation is getting what it deserves.
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:36 pm
If they were not going to give Ok State the shot, they should have given the trophy to LSU last night. They shouldn’t have to beat Bama twice to win the title. There’s no doubt in my mind that the team I saw last night in the second half can’t beat anybody including Bama a second time.
NeitherAProphetNorASon
December 4th, 2011
9:36 pm
Bama Grad
December 4th, 2011
8:42 pm
Had nothing to do with the brand. Bama is the more complete team. I don’t care how good their defense looked against a depleted OU offense last night – they gave up over 500 yards I believe in 3 different games this year including the loss to Iowa State. A team with that kind of defense doesn’t deserve a spot in the title game.
Well, now…let’s take that statement and flip it. The mighty Tide defense gave up over 300 yards to 1-AA GEORGIA SOUTHERN! Maybe a team with THAT kind of defense DOESN’T deserve a spot in the title game. Well, that kind of defense and THAT kind of kicker! Just sayin’…
CrimsonInSuwanee
December 4th, 2011
9:36 pm
Was it bad for Bama to have to play Florida again in 1999 in Atlanta after having beaten them in the Swamp during the regular season? No, because the rules say that the East champ plays the West champ irrespective of whether they played in the regular season.
The rules for the BCS say that #1 plays #2. Simple. Many different sources put Bama at #2.
You’re protesting against life itself. Please stop whining.
Offense is Easy
December 4th, 2011
9:37 pm
Bradley’s the Grinch.
Basically, once a team gets screwed, then all others which could be remotely considered in the same predicament must be screwed as well. Nice logic there, buddy. If Georgia got screwed, then you want Alabama to be, too? Or are you saying Georgia wasn’t screwed?
Pick one.
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:37 pm
Someone needs to dismiss little Herbie. He is the worse thing out there for college football. He gets on his little stump at this time every year trying to pick who HE wants to see.
Artie
December 4th, 2011
9:37 pm
The BCS is crap!!!
Taking nos. 13 (Michigan) and 14 (VT) over 7 (Boise) and 8 (K-State)…f-ing ridiculous!!!
RedandBlackPeachy
December 4th, 2011
9:38 pm
Blah, blah, blah. I don’t have a dog in the fight but I will watch because I want to see good football. For all the years we have seen lopsided meeting in the NC I am looking forward to a grudge match. In the end I don’t really care that LSU met up with AL earlier. This is about good football, plain and simple; not any of these other ridiculous arguments.
Curtis
December 4th, 2011
9:38 pm
The two best teams are playing. Bama or LSU would rout OK State
PB Jelly
December 4th, 2011
9:38 pm
Just like the SEC title game, perhaps we can go ahead and declare that LSU is the national champion no matter what happens in the championship game.
Even if they lose, they are 1-1 against Holy Bama, have a dramatically better out of conference record, and clearly deserve it.
Wonder what the Bammers would think about their Beauty Contest then?
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:39 pm
I would put my house up on the one I saw play last night. They don’t have to worry about making Bama one dimensional. They already are.
EDIMGIAFAD
December 4th, 2011
9:39 pm
@bamaguy – talk all you want – Bama would get destroyed by OSU. The Bama secondary would get lit up like the Macy’s Christmas tree. Sure, Bama might score 40 but they would give up at least 50 (Georgia Southern scored 21 and they are a borderline GHSA team).
Bama has the Media in their pockets and some reason, Sabin can do/say whatever he wants. That’s why Bama is playing in the “National Championship”
All this year’s BCS says is that a playoff is needed more than ever
Mike
December 4th, 2011
9:39 pm
OK State shouldn’t have lost to Iowa State – then there’d be no reason to deny them a chance at the national title! They would have been crushed anyway if they were playing LSU with their defense ranked 113th in the nation…. The BCS got it right.
Bill
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
CRIE BABIES !!!!!!
Mark Bradley
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
Herbstreit is perfect for TV: He says a lot of stuff with great emotion. Who cares if he makes no sense?
Defense is easy when there is no Offense on the other side
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
Bama has a great Defense, but Mark is right… their schedule was very easy – not as easy as UGA’s was this year, but it was very easy.
They did not play any high powered offense except LSU and Arkansas and they were 1-1 there….
Here is the offensive rank of each one of Bama’s opponents….
114
110
77
15
72
61
116
106
12
73
82
Anybody could have a great D going against those anemic offenses…
Yes Bama should have beat LSU, but Oregon should have as well if folks would have watched that game.
Ok State plays against much higher powered offenses than those in the SEC and that is why their defensive numbers are not the same, but their offense is lights out!
Greedy BCS system is Bad for College football. I turned off the first Bama / LSU bore fest and won’t watch this one at all.
Artie
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
You would think Saban wouldn’t be such a tight-wad that he would spend one of his schollies on a bona fide placekicker. LMAO
That long-kicker/short-kicker ain’t gonna cut it!!!
bamaguy
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
This is fun, but I need to find a hotel reservation for New Orleans. I have already gotten an email from the Alabama Athletic Office asking if I wanted to buy tickets. I guess they were ready and made advance arrangements.
Chaddy Scottt: unemployed
December 4th, 2011
9:40 pm
Bradley is such a tool.
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
What are Bamers going to whine about when they get beaten a second time. Getting beat twice will be more embarrassing that losing 42-10.
Cry baby cry
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
Hey PB Jelly,
I assume you are a delusional UGA fan. Face it, UGA played 3 real teams this year and lost all three. Maybe they should be in the national championship game because they improved so much this year from last,
Monroe's First Redcoat
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
Well said, Mark! LSU/Bama for the MNC is a joke. Okie State was absolutely robbed, but their band isn’t as popular, and they are, after all, from Oklahoma and not Tuscaloosa. What a friggin’ joke.
puppies
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
go dawgs? we seen they cant or want ever be able to play with lsu or bama.
107th Total Defense = Awesome!
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
One team lost to the best team in the country….one team lost to Iowa State…..
One team lost to the best team in the country….one team lost to Iowa State…..
One team lost to the best team in the country….one team lost to Iowa State…..
One team lost to the best team in the country….one team lost to Iowa State…..
hmmmmmm….this is so hard. lemme think some more….hmmmmm
Curtis
December 4th, 2011
9:41 pm
RRRROOOOLLLLLLLL TIDE
Lily
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
This game is officially a JOKE.
wreckbone
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
Just keep letting this typoe of thing exclude PAC 10 and Big 12 teams and we will have a playoff sooner rahter than later, as it should be
BamaGoose
December 4th, 2011
9:42 pm
Boohooo
Shine
December 4th, 2011
9:43 pm
I am a solid SEC fan but what a sham and a shame. Using this silly logic, Ga a few years back should have played for the national title. It was right Ga didnt and its wrong Bama gets to. I dont even care to watch them play again and was looking forward to LSU vrs OSU.
They may as well just drop the BCS crap and go back to the way it was. This is as sickening as Washington and Wall Street politics.
Artie
December 4th, 2011
9:43 pm
Man, Saban makes it so easy to root against the Tide. Go Mad Hatter!!!
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:44 pm
If you notice Herbstreit stumps for the same teams every year if they are anywhere near the top. Alabama, LSU, UF, Ohio State, USC, Oregon, and maybe Boise and that’s it.
PB Jelly
December 4th, 2011
9:44 pm
Hey Bamaguy –
It’s “we run this state”. If you want to slander Georgia at least get it straight.
And this has nothing to do with Georgia. Nothing. This has to do with the hypocrisy of the BCS. We know how Bama fared against LSU. All these blowhards claim to know how Oklahoma State would fare against LSU. Problem is they haven’t (and won’t) met on the field. Every game is important.
Except the one’s Saban loses. Those don’t count.
It’s just a beauty contest. Enjoy the Mrs. BCS Pageant in New Orleans.
puppies
December 4th, 2011
9:44 pm
just why did the coaches rank bama ahead of them if yall all know so much?
PB Jelly
December 4th, 2011
9:45 pm
One team lost to LSU.
One team never got to play them.
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:45 pm
I think this cinches that we will get a playoff. Even ESPN was starting to stump for it on Saturday. They want a game that more than 1/3 of the country will care about.
Dr. Dave
December 4th, 2011
9:45 pm
Bama already had their shot against LSU and lost. They had two weeks to prepare for a game at home and lost. They do not deserve another chance against LSU, nor does Oregon, Arkansas or any of the other ranked teams that have succumbed to LSU. OSU deserved their opportunity to slay the dragon, but alas, ESPN controlled its own destiny on this one. It was more than coincidence that Nicky was on the set for the SEC championship game, a game that his team did not qualify for.
puppies
December 4th, 2011
9:46 pm
sorry but losing to a 6-6 team dont get you that credit.
OldSchoolGT21
December 4th, 2011
9:46 pm
The reason why Alabama didn’t have to win their conference or division is b/c they played LSU closer than any team in the land and lost what should have been an easy win with several missed kicks. UGA gave LSU no competition which made the rest of the SEC look like a moot point. To that regard, the game was over in first few minutes of the second half when Georgia gave up 42 unanswered points. OSU doesn’t pass the sniff test b/c their defense sucks and their special teams are nothing compared to LSU and Alabama. Alabama also has the best college player in the country who perhaps could be the very best college football player to ever play the game. If you study the manchild that No. 3 is for Alabama, you would quickly learn there has never been another RB like him in the history of the game. I can’t even name a single player on the OSU team. The LSU / Alabama game was hailed as the game of the year by a landslide. You should be happy that your Bulldogs had such a nice year although their defense was never a true No. 4 in the nation. The best offense you played all year was Boise who beat you and Vanderbuilt who you barely beat…(Vanderbuilt?) Come on man…..
Dick
December 4th, 2011
9:47 pm
Look who this D-bag writes for. What can you expect? All you leg humpers can go crawl in your holes and chant the new UGA motto “If we only had to play 30 minutes”.
puppies
December 4th, 2011
9:47 pm
anybody who dont think lsu and bama are the best 2 teams in the country has no business watching football anyway
SEC
December 4th, 2011
9:47 pm
All of these Nick Saban haters are just jealous. As a UGA fan, I am thrilled that two SEC teams are playing for the National Championship. Confirms what we’ve been saying for years – that the SEC is the elite conference in college football. I only wish UGA was lucky enough to have Nick Saban as our coach.
kerryb
December 4th, 2011
9:48 pm
UGA gave them no competition? I bet BAma doesn’t hold them to no first downs in the first half. They didnt do it the first time. At least we scored 10 points against them.
OldSchoolGT21
December 4th, 2011
9:48 pm
Herbstreit is the guy that wears the jock you wish you wore each week.
Dale
December 4th, 2011
9:48 pm
same way Florida won their 96 title. Rematch BS.
Then Urban cried and got his free title (against the Big 10) lobbying against the rematch scenario.
01HAWK
December 4th, 2011
9:49 pm
Must be hard for REECE DAVIS (Alabama Grad) to report on ESPN and keep a straight face. He is from MUSCLE SHOALS ALABAMA.
REECE…………………………………I know after you leave work you will celebrate.