Agreed. The preponderance of evidence following the season and the bowl games weighs against the Big 10. I wish I did not have to say that, but it's true. No one knows at this point how next season will shake out, but the Ohio State-USC game certainly will be an early season indicator as to the 2008 prospects for both teams.
Well every year is a new slate. Conferences rise and fall sometimes year to year. Ohio State can survive a loss to USC early, if they then get on a run and win out and look impressive doing it. That's happened any number of times, in fact the old rule was that you had to lose early to give yourself time to climb back up the rankings, late losses just couldn't be overcome. Once you don't have any undefeated teams like this year then all that goes out the window. Terry
I don't doubt that some people would think it's controversial if Ohio State gets back again next year. However I will not be one of them. They got there this year with a young team in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, it would be no surprise to see them compete to go back next season. I will want to be watching that game next year between Ohio State and S. Cal.
A loss to USC as an away game wouldn't necessarily be fatal in terms of national rankings and getting a BCS bowl, as good as USC is...but I think that it pretty well would eliminate sneaking into the BCS championship game.
So next year Ohio State should be the last choice if they are tied with someone else for the NC game? :?:
I'm not sure what your point is (I guess you're saying Auburn got hosed), but yes, as an Ohio State guy I gotta say that is probably just what would happen, assuming everything else is pretty equal...it's the way the world works.
Dennis Dodd of CBS Sportsline doesn't think much of Adams proposal or Adams himself. Bad timing, bad idea -- not much right about Adams' boondoggle Kind of a sarcastic article. I do agree with one thing, he could have waited a day or so and let LSU enjoy their win.
stu, Yes it was a long quote but that was the point. If Auburn was not selected because they had been beaten bad the previous 2 years then would it be okay to do the same thing to OSU next year. I think Auburn got hosed. I also think that OSU would be hosed if it happened to them next year. When a team can make it to that position, what happened the previous season should have nothing to do with it. 8)
KP, I think what was being said is that one factor was the two games with USC the previous two years. Auburn never was able to pass either Oklahoma or USC in the polls or computer polls that year. It's tough to be unbeaten, but that year there were three and it was pretty obvious all year long which team would be left out. Fair or not it was going to be that way.
If OSU loses to USC then they will have a slim chance of making the NC game. They will be under very heavy scrutiny by BCS voters unless the Big Ten is some kind of surprising juggernaut....which seems unlikely.
Bill, The only point I was making is that OSU is in the same situation now. So if USC, UGA and OSU all finish undefeated next year then the reasoning would be that OSU should not be in the NC game, because they had lost convincingly the previous two years. I don't think that should be the way is, but Auburn's losses in previous years was put forth here as the reason they were left out.
Because USC and OSU play each other next season, they both will not be undefeated, but the premise could be just as valid for one-loss teams. If OSU should beat USC, its Big 10 SOS will become a side conversation. Vice versa if USC should win that game. In your scenario, Georgia likely would be chosen if it should go through the SEC schedule undefeated. For that matter it would seem that any undefeated SEC team would be a lock.
For those who clamor for a playoff isn't it fun that in September we will have what amounts to a playoff game for Ohio State when they go to USC. I think the collective thinking in the BCS minds will be that the Buckeyes must win to make the NC. This is a big reason why I do not favor a full playoff system. In September in the regular season we have a do or die game to watch. It is much like that every year when Tenn and Fla play WRT to the SEC and now for the NC you can throw Ga into that mix.
KP, I think that in your scenario that the thought about what happened with Ohio State the last two years would be in some voters minds. The other thing with Auburn is that they started the year somewhere around 15 and those two teams that finished above them didn't lose and had good years, Auburn was just never able to make up all the ground. That's part of the reason the Harris Interactive poll doesn't start until Oct. or so. That hasn't made that much difference so far though. Here's another writer with a novel plan, match the top 8 teams with each other on New Years day then decide by vote between the 4 winners. Retro playoff plan would put the fun back in Jan. 1
Bill you are right about Auburn, I don't think they even started as high as #15, I think it was lower. As you said they just were too far behind the other unbeatens to jump over them. Also they played a very very very weak non conference schedule if I remember correctly.
I think you are right on both counts Terry. I always felt bad for Auburn but mostly because they just picked the wrong year to go unbeaten. I never really felt any hostility because they weren't ranked either 1st or 2nd. I also believe that had they ended up in the Championship game against USC they would have been taken to the woodshed for the third time in a row by USC. Their timing was just bad. :evil:
Yes I do mean that KP, however let's say this for Oklahoma, they had beaten FSU in a championship game then lost to LSU the year before. I thought LSU handled them pretty well, but the score was pretty competetive. So at that point I think most of us thought that Oklahoma was pretty good and might give USC a good game. Of course USC had other thoughts and blew them out.
"Here's another writer with a novel plan, match the top 8 teams with each other on New Years day then decide by vote between the 4 winners." This is an idea I favor....