Now we're talking; SEC-B10 Challenge

Discussion in 'Sports Board' started by Stu Ryckman, Jun 27, 2008.

  1. Stu Ryckman

    Stu Ryckman Well-Known Member

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    Probably never happen;

    If it did, would we end up like we do in the ACC-B10 Challenge every year?...Thank God no ACC fans on this board. :shock:

    SEC-B10 Challenge Proposal
     
  2. Sid

    Sid Well-Known Member

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    A novel idea and worthy of conversation. Because it would be ten years away, who knows what the conferences would look like at that time?

    One thing IMO going hard against it is the current ranking system, in which an early season loss can really harm a conference team's chances for a BCS bowl. If by then the NCAA would come up with something similar to an all-inclusive playoff format - which is not at all likely to happen - an early season loss would not be as devastating as it is in today's system.

    It shouldn't be a problem for the SEC teams. They could save their strength for the conference schedule by trading one inferior out-of-conference opponent for another from that inferior conference up north.
     
  3. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    I always thought that if you had to lose a game, as most do, then early season loss is best. Gives you a chance to get on a roll. Last year is the only year in my memory where a late season loss wasn't a killer to a teams Nat'l Championship hopes.
     
  4. gipper

    gipper Well-Known Member

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    Didn't the Gators lose late to FSU and get a rematch for the NC?
     
  5. Terry O'Keefe

    Terry O'Keefe Well-Known Member Administrator

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    Well you are right, but that year the real killer on the late season loss was the Texas defeat of Neb in the first B12 Championship game. The Gators loss was the week before the SEC Championship game and they won their last game so they lost earlier than the Huskers. Huskers were likely a better team than either FSU or UF that year, but they blinked first. It was sort of the same argument that was used in 1993, ND lost their last game but FSU won their last game. ND proved on the field they were the better team than FSU but they blinked first just like Neb did in 1996. Not necessarily fair but that's the way the votes fell.

    Seriously though there have been lots of years where the eventual NC team was not some sort of consensus champion like Neb was in 1995. The Irish jumped over 4 or 5 teams after beating Texas in 1977 (Reg season #1), sure we beat them soundly and beat them in Texas but fans of the teams we jumped over weren't all that happy. Penn State has had several undefeated teams who didn't win Nat'l Championships.

    Terry
     
  6. Sid

    Sid Well-Known Member

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    I vaguely recall that those were the years prior to a marked upgradr in their strength of schedule. I'm pretty sure that for many years Penn State's opponents were limited to east coast teams, and their biggest rival was Pitt. They truly were the Beast of the East. No one else was close on a consistent basis.