In other words, thankfully there weren't a whole bunch of small-minded parochial voters who chose to ignore the "All-World" SEC whose champion had been blownout by 38 points IN ONE GAME the prior year.
Really and truly Neb was most likely the best team in '96 as well. They just got caught looking ahead after a very tough game vs Colorado to end the season. It was played in near blizzard like conditions in Lincoln. Texas that year, as usual, had a lot of talent and chose that day to actually show up for a game. Neb wasn't expecting that. It's too bad they didn't go ahead and put Neb in the Sugar Bowl vs either UF or FSU, they would have beaten either one handily. Terry
While I do not contend that the Big 10 is the worst conference in football neither do I contend that the BCS system is anywhere near a perfect system but I have to agree with MCG here that the SEC has represented itself quite well in BCS games. Granted, the SEC loses its share of lesser games but in BCS games the record is now 11-4. I think that speaks volumes about the best of the SEC versus the best of the rest of the conferences not even mentioning the SEC's aforementioned record of 4-0 in national title games. No other conference can even come close to the SEC's level of success since 1998 in the BCS system. While Corey can argue that the system benefits the SEC unfairly, the SEC proves its worthiness time and time again on the field. And since you seem to harp on on-the-field results in other matters, that should matter to you, Corey. Interestingly enough, however, the Pac-10 has the second-best record in BCS play with an 8-4 mark. I do agree that the Pac-10 has been hosed more than any other conference since the advent of the BCS but to suggest that the SEC has undeservedly been rewarded with teams in the BCS is unjustified.
Time and again Aquila these guys just do not prefer to practice what they preach....which is on the field results. The national stage...the national title and the BCS Bowls are the ultimate spotlight in college football. On that stage the SEC has asserted it's collective strength well. Instead I have to hear how Nebraska who also lost to AzSt in 1996 would have beaten Florida as well except for the fact they also lost to Texas. ********.....ya think Tommie Fazier and Lawrence Phillips meant nothing to that team?
Corey the amusing thought just occurred to me that you truly feel it should have been USC in the BCS title game whipping up on it's opponent in the last two years instead of the SEC participant. Look pal it's either that thought or you feel USC should have been playing the SEC Champion. Which is it? :wink:
don't break out in your touchdown dance just yet <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> that was the one year in which the Big12 and Pac10 were put atop the college football world early and never gave anyone a chance to take their spot. Both USC and Oklahoma finished unbeaten. OU had been in the title game the year before and USC was the other 'title' team that year that was more than likely the real #1... That was the season that led to the demise of the split poll system. <br/> <br/> We haven't, and won't see those days again. Last season, at every conceivable turn, LSU was given the benefit of the doubt. They were the preseason #1, they were last year's unstoppable force. Then they lost..but some upsets happen.. Now rather than taking a look at exactly who may be #1, LSU is given a bite at the apple again.. but wait, they lose again... and when more upsets happen, rather than take a look at just who might actually be the best, or at least most deserving (two very different things) they give it to LSU again.<br/> <br/> Terry has long opposed a playoff because he said that it makes a joke of the regular season. All you have to do is be hot for a series of games at the end of the season to take it all.<br/> <br/> The BCS is just that times 10. Its all about the end game. What happens during the year matters not. <br/> <br/> I've said it before, and nothing seems to kill a topic like bringing it up, but the year Oregon was hosed out of the NC game was just as big of a sham as any of this other stuff that's gone on. Its not just USC. Whenever I bring up that example, absolutely no one wants to address it.<br/> <br/> This is a system in which unbeaten teams get passed over and certain multiple loss teams get rewarded based solely on affiliation and perceived SOS within their conference... Gaaawd what horse sh8t.<br/> <br/> You cannot have a true Division I championship until you include all of Division I. Period. You cannot give weight to one conference over another based on some presumed strength. Should USC have been playing for the title? I think of the 2 loss teams, they were the best. Hell, only in the SEC can a coach run his mouth the way Les Miles did about another conference and then piss 2 shots at a title away only to be forgiven, not ridiculed and worse yet...handed a shot at an NC game.<br/> <br/> In 1 game, anything can happen. Your season and your 'body of work' should earn you that 1 shot. 2 loss teams don't deserve it when you have unbeatens and 1 loss clubs out there.<br/> <br/> Then again, I have been crying for a playoff for years now. I'm sure you'll back that idea too.. so long as its held in Jacksonville, New Orleans, Atlanta and Miami.</r>
I disagree with that statement. The season is extremely important obviously because it does help to sort out who is in the final two at the end. Last year's 2 loss LSU got it's break when W Va stumbled vs. Pittsburgh....during the season. Ohio State got a break when it lost to Illinois but then turned around and beat Michigan while W Va was losing. The one thing about the BCS game that I do appreciate is the time it gives for both teams to heal from injuries. The W Va loss for example occurred when Pat White was injured during the Pitt game and vs. Oklahoma a few weeks later you saw the impact he had on that team. LSU stumbled vs. Arkansas when they had key injuries on defense but a few weeks later they were pretty healthy vs. Ohio State. I don't think the NC should boil down to who got the luckiest with regard to injuries but I'm afraid that's just what you would see in a 4 week playoff at the end of a regular season in which teams get pretty banged up as it is.
yawn <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> of course you don't. one man's luck with injuries is another man's depth... if you want to play the 'healthy vs healthy' game you don't want to bring that LSU team anywhere near USC and the NFL draft showed just that. Just because the bobble heads on ESPN tells you something, doesn't make it so.<br/> <br/> If they knew that much, they'd be on the sidelines or with an organization making a lot more money with a lot more power in the industry.<br/> <br/> You say 'last year LSU got its break' but they received more than one break. And why...dear God why were they the default #1 choice after they lost the first or second times? <br/> <br/> I tell ya what. The BCS and its pundits do an awful lot of justifying and spinning in the media for people who are so 'sure' that this system is a good thing that works.<br/> <br/> What was it KP said a while back?? "If you're explaining, you're losing" or something to that effect.. Well the BCS has been explaining since its inception but the only ones losing out are the players, coaches and fans of the 'unfortunate sons' that didn't choose to march to Czar Kramer's cadence.</r>
Apparently BT the fact that OSU has lost two national title games in a row to the SEC on a neutral field is not the on-the-field results you are looking for. Maybe it's Vandy at Michigan in the Big House? :lol:
A man in your position has no basis to dog the kids from Ann Arbor........surely you can think of a more compelling match-up....say the kids from Ann Arbor -v- your Gators in Orlando? Two also rans....one an inferior opponent from a conference that sucks and another a perennial juggernaut from the conference annointed by God almighty himself.....the on the field match-up should tell us a great deal. Dude, if you're trying to bust my chops, you're going to have to try harder than reminding me that we have been successful enough to merit entry into the last two and three of the last six national championship games.......hurt me again! 8)
Yeah and we all know just how much I think of last year's version of the Buckeye title contender :roll:
We did play Vandy in the big house two yars ago and beat them in a pretty hard fought contest. I like Vandy's coach and thought he has done a nice job in raising their level of talent and making them more competitive in the SEC. Is he well thought of in the SEC or does it look like he may be fired if he is not able to get Vandy into a bowl game soon?
....and we all know how credible and meaningful your thoughts are....they undoubtedly have been a material consideration in influencing the minds of the voters! :lol:
Vandy plays in a bowl every year. :shock: They always come into the Tennessee game at the end of the year needing one more win to become bowl eligible. Tennessee IS Vandy's bowl game :!: They won that bowl game in 2005. That insured his contract for another 20 years. :roll: