I know it's a tired discussion, but as I watched OSU figure out yet another way to make the Big Ten look weak to the naysayers, I couldn't help but think it was a great game and that I wished it actually meant something (plus, it gives us a chance to run one of our favorite photos yet again).But, really, OSU-UT meant nothing last night. Had Texas blown them out then maybe they could make an argument for the AP title. But, again, what's that worth? A bunch of writers saying you're the best? Whoop-dee-doo.
And as much as Thursday night's BCS title game between Oklahoma and Florida has the potential to be fantastic, will the winner of that game be the unquestionably best team in college football? Not even close. Couldn't USC give any of these teams a great game? What about Utah? Haven't they at least earned a chance to show they're for real?
At its simplist, wouldn't it be neat if last night's winner (Texas) were to play USC and Utah got to play the winner of Thursday's game and then those winners played? Wouldn't that kind of sort it out without all that much trouble? We've talked about it before, but a very simple, small playoff of sorts would sort it all out very nicely. Would someone like Texas Tech still be pissed? Sure, maybe. But that's better than it being the current mess where nobody's really happy.
And maybe the place to start is to stop arguing about whether the bowl system or a playoff system is better. Can't we just say: "Girls, you're both pretty. Let's do some kind of combo."
Again, keep all your meaningless Mineke Car Care Bowls for the 6-5 Notre Dames of the world. Have fun, guys. You're "champions," in your own special way. But let the big boys actually sort this out, using the existing BCS bowls as the playoffs. It's not all that hard and it wouldn't diminish the regular season at all.
But let's even, for sake of argument, say it slightly diminishes the regular season -- isn't that worth it for the amazing matchups and pretty much undisputed champion you'd wind up with?
I think so.
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And to plug in our formula from last year, using the (really simple, even-a-caveman-can-do-it) Boiled Sports Championship Series model, you'd have the following six teams included (based on BCS rank):
1. Oklahoma
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. USC
6. Utah
See, your Cinderella has a shot, because Utah is in there. And we all know they beat Alabama, though in our system they wouldn't play first. OK and Fla get byes and Texas plays Utah while Bama and USC battle.
I'll assume USC beats Bama and we'll pretend Utah upsets Texas. Then the Utes get Oklahoma and the Trojans get Florida. Who wouldn't love a USC-Florida matchup? Then the winners of those two games meet for the national title.
Wouldn't there be a hell of a lot less arguing?
7 comments:
It would be better. You are correct about all the Texas Techs out there that would be pissed about being left out. Instead of coaches lobbying at the end of the season for the AP crown (Mack is soooo good at this), they would be lobbying to be in the top six. Really, out of all of this I hate the lobbying the most. In the end, it is still a matter of opinion.
For every TT in football, there is a 'Cuse in basketball...it happens. Unlike high school football in Indiana, not everyone can get into the post-season...they're big boys, it'll be OK.
Until then, the Utes are my national champ, ladies.
I agree with the title of the post. Imagine a system where the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, and Orange have the traditional conference tie ins. Then there would be plus one game to follow those between the #1 and #2 determined after the results of the Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, and Orange. That would be ideal. It would be better than the current system but preserve the rich tradition of the current bowl system.
Purdue Matt: That wouldn't do any good this year, when three or four teams could make reasonable arguments to be included (Utah, Oklahoma/Florida, USC, and maybe Texas). If you want anything but a paper champion (and I do), the traditional matchups will have to go and it will have to be a playoff of some sort, with all that entails.
Or have we all forgotten that half-assing it is what led to the current mess in the first place? The BCS is a playoff, but one too small to get the job done.
"Can't we just say: "Girls, you're both pretty. Let's do some kind of combo."
how much longer til spring break?
Also.....college football has never been about a fair national champion. Its been about the Big Ten champion playing the Pac-10 champion in Pasadena. It's a mini-vacation, a reward for a conference championship and a season of hard work.
Matt, this has always been your opinion and I respect your strong convictions. And I also DO recognize that tradition pretty much goes out the window with a playoff of any sort. However, as you've pointed out also, we've already bastardized things by having non-B10/P10 teams play in the Rose Bowl, etc. So if we've already ruined it, why not go one step further and make it actually make sense?
I just wish an awesome sport didn't have its season end with such a whimper.
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