LSU got to the national title game over Oklahoma, USC, VT, Kansas, Hawaii and even Georgia.
My Thoughts:
LSU was exposed as the #1 team two different times this season, so why give them a 3rd shot at being #1, this time for good?
Common SEC Response: "The rankings do not matter in the SEC because we are the strongest conference in the nation and losses to Arkansas and Kentucky are very good losses; 2 teams that would annihilate any team from any other conference."
I seriously wonder how much of a factor the "undefeated in regulation" played a role in making LSU #2 in the BCS?
Apparently my position that losing away and not at home was a "shouldn't count". LSU losing at home to Arkansas is a lot better than OU losing at TTU and Colorado. I figured winning at home would be a very vital part in this BCS mess debate.
USC was being hyped up as being the best at the end and playing the best ball out of everyone. Heck, they are nowhere as good as they were last year and this year they are just average and came along just at the right time; plus the loss at home to Stanford should just end all possibilities of them getting a shot at the title.
VT was blown out by LSU but did beat some teams at their end that gave them a worthy shot at being discussed for the title. (USC beat Alabama in 1978 in Birmingham and USC lost later in the season; ending result: Bammer and USC share the title with each other). So, despite the VT blowout loss to LSU, VT redeemed themselves and by the end of the regular season, both ended up with 2 losses and VT is just as much of a title worthy contender as LSU and Oklahoma.
2 loss Georgia was being considered for the national title and was just about to get in when the sudden talk of "not winning conference or division" came into play. There is no rule in the BCS for that but hey, let it be known anyways and keep Georgia out. But why rule out KANSAS?? Yes, Kansas did lose their last game to Missouri which decided who was going to be the North Champion but Kansas is still only a 1 loss team.
The best logical choice, despite average SOS numbers, would to have Kansas and Ohio State for the national title.
But why leave out Hawaii? It does seem to be true that Michigan and Michigan State did back out on playing Hawaii so UH was desperate to schedule someone in their place (two 1AA teams). Why fault Hawaii for 2 Big Ten schools backing out? Give Hawaii a shot at the title. They didn't have the greatest schedule in the country but they did win all their games. This can to back to 1984 when BYU won the national title with a weak schedule but they won the title because they were the only undefeated team in the country. Florida's SEC title was vacated and their title shot was dashed; Oklahoma lost to Washington so why not give Washington the title? They had 1 loss. BYU was the only "logical" choice it seemed.
Who did the most to make a statement in the last week of the regular season? OKLAHOMA
What teams are the "most legit" (not LSU based on being #1 twice and losing) to play Ohio State? KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, HAWAII, VA TECH, USC, GEORGIA.
Lets take a closer look:
LSU for:
1. Beat Florida at home...barely. Florida lost to Ole Miss.
2. Beat VT at home...soundly.
3. Beat Tennessee on neutral ground. Tennessee was creamed by 6-6 Cal.
LSU against:
1. Lost at HOME to Arkie. Arkie has 4 losses. (See Ark. out of conference schedule)
2. Lost on road to Kentucky. Kentucky has 5 losses. (See Kentucky out of conference schedule)
3. Nearly lost 3 additional games, each only won by a single play at the end.
OU for:
1. Beat MU twice. Once at home, once on neutral ground.
2. Beat Texas on neutral ground.
3. No other game was technically close. ISU was closer than we wanted, but after the half, OU dominated physically. Texas game wasn't that close.
OU against:
1. Lost on road to Colorado. Colorado has 6 losses, but had a tough OOC schedule.
2. Lost on road to Texas Tech. Tech has 4 losses. OU starting QB out for most of game.
3. Close game at IU at half. But OU dominated physically in 2nd half.
KU for:
1. Only one loss, to a good MU team.
2. Decent road win at A&M.
3. Decent road win at OSU.
KU against:
1. Bad OOC schedule.
2. Lost to only top 25 team played.
3. Did not play OU, Texas, or Texas Tech in the South.
UH for:
1. Undefeated
UH against:
1. Bad schedule, period.
VT for:
late season rally
VT against:
Lost to LSU
lost to BC
USC for:
1. Beat ASU.
2. Beat Oregon State.
USC against:
1. Lost at home to Stanford. Stanford has 8 losses.
2. Lost on road to Oregon.
Here's the hidden, humorous truth about the SEC. They play pancakes out of conference and only more importantly, play OOC games at home to pad the perception that they are the best conference out there. Here's a look at the SEC schedules:
LSU:
Home v. VT (exception to the rule)
Home v. Middle Tennessee
Road at Tulane (same as us playing on road at Tulsa)
Home v. La. Tech
Georgia:
Home v. Oklahoma St.
Home v. Western Carolina
Home v. Troy
Road at Ga. Tech (decent match-up)
Florida:
Home v. Western Kentucky
Home v. Troy
Home v. Florida Atlantic
Home v. Florida State
Tennessee:
Road at Cal (smashed by 6-6 Cal)
Home v. Southern Miss
Home v. Arkansas State
Home v. La.-Lafayette
Alabama:
Home v. Western Carolina
Road at Florida State (a loss)
Home v. Houston
Home v. La.-Monroe (a loss!)
Arkansas:
Home v. Troy
Home v. North Texas
Home v. Chattanooga
Home v. Florida International
Auburn:
Home v. Kansas State
Home v. South Florida (loss)
Home v. New Mexico State
Home v. Tennessee Tech
Kentucky:
Home v. Eastern Kentucky
Home v. Kent State
Home v. Louisville
Home v. Florida Atlantic
Ole Miss:
Road at Memphis
Home v. Missouri (loss)
Home v. La. Tech
Home v. Northwestern State
Mississippi State:
Road at Tulane
Home v. Gardner-Webb
Home v. UAB
Road at West Virginia (killed)
South Carolina:
Home v. La-Lafayette
Home v. South Carolina State
Road at North Carolina
Home v. Clemson (lost)
Vanderbilt:
Home v. Richmond
Home v. Eastern Michigan
Home v. Miami (OH)
Home v. Wake Forest
So, the SEC's ONLY marquee wins out of conference was LSU v. VT at home and Ga. v. Ga. Tech (road, kind of). Any other time the SEC plays away from home or against decent competition, they lose. Key losses - Tenn. at Cal, Alabama at Florida State, Alabama at home v. La.-Monroe, Auburn at home v. South Florida, Ole Miss at home v. Missouri, Miss. State at WV, and South Carolina at home v. Clemson. They sport a 3-7 record against decent competition out of conference, on the road and at home.
Most dominating conference my rear. The SEC is much hype. Thanks, ESPN.
But the bottom line is that they (LSU and tOSU) are in the BCS Championship game because they were ranked in the top 2 of the final BCS poll. I think that's how the rules work.
In the end, it doesn't really matter just enjoy the games for what they are. I will.
My Thoughts:
LSU was exposed as the #1 team two different times this season, so why give them a 3rd shot at being #1, this time for good?
Common SEC Response: "The rankings do not matter in the SEC because we are the strongest conference in the nation and losses to Arkansas and Kentucky are very good losses; 2 teams that would annihilate any team from any other conference."
I seriously wonder how much of a factor the "undefeated in regulation" played a role in making LSU #2 in the BCS?
Apparently my position that losing away and not at home was a "shouldn't count". LSU losing at home to Arkansas is a lot better than OU losing at TTU and Colorado. I figured winning at home would be a very vital part in this BCS mess debate.
USC was being hyped up as being the best at the end and playing the best ball out of everyone. Heck, they are nowhere as good as they were last year and this year they are just average and came along just at the right time; plus the loss at home to Stanford should just end all possibilities of them getting a shot at the title.
VT was blown out by LSU but did beat some teams at their end that gave them a worthy shot at being discussed for the title. (USC beat Alabama in 1978 in Birmingham and USC lost later in the season; ending result: Bammer and USC share the title with each other). So, despite the VT blowout loss to LSU, VT redeemed themselves and by the end of the regular season, both ended up with 2 losses and VT is just as much of a title worthy contender as LSU and Oklahoma.
2 loss Georgia was being considered for the national title and was just about to get in when the sudden talk of "not winning conference or division" came into play. There is no rule in the BCS for that but hey, let it be known anyways and keep Georgia out. But why rule out KANSAS?? Yes, Kansas did lose their last game to Missouri which decided who was going to be the North Champion but Kansas is still only a 1 loss team.
The best logical choice, despite average SOS numbers, would to have Kansas and Ohio State for the national title.
But why leave out Hawaii? It does seem to be true that Michigan and Michigan State did back out on playing Hawaii so UH was desperate to schedule someone in their place (two 1AA teams). Why fault Hawaii for 2 Big Ten schools backing out? Give Hawaii a shot at the title. They didn't have the greatest schedule in the country but they did win all their games. This can to back to 1984 when BYU won the national title with a weak schedule but they won the title because they were the only undefeated team in the country. Florida's SEC title was vacated and their title shot was dashed; Oklahoma lost to Washington so why not give Washington the title? They had 1 loss. BYU was the only "logical" choice it seemed.
Who did the most to make a statement in the last week of the regular season? OKLAHOMA
What teams are the "most legit" (not LSU based on being #1 twice and losing) to play Ohio State? KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, HAWAII, VA TECH, USC, GEORGIA.
Lets take a closer look:
LSU for:
1. Beat Florida at home...barely. Florida lost to Ole Miss.
2. Beat VT at home...soundly.
3. Beat Tennessee on neutral ground. Tennessee was creamed by 6-6 Cal.
LSU against:
1. Lost at HOME to Arkie. Arkie has 4 losses. (See Ark. out of conference schedule)
2. Lost on road to Kentucky. Kentucky has 5 losses. (See Kentucky out of conference schedule)
3. Nearly lost 3 additional games, each only won by a single play at the end.
OU for:
1. Beat MU twice. Once at home, once on neutral ground.
2. Beat Texas on neutral ground.
3. No other game was technically close. ISU was closer than we wanted, but after the half, OU dominated physically. Texas game wasn't that close.
OU against:
1. Lost on road to Colorado. Colorado has 6 losses, but had a tough OOC schedule.
2. Lost on road to Texas Tech. Tech has 4 losses. OU starting QB out for most of game.
3. Close game at IU at half. But OU dominated physically in 2nd half.
KU for:
1. Only one loss, to a good MU team.
2. Decent road win at A&M.
3. Decent road win at OSU.
KU against:
1. Bad OOC schedule.
2. Lost to only top 25 team played.
3. Did not play OU, Texas, or Texas Tech in the South.
UH for:
1. Undefeated
UH against:
1. Bad schedule, period.
VT for:
late season rally
VT against:
Lost to LSU
lost to BC
USC for:
1. Beat ASU.
2. Beat Oregon State.
USC against:
1. Lost at home to Stanford. Stanford has 8 losses.
2. Lost on road to Oregon.
Here's the hidden, humorous truth about the SEC. They play pancakes out of conference and only more importantly, play OOC games at home to pad the perception that they are the best conference out there. Here's a look at the SEC schedules:
LSU:
Home v. VT (exception to the rule)
Home v. Middle Tennessee
Road at Tulane (same as us playing on road at Tulsa)
Home v. La. Tech
Georgia:
Home v. Oklahoma St.
Home v. Western Carolina
Home v. Troy
Road at Ga. Tech (decent match-up)
Florida:
Home v. Western Kentucky
Home v. Troy
Home v. Florida Atlantic
Home v. Florida State
Tennessee:
Road at Cal (smashed by 6-6 Cal)
Home v. Southern Miss
Home v. Arkansas State
Home v. La.-Lafayette
Alabama:
Home v. Western Carolina
Road at Florida State (a loss)
Home v. Houston
Home v. La.-Monroe (a loss!)
Arkansas:
Home v. Troy
Home v. North Texas
Home v. Chattanooga
Home v. Florida International
Auburn:
Home v. Kansas State
Home v. South Florida (loss)
Home v. New Mexico State
Home v. Tennessee Tech
Kentucky:
Home v. Eastern Kentucky
Home v. Kent State
Home v. Louisville
Home v. Florida Atlantic
Ole Miss:
Road at Memphis
Home v. Missouri (loss)
Home v. La. Tech
Home v. Northwestern State
Mississippi State:
Road at Tulane
Home v. Gardner-Webb
Home v. UAB
Road at West Virginia (killed)
South Carolina:
Home v. La-Lafayette
Home v. South Carolina State
Road at North Carolina
Home v. Clemson (lost)
Vanderbilt:
Home v. Richmond
Home v. Eastern Michigan
Home v. Miami (OH)
Home v. Wake Forest
So, the SEC's ONLY marquee wins out of conference was LSU v. VT at home and Ga. v. Ga. Tech (road, kind of). Any other time the SEC plays away from home or against decent competition, they lose. Key losses - Tenn. at Cal, Alabama at Florida State, Alabama at home v. La.-Monroe, Auburn at home v. South Florida, Ole Miss at home v. Missouri, Miss. State at WV, and South Carolina at home v. Clemson. They sport a 3-7 record against decent competition out of conference, on the road and at home.
Most dominating conference my rear. The SEC is much hype. Thanks, ESPN.
But the bottom line is that they (LSU and tOSU) are in the BCS Championship game because they were ranked in the top 2 of the final BCS poll. I think that's how the rules work.
In the end, it doesn't really matter just enjoy the games for what they are. I will.
1 comment:
You hit the nail on the head about the SEC. Living in the West Coast, I get so tired of the ESPN bias towards the SEC. If you apply the rules or justifications that the SEC backers use to other conferences, then every conference is the toughest.
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