Dr. Saturday - NCAAF

Sun Dec 07, 2008 9:51 pm EST

BCS Realpolitik: The shoutin' edition

In a perfect world, the Doc would be given carte blanche to publicly torch the Bowl Championship Series in effigy and institute the elaborate, double-elimination battle royale of his dreams. But we live in the world we live in, so each Sunday the Doc looks at what the new BCS numbers mean for the rest of the season. Rooting interest: chaos. Always chaos.

For part of Friday and Saturday, there was a minor meme that, even if Florida and Oklahoma won their respective championships, the second spot opposite the Sooners in the mythical championship would actually be decided by the outcome of the Cincinnati-Hawaii game in the wee hours -- if the Bearcats won (which they did, 29-24, after a 19-point fourth quarter rally), the Gators' head-to-head win over Hawaii in the opener in August would be sufficiently devalued enough to keep computer favorite Texas No. 2 according to the machines, while the Longhorns would also get a transitive boost by the slightly enhanced value of Cincinnati on Oklahoma's schedule. Even an opponent of an opponent can put you over the top when your fate hangs on every last tenth of a point.

But even the peddlers of that theory had given up on the speculation by the end of the night and accepted the inevitable: It's the Sooners and Gators. The Harris Poll, like the AP, moved Florida into its top spot, and the coaches only kept UF from No. 1 by a single point. Texas remained ahead of the Gators in five of the six computers, but not by nearly enough to overcome Florida's much wider advantage in the human polls. All exactly as expected.

I'm going to break from realpolitik to idealistic crusader mode here: To me, this is sufficiently chaotic on paper. The outrage at Texas is already well-chronicled, of course, but USC, Utah and Penn State must feel like the thumb's been stuck in their eye as well. By any standards but its own, I count this as another failure for the system: Not that Florida and Oklahoma aren't worthy in context, but there are at least six worthy teams in this discussion -- that's not even including Alabama and Texas Tech -- and shoehorning two of them into a self-appointed championship is insulting to the definition and the fans who are supposed to swallow it.

I guess I shouldn't hold my breath for that meme to catch on. Everyone's going to swallow it. The early take outside of the Lone Star State, in fact, seems to be something along the lines of "The BCS got it right," or at least as right as it could, and the talking heads indicated the UF-OU buzz will probably be "High-scoring and exciting," and Lee Corso will expound on style points and the like. So if there's nothing very controversial about taking two very good one-loss teams out of a half-dozen very good one-loss teams, then the BCS probably got the right two teams. But only if you accept the premises. I have kind of a hard time with that.

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  1. gtne91
    1. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    Games we could have next week:
    Troy @ Oklahoma, Buffalo @ Florida, ECU @ Texas, Va Tech @ Alabama, Cincy @ USC, Ohio St @ Utah, TCU @ Texas Tech, Boise St @ Penn St.
    Games we will have next week:
    It really isnt a tough decision for me.
  2. ltownokie
    2. Posted by ltownokie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    I can't wait for this game and the comment that Tebow made about the Big 12 defense will be just the motivation needed for the Sooners to bring home the 8th national championship to Norman. GO SOONERS!!!!
  3. ltownokie
    3. Posted by ltownokie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Thanks Tim.
  4. cdoriean
    4. Posted by cdoriean Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:20 pm EDT

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    There are six teams worthy of discussion. Therefore, we should have a SIXTEEN-team playoff. Flawless logic.
  5. gtne91
    5. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    Last year the computers would have had VT in the championship game. This is two years in a row, at least, that the objective measures are ignored. Or, at the least, underweighted.
  6. gtne91
    6. Posted by gtne91 Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:43 pm EDT

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    I think there are at least 9 teams worthy of discussion. The two undefeateds, who, you know, played like every week mattered, and the 7 one loss teams. On the general principle that conference champions are CHAMPIONS, I dont have a problem including them either. TCU and Ohio St just fill out the power of 2 nicely.
  7. Mario L
    7. Posted by Mario L Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:14 pm EDT

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    The bcs is [profane]ty. How the hell you have a team who lost to an unranked team jump another who only lost to a #5 ranked team. The whole ap needs to to get off Tebows pito and we need a college playoff.
  8. Kyle H
    8. Posted by Kyle H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    Yes Thank you Tim! Thank you for finally saying what everyone outside the big 12 already knew! Big 12 defense just plain SUCKS!!! Big 12 defense is score more points then the other team not try to stop the other team from scoring!!!! Listen this game will be a great one, I can't wait either team could win!!!! I'm just gonna sit back relax and watch the sooner defense implode and bradford walk around with a confused look on his face when he sees what a real defense can do! Oh by the way I hope Sam wins the Heisman it seems to be cursed when it comes to bowl games....Hey Sooners Remember Jason White, just to be fair we remember Michigan. Sooners= GATOR BAIT!!!!
  9. Jimjar
    9. Posted by Jimjar Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:34 pm EDT

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    The Sooners in the MNC make me vomit. What a classy move Bob, keeping your starters in until the end and throwing for the end zone with 4 minutes left.
  10. Mrs. Highsmith
    10. Posted by Mrs. Highsmith Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:01 pm EDT

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    Yeah I can't wait until Oklahoma puts up 60+ points on Florida. Once again the BCS screws another National Championship up by putting UF in the game. I can see where UF deserved to go: they lose to an unranked team at home: OK loses to a top 5 team. TX loses to a top 5 team, AL loses to a top 5 team. Hmmmmm... 3 teams with 1 loss to top 5 teams and 1 team with a loss to an UNRANKED team AT HOME. Yea I see where the Gators deserve to go. The game should be OK vs. TX or AL, not OK vs. UF.
    BTW, can't wait for Tebow to go to the NFL so everybody can see how sorry he really is at QB. 3 years in NCAA ball and only 19 snaps taken from under center. He'll never make it as a QB in the NFL.
  11. ltownokie
    11. Posted by ltownokie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Kyle the gators play in a conference where offenses are not that great. Flordia has not seen an offense this good all year. They will be in for a big shock when OU is up 21 to start the 2nd Quarter. The big 12 has the best offenses in the country. Go look at national stats and you will see. Flordia has a lot of talent but this year the Sooners have a motivating factor. Everyone doubts them and they have something to play for besides just another win. OU sets the bar high and when a national championship is not a stake then there is really not that motivation to win a game like West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl.
  12. ltownokie
    12. Posted by ltownokie Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:29 pm EDT

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    Don't you love it jimjar what else you got?
  13. Kyle H
    13. Posted by Kyle H Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    I'm done shouting, both team are very good and both can win! It just gets under my skin when people dis any teams accomplishments. It'll be a great game can't wait, good luck OU but GO GATORS!
  14. allhailcale
    14. Posted by allhailcale Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:58 pm EDT

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    kyle - texas' defense is #21 in total d and #2 in rushing d, which is better than any team in the sec not named alabama (with whom it happens to be tied). funny how no one talked about it when the whole texas-ou debate was raging, no?
    bethany - comparing losses and wins is asinine, as i would think you would know well. i mean, that's how the voters made it ok for ou (loss to #5) to pass texas (loss to #7 tech) despite a double-digit loss on a neutral field. fact is, the relative merits/demerits of quality wins/good losses is only meaningful where it is applied, which is certainly never consistent.
    p.s. fans of the team that produced jason white have no room to talk smack about any qb's nfl projection, lol.....
  15. jhyatt
    15. Posted by jhyatt Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:06 pm EDT

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    bethany -
    florida beat alabama! does that not mean anything?
    "Once again the BCS screws another National Championship up by putting UF in the game. "
    that makes no sense. none. florida WON the last game, convincingly. so what's the issue there from '06?
    it's nice to know you think that a team like alabama can lose to florida and still get to the title game. amazing... too bad you're not in charge b/c you have it all figured out.
  16. nrichmond00
    16. Posted by nrichmond00 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:41 pm EDT

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    I find it hilarious that everyone always freaks about the BCS and blames the wonks and their computer ratings but its ALWAYS the freaking human polls that EFF it up everytime. Its the human polls that are influenced by "style" points. Not the "nuetral" computers. Thats what got us into the BCS in the first place. . .STUPID human voters. FWIW I've never met a person that wouldn't prefer a playoff. Here's hoping for it in our lifetime.
    GO SOONERS!! Go BUCKEYES (ugh that was hard to type) Tuck Fexas Go TCU, Go Cincy
  17. owassobob
    17. Posted by owassobob Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:58 pm EDT

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    and the winner is--The Poinsettia Bowl on Dec 23. They picked up a game between undefeated and 9th ranked Boise State vs 11th ranked TCU. That looks to be a better bowl game than the Orange with 4 loss Va Tech and Cincinnati. That is another problem with the BCS. Va Tech should not be in a BCS game. I dont care what conference they are from. A conference champion going to a BCS game should at least be ranked in the top 12 or go somewhere else. The only reason 4 loss Va Tech is even ranked in the top 25 is because the BCS schools want them to be.
  18. snix59
    18. Posted by snix59 Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:34 pm EDT

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    How can they deny Texas Tech as BCS bid? Va Tech and Cincy???...now there's a game. What a joke.
  19. Crazy Joe
    19. Posted by Crazy Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    Sorry Doc, but given the result of the conference championships and your last bog poll, you need to check the outrage and admit the two teams you guessed, are the teams going to MIAMI in January. Gators - Sooners is the best BCS match-up we've had in a few years now. And if only they weren't, you could rightfully summon the outrage you are pushing right now.
  20. Russell B
    20. Posted by Russell B Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:57 pm EDT

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    This is why we need a playoff, you can play nobody and get put into a championship game because of a conference championship(they should not count just the regular season games). The only team that would'nt want one is florida because they would never get to the big dance if not for the BS poll. Year after year the BCS cannot get it right, when are the going to trash this very stupid program.
  21. pine tar
    21. Posted by pine tar Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    florida loses to UNRANKED ole miss at HOME.
    bcs choklahoma loses to texas on neutral field.
    and they are rewarded with title game.
    don't be fooled people!
    the BC$ is a $HAM!
  22. Crazy Joe
    22. Posted by Crazy Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    #27 - try not to be such an obvious homer. Mack misses you.
  23. just4funsies
    23. Posted by just4funsies Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:44 pm EDT

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    You idiots who actually think that what kind of QB that Tebow will or will not be in the NFL has anything at all to do with who should play for a COLLEGE title just make me want to PUKE... You all should go back to using up your limited gray matter thinking about things that are more relevant in your lives, like whether your customer wants fries with his burger. Grow up...
  24. Crazy Joe
    24. Posted by Crazy Joe Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:31 pm EDT

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    #29 - clearly you need to speak more clearly to the NFL/Deadspin morons. Do you not realize the magic of a 3-2 game. Auburn-MSU should totally be a NFL classic. Before Yahoo! gives up it's power.....ESPN and CBS suck... and NBC loves Notre Dame football.
  25. pine tar
    25. Posted by pine tar Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:55 pm EDT

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    crazy joe,
    the facts do not lie.
    the BC$ $HAM computers do!
    do not be fooled.
    HOOK EM!

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