Jason Whitlock on Texas being snubbed by BCS
Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City-Star reacts to Texas getting the shaft after Oklahoma leapfrogged over them in the BCS standings.
AP and Harris voters could comprehend a simple, unavoidable fact: On a neutral field, Texas beat Oklahoma 45-35 this season.
There’s nothing left to debate. It doesn’t matter that Oklahoma’s nonconference victories are more impressive than Texas’. It doesn’t matter that Oklahoma is playing “better” football at the end of the season.
Texas beat Oklahoma.
And I don’t care about the three-way tie, and the fact that Texas Tech beat Texas. We’re allowed to use common sense when deciding a complex situation.
The Red Raiders lost a game by 44 points this season. The Red Raiders barely beat Baylor this season.
The Red Raiders needed a last-second touchdown to slip by Texas.
Tech had a magical year, beat up a bunch of cupcakes early and hung on for an 11-1 season. It’s a fluke. Oklahoma exposed the Red Raiders and Mike Leach’s gimmicky offense.
Look, my main point is that it’s criminal Oklahoma will get to play for the Big 12 crown and not Texas.
Everybody allegedly wants a playoff system, but it appears we reserve the right to ignore what happens on the field when it suits our purpose.
As Whitlock points out, there really is nothing to debate. Texas beat Oklahoma on the field. Texas beat Oklahoma on…the…field. Texas beat Oklahoma on the field. TEXAS BEAT OKLAHOMA ON THE FIELD!
Only in the BCS system could a team beat another team on the field and not benefit from it. It’s a complete crock of crap, but unfortunately not even something as ludicrous as this will force a change. I’m of the mindset now that we’ll never see a college football playoff.
Whitlock should give Harris voters credit - they did rank Texas ahead of Oklahoma. Of course, they ranked Florida #2.
It is curious that voters would have OU ahead of Texas. Texas lost to a good team on the road and OU lost to Texas on a neutral field. If Texas had lost to a bad team, maybe you could put the Sooners ahead of them because they would have proved to have better focus, but TT is a solid team and the loss shouldn’t override Texas’ win over OU.
It’s sad to say, but the best thing for proponents of a playoff would be for OU to make the title game over Texas.
One other thing - Texas was burned by its non-conference schedule. They played (and beat) Florida Atlantic, UTEP, Arkansas and Rice.
Oklahoma played (and beat) #13 Cincinnati, #11 TCU, Chattanooga and Washington.
Texas’ weak non-conference schedule apparently did them in (though OU/Texas are 1/2 in the computer rankings).
#2 Oklahoma 35, #3 Texas 45
#3 Texas 33, #7 Texas Tech 39
#4 Florida 30, Unranked Mississippi 31
#5 USC 21, Unranked Oregon State 27
#6 Utah – Now there’s a team getting screwed. They are unbeaten.
#7 Texas Tech – then #2 got beat by then #5 (now #2) Oklahoma
#8 Penn State 23, Unranked Iowa 24
See a pattern here? Six out of the top eight teams were beaten by a lower ranked opponent, lost the head-to-head matchup. The Longhorns whine “doesn’t head-to-head matter for anything?”. Well, yes. Something. But it is certainly not the determining factor. Not even close. Never has been (remember 1993 Florida State going to the national title game over Notre Dame, which had beat them just two weeks earlier?). As demonstrated by the three way tie in the Big 12 South, head-to-head is absurdly inconclusive when attempting to rank teams.
Other factors are utilized to rank teams. Obviously.
You’re right RMutt - but why? Why doesn’t beating a team hold more water in college football like it does for other sports?
In the NFL, if two teams have the same record in the division, the first tie-breaker is always head-to-head. Why in college football are we putting beating a team on the same level as style points and all the other crap?
I’m not disagreeing with you because you’re right. I just don’t understand why all of the other nonsense matters in college football. I’m just tired of the entire system.
POOOOOOOOOOOOOR TEXAS!!! Ha! Ha! Ha! Love it.
Oklahoma and bob stoops along with the fans constantly give the bcs voter bj’s so that at the end of the year they are favored. Dont worry, Floriday will beat Alabama then the Oklahoma fags, proving yet again they do not deserve to be there.
With all of the above logic, Mississippi should be playing in the SEC championship. Ole Miss beat Florida early, Texas beat Oklahoma early then lost to Tech. Why isn’t there an argument for Ole Miss. Oh yeah, we wan’t to look at the entire season in the SEC, the Big 12 is the only conference subjected to the season being determined by the Red River Rivalry.
Ole’ Miss lost three conference games - they’re not in the same discussion. It’s not even close to being the same thing as what’s going on in the Big 12.