Depending on the poll, 85%-90% of football fans would like to see some sort of a playoff. For now, we’re stuck with the BCS, which gave us Florida and Oklahoma in the title game. The problem is, now that the bowls are finished, there are three other teams (not including Florida) that have a legitimate argument that they are the #1 team in the country. Utah finished the season undefeated and beat two teams that are ranked (or will be ranked) in the top 10. USC beat up Penn State and looked great doing it. And Texas put away a feisty Ohio State team in the Fiesta Bowl…oh, and they beat Oklahoma as well. Or is the #1 team Florida, who only looked so-so in their win over the Sooners?
With their 61-10 plastering of Fresno State on Friday night, No. 9 Boise State officially wrapped up its season unscathed. For the second time in three years, the Broncos finished the regular season undefeated, and yet the only thing they can hope for is a chance to play in a BCS bowl game.
Do they deserve more? Do they deserve to play for a national championship?
Some say they do because they were one of only three teams (Utah and Ball State being the others) to finish undefeated. But most say they don’t because the only team with a pulse on their schedule was Oregon, who the Broncos beat 37-32 in Eugene earlier this season (which is more impressive than people are letting on).
Personally, I say they do have the right to play for a national championship, just as Utah and Ball State do. It’s not fair to assume anything in college football. It’s not fair to say, “Well, if Boise State played Alabama in the national championship, they would get waxed.”
Guess what? We already played that game two years ago with Boise and they produced one of the greatest bowl games ever when they beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. We can’t assume anything in college football and that’s what makes the game so exciting.
Did Boise State play anybody outside of Oregon? No. But you can make the argument that nobody plays anybody. College football teams are lucky to get two teams worth a damn on their schedule every year. The SEC is down this year and so is the Big Ten. But just because the Big 12 is arguably the power conference this year, doesn’t mean that Oklahoma or Texas would roll over Boise in a bowl game. Granted, I’m not suggesting that Boise plays a similar schedule to any team in the Big 12 or SEC, but the point is that not a lot of teams are playing daunting schedules.
And this is why the BCS is so screwed up. It assumes things. It assumes things based on schedule, and points and everything else but what really matters – beating another opponent on the field. The only way we would know if Boise could hang with the “big boys” in college football is if they played them in a playoff.
But I guess the Broncos don’t deserve that shot. Why? Because a computer says they don’t. It’s the most ridiculous thing in all of sports next to some NFL teams not having cheerleaders.
Alabama, which was idle this weekend, retained the top position with 56 of 61 first-place votes. The Crimson Tide are the only remaining undefeated team from one of the six conferences with automatic BCS tie-ins.
Third-ranked Florida, an easy winner over The Citadel, claimed the last No. 1 vote. The Gators will square off with Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game in two weeks. If both can handle their in-state rivals over Thanksgiving weekend, the winner is sure to claim one spot in the BCS championship game.
Hmm. How can an undefeated Alabama team not receive 61 of 61 first place votes? I thought the BCS system was set up so that a clear No. 1 and No. 2 would be determined?
Nobody should be surprised that ‘Bama didn’t receive all the first place votes, because it’s still unclear at this point if they are truly deserving. Everyone wants to point to Florida’s loss to Ole’ Miss as proof that the Gators shouldn’t be ranked No. 1, but in the back of many people’s heads they’re not so sure that Urban Meyer’s team isn’t the best team in college football. The same could be said for Oklahoma, which absolutely crushed Texas Tech over the weekend and got four first place votes. And what about Texas? They lost to Tech on the final play of the game and beat Oklahoma, yet received no first place votes.
The system is a mess, which is a dream scenario for supporters of a playoff, because it proves that the BCS doesn’t work.
1. Texas
2. Alabama
3. Penn State
4. Oklahoma
5. USC
6. Georgia
7. Texas Tech
8. Florida
9. Oklahoma State
10. Utah
Obviously the hype heading into this weekend will be about No. 1 Texas squaring off with No. 7 Texas Tech. Everyone is expecting a shootout or an upset, but I wouldn’t be shocked if the Longhorns completely dismantled Tech, either. The Red Raiders haven’t played against any team with a defense yet and UT is the most complete team in college football. But it’s going to be fun playing into the excitement that builds all week.
