With No. 1 LSU Dead, Here’s the BCS Title Picture
Uncategorized November 23rd. 2007, 8:40pm
While we wait for another large family gathering to take place …
No. 5 Ohio State. – Lucky bastards with the cake schedule and no conference championship game are in the best-case scenario: Simply sit and watch. With no games left, the phrase you’re looking for is ‘backing in.’ Things can only get better.
No. 4 West Virginia – In good shape because its final two games are at home – against No. 20 UConn and then Pittsburgh. But WVU is not unbeatable at home … it lost to South Florida in Morgantown last year. We’ll go 75 percent that WVU wins out, but don’t hold us to it.
No. 2 Kansas – Needs to beat Missouri Saturday and then Oklahoma next weekend and it will play for the title. A loss vs. Missouri kills any hope of the title. Beat Missouri and lose to Oklahoma? Still in the hunt, but won’t control its own destiny. If memory serves, the computer doesn’t like teams that lose late.
No. 3 Missouri – Doesn’t control its own destiny, but a win over Kansas followed by a win over Oklahoma will put the Tigers in the title game. We cannot imagine a scenario in which Missorui wins both games and doesn’t play for the title. A win over Kansas and a loss to Oklahoma probably will not cut it.
No. 6 Georgia – A longshot, but still alive. Needs to beat Georgia Tech tomorrow and have have Tennessee lose to Kentucky. Also needs Oklahoma to beat Kansas/Missouri next weekend, and have WVU lose one of its final two. Still, having seen this season unfold … don’t count the Bulldogs out.
No. 11 USC – Still a fringe contender, but there’s less than a 10 percent chance (our guess) of the Trojans leapfrogging all the other two-loss teams. In fact, there are too many longshot scenarios to consider, so we won’t even get into them.
No. 8 Virginia – Less than a one percent chance. Beat Virginia Saturday, and then win the ACC championship (over a BC team the Hokies already lost to) and we’ll get you guys a seat at the table.
No. 12 Florida – Beat FSU, and … yeah, not worth bringing the Gators into the mix. Stay in school, Tebow! So you can win the Heisman next year. Yup, we’re insinuating that D-Mac may have won it against LSU with his 200+ yard performance and four TDs. We’ll save that for Monday, though.
73 Responses to “With No. 1 LSU Dead, Here’s the BCS Title Picture”
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November 23rd, 2007 at 8:44 PM
Backing in is better than backing out. If it happens, we Buckeye fans will just sit back and enjoy the jealous hatred.
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:48 PM
I love me some BChaoS.
November 23rd, 2007 at 8:55 PM
Longliveriverfront……Jealous? Do you guys have any pride? You play no one, was beaten by a nobody, while better teams are losing hard fought games and you have the audacity to gloat?
Obviously you OSU fans are resigned to the fact that you can’t possibly win a National Championship any other way. Kudos to you…..Probably hoping for a Big 12 joke of an opponent also.
Big 10 Nation must be swelling with pride.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:05 PM
LSU: Kentucky (unranked), Arkansas (unranked)
WVU: South Florida (unranked)
Georgia: South Carolina (unranked)
USC: Stanford (unranked)
OSU: Illinois (#18)
OSU may have played no one (which is obviously a ridiculous statement) but they didn’t lose to no one, either. Which is more than you can say for a lot of teams who are hoping for a berth to the BCS title game.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:06 PM
Jenn Sturger is completely confused.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 PM
Great posts everyone.
You’re all right on with your thoughts on Ohio St.
They’re obviously the 119th worst team in the Country.
They’ll put exactly 0 players in the NFL draft this year.
That person they call a coach couldnt close a big game against a rival if he wanted.
They play in a league that doesnt have 1 ranked team.
They lost to a team that is ranked 118th in the NCAA.
They’re lucky they dont have to play in a conference that boasts the likes of these juggernaunts; Ole Miss(3-8), Miss St(6-5), Vanderbilt(5-6), Auburn(7-4), S Carolina(6-5), Alabama(6-5), Kentucky(7-4).
Missouri wins the East if they play in the SEC hands down TBL to answer your earlier question. I have no doubt about that.
Before we crown the feces that substitutes the SEC could you please show me some actual facts to back it up. You know like La Monroe v Alabama, S Florida v Auburn, Cal v Tennessee.
I want to see Missouri v WVU in the BCS championship by the way
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:16 PM
you mean No. 8 VT, not No. 8 UVGay.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Almost forgot.
GEAUX TIGERS!
Ha, what a bunch of frauds.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:30 PM
The only way VA Tech gets in is if everyone above them has to forfeit all of their win or dies.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:32 PM
TomSellecksAss… So you want to see…Doh play no defense bad play doh play no defense worse? Mkay.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:36 PM
If OSU is allowed to participate in the title game, I might have to turn in my college football watching audience card. They’re so inferior and everyone knows it. Why punish us, the viewer, with another bad “blame it on the 50 day layoff blah blah blah” performance?
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:37 PM
I’m so tired of the argument about conference championship games. It isn’t the B10 and Pac10’s fault that they didn’t make a money grab by adding extra teams so they could play a championship game. The SEC and Big12 made their beds. Now they get to lie in them.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:39 PM
Thanks LSU, I am sure Jimmy T and all the Buckeyes will be sending flowers for taking a dive in the 3rd.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:40 PM
Ok sssm, I hope you are ready to sleep in your “40 days off to get whacked in a bowl” bed…HUH?
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:40 PM
Wait, how does Mizzou not control its destiny? If they win out, they will do no worse than #2 and thats all you need to be out.
That said, Let’s go Dawgs and Kentucky….
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:46 PM
Ah, gotta love those Ohio State fans…
LSU lost to Kentucky when they were ranked 17th
Ohio State lost to Illinois when they were UNRANKED
If we’re rooting for an incredibly one sided, boring national championship game, then by all means, let’s hope OSU gets in. They’ll be down 24 by the end of the first quarter. Yawn.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:55 PM
@ unrelible
Inferior compared to whom? The LSU team that’s now lost to two unranked opponents? The LSU team that’s given up nearly 1000 yards on defense to two teams with a combined record of 11-13? Or inferior compared to the USC team that lost at home to Stanford? Or inferior compared to the WVU team that lost to now unranked South Florida?
You’re speaking as if there are countless teams more deserving than OSU. Name me the teams who are superior to OSU and more deserving of playing in the BCS title game. Let’s start with the teams ranked ahead of them. Kansas, Missouri, WVU, LSU. Oh, wait. LSU just lost. For the second time. At home. To an unranked opponent. So let’s drop them from the list. I’ll give you Kansas, Missouri, and WVU. No go find me a few more.
Also, I’ve yet to come across an OSU fan on this blog arguing that OSU is more deserving than all the teams ranked ahead of them (and if there are people doing this then they’re idiots). I certainly wouldn’t argue that. If those teams make it to the BCS title game — and they all control their own destiny — then that’s great. If they all manage to lose then I’ll eagerly await your selection of two more deserving teams than OSU.
November 23rd, 2007 at 9:58 PM
Wait…there was a huge debate about the invalidity of the rankings of teams when you play them, that the only rankings that matter are the current rankings. It’s one or the other. If people want to go with current rankings, then LSU, WVU, Georgia, and USC have all lost to unranked opponents. OSU hasn’t.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:03 PM
How do current rankings have anything to do with games that took place weeks/months ago? Yes, LSU lost to Arkansas, currently an unranked team. You’re telling me they won’t be ranked in the top 25 after this game? What about Illinois’ ranking prior to them playing Ohio State? They didn’t get their 18 ranking until AFTER they beat OSU.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:11 PM
sports gal,
To answer your question, I have no idea. I was the one arguing that the rankings at the time of the game were the ones that mattered. The general consensus of this sports blog has spoken, though, so I wish you luck in arguing the other side.
No doubt Arkansas is ranked come Sunday. If Kentucky beats Tenn I bet they’ll sneak back into the top 25 as well. At that point LSU will have lost to two teams ranked in the top 25. OSU will have lost to one team ranked in the top 25. Illinois will be ranked higher than Ark and UK.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:23 PM
Illinois being ranked ahead of either Arkansas or UK is glaring proof Big 10 teams get coddled in the polls. Illinois lost to IOWA, who just lost to Western fucking Michigan AT HOME last weekend! Michigan made it into the top 15 even though they lost to a I-AA team!
The Big 10 is mediocre, at best. Seriously.
Ohio State is overrated. They beat no one of significance.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:26 PM
Why do people talk about losses? THEY’RE LOSSES! In a system like the BCS, and a 12 game season like college football had, who you lose to is irrelevant. Every loss is bad. Having one more loss than someone else is terrible, because you lost nearly 10% more games.
I’m now going to drop some truth on the Big Lead readers: The two teams who are most deserving will play for the National title. Period. Doesn’t matter who they are, who you root for, or who you choose to hate Helen Keller style.
Keep squirming, folks. The sane population will keep laughing at how you dance around the truth.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:27 PM
as much as we disagree, if KU and Hawaii go undefeated, that should be the game
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:29 PM
–USC beat Nebraska when they were ranked No. 14–
That’s why it matters what your opponents were ranked at the end of the year, not at the time of play. As teams play more games, you get a better idea of the quality of the team. Rankings are then adjusted. It’s really not that difficult to understand.
Only 10 hours til tailgating begins.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:41 PM
Longliveriverfront......Jealous? Do you guys have any pride? You play no one, was beaten by a nobody, while better teams are losing hard fought games and you have the audacity to gloat?Obviously you OSU fans are resigned to the fact that you can't possibly win a National Championship any other way. Kudos to you.....Probably hoping for a Big 12 joke of an opponent also.
Big 10 Nation must be swelling with pride.
This is just too hilarious not to comment on…
Pride? Are you aware of what pride is? Do you really think that by being proud that the Buckeyes still have a chance because supposed “better” teams are losing, I have no pride? Are you 12 years old? Unreal.
OSU can’t win a national title any other way? Um, ok…Are you aware that unless a team is ranked in the top 2 in the preseason polls, they get to the title game in part because teams ranked ahead of them lost?
That’s how this thing works. Rankings are determined by the wins and losses of every team, not just Ohio State. LSU became #1 a second time because other teams lost. WVU now controls their own destiny because other teams lost. Missouri? Yep. Kansas? Yep.
For crying out loud, do you even think about what you’re saying before you hit post?
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:48 PM
Arkansas lost to Alabama, a team that was beating LSU until two minutes to go in the fourth quarter and a team who just lost to LA-Monroe. What does this prove? Hell if I know.
Of the BCS conferences this year the Big Ten is mediocre, but you’re missing the point about wins and losses, overrated and underrated. In the age of the BCS who you beat matters far, far less than that you lost (hence the cupcakes littered across every major program’s non-conference schedule). OSU climbed in the rankings from #12 not because they were outstanding (although their defense is incredibly good) but because higher ranked teams started losing.
Further, the BCS is not at all adequate for determining which teams is the best in the country, but it’s proving incredibly good at prompting arguments where it serves as a crutch in that argument. I’m not arguing that OSU is the best team in college football. I don’t think they are the best team in college football. I’m arguing against the position that they are somehow not at all deserving of playing in the BCS championship game if, say, Oklahoma wins the Big 12 and WVU loses to UConn.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:56 PM
Good points, disappointment.
Memo to the NCAA – Start a goddamn playoff system!
Memo to the NFL – Play OT the way they play it in college!
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 PM
Go take a long look at your just finished schedule, then come talk to me about rankings, and wins and losses.
Go play some REAL teams then come talk to me about who deserves what.
The only way you seem to be able to get to this game is by playing all these also rans, a weak conference schedule with coaches like Lloyd Carr who can’t wait to roll over for you.
SEC reject Zook just took the shine of your express train, did’nt he?
Lets see what Miles can do. Your team is a joke and so is that CVupcake of a conference you play in.
I just pray an SEC team, ANY SEC team gfets a chance at you guys, put an end to this once and for all. Too bad they are too busy fighting for their lives over there.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:05 PM
Thanks, Sports Gal. As a Browns fan I was really glad they won the OT coin toss last weekend. The NFL OT rules are a travesty.
Pigskin: If you think the two best teams in college football deserve to play for the national championship then hope for a playoff. Otherwise, keep up the good work!
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:12 PM
You mean the same schedule that’s currently ranked ahead of WVU and Kansas and one spot behind Missouri, three who absolutely 100% deserve to be ranked ahead of OSU at this point? How come those three teams don’t get the same venom from mindless blog readers who don’t bother to look at facts becuause they destroy any logic for your hatred like yourself?
If two of those three teams win out, they will deservedly play for the title. If two of the three lose, OSU will get into the top 2. And deservedly so.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:26 PM
I’ve finally figured out the only fair way to settle the national championship picture: starting December 1st, we should just have a double-elimination tournament among all the SEC teams, with the winner being the national champion. I think we can all agree on that, right?
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:27 PM
With all these teams going down is there a possibility of seeing a rematch of Missouri Kansas in the national championship game? I mean think of this…If Mizzou beat KU tomarrow in a close game, and goes on to win the Big 12 Championship game they will be the clear cut #1. KUs only loss will be to the #1 team in the country in a close game. That will leave WV and Ohio St. as the only other 1 loss teams. WV lost to South Florida at home, and Ohio St. lost to Illinois at home, 2 teams not as good as Missouri. And West Virginia could still lose. I doubt the BCS/NCAA would like two teams from the Big 12 in the National Championship though……
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:32 PM
WVU lost to USF currently ranked 23 in the BCS. OSU lost to Illinois ranked 17 in the BCS. WVU strength of schedule 42 and OSU 53.
I’d love to meet up with OSU in a bowl game. The couldn’t stop Zook’s quasi-spread, try playing against the real thing.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:34 PM
A similar scenario occurred last year after #1 OSU beat #2 Michigan 42-39 in each team’s last game. If it didn’t happen then I doubt it’ll happen ever. Voters won’t vote for a rematch.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:38 PM
I also don’t think they’ll vote a team that didn’t win its conference after the Nebraska/Oregon clusterfuck in 2001.
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:50 PM
In the event you don’t want OSU to play for the national title, here’s who you want to root for:
Kansas to win out
WVU to win out
If Kansas loses on Saturday, root hard for Missouri and WVU. Can anyone imagine a WVU-Missouri national title game?
November 24th, 2007 at 12:40 AM
Yes, OK, you all hate OSU. We get it. But don’t blame them for:
- Playing 12 straight saturdays with no bye week so their season ends early
- Playing in a conference that is down this year (nobody seems to blame WVU for that)
- Playing a weak non-conference schedule (take a look at Kansas’ non-conf schedule sometime and tell me what you think)
- Playing in a conference with no title game (nobody seems to blame Big East or Pac-10 teams for that)
- Getting blown out in the BCS title game last year. What does that have to do with this year? Are they never allowed to play in another BCS game again?
If WVU and/or a Big 12 team loses, then what do you want? Should OSU just decline the invitation because their conference was weak?
Its like, since Notre Dame sucks this year, all of the haters have to redirect their hate somewhere else, and I guess the Buckeyes won that lottery.
Its getting to the point that I don’t even want OSU to win it all because I grew up there and cheered for them my entire life, I want them to win it all to shut up all the haters.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:43 AM
By the way, to the douche who said that OSU will lose in the title game like “they always do” (I don’t have the time or the patience to scroll up and address you directly) You obviously just started following college football in 2003 so your opinion doesn’t count.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:29 AM
“Name me the teams who are superior to OSU and more deserving of playing in the BCS title game.”
I don’t understand why people are explaining the BCS. We get it. If Ohio State is one of two teams left with one loss they will be in the BCS title game. They deserve it. The argument people are making is that they aren’t as good as multiple other teams. You want teams better than Ohio State? How about USC, Oregon, ASU, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida, LSU, Georgia, and West Virginia? And if you think people aren’t criticizing Kansas for its weak schedule you aren’t paying attention.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:30 AM
Oh, I forgot Illinois.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:55 AM
So all of those teams are automatically better than Ohio State because beaverbeliever says so. Why is what you say a fact? Because you said it?
I see 1 team that beat OSU, which in no way brings a definite conclusion of “better”, and IMO, 2 no’s and 8 maybe’s on that list.
I’m all ears. Show your work and prove your assumptions. Facts only, no sweeping generalizations or the same crap that has been chewed up and spit out, et al.
This is my problem with people who think they know college football. You can’t prove that one team from a separate conference is definitively better than another. You just can’t. Either stop trying or add “IMO” to your post. Because that’s what it is, an opinion.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:59 AM
I forgot “with similar records/success” to the second sentence in the last paragraph. Obviously, it doesn’t take actual proof to determine that USC is better than Northwestern.
November 24th, 2007 at 4:18 AM
First of all, of course it is my opinion. Do I really need to clarify this?
Secondly, let’s see:
Georgia beat Florida & Auburn
LSU beat Va Tech, Florida, & Auburn
Florida beat…well nobody really. I just think they are better.
USC beat ASU & Notre Dame (relax, the Notre Dame part was a joke)
Oregon beat USC & ASU
ASU beat uh…well…Colorado? Ok nobody.
West Virginia beat…well they will beat UConn. Man the Big East stinks on a Big 10 level this year.
Illinois beat…well, they beat Ohio State.
Missouri beat Illinois and Texas Tech (I guess those are good wins)
Kansas beat St. Martin’s Junior High B Team…um, they haven’t lost. That is something. I guess.
Oklahoma beat Texas and Missouri.
I don’t know if those Auburn wins should really count (since I don’t count wins over average Wisconsin and Michigan).
There you go. IN MY OPINION (happy to clarify) the teams in front of Ohio State in the rankings are the worst teams of the bunch. I still think USC and LSU are the best teams in the country.
It is just disgusting that teams that don’t schedule ANYBODY outside of conference can cruise through a weak conference (not calling out anybody in particular here, this year it just happens to be the Big Ten and the Big East and Kansas) and then end up in BCS title game contention. I at least respect teams that tried. Oregon didn’t know Michigan was going to be average. USC gave it a shot against Nebraska. Florida has FSU. Tennessee and Cal have eachother. Ohio State scheduled Washington. Unless that game was scheduled 8 years ago it was clearly a gimme. I am not excusing ASU (though just from watching the games I think they are better…oops, IMO), Kansas, and West Virgina. They belong in the same grouping with Ohio State.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:36 AM
OSU lucked out by playing a cupcake schedule [no need to schedule a bye week seeing they only had to go past the Mississippi River once and no trips past the Mason Dixon Line and to play anyone of significance till the last week in the season . . . or so they thought prior to Illinois] and having everyone else shit the bed in front of them. That’s the fact. If you want to claim that as “deserving” when in all actuality it’s considered “backing in” to the title game, by all means live in your delusional world. I’ll just be huddled in the corner giving a myself a slight chuckle when they face a team with any kind of speed run up and down on them all game long.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:36 AM
1.) These games, by and large, are scheduled years in advance. OSU signed up for the Washington home-and-home in 2000 or 2001, right around the time when Neuheisel was taking Washington to good bowl games (like, you know, the Rose Bowl). The first part of the series was played in 2003, and the return trip couldn’t be fit in until this year. It’s not like the schedulemakers at OSU went out and said “let’s make the easiest schedule we can think of!”
2.) This OSU team starts 2 seniors, one each on offense and defense. I can’t wait to see how much you all hate us next year.
November 24th, 2007 at 8:39 AM
Also disproving the “OSU schedulemakers are chicken shits” theory: the administration said, starting with the Texas home-and-home two years ago, that they want to be playing in the premier September game every single year. To that end, OSU has home-and-homes in the upcomng years with Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Miami (like I said, scheduled a few years ago), and, starting next year, USC.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:10 AM
Well at least we won’t have to worry about OSU next year. They will lose in Sept…..oh wait, the BCS is all about when you lose and not who you lose to.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:32 AM
Nobody mentioned Kansas and its schedule because this is the first time Kansas has ever done something like this. Was the OCC weak? Incredibly. But OSU fans will get no sympathy by bashing Kansas … the Jayhawks are the underdog, and everyone roots for an underdog.
I’ve said it before – it’s not that people HATE OSU … my guess is that people are bored with them. Always in the news, always one of the top teams. Also, many view them as boring, and many who saw last year’s awesome team get drilled by Florida would rather see someone else play for the title.
This is why – again, just a guess – more people are rooting for Kansas and WVU. And the other point … when you have all these 1-loss teams, and there is no clear-cut lock to play for the title … many fans might want to see a newbie in the mix.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:43 AM
wow…strong OSU hate (again).
everyone plays in the same system, you know whats coming, all they had to do was win out and they didn’t. dont blame OSU for that.
yea, id rather see a playoff and hopefully we get that now after this debacle. im a huge OSU fan, and to be honest, i dont think theyre the best team in the country, but how can you fault them for winning? hate the system, not the team that takes advantage of it…
plus, why are we arguing about OSU in the natl champ game? Kansas/Mizzou still would have to lose in the big 12 champ game, which isnt a given.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:14 AM
I’m an SEC homer, but I’m the first to admit the SEC isn’t that good this year. That’s what typically needs to happen for uga to be successful (see 1980).
The SEC top 4 would go 0-4 against the PAC10 top 4.
They would go 2-2 or 1-3 against the Big12 top 4.
But … they would still go 4-0 against the big10 suckass top 4.
I don’t hate osu – I’m actually a fan.
But please face the facts:
1. your second best team (tie) lost to a non Div1 team that has 2 losses.
2. Your first place team played a 1AA team and the two of the worst teams in the lowly MAC.
3. Your second best team
4. Your 5th place (tie) team lost to the 11th placed team in the Big12.
5. Your last place team is now the worst team in the NCAA – all divisions.
And the big question is … when will the fightin’ Zookers get probation?
November 24th, 2007 at 11:35 AM
don’t forget that the Big 10 gave Duke a road win this year.
November 24th, 2007 at 12:03 PM
In the most recent Sagarin Rankings Appalachian State is ranked ahead of Miami, for instance. But if you want a list of highly ranked teams who played a D1AA opponent this year, here you go: Missouri, Kansas, Georgia, Virginia Tech.
Of course, this won’t tell you that the D1AA opponent OSU played, Youngstown State, is ranked ahead of such D1 non-conference opponents as Middle Tennessee (LSU), Tulane (LSU), Toledo (Kansas), Western Michigan (Missouri), Marshall (WVU), Idaho (USC), Notre Dame (USC), and Ohio (VT). The point being: relying on the D1AA designation is lazy.
But it’s a laziness that befits your string of facts, Squawkbox. #3 is incomplete and #5 is plain wrong. When writing out a list of facts to support an argument it’s usually a good idea that those facts are, you know, true.
Finally, the quality of a team is largely independent of the opponents it plays. Save the lists of good teams LSU or USC or WVU beat.
November 24th, 2007 at 1:04 PM
Here’s the rub between TBL and Buckeye fans:
It’s completely understanding that people are bored and tired of Ohio State. They’ve been in the national picture for most of the 2000s. They do not play an exciting brand of football. Smashmouth football and defense doesn’t keep people glued to their television screen. And they got embarrassed in the national title game last year. Their coach is boring. Their fans are annoying. And their schedule this year, at least in perception, left a lot to be desired.
Ohio State fans, other other hand, would like to see their team atone for last year. This year’s team is good. James Laurinaitis, Malcolm Jenkins, Vernon Gholston and Beanies Wells are superior talents that would start and star for any team in the nation. (Well, Beanie wouldn’t start at Arkansas). And it’s unfortunate that the Buckeyes had Washington on their schedule THIS YEAR as opposed to Texas the past two years or USC the next two years. Buckeye fans don’t feel like they get enough respect for scheduling such monster non-conference games. They also feel it’s unfortunate that the Big Ten has such a bad national reputation when any objective fan would have to say the the conference is still better than the Big East or ACC. And teams that have the same or worse schedules are getting a free pass. Why? Not really sure. There’s just a lot of Big Ten backlash out there.
In the end, Ohio State can shut up the critics if they play WVU and win. They can shut up the critics if they play USC and win in the Rose Bowl. If they lose, or worse yet, lose big, they’ll be in the same situation next year. The Big Ten can shut up the critics if they show up in their bowl games this year. If they do poorly, they’ll be in the same situation next year. So this discussion can go on and on and on and on until then. But we’ll all see come bowl season who needs to shut up: TBL or Ohio State fans.
November 24th, 2007 at 2:27 PM
Can someone please explain to me how Glen Dorsey is a Heisman “candidate”? I have yet to see a more overrated player this year (yes, I know he’s been hurt recently). This guy has Gerard Warren written all over him; I feel bad for the NFL team that picks him in the Top 3.
McFadden, however, is the truth. The Raiders should tank the rest of their season to get their hands on him.
November 24th, 2007 at 3:55 PM
Dear Michigan A.D and Les Miles,
I must truly thank you for your actions this past week. See you both in November. Best of luck.
Jim
November 24th, 2007 at 5:13 PM
This is where Dre Woodson has to prove he’s the best QB in the draft class.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:14 PM
Of course it does but the facts are that Ohio State hasn’t beaten anybody good. Do people argue that they have? Wisconsin? Michigan?
And I don’t hate Ohio State. The problem is that their own fans don’t think they are the best team in the country and they are one of a handful of one loss teams and have a very good shot at playing for the National Championship. Every argument I have made is that they aren’t a great team and there are several teams better than them. Do they DESERVE to play in the BCS title game? Well I guess if they make it then they do. But I think everyone is arguing that they don’t appreciate the way they are getting there. Don’t take it personally Ohio State.
And I think TBL was spot on with the last post.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:33 PM
Well…Whaddya know, another gem of a game provided us by the overrated SEC conference….Kentucky/Tennessee. This is the only conference that has brought joy to fans consistently this season….No wonder it’s so tough to see the best team in that Conference go down and tears and weeping follow the Notion that some cupcake will play for a National Championship.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:44 PM
This overtime system is a complete joke. It doesn’t even faintly resemble an actual football game.
Any bettors on the KU/Mizzo game? I’m thinking of laying the point and taking the Jayhawks.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:50 PM
This is a close game, but nowhere near a great game.
November 24th, 2007 at 5:59 PM
Riverfront…….Bro….am done with you, you are indeed a complete moron.
November 24th, 2007 at 6:24 PM
You live in your own little world of unicorns and rainbows, man.
Just because a game goes into multiple OTs, does not make it some all time classic, it makes it close. I saw a level of play that was mediocre.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:22 PM
I am now the biggest UCLA fan. All ASU needs is another UCLA upset over USC and the Sun Devils could be smelling Roses. This is assuming ASU beats UofA, which is not going to be an easy task. Our defense and offensive line are, how do I put this nicely, not very good.
The title game should be WVU vs. some team other than Missouri and Kansas.
November 24th, 2007 at 7:37 PM
WVU is scary good. WOW.
Any doubters on wether or not WVU is legit should refer to last years bowl victory over SEC juggernaunt Geogia.
Coming from an avid OSU fan, I dont see a way Ohio St doesnt lose to WVU by 2 TD’s.
Than again I think WVU beats anyone on a nuetral field right now. Only close games would come against USC, & LSU if there not coached by Les Miles.
November 24th, 2007 at 9:00 PM
WVU is scary good right now. That’s the best team in the country. They’d beat everyone by 2 TDs right now. LSU without a healthy Dorsey would get blown off the field by WVU. If Ole Miss drops 450+ yards on LSU running a bastardized version of the offense WVU runs I shudder to think what they’d do.
November 24th, 2007 at 9:24 PM
Mangino’s nipples are soaked. Reesing looks like the anti-Tebow with all the overthrows and hesitations.
November 24th, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Hey the Marshall game isn’t WVU’s fault. The WV governor forced that on the Mountaineers.
November 25th, 2007 at 4:27 AM
The BCS works … every game counts. Not much of a college football fan (pssst, they’re not students), but good to see the NCAA not ditch the BCS because of the whines from clueless media types.
November 25th, 2007 at 10:45 AM
How anyone can rip OSU’s schedule and NOT rip West Virginia’s is beyond me.
OSU, when they scheduled Washington for the Home/Home series was a top 10 team coming off a Rose Bowl. It’s not like Ohio State officials could have predicted they’d fall into mediocrity so fast. The UDub game this year was on the schedule back in 2002/2003.
Beyond that, OSU scheduled a home/home series against Texas in 05-06, then they play home/home series against USC, Miami, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma over the next 8 years. What more do people want?
Miami has now fallen into the land of non bowl teams this year. If they stay down, will that be OSU’s fault and will it mean they’re trying to pad easy wins? No. It’s not like they have any control over that. The schedule is already made.
In addition, when the 12th game was added almost every team added a cupcake game to the schedule. In OSU’s case it was against Tressel’s former team, Youngstown State. Every team in college football plays a few cream puffs. *Every* team. Usually you’ll see a team have one tough OOC game (unless you’re an SEC team not named LSU this year) and then the rest of the meat is interconference play. In OSU’s case, this year’s “tough” OOC game was playing an average Washington team. It is what it is.
But this entire notion that Ohio State is scheduling easy games to pad a record is absolutely ludicrous. They do it no more or no less than any other team in the country and over the next decade will be playing top OOC schools every year.
Is it USC’s fault that Nebraska and Notre Dame are garbage this year? Of course not. Georgia’s entire OOC slate of Troy, Okie State and Western Carolina doesn’t strike fear in anyone but they couldn’t have known Okie State would be worse than usual this year.
Even aside from the OOC games, how can anyone predict how a conference will be each year? The Big10 is way down this year despite the fact that they have 10 bowl eligible teams. I will freely admit that. How that’s OSU’s fault is beyond me, though.
WVU plays in the Big East which I still feel is a very weak conference top to bottom, and not just this year. But all they can do is play who is on the schedule. I’ll hate it if WVU gets in and OSU doesn’t — but OSU had their chance and lost to Illinois. Again, when you lose you lose your right to b*tch.
But I wonder…who has a schedule that’s worthy of a title? Is it just SEC teams? I’m honestly curious as to what the criteria is.
Ohio State has 1 win over a ranked team. (Wisconsin) When they played Purdue, Michigan, and Penn State all 3 were ranked but after losing they dropped off the top 25. OSU’s loss is to 9-3 Illinois, currently #17 in the BCS. Ohio State in 2007 played 7 or 8 teams that will be playing in a Bowl game this year.
Using that as the basis:
USC has 1 win over a ranked team. (ASU)
LSU has 2 wins over ranked teams. (Vtech and FLA)
Georgia has 1 win over a ranked team, too. (FLA)
VTech has a win over #22 Clemson and they beat #16 Virginia today, who should remain ranked,. So that’s 2 for them.
Oklahoma has Texas and Mizzou and Texas will fall hard after losing to A&M. But that will still remain 2 top 25 wins most likely.
WVU’s top 25 wins are against Cincinnati and South Florida. No way Uconn stays ranked now. So that’s 2.
By the looks of it LSU has the two biggest wins of any top ranked team in the nation.
So, if that’s about a wash, then what do you look at next? The losses? Ohio State’s loss to Illinois is hardly any worse than losing to Stanford, South Florida, Texas Tech, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Boston College — all of whom the above teams have lost to this year.
So what is a championship worthy schedule in 2007?
Some of you people make it sound like Ohio State played a schedule that a DII team would cherish while everyone else was playing in the NFC East.
November 25th, 2007 at 11:11 AM
Faust – Nobody’s ever defended WVU’s schedule. Actually, nobody was talking about these guys until last week when the Mountaineers got in the mix (and the preseason).
Both WVU and OSU played weak non-league opponents. THe only ‘real’ game each played was Maryland (WVU) and Washington (OSU). Just something to consider: According to Wiki, UW hasn’t been to a bowl game since Dec 2002 and hasn’t won one since Jan 2001. Maryland, meanwhile, won bowl games in 02, 03, 06. Again, this type of comparison is completely subjective, but if you want to take a stab at which opponent is more ‘impressive,’ then the answer is clearly Maryland.
All those low-majors and mid-majors are the same to me.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:59 PM
“Before we crown the feces that substitutes the SEC could you please show me some actual facts to back it up. You know like La Monroe v Alabama, S Florida v Auburn, Cal v Tennessee.”
Hmmm, sort of like when Iowa loses to W.Michigan, Minnesota to North Dakota St, Michigan to App State. You mean those sort of facts?
How about this fact? Ohio State vs SEC lifetime in bowl games…0-7. That’s ZERO and 7.
November 25th, 2007 at 7:37 PM
* Mizzou did and does control their own destiny. No doubt. The number one ranking they now have proves it.
* Tebow has to return to school I think TBL. Don’t you have to be out of HS for 3 years to come out? Tebow is having a season like no other, why not cap it off being the first soph to win the Heisman?
* Besides, Tebow deserved the award last year and was robbed!
* Kidding.
* I see some bashing of the Big East. According to Jeff Sagarin they are the third best conference in America and it is close enough with the Pac 10 that you could call them tied for second.
* Regardless of how bad even SEC homers want to call the league, they are comfortably rated higher than all other leagues. At the same time I hardly call Jeff Sagarin ratings a tell all. But if the SEC isn’t the best, I don’t know what is. Top to bottom it can’t be touched IMO. But it hardly makes them the ONLY relevant conference.
* I’m the biggest Buckeye hater in the world but I said on this site, over and over and over again that the Buckeyes were not dead. And that was 3 weeks ago. They are one win by Oklahoma, a team that already beat Mizzou by 10, away from a title shot. I’m going to be cheering big for them Tigers.
* I think a Mizzou-West Virginia title game would be very cool. Daniel vs. White. Slaton vs. Temple. It would actually be a preview of what we could have more often …… with a play-off.
* The person who said Kansas and Hawaii should play if both go undefeated should be banned from talking college football for the rest of his or more likely, her life. Play the worst schedule in the country and get a title shot? Are you nuts? Nobody will play them? Not our problem. Nobody will play New Hampshire either. Are they the best team in the world? Do us all a favor and slap yourself. Hawaii is as much a part of the college football spectrum as they are with everything else that happens in America.
* When Alaska Fairbanks forms a football team, declares themselves D1 and then beats 11 teams of Eskimos and harbor seals because nobody will go and play them are we going to have a Hawaii and Alaska Fairbanks title game? Hate to quote Cowherd but “big boy football”. I’d tell you to look it up but you wouldn’t know where to start.
November 26th, 2007 at 4:28 AM
Thanks for talking a lot of nonsense, Dornoch.
“Nobody will play them? Not our problem.”
That’s right. It’s not your problem. But it is the problem of voters and computers that determine whether Hawaii plays in some nonsense December Bowl or gets a nod to play with the “big boys” in the BCS. No, they obviously don’t belong in the title game. Yes, pretending like they don’t matter exposes you as ignorant; especially when you freely admit knowledge of the fact that teams like USC have scheduled them and then backed out once it became obvious that Hawaii has actual talent. I’m not a Hawaii alum or something. I’ve never even been there. But after last year’s Boise St./Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl, I’m itching for another WAC team to get a chance to prove their worth against the “big boys.” I know you’re very smart and clever and funny, but shut up for a second and stop trying to sound profound about the fact that Hawaii happens to be located a long ways away from everyone else. I hope they cream Washington and make their way into the “big boy” (have you noticed how often I’ve quoted this brilliant Cowherdism yet? God, he’s brilliant) games. I have a feeling they’ll make it worth everyone’s while.