A Total Farce

So, with the losses of the two most “plausible” BCS title teams we are left with a situation that is a total, irrevocable farce. The BCS is indefensible at this point, and any so called “champion” that comes from it a fraud.

Here’s what we have (All schedule strengths based on NCAA standings) -

- An assumed “number one” team that lost at home (to Zook no less) while playing the 48th toughest schedule in the nation. They won their conference after playing 12 games, a conference without a conference championship game.

- A number of contestants in the beauty contest for “number two” that include (in relative order) –

- A two loss conference champion (via championship game) that played the nation’s 24th toughest schedule but lost to 7-5 and 8-4 conference opponents. However, both losses occurred in triple overtime on a failure to complete the requisite 2 point conversions. They also played 13 games.

- Another two loss conference champion (via championship game) that, to its credit, played the nation’s 3rd hardest schedule, but lost to the team above 48-7, and at home to the conference opponent it later beat. They played 13 games.

-Another two loss conference champion (via championship game) that played the nation’s 39th toughest schedule, but had terrible losses 6-6 and 8-4 conference opponents. 13 games were played.

- Yet another 2 loss conference champion, this one without a conference title game, but did play every conference opponent in a 12 game schedule. However, they played the nation’s 80th ranked schedule and lost to a 4-8 conference opponent at home, and another 8-4 conference foe on the road.

- A two loss team that didn’t even get to play for its conference title, lost at home to a 6-6 conference opponent and was soundly beaten by a team that lost the conference title game. Yet, they played the nation’s 25th hardest schedule, have won 6 in a row, are 4-0 against ranked teams. However, they played only 12 games.

Moreover, the following are evidently totally eliminated –


- An undefeated team that played 12 games, but played the nation’s 117th ranked schedule.

- A one loss team that only lost to an 11-2 conference opponent. But, they played the nation’s 81st toughest schedule, didn’t compete for their conference title, and played only 12 games.

You can make various credible arguments for any of the two loss teams to play in the “title” game. Hell, you can make perfectly reasonable arguments that many of those teams are more deserving than the assumed “number one” who played but 12 games against the 48th hardest schedule.

The difference between the 1 loss team that is a “lock” and the 1 loss team that is evidently to be excluded outright? Well, that’s the difference between a 48th ranked and 81st ranked schedule, which is (opponents W/L record) –

48th ranked – 60-55
81st ranked – 53-62

So the difference between manifest destiny and automatic exclusion is 7 wins of your total opponents, or 6% of the total win-loss record.

It is perfectly alright to enjoy this fine mess as the nature of college football, and that which makes it so great and exciting. However, it you buy into that thesis, you cannot believe that a “national champion” exists in even the remotest sense of the word under our current “system”.

Lastly, assuming it is to be Ohio State against LSU, one can almost hear the sighs of despair from Columbus. Another Buckeye evisceration at the hands of an SEC will set the Big Ten and Ohio State back decades. Good luck with that match-up OSU, especially with the Tigers given a month to heal.