The Corn Nation BCS Review - Week 10

by Andy Ketterson on Nov 2, 2011 11:46 AM CDT in College Football - National

To hell with an overview of the week at the top of the BCS standings- Who's ready for a Poll Bowl??

Poll Bowls are the name affectionately given by Dan Jenkins to any regular season battle between #1 & #2. There is nothing like a regular season Poll Bowl. Nothing. You want yet another argument as to why I remain steadfast in my opposition to a playoff system? Alabama vs. LSU 2011. This is a national title elimination game in the regular season. The winner will win the SEC West, go on to trounce the East champ in the SEC Title Game and advance to the BCS Title Game where they'll likely pimp slap whoever is the the best of the rest.

This isn't the NFL where they can hype the shit out of, say Pittsburgh vs. Green Bay in October, then have the loser say "See you in the Super Bowl". It's not NCAA basketball where you can finish 9th in your conference and be a national champ - congrats again, UConn. It's not 162 games of baseball, 82 games of the NBA (well not this year), or DI-AA, DII or DIII.

This is the Division 1 NCAA football regular season and every so often, we get a gem like this that no other sport gets. (Sorry, Yankee fans - all Bucky Effing Dent did was get you to the AL Playoffs in '78, not the World Series). Sure, this game is being hyped like crazy, but it's both completely deserved and totally unnecessary. For Tide and Tiger fans, it's not life or death - it's far more important than those mundane things.

If you're the type of person that thinks it's.. so... like... totally unfair that the loser of this game won't get a chance to redeem themselves in a national playoff, then you are far too big a pussy for college football. Buy an Aaron Rodgers Starter jersey and begin researching your NCAA Hoops pool. You will be healthier in the land of meaningless regular seasons and have fewer triple bypasses. On to the week in the BCS:

THE GOLD STANDARD

#1 LSU

#2 Alabama

The boys rested up last weekend for the this one. Honey Badger and friends got some clean piss and Trent Richardson healed up a bit. Biggest game of the year. Next.

IMPOSTER #1

#3 Oklahoma St.

I'm not sure what it indicates about the Cowboy "defense" that they forced a 1 TD, 2 INT game out of RGIII while giving up 425 yards passing. Yay, only 425 yards? Yes, they had a 49-3 lead after three quarters, but is there a universe where a national title contender ever gives up 622 yards in a game? They were outgained 622-601!!!!
Well, apparently computers think so, because they remain ranked #1 on 6 of the 7 laptops. In a related story, 5 of the 7 computers have Wisconsin unranked after two losses. Simple Jack with a spinner could do a better job. And no, I still don't think OSU runs the table.

MOVING UP

#4 Stanford

Survived USC and made Lane Kiffin cry. They make the leap over Boise and Clemson. Only one more weekend until a possible Elimination Game for the other spot in the national title game. Question. Is Andrew Luck really as good as they're making him out to be? Even Simmons says Sam Bradfords come along annually and Luck is a once every 10 years type of player. Overhyped or not?

IMPOSTER #2

#5 Boise St.

Spent the off week healing up after a putrid performance against Air Force. They'll be at full strength for an epic battle with the extremely underrated UNLV. UNLV could beat LSU in their street clothes given the right conditions. This will be a HUGE win for the Broncos.

THE FIRST ONE LOSS CONTENDERS

#6 Oklahoma

As expected by many, the Sooners put a harsh end to the Kansas St. run, but did some BCS jumping due to their previous top 10 position. Sooner fans should not get too comfortable here for the time being, but should pay close attention to the aforementioned Stanford/Oregon matchup. If Oregon wins, they likely leap over Oklahoma, but the Sooners have a chance to do likewise against the Cowboys in the last week. If these two win out, what wins out?:
a) The Sooners slightly stronger schedule? (Keep in mind that K State win will lose steam when they drop 2 or 3 more games)
b) The Ducks much better quality loss?
c) If Oklahoma and Oregon finish out with wins over the #3 and #4 teams respectively on top of their other wins against ranked teams, they jump right over Boise, correct?

STILL TAKING UP SPACE

#7 Arkansas

Arky-saw Cooters and roadside jelly sale barons continue to have hope until a season-ending whipping at the hands of LSU. Or maybe they get caught by the Gamecocks this weekend. In any case, their 15 minutes are running out fast.

THE OTHER ONE LOSS CONTENDER

#8 Oregon

A much less than impressive performance against Wazzu, but just about everyone has that one turd they have to scrape off their shoe. Getting leapfrogged by Oklahoma and Arkansas shouldn't panic anyone. If they can pull it out against Stanford, it's in the hands of the voters and the machines. I think most Duck fans would have been OK with that after the opening loss to LSU.

WTF? - AKA - HEY, IT'S A ONE LOSS SEC TEAM, SO WHY NOT?

#9 South Carolina

What's that? You haven't beaten a team that was ranked when you played them, you kicked your starting QB off the team and find yourself unable to score over 14 points against Miss. St. or Tennessee? Wait a minute - you're in the SEC??? Welcome to the Top Ten, my friends.

#10 Nebraska

That's right, bitches. Weee're baaaack. Enjoy it while you can Hukser fans - a finishing stretch of Northwestern, Penn State, Michigan and Iowa awaits. Each game individually has a decent chance of favoring the Huskers, yes even in Ann Arbor & Happy Valley possibly, but the odds of running the table are not good. This gonna be a long 4 weeks.

See you next week.

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Comments

okay

seriously – is there no one that’s going to be watching this LSU-Alabama game like its’ the end of the world or what?

We can’t all be so focused on Husker football that we’re not paying attention to the rest of the nation, eh?

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by Jon Johnston on Nov 2, 2011 3:03 PM CDT reply actions

I'll bite

This game is the season. I hate admitting anything positive about the SEC, but let’s all be real. These two teams are loaded at all levels of both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. While I would like to believe that someone can knock them off their perch overlooking the rest of us, it’s more likely that they will destroy the rest of their competition. As a sidenote, who is looking forward to watching epic matches of Mizzou-Bama and Mizzou-LSU from here on out? That will be outstanding. They thought Texas and OU were bad? They have something entirely different coming to them.

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by KennardHusker on Nov 2, 2011 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Well, if it helps, these are the only teams worth talking about in the SEC.

The rest are all really bad jokes.

At least the Big Ten is interesting to watch. I realize everyone else thinks its a suck-hole of suck, or as EDSBS sees it, the ACC, but I think its far more interesting when the conference champion isn’t decided in week 2.

But seriously, the SEC is downright boring to follow. “Team West has once again won the SEC. They are going to the BCS because, well, ESPN decided as much in August.”

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

excellence is boring

The third best SEC west team could probably beat the BIG champ, if, say the BIG weren’t playing with suspended players.

by CeeDave on Nov 2, 2011 4:38 PM CDT via iPhone app up reply actions

Thanks for joining our community to share that nice tidbit.

Have a nice day, and good luck to your favorite sports teams.

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 4:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Who's the third best team?

Just curious. From my perspective LSU/Bama are way ahead of the rest of the SEC this year.

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by Aaron Musfeldt on Nov 2, 2011 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Kentucky.

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 5:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Vandy?

by Andy Davis on Nov 2, 2011 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions

I've got the DVR ready to go!

Hopefully the NU-NWU game will be over on time so I won’t need it, but I can’t take a chance on that!

"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne

by jdhusker on Nov 2, 2011 3:22 PM CDT reply actions

I'm gonna be glued to the tv watching that game

I’m thinking it’s gonna be Alabama,although i prefer LSU. But either of these teams would rip just about any other team up. The funny thing is that’s about it in the SEC power-wise. South Carolina? Please

by Omahusker on Nov 2, 2011 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

Too much hype and just pandering to the OMG SEC mentality.

Yes, LSU and Alabama are great, or at least look that way. I guess its easy to get to 11-12 wins when the rest of your conference can’t play defense or offense.

I don’t care about this game since it has no implication on Nebraska’s season, or anyone in the Big Ten’s season. And worse than that, it’s just going to be OMG BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONS SEC SPEED TALENT NFL HEISMAN Lovefest, and frankly, I’d rather go drink beer with my friends and celebrate my birthday.

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 4:35 PM CDT reply actions

I don't know dude

I get that the SEC hype is really irritating, but honestly, they’ve earned it. I’ve seen every contender play this year and honestly I think those two are alone at the top. I think the winner wins the NCG and the loser makes mincemeat out of some poor bastards in the Sugar Bowl (I hope its Boise).

"My hardest job is to convince the people of Nebraska that 10-1 is not a losing season." - Tom Osborne

by jdhusker on Nov 2, 2011 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions

shrug I'm obviously in the minority and if I say anything I'm just inviting the SEC trolls, and well, they're really friggin' annoying.

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions

(I'm not saying you're a troll, promise!)

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 2, 2011 8:11 PM CDT up reply actions

I just don't get the mentality that a 4 team playoff would ruin the regular season

No other sport (pro or collegiate) pulls only 4 teams into a playoff for a championship. The chances are so minuscule that your team would get in, that it would in no way detract from the excitement of the regular season. This year, an undefeated team(s) will be on the outside looking in on a title game. To me this is unacceptable and downright embarrassing. Hey The Rest of the Sports World, point in our direction and begin your laughing.

Why not make the requirements; if you go undefeated, your in. If your ranked #1 or #2 in the BCS rankings, your in. How many years will end with 5 undefeated teams? My guess is not many. It would only take the second and third weekends of December to determine a champ. Don’t tell me it will elongate the season by 20 weeks for this massive humongous 4 team playoff.

Take the conference title games out of the equation. I, just like TO, have disliked conference champ games because they present an extra road block to a team that would otherwise waltz into the national title game. In our very near future, the Huskers may go undefeated in the regular season only to lose to a team they beat earlier in the year in the conference champ game (because we all know how fun it is to beat the same team twice in one season). In stead of taking a shot at a 6th title, we will be going to a BCS game instead. All thanks to a conference championship game. Give the conference championship to the team with the best conference record. If there is a tie, use our current system of determining a national champion…highest BCS ranked team wins.

by BledRed on Nov 2, 2011 8:30 PM CDT reply actions

PLAYOFFS BABY!

Bring it on
Otherwise…you are talking about….BCS rankings, AP Poll, Coaches Poll, ESPN TV Hype for whomever they are in love with that week.
Rankings based on….well Not playing each other (out of conference)

Playoffs allow teams to PLAY each other….and if the loser of Current 1,2 are that good they still make playoffs and have a Chance.
PLAYOFFs should be 16 Teams, 8 minimum. NOT 4.
Then they would PLAY again if they are that good. THEY (for reference) being the current 1,2.
Play your conference, win it ..your in. Then BCS ranking tool fills out rest of the Field…loser of this weeks game would surely still be RANKED high…assuming they win out.

No PLAYOFF? I am having a hard time believing you really mean it? Did I miss something? the current BCS is what you want??? and all those crappy Bowl games…that could be PLAYOFF Bowl Games.

Wow! Playoff BOWL games….Sweet!

by Pornhusker on Nov 3, 2011 4:30 AM CDT reply actions

I'm all for a playoff but

Once you get into 8 teams, 10 teams, 12 teams, 16 teams +, you take that edge away from regular season play. If your team has 3 tough games on its season schedule but knows that if they lose all 3 there is a strong chance they will get into the top 16 playoff, then they may resort to not really giving a damn if they win or not because their title hopes would still be alive. The bigger the playoff picture, the less important the regular season becomes. That is why 4 is optimal.

Or we could have a sliding # playoff. If there are 5 undefeated teams, then have a 4 team playoff with the top ranked team sitting out the first game. If there are 6 undefeated teams, then have a 6 team playoff, with the top 2 sitting out the first 2 games and so on an so forth.

by BledRed on Nov 3, 2011 6:54 PM CDT up reply actions

I prefer sticking to a 1-3/2-4 matchup the week after the conference championships.

Then have the consolation bowl games, with all of the games being arranged from the final whistle of the semi-finals to 31st of December. Then have the BCS bowls minus the top 4 teams played on the first. The consolation game between the losers of the semi-final play on the 2nd and the winner-take-all game played on the third.

If you make the only requirement an “undefeated” schedule, we’ll never see BCS teams play each other in non-conference play again.

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 3, 2011 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Also, rather than conference tie-ins, line up the teams using the final BCS standings.

If two teams have already played each other, select a team within 5 ranks of their standing.

Divvy out bowl money equally to each conference which plays, proportionate to the number of teams they send to the bowl season. No complaints should be made about compensation for the higher ranked teams versus the lower ranked teams as they’ll be rewarded with TV time and prestige.

Plus, this is all about the student athletes, isn’t it?

A Cornhusker through feast or famine. Get up, dust yourself off and run the ball. That's the Nebraska way.

by Salt Creek and Stadium on Nov 3, 2011 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Only one playoff format I support-

is the one Phil Steele espouses in his mag. Not a Phil Steele disciple, but his idea beats any others in my eyes, because it covers my biggest concerns:

- protects the regular season by..
- ..not allowing rematches
- involves the bowls
- doesn’t have 8-16 teams which leaves most average fans unable to attend multiple games and turns the title game into the Super Bowl, i.e., a stadium 90% full of rich doucheknuckles, friends of powerful friends and sponsors/advertisers/etc. (I’ve been to two title games and both times run into tons of people I know, regular folks, etc. Lots of people can scrape together one trip and tickets. 3? Not so much.)

Basically the format is to take the BCS top 4 and have them play semi-final games in two of the major bowls which would rotate annually. If any member of the top four has lost to another, they are bounced and #5 is added. A week after the major bowls (all of which will be played on New Years again), the two winners play in BCS Title game. Sort of works as the +1 format. I may be leaving out some fine print in details, but that’s basically the way I remember it.

But 8 or 16 teams. Nah. College football. The regular season is actually exciting & the big games at the end are to find out who’s #2 (or #4 in the Steele format). Why the hell do i want that watered down to make the huge games HOUSTON!!! VS. GEORGIA TECH!!! TONIGHT ON ESPN4 WE FIND OUT WHO IS….#16!!!

Don’t take away the power of the Poll Bowl.

Ever.

by Andy Ketterson on Nov 3, 2011 3:19 PM CDT reply actions

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

NO college football playoff should ever involve the bowls. EVER. if you buy into that just because you want a playoff you’re not thinking straight.

The bowls were invented so people in cold places could take a vacation to a warm place. That’s it. They should be not included in any playoff EVER.
Did I say that strongly enough? EVER EVER EVER

Go Big Red Nebraska!
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by Jon Johnston on Nov 4, 2011 8:45 AM CDT reply actions