Once you get past the national championship game, you have a lot of bowl selections that are based primarily on economic considerations. Big 10 vs. Pac-10 has a lot of drawing power in the Rose Bowl, and an SEC team like Georgia will draw well in the Sugar Bowl. Even though a Rose Bowl contest between USC and Georgia would generate a good TV audience, there’s a decent possibility that the game wouldn’t even be a sellout.
“Once you get past the national championship game, you have a lot of bowl selections that are based primarily on economic considerations.”
Okay. Then perhaps the real reason for choosing Illinois over Georgia is that Chicago has a much bigger TV audience than Atlanta. But whatever the reason, the BCS is fixed and cheats the fans who want to know who the best team really is.
BTW, I very much doubt that a Rose Bowl game between USC and Georgia wouldn’t be a sellout. I think it would be a surer sellout than Illinois/USC.