AP crowns USC (mythical) national champs (Final Poll is out)

espn ^ | 1/5/03 | AP

[Diddle E. Squat]

RANK TEAM RECORD PTS PVS

1. USC (48) 12-1 1,608 1 Last game: Def. Michigan 28-14 (Jan. 1)

2. LSU (17) 13-1 1,576 2 Last game: Def. Oklahoma 21-14 (Jan. 4) Next game: vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 4)

3. Oklahoma 12-2 1,476 3 Last game: Lost to LSU 21-14 (Jan. 4) Next game: vs. LSU (Jan. 4)

4. Ohio State 11-2 1,411 7 Last game: Def. Kansas State 35-28 (Jan. 2)

5. Miami 11-2 1,329 10 Last game: Def. Florida State 16-14 (Jan. 1)

6. Michigan 10-3 1,281 4 Last game: Lost to USC 28-14 (Jan. 1)

7. Georgia 11-3 1,255 11 Last game: Def. Purdue 34-27 (Jan. 1)

8. Iowa 10-3 1,107 13 Last game: Def. Florida 37-17 (Jan. 1)

9. Washington State 10-3 1,060 15 Last game: Def. Texas 28-20 (Dec. 30)

10. Miami (OHIO) 13-1 932 14 Last game: Def. Louisville 49-28 (Dec. 18)

11. Florida State 10-3 905 9 Last game: Lost to Miami 16-14 (Jan. 1)

12. Texas 10-3 887 5 Last game: Lost to Washington State 28-20 (Dec. 30)

13. Mississippi 10-3 845 16 Last game: Def. Oklahoma State 31-28 (Jan. 2)

14. Kansas State 11-4 833 8 Last game: Lost to Ohio State 35-28 (Jan. 2)

15. Tennessee 10-3 695 6 Last game: Lost to Clemson 27-14 (Jan. 2)

16. Boise State 13-1 645 18 Last game: Def. TCU 34-31 (Dec. 23)

17. Maryland 10-3 564 23 Last game: Def. West Virginia 41-7 (Jan. 1)

18. Purdue 9-4 526 12 Last game: Lost to Georgia 34-27 (Jan. 1)

19. Nebraska 10-3 520 22 Last game: Def. Michigan State 17-3 (Dec. 29)

20. Minnesota 10-3 368 24 Last game: Def. Oregon 31-30 (Dec. 31)

21. Utah 10-2 308 25 Last game: Def. Southern Miss 17-0 (Dec. 31)

22. Clemson 9-4 230 NR Last game: Def. Tennessee 27-14 (Jan. 2)

23. Bowling Green 11-3 189 NR Last game: Def. Northwestern 28-24 (Dec. 26)

24. Florida 8-5 165 17 Last game: Lost to Iowa 37-17 (Jan. 1)

25. TCU 11-2 126 19 Last game: Lost to Boise State 34-31 (Dec. 23)

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Oklahoma State 109, Arkansas 73, Virginia 36, Northern Illinois 30, Auburn 8, Oregon State 8, Pittsburgh 7, N.C. State 7, West Virginia 4, Connecticut 2.

DROPPED FROM RANKINGS West Virginia 20, Oklahoma State 21.

[PRND21]

Still fighting it?

It's official. Fight On!

[Joe_October]

...The system is set up right now so that it's better to be in a wuss conference so as to improve your shot at a national title. ...

USC suffered from that strategy. Had they lost to anyone other than Cal in the PAC 10, they might have squeeked it out. The conferences share money and coaching experience, so they do work together.

I like it that the game is not only what happens on the field but the planning and strategy that gets you there. The PAC 10 focuses on offense. The ACC .... uh .... to date, they had FSU.

But, now the ACC is going to be a force to reckon with and what the impact of adding BC, Miami, and Virginia Tech is unknown.

The best strategy is unknown. Coaches and AD's will make a plan and see how it works. Lawyers will cry when their scheming falls short.

[Joe_October]

Still replying? #1 in idiot poll is fine with me.

[Moby Grape]

The AP has a LONG history of being WRONG...they chose BYU to be national champs, when they "beat" a 6-5 Michigan team in the Rose Bowl...they have had to pick a NEW champ thoughout many seasons when the ONE they had just chosen would get beat...if a team REALLY is the best, and they chose the BEST, then that team should end up at the top at the end of the season...

You could smell the bias in the AP by-line when LSU won...they could NOT stand it....they went out of their way to say that USC was the champ because, DAMIT the annointed press said so and that damn school from the south went and beat someone that we smart press people didn't think would, and we, the smart press are not about to change our minds again and look like the know-nothings that we are....

USC is THIRD behind OU and LSU in TEAM stats for the year.

[PRND21]

Just surprised you're still arguing. Give it up.

USC #1

[Joe_October]

It won't happen. USC needs to win it on their own. Not with the whine of their fans.

[Joe_October]

...official...

Best one yet. Chuckle.

[PRND21]

It won't happen.

It DID happen.

[Joe_October]

Again, no one can defend the AP. Your point is I didn't prove it.

I abused the AP with the most clear, offensive, and blatant language I could and challenged anyone to defend them, to take their side based on their performance.

No one did. Not even the California fans who depend on the AP to make their case. (It would be one thing to lose to their nemesis Cal in a season or to have to hold your nose and say the AP was right when it really is 50-50 but to do both, must certainly gaul them.)

Best I heard was the loophole that I didn't prove it in a court of law. Or, they were right in this case.

How come no one can defend the AP?

Yea, I know.

[Joe_October]

Again, you get it wrong. Again and Again.

You said "Give it up."

I said "It won't happen."

(As I can't forsee the future, I couldn't have been talking about USC.)

You said "It DID happen."

I didn't. You are wrong again. When you have to search the edges for some point to cling to, it happens.

[AmishDude]

I think if sportswriters make the case that Delaware is the national champions, then we might get that D I-A playoff.

[SoCal Pubbie]

What the hell is with this "corrupt writers" BS. I ask again, will LSU give back its 1958 AP trophy?

[SoCal Pubbie]

How can you say the writers are corrupt, when it is the COACHES poll that is fixed? Given free choice, they would have voted (and did in December) for USC? At least three of them had the nads to buck the system in the final poll.

[GeronL]

they definitely NEED a playoff

[SoCal Pubbie]

Wow, is Woody about to bunch that guy? Oh, no he's not wearing a Clemson uniform, is he?

[SoCal Pubbie]

"No one has said the BCS made an error in their calculation. "

Bull! Of course the BSC made an error. Oklahoma had no business being in the Sugar Bowl.

[AmishDude]

I have thought a lot about this. In the old days, college football was all about rivalries. Ohio State only cares that they beat Michigan. Otherwise, who cares? Similar with Iowa/Iowa State, and so on.

Then came the bowls (esp. the Rose Bowl) and the development of the NFL. Then fans of national sports and of football in general wanted a champion.

So we paid more attention to the polls. So, if we actually want a champion, then it should be decided on the field. Otherwise, we are just voting for our favorite team(s) with one or zero losses.

[GeronL]

I agree with you.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Are you insane? Really, I'm serious. If you cannot abmit that there is NO officially sanctioned NCAA Div 1-A football championship you are out of touch with reality. The BCS is a creation of ABC and SIX of the Div 1-A conferences. The AP championship is older than the BCS, dating back to 1936. The storied saga of the BCS goes all the way back to 1998.

LSU claims an AP championship, from 1958. Your insisting that the BCS iks the "only" championship begs the question. In 2002, why did Ohio State proudly display the AP trophy in their awards celebration in Ohio?

[SoCal Pubbie]

The Rose Bowl " came around" in 1902.