Posted on 10/17/2004 7:23:07 PM PDT by SmithL
The best way to reach the Orange Bowl and play for a national title is to go undefeated.
The new scaled-down Bowl Championship Series standings are set to debut on Monday with seven unbeaten teams remaining after a week that began with twice that many.
While last season proved that one loss doesn't eliminate a team from the national title chase -- co-champions Southern California and LSU lost one -- at this point the teams with one loss need help and can't complain if they're stuck behind the unbeatens in the BCS standings.
``I don't even know how they figure (the BCS standings) out. I couldn't tell you the criteria,'' Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said Sunday. ``It really doesn't make a lot of difference. If you don't win games, you're not going to be there anyway.''
The top four teams in both The Associated Press Top 25 and the coaches poll -- USC, Oklahoma, Auburn and Miami -- are undefeated. The other unbeatens are Wisconsin and those potential BCS busters Utah and Boise State.
With the BCS' formula now relying predominantly on the polls, the top four teams should also hold down the top four spots in the BCS standings.
Last season's BCS mess prompted a change in how the national title matchup is determined.
In case you have forgotten, USC finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in both polls, but third in the BCS standings. That put LSU and Oklahoma, which was thumped by Kansas State in the Big 12 title game, in the Sugar Bowl playing for the BCS title.
The AP media poll voters made USC their national champion after the Trojans won the Rose Bowl. Voters in the coaches poll were obligated to make LSU No. 1 after the Tigers beat Oklahoma.
So the BCS guys went back to work and came up with a formula in which the AP poll counts for one-third of a team's BCS points, the coaches poll counts for a third and an average of six computer rankings makes up the other third. In the past, results from the AP and coaches polls were averaged, then factored in with the other components -- a formula that lessened the significance of the polls.
The Trojans and Sooners have comfortably ranked one and two in both polls all season and in all likelihood will line up the same way in the BCS standings.
That puts USC and Oklahoma in control, with Auburn and Miami lurking.
The Trojans remaining road to the Orange Bowl looks fairly smooth. Road trips to Washington State and Oregon State aren't too scary, and rivals Notre Dame and UCLA don't have enough talent to match USC.
The Sooners' remaining schedule looks tougher with back-to-back road games against Oklahoma State (Oct. 30) and rejuvenated Texas A&M. The Big 12 North is down, so if the Sooners reach the conference title game in Kansas City, their opponent should be manageable. But wasn't that supposed to be the case last year?
Auburn's most formidable remaining opponent -- Georgia -- comes to The Plains on Nov. 13. The Tigers are almost a lock to play in the Southeastern Conference title game, where they could rematch Tennessee or maybe Georgia.
Miami (5-0) is the only unbeaten with more than half of its games left. Road games at North Carolina State and Virginia probably pose the biggest threats to a perfect season.
You can almost hear the complaints coming from fans in Madison, Wisc., already. The Badgers are No. 6 in the AP poll and No. 7 in the ESPN/USA Today poll and will probably find themselves behind Florida State (5-1), No. 5 in each poll, in the first BCS standings.
Wisconsin's remaining schedule looks accommodating with home games against Northwestern and Minnesota and road games against Michigan State and Iowa. The Badgers say it's way too early to start worrying about the BCS.
``Nah,'' tailback Anthony Davis said. ``I just normally worry about getting to practice.''
Then there's Utah of the Mountain West Conference and Boise State from the Western Athletic Conference.
The Utes are ninth in the AP poll and 10th in the coaches poll. The Broncos are 19th and 16th, respectively. The Orange Bowl isn't a realistic destination for either, but perfection could make one of them the first team from a mid-major conference to play in a BCS game.
To get considered for one of those other big-money bowls, Utah and Boise State would have to finish the season in the BCS top 12. A top-six spot would guarantee an invite.
But with nothing but conference games left for both the Utes and Broncos, it'll be tough for them to improve their rankings and add BCS points even when they win.
Ah, yes, BCS time is here. Let the bickering begin.
GO TROJANS!!!!!
I gotta say, the Badger game yesterday against Purdue, was just about the best game I can think of in recent memory.
The commentators were really bugging me. Ken Orton this, Orton that, Orton's Heisman moment. Nothing gave me a more satisfying feeling than seeing Orton get flipped inverted and the ball coming out of his hands and getting run into the end zone. Starks ran off with Orton's Heisman moment with 2:30 to go.
I hope the Sooners get a chance to bust the Trojans in January.
Sorry, I mean Kyle Orton. It was a "someone ran off with my brain" moment.
I'm with ya, babe! Fight on!
The BCS is a travesty.
You assume the Sooners would be able to win their conference - something they couldn't do last year.
I'd like to see them play each other, too. To see the way 'SC has been sloppy the last few games, Oklahoma should probably be ranked #1 right now. But, from what I've seen thus far, it is clear to me that of LSU, Oklahoma and 'SC, the Trojans were clearly the real champs last year. I hope they can win it outright this year. FIGHT ON!
LSU:George Bush::USC:Al Gore
They created a system to remove politics from the appointment of the champions and then when the choice goes against the politics of the day they get upset.
LSU's rebuilding. We didn't plan to lose certain players.
Good one! First string, no doubt.
the BCS is useless, and i refuse to really get involved in college football until it is fixed.
Cal has a good team again this year. But the game on Saturday was a blowout. They had the freshmen in there by the fourth quarter. What was it? 42-7 at halftime?
Boomer Sooner!
Excuses, excuses!!!!! :-) We lost Mike Williams!
War Eagle!!! Go Auburn!!!
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