[FFL]

http://www.bcsfootball.org

Well this is it - the last night of the regular season and the beginning of the Bowl season.

UCLA gets big props for sticking it to USC in what must be the Upset of the Season.

Right now I'm watching WVU and Rutgers - go 'Neers!

So - WHO will play OSU in the National Championship?

[JohnnyTheA]

If Florida wins big it should be them...

[Eugene]

I just can't get into college football because of all the crooked officiating. It's no fun when teams like USC get a free ride to the top based on nothing other than tenure.

[jcoley2]

As a USC Grad I cannot tell you how sick I am right now. . .

[JohnnyTheA]

"crooked officiating" ????

I consider myself an anti-trojan but USC didn't get as far as they are by Ref calls if that is what you mean.... I think you mean the "Bending-of-the-NCAA" rules that disallow players to accepts money that is alleged regarding Reggie Bush last year... I would agree with that. But it also makes it more fun to watch a team like SC lose like they did today....

College Football is more exciting that NFL...

JTA

[jcoley2]

BTW. . .Michigan deserves the rematch.

[Moogs]

Michigan. But whoever gets the shot I hope they kick the crap out of OSU (the new Nebraska, complete with tunnel-visioned, annoying fans).

[FFL]

Originally Posted by FFL Right now I'm watching WVU and Rutgers - go 'Neers!

what a game..... triple overtime
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/boxsco...200 612020017

Louisville is going to the ORANGE BOWL - never thought I'd see that!

[RowdyScot]

Michigan's only loss was to Ohio State, and that loss was only by 3 points. Florida's only loss was to at the time #11 Auburn, and that loss by 10 points. The above should speak for itself, but the coaches and the AP don't want a Big Ten vs. Big Ten national championship. Guess we'll find out, but I think Michigan is the true #2 right now.

[hiltond]

Originally Posted by FFL what a game..... triple overtime http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/boxsco...200 612020017 Louisville is going to the ORANGE BOWL - never thought I'd see that!

Truly an amazing game. Louisville had a great season. I know I'm looking forward to the Orange Bowl.

[FFL]

Florida. They've played a much tougher schedule than Michigan.

Who wants to see a rematch of a game that was played a few weeks ago? That makes for a more boring game, IMHO.

I also think it would bad for two teams from the same conference to play for the title.

It could lead to all kinds of scheduling shenanigans as conferences who don't play a full schedule of conference opponents try to avoid putting their two top teams against others.

If you can't win your conference title, you shouldn't be playing for the national title.

[JohnnyTheA]

The first argument is that Mich's only loss was to #1 ranked O State. What you have to consider is that the Big Ten outside of those two teams is kinda weak. The SEC, on the other hand, is VERY strong. They have five ranked teams in their conference vs 3 in the Big Ten. But I do partially buy the argument that Mich is #2. Simply put, Florida had to play more tough games than Michigan AND they had to win a Championship. But I do see the argument that Michigan could still be considered #2.

As far as "deserving" goes... No way! They already played each other! I think a USC Michigan Rose Bowl would be much better because it would also restore the Big-10 / Pac-10 match-up (even though Mich didn't quite win the Big-10). That would be a good game..

Michigan had their chance to beat Ohio state, lets see how the Big-Big-10 daddy goes against the Big-SEC daddy...

JTA

[FFL]

Rutgers - WVU recap is up now:
http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/recap;...200612 020017

Great away game performance by Rutgers - tough end to an excellent season.

Quite a year all around for Louisville, WVU, Rutgers, and the Big East. All three teams will be in good bowl games, and I hope the conference is well represented.

I think we'll have an excellent chance to beat Wake Forest in Miami

[RowdyScot]

If the two best teams in the nation happen to be in the same conference, what does it matter? Florida didn't play #1 or #2. Michigan played both, as well as a currently #7 Wisconsin team whose only loss happens to be to Michigan. Granted Florida has beaten #9, #8, and #13, but a loss to #11 versus a loss to #1 is self-explanatory. Whether Michigan won their conference or not doesn't matter if the Big Ten champion is #1. Also, according to ESPN, 54% of the country wishes to see a rematch.

[World Leader Pretend]

[rant] I'm not sure how many of you guys follow Big XII football, but the awards for player and coach of the year were stupid. First, coach of the year: Oklahoma's Bob Stoops. Sure he has a good team, and they did pretty well, but why did he beat newcomer Ron Prince of Kansas State? Prince got his team to a bowl where legendary coach Bill Snider couldn't for the last two years, plus he beat Texas and player Louisville very close early in the season. He has never been a head coach before. He should've won IMO.

Also, the player of the year was none other than NEbraska's QB Zach Taylor. WTF? Not only does his team lose tonight, but I could name 6 or 7 quarterbacks in the Big XII that I'd rather have on my team. REally poor choice (although it shows who's on committees like that; Nebraskans)

I don't really care too much about awards anyway, since they mean very little, but these just pissed me off. [/rant]

[FFL]

#1 and #2, true, but they were the only ranked teams UM played all season. And the #2 was way-overrated Notre Dame.

Florida played twice as many ranked teams.

[JohnnyTheA]

The problem is that there are not enough games in the normal season to see how conferences stack up against each other. There are only a couple non-conference games. Most teams in so-called major conferences want to start the season easy and play a couple easy teams. Michigan played Vanderbilt and Central Michigan... Pretty easy wins... We don't really get to see THAT many games against really good teams from other conferences. The exception is Ohio State which played Texas early in the year...

So the bowl games ARE the best places to play outside of conference... By re-hashing another Big-Ten/Big-Ten game, we don't really learn how each of these two good teams from the Big-Ten would do against one of the other good teams from the other conferences...

Whatever happens will happen because it will bring in the most money though...

JTA

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTheA "crooked officiating" ???? I consider myself an anti-trojan but USC didn't get as far as they are by Ref calls if that is what you mean.... I think you mean the "Bending-of-the-NCAA" rules that disallow players to accepts money that is alleged regarding Reggie Bush last year... I would agree with that. But it also makes it more fun to watch a team like SC lose like they did today....

It only takes a couple of calls to make or spoil a season. In the Cal/USC game, in the opening minutes Cal forced a fumble with USC on the goalline and returned it for a touchdown...except the refs blew it twice. They whistled the play dead, meaning the initial ruling of a fumble stuck, but not the touchdown. They then reviewed the play and overturned the call. You can't let such shitty calling slide on such a big play...momentum is at stake.

College Football is more exciting that NFL...

Anybody who says that isn't qualified to speak. They are completely different sports as far as I am concerned.

[eventhorizon]

Michigan does not deserve a rematch. They played Ohio State. They lost. Now it's time for someone else with 1 loss to have a shot.

[Wraven]

Originally Posted by World Leader Pretend [rant] I'm not sure how many of you guys follow Big XII football, but the awards for player and coach of the year were stupid. First, coach of the year: Oklahoma's Bob Stoops. Sure he has a good team, and they did pretty well, but why did he beat newcomer Ron Prince of Kansas State? Prince got his team to a bowl where legendary coach Bill Snider couldn't for the last two years, plus he beat Texas and player Louisville very close early in the season. He has never been a head coach before. He should've won IMO. Also, the player of the year was none other than NEbraska's QB Zach Taylor. WTF? Not only does his team lose tonight, but I could name 6 or 7 quarterbacks in the Big XII that I'd rather have on my team. REally poor choice (although it shows who's on committees like that; Nebraskans) I don't really care too much about awards anyway, since they mean very little, but these just pissed me off. [/rant]

I agree that Zak Taylor was an AWFUL choice for Big 12 player of the year, but I have to disagree with you regarding Bob Stoops. He had the Bomar issue, Oregon, and A.P.'s shoulder to overcome, yet STILL ended up winning 8 straight (including last night's dismantling of Nebraska to claim the Big 12 title).

As much as it pains me to admit it, he really was the best choice. And this is coming from an Aggie who hates the visor-wearing prick (77-0, and this year's 1 point victory over us in our house).

FYI - a lot of my family are K-State alums and we all agree that Ron Prince did a terrific job this year. Hopefully good things are in the cards for that program over the next few years (and for the Aggies too).

[Moogs]

The bottom line is there is only one solution: a playoff. All the rest is colored bubbles as they say.

The NCAA's party line about a playoff eating into academic time is pure BS and the worst sort of hypocrisy. Like 60% of these guys even know the names of the classes they're taking and the instructor's name. What they really mean is "we'll lose money". Former players like Mike Golic and others have come right out and said how much time players actually waste in the lead up to a big bowl game and the days immediately after (lots). There would be absolutely no difference in the amount of academic time lost, and maybe less time. And if you cut the schedules back by one game in some of these big conferences, you give yourself that extra week to make it happen.

All this BS about the glory of the bowls and the tradition is weak. Parades do not take precedent over the actual crowning of a champion in a fair format. Can you imagine if the NFL said "if you you lose more than one game, you're out of the hunt!". It's just retarded. Football is very difficult game to win out the season. Having one or even two losses should not eliminate you before the season is even over. Have an 8 team playoff, with teams ranked more heavily on schedule strength and record than any two other factors (I'd say that should be about 70% of the "weighting"), and if you're team #9, tough shit.

It's hard to argue that you got screwed where you weren't good enough to crack the top 8. IOW, the 5-8 teams are lucky to be there to start with, so if you're 9, take a hike and come back next year.

As for the Rose parade, it's easy: you make one major bowl the championship game (i.e. the third playoff weekend), and only one major is played each year. The rest of the teams (9-30) can play in the Outback Steak Knife Giveaway Special Bowl and the Home Depot Belt Sander Blowout Bowl. That'll make sure there's plenty of money to go around. So IOW, there's two rounds of playoffs leading up to one of the following: Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta. The other three wait in the queue.

Year 1: Rose + Parade (Sugar, Orange, Fiesta not played)
Year 2: Sugar + Parade (Roser, Orange, Fiesta not played)
etc


PLAYOFF people, PLAYOFF. If you're interested in fairness and crowning a legitimate champion, this is the only way, and it will often mean two good teams like OSU and UM, will meet twice. Once during the season and once during the playoff. That's how you find out who is the best, in every other team sport. You don't just take one win and say "we're better". You prove it again. I don't know why this has taken so long but I hope this Michigan thing is what spurs the final debate / makes it happen. You Florida fans want a system that gives you a fair shot? Imagine a playoff this year. Now you're sitting pretty and don't give a crap what happens with Michigan. In fact you may end up playing Michigan to get your shot at the big game. Is that not more fair and logical than this BS where sports writers and super secret NCAA melvins are applying formulas and favoritism to make the final matchup?

Much better to have those formulas only determine who is top 8 and nothing else, not who gets hosed out of playing for a championship at spots #3 and #4 every year. The BCS and the entire Bowl system is FUBAR.

[FFL]

Looks like it's gonna be Florida. They'll definitely beat Michigan on the computer-ranking portion of the BCS Standings, and the polls are now out, in their favor.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex

[World Leader Pretend]

Originally Posted by Wraven I agree that Zak Taylor was an AWFUL choice for Big 12 player of the year, but I have to disagree with you regarding Bob Stoops. He had the Bomar issue, Oregon, and A.P.'s shoulder to overcome, yet STILL ended up winning 8 straight (including last night's dismantling of Nebraska to claim the Big 12 title). As much as it pains me to admit it, he really was the best choice. And this is coming from an Aggie who hates the visor-wearing prick (77-0, and this year's 1 point victory over us in our house). FYI - a lot of my family are K-State alums and we all agree that Ron Prince did a terrific job this year. Hopefully good things are in the cards for that program over the next few years (and for the Aggies too).

After looking over your post I have to agree with you on Stoops. Maybe just because of that Oregon game.

I have season tickets to K-State games, and there seemed to be some real positive energy this year as compared to the last couple of years of Snider's career. BTW, I love the Aggies' marching band! Easily the coolest half-time show I've seen.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by FFL Looks like it's gonna be Florida. They'll definitely beat Michigan on the computer-ranking portion of the BCS Standings, and the polls are now out, in their favor. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex

I wouldn't give it to them yet, not with the vote being that close.

I'm with Moogs, though. We definitely need an eight-team playoff. Even a four-team playoff would be better than what we've got. With one or two teams being left out every year that deserve to be there, something needs to change. The system doesn't work from year-to-year. The current setup only works when there are two clear-cut undefeated teams that dominated all season long. Unfortunately, that almost never happens.

[FFL]

Regardless of who is picked - we definitely need a playoff system.

[JohnnyTheA]

Originally Posted by Eugene You can't let such shitty calling slide on such a big play...momentum is at stake.

Shitty calling is not the same as crooked calling. Shitty just means the refs mess up. In theory there would be an equal probability of bad calls against any team. Some would say the variation in calls is part of the game.

Crooked implies that the refs are paid off. Do you have any evidence that they are at USC? I don't think we have much evidence that pays-offs are a factor. Certainly there will be times that some fans might doubt but I think for the most part officiating as at least honest. Not perfect by any means though...

The way to "cheat" is to pay the good players so they go to your school.... (Which I am sure USC and other schools do). Thats the way its been for a long time now....

JTA

[Eugene]

Originally Posted by JohnnyTheA Shitty calling is not the same as crooked calling. Shitty just means the refs mess up. In theory there would be an equal probability of bad calls against any team. Some would say the variation in calls is part of the game. Crooked implies that the refs are paid off. Do you have any evidence that they are at USC? I don't think we have much evidence that pays-offs are a factor. Certainly there will be times that some fans might doubt but I think for the most part officiating as at least honest. Not perfect by any means though...

If you're a ref and you're making a bogus call, you know you're making a bogus call, and the reason you're making a bogus call is to prop up a 'dynasty,' then yes that is crooked whether money is involved or not.

[FFL]

It's officially Florida.

Michigan's consolation prize is a Rose Bowl bid to play USC (10-2), a classic Big Ten vs. Pac-10 matchup of teams left to wonder what could have been. In other bowls: • Big 12 champion Oklahoma will meet unbeaten Boise State in the Fiesta on Jan. 1. • Big East champion Louisville will play ACC champion Wake Forest in the Orange on Jan. 2. • LSU will take Florida's spot in the Sugar and play Notre Dame on Jan. 3.

I don't care much about either Fiesta Bowl participant. Other than that, I'm rooting for Florida, Michigan, Louisville, and LSU.

[Partial]

BCS is dumb. We need playoffs. No way Florida deserves it over Michigan.

[Majost]

Agreed. And a championship 50-some days after your season ends is also dumb.