BCS

[Bossman641]

LSU will beat Ohio St. by 10+, and show everyone once again how weak the big 10 really is. Not to mention USC will, as mentioned above, throttle Illinois.

I think LSU will win, but I could OSU winning or it being a game. I've watched a few LSU games and I haven't come away that impressed with them. OSU, and the Big 10 in general, really struggle with the spread offense. LSU has the athletes, but they don't really run the spread that would kill OSU.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Hawaii's schedule was ranked the easiest in the country.

http://teamrankings.com/ncf/27powerratings.php3

Impressive. I think Hawaii's struggles to beat lowly Washington speaks volumes. I bet Hawaii would lose badly to all 9 teams ranked ahead of them.

The Mighty Ohio State University is down towards the bottom too. All the other highly ranked teams (except Hawaii) played harder schedules.

One of the TV guys joked that OS should be crowned the State Champion of Ohio. They managed to beat Kent, Akron and Miami of Ohio. (The only Ohio school they didn't play was the one decent team - Cincinnati!)

The bowls are kind of a joke. We are used to athletics being a vaguely fair competition, and the bowls are setup strictly for marketing purposes.
I think the committee didn't matchup any of the powerhouse teams against each other because it would distract from the prestige of the National Championship Game. If they had USC play, say, Oklahoma or Georgia, people would say this is the real championship game.

[Harlan Huckleby]

That's what everyone said about Boise State last year. Instead we got possibly the best game of college football ever.

Boise had more defense, a running game, and their linemen weren't so puny.

[BallHawk]

I think Hawaii's struggles to beat lowly Washington speaks volumes. I bet Hawaii would lose badly to all 9 teams ranked ahead of them.

Even worse, Hawaii barely escaped a loss playing against San Jose St. Colt Brennan gives thim a star player that gets them national appeal which gives them a platform to get into a BCS bowl. If they have another run of the mill QB that simply gets it done, nothing fancy, I doubt they make a BCS bowl.

[The Leaper]

I think LSU will win, but I could OSU winning or it being a game. I've watched a few LSU games and I haven't come away that impressed with them. OSU, and the Big 10 in general, really struggle with the spread offense. LSU has the athletes, but they don't really run the spread that would kill OSU.

I think Ohio State wins this one in what should be a good game.

#1 - Les Miles and his "where am I working this week" show is going to be a distraction for LSU until he signs an new deal. Those things never are to the benefit of the team in question.

#2 - Ohio State is plenty motivated this year after they took it easy last year and were embarrassed. It has been a motivating factor to them all year...where they overachieved IMO.

#3 - OSU's power run game...the one component they did not have last year...typically gives SEC teams fits. It allowed Arkansas to put up 50 on LSU's vaunted defense.

The BCS really stinks though. Kansas? Are you kidding me? I think Bowling Green had a more difficult schedule. USC and Georgia aren't playing each other? They got the matchups all wrong (as usual) and I doubt I'll be watching anything other than the title game this year.

[3irty1]

That's what everyone said about Boise State last year. Instead we got possibly the best game of college football ever. I think we'll have a good game with Georgia. Everyone in these bowl games are mortal this year. I won't count Hawaii out.

I would agree. It will be tough for Georgia to get up to play in a non-title game against Hawaii. That is the issue. If the game really meant anything to Georgia...yeah, its a blowout. However, this game means NOTHING to Georgia and everything to Hawaii.

Just like OU-Boise State last year.

I'm sure a nationally televised game that will win their school a bunch of money and a trophy is reason enough to play.

[The Leaper]

LSU will beat Ohio St. by 10+, and show everyone once again how weak the big 10 really is. Not to mention USC will, as mentioned above, throttle Illinois.

Of course USC wins...the game is played in their backyard. The Pac 10 and SEC will always be at an advantage in their bowl games because they play them in the same climates as their conferences.

Let's see USC play Illinois in Champaign on Jan 1. I bet Illinois kicks their ass up there with their dominant run attack.

Until we go to a 16 team playoff that includes ALL conference champions and utilizes HFA (so teams like USC and LSU have to actually play a meaningful game in a poor weather environment once in awhile) I have zero respect for college football. It is an absolute joke.

[The Leaper]

I'm sure a nationally televised game that will win their school a bunch of money and a trophy is reason enough to play.

Was it enough for Oklahoma last year?

When a coach starts whining about not being where he thinks he should be in terms of the bowl game, his team gets an ass-whooping.

Last year, it was Lloyd Carr. Yep...an ass-whooping.

[3irty1]

LSU will beat Ohio St. by 10+, and show everyone once again how weak the big 10 really is. Not to mention USC will, as mentioned above, throttle Illinois.

Of course USC wins...the game is played in their backyard. The Pac 10 and SEC will always be at an advantage in their bowl games because they play them in the same climates as their conferences.

Let's see USC play Illinois in Champaign on Jan 1. I bet Illinois kicks their ass up there with their dominant run attack.

Until we go to a 16 team playoff that includes ALL conference champions and utilizes HFA (so teams like USC and LSU have to actually play a meaningful game in a poor weather environment once in awhile) I have zero respect for college football. It is an absolute joke.

College football is first and foremost a fund raiser. The BCS might be annoying to teams and fans but doing it this way makes a lot of money.

[3irty1]

That's what everyone said about Boise State last year. Instead we got possibly the best game of college football ever.

Boise had more defense, a running game, and their linemen weren't so puny.

Boise State still supposedly had no chance. Ohio and Michigan were also considered the best teams in the country and Florida didn't belong in the national championship. Oh well they were going to get obliterated by OSU anyways.

It'll be easy to say that Hawaii isn't in the same league with any of these other teams but the truth is that we won't know until we see the game. They certainly would seem to be worse than Georgia though yes, but good game wouldn't surprise me at all and it shouldn't surprise you either.

[The Leaper]

College football is first and foremost a fund raiser. The BCS might be annoying to teams and fans but doing it this way makes a lot of money.

For who?

The bowls are not run by the NCAA, nor does most of that money go to the NCAA. Bowls are run by private entities that are entirely separate from the NCAA. Major colleges could earn far more money for themselves by having a playoff with games held in their own stadiums (not some sterile NFL stadium with no college tradition or environment) where one game brings in millions for the college and millions more for the immediate community.

It is a joke...and fans of college football should demand better by organizing a viewing boycott. It is the only way to hit these jackasses where they will feel it.

[3irty1]

I'm sure a nationally televised game that will win their school a bunch of money and a trophy is reason enough to play.

Was it enough for Oklahoma last year?

When a coach starts whining about not being where he thinks he should be in terms of the bowl game, his team gets an ass-whooping.

Last year, it was Lloyd Carr. Yep...an ass-whooping.

Well its a stretch to say thats not reason enough to play. Especially for the coaches who's only real job are to win the games that pay his salary... But even if I bought what you are selling that's not a flaw in the system. A nationally televised game, a trophy, and the money SHOULD be reason enough to play. If a coach doesn't like the game he got put in the last thing he should do is prove the BCS right by losing it.

[The Leaper]

Boise State still supposedly had no chance. Ohio and Michigan were also considered the best teams in the country and Florida didn't belong in the national championship. Oh well they were going to get obliterated by OSU anyways.

So you are missing my point? You are basically agreeing with me.

The reason why Boise State and Florida won last year was because they had more to play for...more motivation. Ohio State believed they had the title won before the game was played...and Oklahoma could care less playing a non-title game against some team who plays on a blue carpet. That is my point. Motivation is often a deciding factor when you have weeks between games.

Teams without much to play for always stand to lose. That is precisely why Georgia could be beaten by Hawaii...even if Georgia is the far better team. The current system guarantees a lot of stupid matchups though. Georgia-USC would be a far better game. Do I care if Georgia is better than Hawaii? No. So I won't be watching.

[The Leaper]

Well its a stretch to say thats not reason enough to play. Especially for the coaches who's only real job are to win the games that pay his salary... But even if I bought what you are selling that's not a flaw in the system. A nationally televised game, a trophy, and the money SHOULD be reason enough to play. If a coach doesn't like the game he got put in the last thing he should do is prove the BCS right by losing it.

The system is screwed because teams playing for a title have 40-60 days off between games...STUPID. There is no momentum or consistency that can be maintained in that kind of program. It can't even be remotely considered an accurate test of who is the better team. Would you like the Super Bowl to be played in early March? How about a World Series wrapping up around Christmas?

It makes no sense. Arguing otherwise makes you look like a fool.

[Partial]

Yes... because none of those kids wanted to win a national championship and didn't prepare before the game..

Florida won because they were the better team. So did Boise state. You're ignorant if you don't think those teams prepared harder than ever before for those games.