BCS

Apparently the people in charge in Columbus, Ohio are preparing for the worst. There’s a story on ESPN’s site about how they are planning how to handle rioting in the (unlikely) event that Ohio State beats Florida in Monday night’s BCS Championship game. What does it say about your school and your community when everyone running things plans for a riot in case something great happens? When Florida won the national championship in ‘96, there was plenty of celebrating, but certainly no rioting.

Florida fans never storm the field, never tear down goalposts. Whether you love him or hate him, you have to give credit to Spurrier for that. We expect to win. Win or lose, we are still champions. Go Gators!

Akron beat the Wolfpack. Tennessee almost drops one to Air Force. FSU has to rally to beat Troy. Spurrier is held scoreless. Texas’ offense plays like a wounded quail. I don’t even know where to begin. One thing is certain: The best team in the country didn’t take the field this weekend. I know Ohio State. I’ve watched Ohio State. Ohio State is no USC. And FSU does not deserve to be in the top ten right now. Come on. Troy?

Here’s how I’d have ‘em ranked after just watching UT fold like a cheap suit. The Week 2 AP and USA/Today rankings are noted.

1. USC [AP 3, USA 3]
2. Auburn [4, 4]
3. Florida [7, 7]
4. Ohio State [1, 1]
5. LSU [8, 8]
6. Notre Dame [4, 5]
7. West Virginia [6, 5]
8. Georgia [12, 11]
9. Michigan [10, 13]
10. Texas [2, 2]

There’s an excellent excerpt from ESPN College Football Encyclopedia: The Complete History of the Game on the ESPN site right now. It’s the story of how the BCS was born and the history of the college football polling system. Go read it!

A short list of groups who should be upset with the ACC officiating crew from the Nov. 29, 2003 University of Florida / Florida State University game:

• Florida fans
• USC fans
• Kansas State fans
• ABC
• CBS
• the BCS cabal
• the AP voters
• fans of college football

If the refs - Samples, Childress, Roden, Jackson, Foley, McGee, and Key - had gotten even ONE of the SIX blown fumble calls correct, Florida would have easily won the game. If Florida had won that game, they would have vaulted at least four spots in the polls. That would have set up a Florida/LSU rematch for the SEC Championship game instead of the UGA/LSU joke. It doesn’t take much to think that Florida would have won that game, too (view Saban’s and LSU’s pitiful record against Florida in crunch games). That would mean that LSU would not have been able to leapfrog USC in the polls, and - with K. State beating Oklahoma - likely would have set up a #1 USC vs #4 Florida game for the National Championship instead of the hilarious #2 LSU vs #3 Oklahoma game.

Yes, if its and buts were fruits and nuts and all that … but really, even if you ignore all the potential UF scenarios, the BCS would not be in the silly situation it finds itself if it wasn’t for SIX blown calls by SEVEN bad refs.

12/26/2001 — As the college football bowl season winds up with the four Bowl Championship Series games, a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of college football fans shows most would prefer to use a playoff tournament to decide the national champion. Only one in five prefer to keep the current BCS system as it is. Only a third of football fans agree with the BCS process that has Nebraska playing in the championship Rose Bowl game against #1 Miami this year, with another third choosing Colorado, about 21% preferring Oregon, and the rest undecided.

This is the central reason people loathe the BCS. Because it doesn’t account for the human spirit. Because it doesn’t let players decide things on the field with guts and nerve and timing. Because it doesn’t allow a 22-year-old failed baseball player to enter a game and turn the football world on its head.

The data used in computing the BCS standings can be found by following these links:

• USA Today / ESPN poll
• AP poll
• Billingsley Report
• Dunkel Index
• Kenneth Massey
• NY Times
• David Rothman
• Jeff Sagarin
• Scripps-Howard
• Seattle Times

Nebraska’s defeat … means that Florida’s remaining schedule of Tennessee and a potential SEC Championship Game (against either Auburn or LSU) will be stronger than Oklahoma’s closing pair of games versus Oklahoma State and Colorado. The result is this: the Gators will close ground on the Sooners in the computers and will blow past them in schedule strength IF both teams win out.

After all the projections and calculations are completed, this scenario slightly favors Florida to finish ahead of Oklahoma for second place in the final BCS Standings if Miami finishes undefeated. The race is certainly close enough between the Gators and Sooners that margin of victory could be a determining factor in the final weeks.

Loss has major consequences for the Huskers
Brown’s six touchdowns KO Nebraska’s title hopes
CU’s Brown leaves Huskers black and blue
Nebraska fans stunned by loss

Beginning next week at South Carolina, the fourth-ranked Gators go on a three-game stretch that will determine their season.
Lose once, and any hopes of another Southeastern Conference championship, a trip to the Rose Bowl or the national title are history. Win them all, and even with the confusing Bowl Championship Series Formula, anything is possible.

The new BCS Rankings have been released. Florida only moved up one spot - from 8th to 7th - after destroying Vandy this weekend. With the games against Tennessee and FSU looking to count for quite a bit in the computer rankings (and the “Quality Wins” category) I really hope the boys don’t have a lackluster showing against South Carolina. The Gamecocks are certainly better than Auburn and likely our toughest opponent so far …

The Bowl Championship Series rankings will be released at 7 pm EST.

HowStuffWorks.com answers the question, “How are the college football rankings determined?” I’m completely amazed that the Daytona Beach News-Journal (The Dunkel Index) actually has a say in who plays in college football’s National Championship game. My mom used to work at the News-Journal!

Here are the links to the rankings systems used in calculating the BCS standings:

• USA Today / ESPN poll
• AP poll
• Billingsley Report
• Dunkel Index
• Kenneth Massey
• NY Times
• David Rothman
• Jeff Sagarin
• Scripps-Howard (aka Matthews)
• Seattle Times

Even though they have won each game convincingly, the schedule is currently killing the Hurricanes in the BCS. Miami’s four opponents to date are a combined 1-14 against Division I-A competition — the lone win coming against Buffalo. Because the formula only considers the games that have been played, the Canes have one of the nation’s weakest schedules, which also has a profound effect on their ranking in several computers.

Have you ever visited Jeff Sagarin’s College Football Ratings Page? I can’t believe that this guy’s report carries such weight in the BCS rankings.