http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=257481
Originally Published: 10/17/2010 Let BCS watching - and complaining - begin
Tonight is one of those nights that make you want to stand up and cheer for the folks who invented the DVR.
Let's see, we've got the Giants and Phillies in Game 2 of the NLCS on Fox, the Redskins and Colts on NBC, the (not-to-be-missed) season finale of "Mad Men" on AMC and the announcement of the first Bowl Championship Series rankings on ESPN.
Depending on your point of view, the BCS rankings are a) your ticket to a satisfying and sensible ending to the college football season, or b) a complicated exercise in long division and too many decimal points, proving that math and football shouldn't mix.
Hopefully, we'll get the real No. 1 vs. the real No. 2, but with the BCS, there are no guarantees.
So it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that college football needs its champion determined by a playoff, not a computer program.
When the rankings are released tonight, it's projected that Boise State will be in the top spot.
If the Broncos stay there and earn a berth in the national championship game, it just might be the first step toward the demise of the system.
The second step - long shot that it is - would be for TCU to finish the season ranked No. 2 in the BCS.
That alignment of the planets would mean a title game with two teams from non-power conferences.
Think about it: Boise State facing off against TCU for that fancy Waterford crystal trophy.
The BCS was designed to prevent such heresy, right?
If we're lucky, maybe one title game showdown between teams who aren't members of college football royalty is all it would take to blow up the BCS.
Guaranteed, you'd hear an awful lot of complaining about strength of schedule, or lack thereof, in the WAC (Boise State) and the Mountain West (TCU), compared to what the big boys face in the SEC, the Big Ten, take your pick.
(Although the big boys probably would be wise to change the subject when it comes to the Big East or the ACC.)
I'm also guessing those power school presidents who were dead set against a playoff, because of their concern about student-athletes missing class time, might suddenly be a tad less concerned.
The power schools have a sense of entitlement about being in the national championship game. Plus, they really like all that cash.
ESPN probably won't draw as many viewers for Boise State vs. TCU as it would for, say, Ohio State against Nebraska. But if the BCS is replaced by a playoff, who or what profits more than ESPN?
Of course, for this dream scenario to take place, Boise State and TCU need to finish undefeated, obviously, and they'd need a lot of help.
Because this is written in advance, Ohio State (at Wisconsin), Nebraska (vs. Texas) and Auburn (vs. Arkansas) may have already provided some of that help by losing Saturday.
If not, then the Buckeyes, Cornhuskers and Tigers, as well as Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU and Michigan State have to stumble.
Do you believe in miracles?
Ohio State's toughest challenges are a trip to No. 15 Iowa and the season-ender against Michigan.
Nebraska: at No. 20 Oklahoma State.
Oregon: at USC and at No. 24 Oregon State for the "Civil War," home against No. 17 Arizona.
Oklahoma: at No. 21 Missouri, at Oklahoma State for a rivalry game.
Auburn: home against No. 9 LSU, at No. 8 Alabama.
LSU: at No. 7 Auburn, Alabama and No. 12 Arkansas in Death Valley.
Michigan State: at Iowa.
Plus there are conference championship games in the Big 12 and SEC.
It's not impossible, but let's face it, Jim Tressel shedding his scarlet or gray sweater vest for a maize and blue cardigan is more likely.
But we can hope, right?
Contact Mike McGovern: 610-371-5068 or mmcgovern@readingeagle.com.
Originally Published: 10/17/2010 Let BCS watching - and complaining - begin
Tonight is one of those nights that make you want to stand up and cheer for the folks who invented the DVR.
Let's see, we've got the Giants and Phillies in Game 2 of the NLCS on Fox, the Redskins and Colts on NBC, the (not-to-be-missed) season finale of "Mad Men" on AMC and the announcement of the first Bowl Championship Series rankings on ESPN.
Depending on your point of view, the BCS rankings are a) your ticket to a satisfying and sensible ending to the college football season, or b) a complicated exercise in long division and too many decimal points, proving that math and football shouldn't mix.
Hopefully, we'll get the real No. 1 vs. the real No. 2, but with the BCS, there are no guarantees.
So it goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, that college football needs its champion determined by a playoff, not a computer program.
When the rankings are released tonight, it's projected that Boise State will be in the top spot.
If the Broncos stay there and earn a berth in the national championship game, it just might be the first step toward the demise of the system.
The second step - long shot that it is - would be for TCU to finish the season ranked No. 2 in the BCS.
That alignment of the planets would mean a title game with two teams from non-power conferences.
Think about it: Boise State facing off against TCU for that fancy Waterford crystal trophy.
The BCS was designed to prevent such heresy, right?
If we're lucky, maybe one title game showdown between teams who aren't members of college football royalty is all it would take to blow up the BCS.
Guaranteed, you'd hear an awful lot of complaining about strength of schedule, or lack thereof, in the WAC (Boise State) and the Mountain West (TCU), compared to what the big boys face in the SEC, the Big Ten, take your pick.
(Although the big boys probably would be wise to change the subject when it comes to the Big East or the ACC.)
I'm also guessing those power school presidents who were dead set against a playoff, because of their concern about student-athletes missing class time, might suddenly be a tad less concerned.
The power schools have a sense of entitlement about being in the national championship game. Plus, they really like all that cash.
ESPN probably won't draw as many viewers for Boise State vs. TCU as it would for, say, Ohio State against Nebraska. But if the BCS is replaced by a playoff, who or what profits more than ESPN?
Of course, for this dream scenario to take place, Boise State and TCU need to finish undefeated, obviously, and they'd need a lot of help.
Because this is written in advance, Ohio State (at Wisconsin), Nebraska (vs. Texas) and Auburn (vs. Arkansas) may have already provided some of that help by losing Saturday.
If not, then the Buckeyes, Cornhuskers and Tigers, as well as Oregon, Oklahoma, LSU and Michigan State have to stumble.
Do you believe in miracles?
Ohio State's toughest challenges are a trip to No. 15 Iowa and the season-ender against Michigan.
Nebraska: at No. 20 Oklahoma State.
Oregon: at USC and at No. 24 Oregon State for the "Civil War," home against No. 17 Arizona.
Oklahoma: at No. 21 Missouri, at Oklahoma State for a rivalry game.
Auburn: home against No. 9 LSU, at No. 8 Alabama.
LSU: at No. 7 Auburn, Alabama and No. 12 Arkansas in Death Valley.
Michigan State: at Iowa.
Plus there are conference championship games in the Big 12 and SEC.
It's not impossible, but let's face it, Jim Tressel shedding his scarlet or gray sweater vest for a maize and blue cardigan is more likely.
But we can hope, right?
Contact Mike McGovern: 610-371-5068 or mmcgovern@readingeagle.com.
