By throwing out the scores, BCS puts Boise State, TCU in a bind

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http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=12057196

Throw out the Scores? The BCS Does


By throwing out the scores, BCS puts Boise State, TCU in a bind


The Associated Press
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By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer

November 4, 2010 (AP)

According to the BCS computer ratings, 21-20 is no different from 45-0. A game decided by a last-second field goal is exactly the same as a blowout that's over at halftime.
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FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2010, file photo, Boise State players celebrate their 48-0 win over San Jose...
FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2010, file photo, Boise State players celebrate their 48-0 win over San Jose State after an NCAA college football game in San Jose, Calif. According to the BCS computers ratings, 21-20 is no different from 45-0. it's another part of the postseason system that is stacked against Boise State, TCU or Utah playing in the BCS national championship game this year. BCS officials say they don't want to encourage coaches to pile up points when games are already decided to boost their team's ratings.(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
(AP)

Putting the perception of sportsmanship ahead of the harsh reality of statistics, the conference commissioners behind the Bowl Championship Series demand that programmers whose computer rankings are used to determine which teams play in the BCS title game remove margin of victory from the equation.
The problem, as this season is showing, is that margin of victory has become another part of a postseason system stacked against Boise State, TCU or Utah playing for the championship.
"You're throwing away information," said Jeff Sagarin, the mathematician and MIT graduate whose computer rankings for college football have been used by the BCS since its inception in 1998.
BCS officials don't dispute Sagarin's claim.
But they don't want to encourage coaches to pile up points just to boost their team's ratings. Said BCS executive director Bill Hancock in a recent interview: "The commissioners decided that the price was too high in terms of sportsmanship."
The formula for the BCS standings has changed several times over the years, mostly to put more emphasis on the human element. Currently, the Harris poll and the coaches' poll account for two-third of a team's BCS average. A compilation of six computer ratings make up the other third. Beginning in 2002, margin of victory was removed from the computer rankings.
At least the ones used by the BCS.
The true Sagarin ratings include margin of victory. That final rating is reached by combining two elements, he said. One rating does not include scores — that's the one the BCS uses — and another does. Strength of schedule is a component in both.
Sagarin said the two ratings work together and balance out, so a team stacking up blowouts (presumably against weaker competition) isn't overrated and a team that is constantly squeaking by (presumably against tougher competition) isn't underrated.
 

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the humans are to blame for this shit.....people were whining about teams running up the score so they took the margin of victory out of the equation.....although human voters still seem to be influenced by blowouts.....ironic, huh?
 

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That's simply not true at all ! Why ? Easy ! 2/3 of the BCS formula is decided by the USA and Harris polls. These two polls are public opinion polls decided by voters that pay all kinds of attention to margin of victory. That's why Boise State will be looking to score style points against Hawaii this weekend.
 

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got to love all the press for BSU..only helps them!
 

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I would love to see TCU vs Oregon in the BCS Championship and Boise St beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

Could you imagine what the uproar would be if in the past two years Boise State beat all three BCS Championship teams.
 

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I would love to see TCU vs Oregon in the BCS Championship and Boise St beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl.

Could you imagine what the uproar would be if in the past two years Boise State beat all three BCS Championship teams.

There would be a B10 team in The Rose Bowl, and I would love to see Boise play a traditional team like Ohio State.

This article is seriously flawed, Oklahoma made it to the Championship game 2 years ago because they ran up the score in their last few games.

This year there is no dominant team. Any of the Top 8 can beat an other on a given day. Boise, Utah and TCU can definately play with Auburn,Oregon,Bama, etc.

The only time that a non-BCS team was not competitive in a BCS bowl was Hawaii against Georgia, and Georgia very well could have been the best team in the country that year but got fucked because a bunch of teams kept missing FGs against Tennessee all year long.
 

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The whole College football season and bowl game scenario is like the the TV show "Lost". It is entertaining, generates buzz, arguments, theories and ratings but in the end it just gives you a safe acceptable ending with no real explanation to what we witnessed throughout the season/series.

Has any team that won the BCS title every not deserve it? No. Has every year you can make a case that a team or two that got left out deserved a shot themselves? Yes.

Well there isn't going to be a playoff system any time soon and pretty much every program gets paid well enough to not force the issue for the fans. I for one don't even get excited about the bowl games anymore because the teams play them like 45 days after the season has ended and their is no real build up to them and the bowl games are hand picked with their invites and shit. You can't even bet properly on these games because who knows which lineman ate too much Thanksgiving Turkey and Christmas Candy and are now out of shape to play and if you are a first round projected pick how balls out are you really playing this game. Who wants to tear an ACL in a exhibition game with holiday wrapping and fuck up their signing bonus.
 

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