| Playoffs?! Playoffs?! |
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Playoffs?! Playoffs!? What are you talking about Playoffs?!!
Let the whining begin. With Kansas losing on Saturday night to Missouri, every team in the 6 BCS conferences has now lost at
least one game. No one is undefeated except Hawaii, whose schedule and lack of national exposure does not give them any
chance of reaching the National Title game, though they will likely play in a BCS bowl if they win next week. Now we have several
teams that can try and claim a stake to the national title, with everyone having lost. Someone somewhere is going to create an
argument for their team. Charlie Weis is probably sitting in his office right now with a marker board littered with lines, telling his
assistants, “we beat Stanford, who beat USC, who beat Cal, who beat Oregon, who beat Michigan, who beat Illinois, who beat Ohio
State, so we should be ahead of OSU and be #3, right?” Meanwhile, Ralph Friedgen sits in his office in College Park telling his
staff, “we beat Rutgers, who beat South Florida, who beat West Virginia, so we should be #2, I’m calling Charlie Weis right now.”
And so on. Well that’s the way it is, and guess what?
Turns out we do have a playoff system in college football; it’s called the regular season. It does not have the simple lines of the
bracket or any bracketologists to break it down and predict its outcomes, but it is a playoff. It’s simple: if you go undefeated in one of
the 6 major conferences (or the NBC conference, Notre Dame) you have a 90% chance of playing for the national title. Only once in
the BCS era has a team from a BCS league gone undefeated and not played for the national title, that was 2004 when somehow,
some way, the pollsters were right before the season and #1 USC and #2 Oklahoma never lost and that left undefeated Auburn out
in the cold. SC would blow out OU in the title game and Auburn would finish #2. Other than that year, every other season since the
BCS took over and the conferences agreed to play each other for the national title, anyone going undefeated in a BCS league has
gotten their shot. So go undefeated and then complain if you get left out. The edict has always held true and it still does today: if you
lose a game don’t complain, every team controls their own destiny to start the year, and only if you go undefeated can you say you
did all you could. Now with one week left in this 3+ month playoff we call college football, 4 teams have a chance to play for the title
and 2 more have control of their own destiny. How did we get here, and who has a right to complain if they get left out? Now let’s
break down the carnage league by league that has led us to this moment of BCS destiny, shall we?
ACC--By mid October only Boston College had a legitimate chance at the national title, and the Eagles laid claim with a stunning late
game comeback in the rain in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, giving the Hokies their second loss and knocking them out for
good. BC was #2 in the land behind Matt Ryan. Then they ran into Florida State and the Seminoles rekindled the long last heroes of
another era (or 10 years ago) and beat BC on the road, giving them their first loss; another loss the next week at Maryland would end
any hopes of an ACC team laying claim to the National Title as everyone in the league has 2 or more losses.
BIG EAST--West Virginia and Louisville were the preseason favorites. We all know what happened to Louisville: they sent an
offense onto the field and the defense kept forgetting to show up or get on the bus at all and they were out of it early. West Virginia
looked like they were done after losing to South Florida when Pat White got hurt. South Florida then rode the wave up to #2 in the
land before crashing on the surf against Rutgers, before losing 2 more in a row to fall all of the way out of the poll. The
Mountaineers, meanwhile, got back on their horses and have won every game since. With all others losing at the top of the poll,
they are now one game away from playing for the national title, if they can somehow beat Pitt and Dave Wannstadt (did he used to
coach Da Bears?) next week. They were fortunate everyone else has lost or they would have been eliminated, but the second
national title edict has kicked in here: those who lose early in the year can come back.
BIG TEN--By mid October only Ohio State had a chance in the National Title race from this league. They were well on their way to the
title game at #1 until they got Juiced by the Illinois quarterback and Zooked by some questionable calls at home in November. They
lost to Illinois and, as always, the later you lose, the farther you fall; it may not be logical but it is the way it has always been. They
are now #3 and can get in if WVU or Mizzou loses this weekend. Once again though, had they taken care of business, they would be
in and have no one to wait on.
BIG 12--Oklahoma lost their chance when they lost to Texas Tech, Kansas lost out when they lost to Missouri this past Saturday
because they have no other quality wins (did not play OK or TX). Missouri can now beat Oklahoma and go to the national title game.
If they lose they are out. It is as simple as that.
PAC-10--USC lost its chance when it lost to Stanford, (anyone have the 41 points bet on that game?). Not sure what was more
shocking, Stanford beating the #1 team in the land, or a Michigan man (Harbaugh) beating USC, who seems to dominate the
Wolverines. USC then lost any hope when they lost to Oregon. Oregon was #2, and then lost to Arizona and to UCLA without
Dennis Dixon, their best player. If they had won out, they would be in the title game. Arizona State was undefeated, then lost to
Oregon and USC. Then there is Cal: the Bears were #2 and were one touchdown from #1 against Oregon State. They blew that
game, lost 4 more and now may not even go to a bowl. Nice fall from the cliff. No one from this league is in the hunt now.
SEC--With this being the toughest conference, I figured they would all beat each other and no one would come out of there
unscathed, and that is exactly what happened. LSU was the last one to fall, losing for the second time in triple overtime this year for
their second loss. They would be in New Orleans if they had won out. Georgia, who is not even in the league championship game,
may still get in if 1 and 2 lose next week. Makes no sense, but it follows the mantra of lose early, win late, and you have a shot.
Non BCS--In the other category, Notre Dame’s national title hopes were derailed as soon as Georgia Tech scored their first points in
the opening game. Hawaii can go 12-0 if they win this week, but with little TV exposure and a weak schedule they will not get to the
top, even though they will end up being the only team undefeated if they beat Washington.
So it is as simple as that: after all the madness, upsets, firings, overtimes, and crushed dreams, the playoffs are almost over.
They started way back on Labor Day weekend and will end this Saturday. If Missouri and West Virginia both win, they play for the
title. If one of them loses, Ohio State will make it. If they both lose, then the 4th spot becomes a toss up with Oklahoma, LSU,
Georgia, etc. Whatever happens, there will be complaining and controversy. For everyone out there who is ready to throw their TV
through the wall and call Mr. BCS and threaten to kill him, remember this: if you are in one of the BCS conferences, IF YOUR TEAM
HAD WON ALL OF THEIR GAMES THEY WOULD BE PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE. It’s really quite simple. I think the
Patriots have figured this out in their league.
Let the whining begin. With Kansas losing on Saturday night to Missouri, every team in the 6 BCS conferences has now lost at
least one game. No one is undefeated except Hawaii, whose schedule and lack of national exposure does not give them any
chance of reaching the National Title game, though they will likely play in a BCS bowl if they win next week. Now we have several
teams that can try and claim a stake to the national title, with everyone having lost. Someone somewhere is going to create an
argument for their team. Charlie Weis is probably sitting in his office right now with a marker board littered with lines, telling his
assistants, “we beat Stanford, who beat USC, who beat Cal, who beat Oregon, who beat Michigan, who beat Illinois, who beat Ohio
State, so we should be ahead of OSU and be #3, right?” Meanwhile, Ralph Friedgen sits in his office in College Park telling his
staff, “we beat Rutgers, who beat South Florida, who beat West Virginia, so we should be #2, I’m calling Charlie Weis right now.”
And so on. Well that’s the way it is, and guess what?
Turns out we do have a playoff system in college football; it’s called the regular season. It does not have the simple lines of the
bracket or any bracketologists to break it down and predict its outcomes, but it is a playoff. It’s simple: if you go undefeated in one of
the 6 major conferences (or the NBC conference, Notre Dame) you have a 90% chance of playing for the national title. Only once in
the BCS era has a team from a BCS league gone undefeated and not played for the national title, that was 2004 when somehow,
some way, the pollsters were right before the season and #1 USC and #2 Oklahoma never lost and that left undefeated Auburn out
in the cold. SC would blow out OU in the title game and Auburn would finish #2. Other than that year, every other season since the
BCS took over and the conferences agreed to play each other for the national title, anyone going undefeated in a BCS league has
gotten their shot. So go undefeated and then complain if you get left out. The edict has always held true and it still does today: if you
lose a game don’t complain, every team controls their own destiny to start the year, and only if you go undefeated can you say you
did all you could. Now with one week left in this 3+ month playoff we call college football, 4 teams have a chance to play for the title
and 2 more have control of their own destiny. How did we get here, and who has a right to complain if they get left out? Now let’s
break down the carnage league by league that has led us to this moment of BCS destiny, shall we?
ACC--By mid October only Boston College had a legitimate chance at the national title, and the Eagles laid claim with a stunning late
game comeback in the rain in Blacksburg against Virginia Tech, giving the Hokies their second loss and knocking them out for
good. BC was #2 in the land behind Matt Ryan. Then they ran into Florida State and the Seminoles rekindled the long last heroes of
another era (or 10 years ago) and beat BC on the road, giving them their first loss; another loss the next week at Maryland would end
any hopes of an ACC team laying claim to the National Title as everyone in the league has 2 or more losses.
BIG EAST--West Virginia and Louisville were the preseason favorites. We all know what happened to Louisville: they sent an
offense onto the field and the defense kept forgetting to show up or get on the bus at all and they were out of it early. West Virginia
looked like they were done after losing to South Florida when Pat White got hurt. South Florida then rode the wave up to #2 in the
land before crashing on the surf against Rutgers, before losing 2 more in a row to fall all of the way out of the poll. The
Mountaineers, meanwhile, got back on their horses and have won every game since. With all others losing at the top of the poll,
they are now one game away from playing for the national title, if they can somehow beat Pitt and Dave Wannstadt (did he used to
coach Da Bears?) next week. They were fortunate everyone else has lost or they would have been eliminated, but the second
national title edict has kicked in here: those who lose early in the year can come back.
BIG TEN--By mid October only Ohio State had a chance in the National Title race from this league. They were well on their way to the
title game at #1 until they got Juiced by the Illinois quarterback and Zooked by some questionable calls at home in November. They
lost to Illinois and, as always, the later you lose, the farther you fall; it may not be logical but it is the way it has always been. They
are now #3 and can get in if WVU or Mizzou loses this weekend. Once again though, had they taken care of business, they would be
in and have no one to wait on.
BIG 12--Oklahoma lost their chance when they lost to Texas Tech, Kansas lost out when they lost to Missouri this past Saturday
because they have no other quality wins (did not play OK or TX). Missouri can now beat Oklahoma and go to the national title game.
If they lose they are out. It is as simple as that.
PAC-10--USC lost its chance when it lost to Stanford, (anyone have the 41 points bet on that game?). Not sure what was more
shocking, Stanford beating the #1 team in the land, or a Michigan man (Harbaugh) beating USC, who seems to dominate the
Wolverines. USC then lost any hope when they lost to Oregon. Oregon was #2, and then lost to Arizona and to UCLA without
Dennis Dixon, their best player. If they had won out, they would be in the title game. Arizona State was undefeated, then lost to
Oregon and USC. Then there is Cal: the Bears were #2 and were one touchdown from #1 against Oregon State. They blew that
game, lost 4 more and now may not even go to a bowl. Nice fall from the cliff. No one from this league is in the hunt now.
SEC--With this being the toughest conference, I figured they would all beat each other and no one would come out of there
unscathed, and that is exactly what happened. LSU was the last one to fall, losing for the second time in triple overtime this year for
their second loss. They would be in New Orleans if they had won out. Georgia, who is not even in the league championship game,
may still get in if 1 and 2 lose next week. Makes no sense, but it follows the mantra of lose early, win late, and you have a shot.
Non BCS--In the other category, Notre Dame’s national title hopes were derailed as soon as Georgia Tech scored their first points in
the opening game. Hawaii can go 12-0 if they win this week, but with little TV exposure and a weak schedule they will not get to the
top, even though they will end up being the only team undefeated if they beat Washington.
So it is as simple as that: after all the madness, upsets, firings, overtimes, and crushed dreams, the playoffs are almost over.
They started way back on Labor Day weekend and will end this Saturday. If Missouri and West Virginia both win, they play for the
title. If one of them loses, Ohio State will make it. If they both lose, then the 4th spot becomes a toss up with Oklahoma, LSU,
Georgia, etc. Whatever happens, there will be complaining and controversy. For everyone out there who is ready to throw their TV
through the wall and call Mr. BCS and threaten to kill him, remember this: if you are in one of the BCS conferences, IF YOUR TEAM
HAD WON ALL OF THEIR GAMES THEY WOULD BE PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE. It’s really quite simple. I think the
Patriots have figured this out in their league.