FBC Week 8 thread: What the Buck (Belue)

[Pancamo]

If an unbeaten Boise is passed over for a once-beaten Alabama team then it exposes college football's bowl system for the total fraud it is. One of the arguments people like to make is that the whole regular season is a playoff, which is why a real playoff isn't needed. Well, if a team goes undefeated, and after starting the season ranked third in the country, still misses out at a chance for the national title, then it's all exposed as a fraud.

If Bama wants in the national title game it should make sure they aren't pounded by a team that loses to Kentucky.

I agree. It's not like Bama lost on a two point conversion. A 14 point loss should be the end of a team's title hopes.

 

[Crash]

PS: Just as Boise State/TCU's chances for the title game took a dive last week, they took a little upswing yesterday. I assume that no BCS conference teams can be unbeaten for either school to have a shot, or at the very most, one BCS school can be unbeaten.
Of the BSC conference unbeatens, Oregon has Southern Cal on the road this week, Missouri faces a rematch with Oklahoma in the BCS title game to name just one hazard, Michigan State has Iowa on the road this week, and Auburn has Alabama and an SEC title game to win in succession to stay unbeaten.
Those are tough chores. In Auburn and Missouri's cases, daunting chores.

If the Iron Bowl is undefeated Auburn against one-loss Alabama, TCU and Boise are screwed, because the winner of that game will be either number one or number two. And if the winner of that game wins the SEC title game (which it should), it'll play for the title. And, FWIW, I'm assuming Oregon goes undefeated. Healthy, the Ducks are head and shoulders above everyone else in that league.

If a one-loss Alabama or no-loss Auburn wins the SEC it deserves to play in the championship game ahead of an unbeaten Boise or TCU.

If an unbeaten Oregon wins the Pac-10 it deserves to play in the championship game ahead of an unbeaten Boise or TCU.

Don't see how Boise or TCU are screwed. They don't deserve to play in the championship game ahead of any of those three teams in either of those scenarios.

Neither would an unbeaten Mizzou or Michigan State or a one-loss Oklahoma or Nebraska.

And Missouri, Michigan State and TCU aren't running the table anyway.

By "screwed," I meant more in terms of their title hopes, not as in "screwed by the system."

Right or wrong, it's how the system is. If a one-loss Alabama team beats an undefeated, No. 1 Auburn team in the final week of the season, then wins the SEC title game, it will be the No. 2 team in the country unless two of Oregon, Mizzou and Michigan State finish undefeated. Just how it's going to be.

I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it's going to work out. And honestly, I think it's the most likely scenario. If Oregon survives this week, I think it'll go undefeated. I don't think Mizzou or MSU will. So as long as both Auburn and Alabama hold serve going into the Iron Bowl, the game is going to be a de facto play-in for the second spot in the title game, as both teams would be heavily favored against whoever comes out of the SEC East slog.

 

[Ben_Hecht]

I bet Boise would beat South Carolina.

Like a rented mule.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

You know, you say that, but Boise's 0-5 all time against SEC schools, one of them South Carolina, and none of those games was close. Boise might well beat South Carolina if they meet them in a bowl game, but rented mule will not be among the similes used to describe it.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Boise is also undefeated in BCS games. Neither have much to do with this year's team though.

 

[deskslave]

I bet Boise would beat South Carolina.

Would they beat Alabama? Would they beat Auburn?

 

[Michael_ Gee]

We don't know. Why don't we have them play a game at the end of the season to find out?

 

[dooley_womack1]

Yeah, if Alabama or Auburn moved to the WAC, they'd automatically be out of the national title picture, apparently.

 

[zagoshe]

I bet Boise would beat South Carolina.

But that isn't the issue.

The issue is would Boise beat South Carolina on the road - after back-to-back weeks of beating teams who were in the top ten when they played - Arkansas and Florida (which is obviously a big emotional game) and then beat ranked teams Mississippi State, LSU and Auburn -- and if they do all that they'll likely have to beat South Carolina again.

Or in the case of Missouri - Boise may have been able to beat Oklahoma - could they get back up again this week to win at Nebraska and if they do that and win out they get to try and beat Oklahoma again.

Boise State can cherry pick anyone's schedule and say "hey we can beat them" but that is irrelevant because all they are asked to do is get up ONE TIME and this year, it was against an OK but not great Virginia Tech, and then they can coast through a schedule of dogshirt.

It is not even close to the same.

Their "letdown" game results in a 24-10 win instead of a loss, like the teams who are in real conferences because they aren't playing anyone who is good enough to beat them.

 

[murphyc]

I'm not saying it's right, but that's how it's going to work out. And honestly, I think it's the most likely scenario. If Oregon survives this week, I think it'll go undefeated. I don't think Mizzou or MSU will. So as long as both Auburn and Alabama hold serve going into the Iron Bowl, the game is going to be a de facto play-in for the second spot in the title game, as both teams would be heavily favored against whoever comes out of the SEC East slog.

After this week, Oregon still has to knock off Arizona and Oregon State. Neither one is a gimme. The Beavs traditionally play better as the season progresses and they'll be wanting some revenge for the last two years. Oregon should win both games and Kelly seems to be doing a good job keeping his team focused on the game ahead, but you never know what might happen, especially in a rivalry game.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

I bet Boise would beat South Carolina.

But that isn't the issue.

The issue is would Boise beat South Carolina on the road - after back-to-back weeks of beating teams who were in the top ten when they played - Arkansas and Florida (which is obviously a big emotional game) and then beat ranked teams Mississippi State, LSU and Auburn -- and if they do all that they'll likely have to beat South Carolina again.

Or in the case of Missouri - Boise may have been able to beat Oklahoma - could they get back up again this week to win at Nebraska and if they do that and win out they get to try and beat Oklahoma again.

Boise State can cherry pick anyone's schedule and say "hey we can beat them" but that is irrelevant because all they are asked to do is get up ONE TIME and this year, it was against an OK but not great Virginia Tech, and then they can coast through a schedule of dogshirt.

It is not even close to the same.

Their "letdown" game results in a 24-10 win instead of a loss, like the teams who are in real conferences because they aren't playing anyone who is good enough to beat them.

1. Whatever happened to "we're taking it one game at a time?" Or the "each week is a new one" line of thinking? Bama shirt the bed against South Carolina, a team that was so good they lost to Kentucky. Keep making excuses for it, but it happened.

2. Boise would also remind you they handled Oregon State pretty good, too. On the road. And Nevada spent some time in the rankings, too. In fact, Nevada and Hawaii come in at 26 and 27 in the coaches' poll right now. Only Hawaii is a home game for Boise. So that'll be road wins over a ranked Va Tech, Oregon State, and Nevada, as well a win over Hawaii. It's not a murderer's row, but it's not weak either.

 

[zagoshe]

1. Whatever happened to "we're taking it one game at a time?" Or the "each week is a new one" line of thinking? Bama shirt the bed against South Carolina, a team that was so good they lost to Kentucky. Keep making excuses for it, but it happened.

2. Boise would also remind you they handled Oregon State pretty good, too. On the road. And Nevada spent some time in the rankings, too. In fact, Nevada and Hawaii come in at 26 and 27 in the coaches' poll right now. Only Hawaii is a home game for Boise. So that'll be road wins over a ranked Va Tech, Oregon State, and Nevada, as well a win over Hawaii. It's not a murderer's row, but it's not weak either.

1. It is cliche that has nothing to do with reality, particularly not in college football. And the Kentucky-USC loss is a great example - when was it played? Oh yeah, the week after South Carolina shot its load and beat Alabama. And once again, the difference between teams in real conferences and Boise State is this - when they have a letdown, they have an opportunity to lose because whoever they are playing is good enough to beat them. When Boise has a letdown, it just means they only win by 10 instead of 30 because all of those teams they play are dogshirt.

And the fact that you are trying to compare a schedule which has as its toughest games Virginia Tech (who isn't even as good as James Madison), Hawaii, Nevada and Oregon State to a schedule which includes Arkansas, Mississippi State, Auburn, LSU, Florida and South Carolina twice is ridiculous.

It is not even close. And looking at who Kentucky has played, beat and lost to, there is no doubt in my mind they'd finish second in the WAC - as would Tennessee - as would frigging Ole Miss, who pounded one of the three best teams in the WAC - Fresno -- by 17 points.