Running College Bowl Selection Argument/Outrage/Discussion thread

S.E.C. CUPCAKE NONCONFERENCE
IAA Northwestern State (4-7)
IAA Texas State (5-6)
IAA Western Kentucky (6-5)
IAA Western Carolina (2-9)
IAA SE Missouri St (4-7)
IAA Jacksonville State (6-5)
IAA Wofford (7-4)
IAA Tennessee State (6-5)
Temple (1-11)
Florida Atlantic (5-7)
Central Florida (4-8)
UAB (3-9)
UAB (3-9)
Tulane (4-8)
Tulane (4-8)
Tulane (4-8)
Buffalo (2-10)
Memphis (2-10)
Memphis (2-10)
Duke (0-12)
Duke (0-12)
Air Force (4-8)
Marshall (5-7)
Louisiana-Monroe (4-8)
La-Monroe (4-8)
La-Monroe (4-8)
La.-Lafayette (6-6)
Florida-International (0-12)
Utah State (1-11)
Arkansas State (6-6)
Fresno State (4-8)
Middle Tennessee State (7-5)

BIG TEN CUPCAKE NONCONFERENCE:
IAA Montana (12-1)
IAA Indiana State (1-10)
IAA Youngstown State (11-2)
IAA Southern Illinois (9-4)
IAA North Dakota State (10-1)
IAA Eastern Illinois (8-5)
IAA New Hampshire (9-4)
IAA Western Illinois (5-6)
Buffalo (2-10)
Ball State (5-7)
Ball State (5-7)
Ball State (5-7) (Ball State lost all 3 games by 10 points or less)
Temple (1-11)
Eastern Michigan (1-11)
Miami (Ohio) 2-10
Miami (Ohio) 2-10
Idaho (4-8)
Syracuse (4-8)
Syracuse (4-8)
San Diego STate (3-9)
Kent State (6-6)

SEC went 11-5 vs. "better/more respectable opponents":
Hawaii (10-3) - Alabama won 25-17
USC (10-2) - beat Arkansas 50-14
Washington State (6-6) - Auburn won 40-14
Southern Miss (8-5) - Florida won 34-7
Florida State (6-6) - Florida won 24-14
Georgia Tech (9-4) - Georgia won 15-12
Louisville (11-1) - beat Kentucky 59-28
Central Michigan (9-4) kentucky won 45-36
Arizona (6-6) - LSU won 45-3
Colorado (2-10) - georgia won 14-13
Missouri (8-4) beat Ole Miss 34-7
Wake Forest (11-2) beat Ole Miss 27-3
West Virginia (10-2) beat Miss. State 42-14
Clemson (8-4) - S. Carolina won 31-28
Cal (9-3) - Tennessee won 35-18
Michigan (11-1) - beat Vanderbilt 27-7

Big Ten (13-8) vs. "better/more respectable opponents"
Vanderbilt (4-8) Michigan won 27-7
Northern Illinois (7-5) - OSU won 35-12
Norhtern Illinois (7-5) - Iowa won 24-14
Akron (5-7) - a preseason MAC favorite. Penn st. won 34-16
Western Michigan (8-4) - Indiana won 39-20
Bowling Green (4-8) Wisconsin won 5-14.
Hawaii (10-3) beat Purdue 42-35
Bowling Green (4-8) - Ohio State won 35-7
Central Michigan (9-4) Michigan won 41-17
Rutgers (10-2) - beat Illinois 33-0
Notre Dame (10-2) - beat Penn St. 41-17
Notre Dame (10-2) - Michigan won 47-21
Notre Dame (10-2) beat MSU 40-37
Notre Dame (10-2) beat Purdue 35-21
California (9-3) beat Minnesota 42-17
Texas (9-3) Ohio State won 24-7
Iowa State (4-8) - Iowa won 27-17
Pittsburgh (6-6) - Michigan St. won 38-23
Cincinnati (7-5) - Ohio St. won 37-7
Nevada (8-4) - beat Nwestern 31-21
Connecitucut (4-8) beat Indiana 14-7

 

One last thing, then I'm done for a while. While it's true the Big Ten is top heavy and the SEC is alleged to be the best conference in the land, let's not forget there is a possibility of a final AP poll reading "1 - Ohio State (13-0), 2 - Michigan (12-1), 3 - Wisconsin (12-1)" should Florida get smoked by the Buckeyes and Michigan win handily enough.

 

Here's what it comes down to for me: In college football, there is no playoff system. Thus (as BCS shill John Saunders so often points out), the regular season is the playoff. If that's the case, then Michigan only gets one shot at the top dogs. Have there been exceptions to this rule? Yes. Florida/Florida State in 1996 (though, as someone rightfully pointed out, that ONLY became the defacto national championship game AFTER Jake the Snake lost to the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl).

We'll never know with any degree of certainty whether Michigan is better than Florida (or vice versa). If you think analyzing the comparative strength of I-AA opponents gets you there, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

What we do know is that, in their one shot at glory, Michigan fell three points short. For that, they get the boobie prize (a pretty nice one, as it turns out) while someone else (in this case, the Gators) takes their turn. It stinks for Michigan (AND Louisville AND Boise State AND Wisconsin AND heck, even LSU, for that matter), but that's the way this goofy sport works.

I've never been a playoff proponent, but I'm starting to favor one now. In the meantime, as a fan of the SEC, I'd love to see the teams down here foray north on occasion. That said, I'd also love to see the Big 10 schools visit the Deep South (for something other than a bowl game).

 

Ohio (9-4) beat Illinois 20-17

 

DA BOBCATS ARE IN DA HOUSE! ;D

 

Damn straight.

 

Agreed. I'm a huge Michigan fan and loathe Florida. But, Michigan had its shot. And Florida won the toughest league in the country. Ohio State does not go through the SEC unbeaten, it's too tough and physical and talented and fast.

And whether it's fair or not, people did vote for Florida to avoid the rematch. So playoff all the way. But all the discussion is fun.

And Louisvillle should end up No. 4 after the Cards wax Wake. My prediction: Florida 1, OSU 2, Michigan 3, UL 4. Wisconsin hasn't played or beaten anyone of note, so they don't deserve all the love.

And before the Badger fans freak out, Louisville did beat WVU, 7-5 Kentucky, 7-5 Cincy, a decent South Florida team and mighty Temple!!! And they scheduled Miami and Kansas State when they were still respectable.

I never thought I would cheer for WVU, but the Rutgers game the other night was awesome.

 

By that argument, however, Boise State should be in the championship game. Like Michigan, Florida had its shot at one of the top dogs -- Auburn -- and lost. Too bad, Gators, you only get one shot. Thanks for playing. Now it's the Broncos' turn.

That gaping hole in the ridiculous regular-season-is-the-playoff argument is why a true playoff is the only logical way to determine a college football champion. Unless every team can play every other, a playoff is necessary.

 

They did lose to one of the top dogs, but not THE top dog. Michigan did. Splitting hairs, I know, but that's what this kooky system is based upon.

I agree with you regarding Boise. Using the "regular season as playoffs" argument, there are at least four teams (Florida, Wisconsin, Louisville and, yes, Boise State) who deserve a shot at OSU before Michigan gets them again. Insane, I know, but that's the system.

It's funny that in the whole Michigan/Florida pissing contest, nobody even mentions Louisville or Wisconsin. Yeah, I know, Wisconsin lost to Michigan, but for those arguing a second chance for the Wolverines, why shouldn't the same courtesy be extended to the Badgers? (cue Weird Al: "Badgers, Badgers, we don't need no stinking badgers.")

I still think the plus one would work. Better yet, just have the winners of the four BCS games (back when there were four) advance to a national semifinal. That way, any one of eight teams (including the champions of the six major conferences) gets their shot.

 

Because this isn't about extending courtesies.

When you have several one-loss teams, the way to separate them is NOT to compare "who they lost to". The best way is to compare "who they beat." Anybody can stub their toe once. But beating several good teams at least shows something to mitigate the toe-stubbing when you have several teams making a claim. It also rewards tough scheduling, something I will always be in favor of.

Thus . . .

Florida beat several good teams.

Michigan beat a couple of good teams.

Louisville beat a good team.

Wisconsin beat nobody.

 

I agree with your assessment of the way these teams should be lined up, but as this thread shows, not everyone has the same opinion of what constitutes a "good" win. Given that fact, the only REAL way to separate the various contenders is on the field. In absence of that possibility, it's basically a coin flip. As an SEC fan, I feel pretty confident that Florida is deserving of the No. 2 spot. That said, I can completely understand why someone in Detroit or Ann Arbor (or South Bend, for that matter) might think otherwise.

 

Except Wisconsin has exactly zero wins this season against teams currently ranked in the top 25. I wouldn't hold my breath.