I Hate the BCS

I hate the BCS.

1979-Indiana State (current enrollment of 10,568, less in 1979) finishes as national runner-up in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

1985-Old Dominion national champions, winning the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

1988-Louisiana Tech national champions, winning the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

These are 3 examples taken from basketball, where schools from "non-BCS" conferences were able to play in, and often win, the national championship game. Currently in the FBS division of college football, every school (except Southern California) has played at least 3 games. Therefore, most teams are at least a quarter of the way through the season, and I feel we can begin to make some real judgments on the season.

I am a firm believer that, if at all possible, the national championship game should be played between two undefeated teams. However the BCS has screwed this up on several occasions, most notably when undefeated Boise State did not play against undefeated Ohio State in 2007, but finished as the only undefeated team in Div-A football. Were they awarded a national championship trophy or even a share of the prize (like Southern California in 2003-04)? No, because they play in the WAC.

Why does the BCS hate the likes of the WAC, MAC, MWC, C-USA, and Sun Belt so much? Doesn’t college football pride itself on rabid fan bases and intense rivalries? I believe that teams like Boise State, Fresno State, Utah, Tulsa, and Central Florida (as well as others) have rivalries just as intense and fans that are just as energized as the doormats of the BCS conferences (Indiana, Baylor, Stanford, Duke - I’m talking to you).

What brings about my annual anti-BCS tirade? Here’s the reason:

This is a list of all the teams in FBS football that are still undefeated. Teams in black are from BCS conferences and teams in red are from non-BCS conferences.


One of the MWC teams could go undefeated (BYU is my pick) and so could Boise State. When you look at their schedules, you don’t get disappointed.





Both teams play two opponents that are currently ranked (Boise State already defeated Oregon), and they each beat all of their Pac-10 opponents, one of which could upset USC, whom many are calling the best team of this decade, like last season. Speaking of USC, they currently have no more ranked teams left on their schedule and they still have 10 games left. So for those who call WAC/MWC/C-USA/etc. schedules soft, how do they legitimately stack up against “powerhouses”? Will USC beat UCLA by 59 points like the Cougars did? How can anyone imply that these “mid-majors” can’t run with the big boys when we’ve seen Utah and Boise State win their previous BCS games and seen teams like Illinois from BCS conferences get embarrassed on the big stage?

I’m not taking anything away from teams on this list that may finish with a loss or two. I realize that the SEC is tough, as is the Big 12 (don’t count out the Big 10 either). But with college football’s refusal to adopt a playoff system for the FBS (the only NCAA sanctioned sport where this occurs), the one metric that we have to go on is wins and losses. Qualitative issues like strength of schedule and “quality wins” should have no place in the process.

Ultimately the question that I ask is that if at the end of the season only two teams stand undefeated (or one for that matter), will they get a shot at the title like Indiana State or Old Dominion regardless of their conference affiliation, or will they be shut out like every year before?

I realize that this entire argument depends on a great deal of what-ifs and speculation, but no more than the preseason pick of Georgia at #1 simply because they beat Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl; a Hawaii team that by typical BCS standards shouldn’t have been there in the first place.

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College Football Recap: Week 3

Featured Game of the Week: No. 16 Oregon over PURDUE, 32-26

I am a Big Ten fan through and through. There is nothing better than Big Ten football. No better place to watch a football game than a Big Ten Coliseum. And Purdue has always been and will always be my go-to team, but seriously, it's getting more difficult every year. Plus the fans I sit around would unquestionably be the worst in-game coaches in history.

The big question this week going into the game was: was Purdue holding back against Northern Colorado last week? Well for the first half of the game, Purdue had so many wrinkles in its offense they made Bea Arthur look like she should have her own Neutrogena commercial.

They dipped. They dived. Hell, they even threw in quarterback-converted-running back redshirt freshman Justin Siller at quarterback for a few plays. Just like so many other teams in the nation.

Side note: What is the nation’s love affair with dual-quarterbacks now? About 15 out of the 30 teams that I saw glimpses of last night used the two shooter system. (Including both teams in this game) And it somewhat worked for all of them. My question is: how long until teams realize that the only reason the backup is brought on the field is to run? How hard can it be to stop a team that you KNOW is about to run? Another question: how many teams have to use this system before it becomes a certified cult?

Anyways, other than a few first downs here and there, even with all the trickeration, Purdue couldn't put enough distance between themselves and Oregon. The defense played absolutely lights out in the first half and they kept it up most of the game.

Purdue started off this game absolutely typical. Curtis Painter throws an incomplete pass to right side of the field (and then the crowd moaned). After that the entire first half was entirely atypical. The very next play, the formerly second-most overrated player on Purdue's team (Curtis, you'll finish first in one voting!), senior running back Kory Sheets ran down the field for an 80 yard score! Against the wind I might add. He even managed to break the first and second tackles of his career with the carry. For once, I don't feel like we have the worst running back in the Big Ten. Our quarterback however...

Speaking of...a question I posed to my dad yesterday: what do you think was the bigger waste of money; Hillary's bid for presidency or Curtis Painter's bid for Heisman?

After the score, the offense, one of the tops in the nation seemingly every year, and its Heisman candidate Curtis Painter decided to call it a day and let the defense do its thing against the 10th-ranked offense in all of college football. And for more or less the entire game, they did. Not normally known for its defensive prowess, Purdue forced four turnovers and with the exception of one big play, was damn impressive. Once again though, Curtis Painter fell apart in a big game on the big stage and our punter, with all his leg strength, managed to get ahold of every punt, except those where he actually needed the yardage. It blows my mind how he can be standing at the opponents 40 yard line every punt and somehow feel like he's got to kick it "over dem dere mountains" for a net of about 20 every kick.

Wait, our punter is one in the same with our field goal kicker? Ah, that makes sense.

To summarize: Oregon was the better team. Their defensive backs were ridiculously good, but their offense did not impress. Nor, did their uniforms.

All I've heard the past few years about Oregon was that they have three million possible uniform combinations. I have to say I'm a little disappointed. Out of all those possibilities, I get to see the single lamest one? Plain white jersey, plain green pants, white socks, black shoes. So a nationally televised game versus a (supposed) somewhat quality Big Ten opponent wasn't big enough to bring out the snazzy uniform?What's wrong Nike, did a certain event in China force you to cut back production while your workers competed? In the style of Family Guy, I haven't been this disappointed since Duane Allman decided to take his motorcycle for a spin.

It was impressive the way Oregon came out and took control of the game in the second-half though. Almost like they had someone back there giving a pep talk, an equipment manager perhaps? Well anyways, "Ducks Fly Together!" (Ah, goosebumps everytime)(By the way, the entire movie is on YouTube. How great is that!)

I can't see them being too successful this year in the vaunted Pac-10. Boy, UCLA is going to be awful tough this year.

As far as Purdue is concerned, I can't wait to make another trip to Detroit. Maybe hang out with the mayor...

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No. 24 ILLINOIS over Louisiana-Lafayette, 20-17

Not like you needed it, but more evidence that Juice has magically become a "pure-passer" over the offseason. Here's his line:

13/25, 147 yards, 5.9 yards/attempt, 1 TD, 1 INT

Impressive against any team, but moreso against a quality opponent such as Louisiana-Lafayette.

Oh, he EVEN ran for 35 yards!!!

DUKE over Navy, 41-31

Duke won?!? Wait, did Paulus finally start playing...

Nope.

NOTRE DAME over Michigan, 35-17

Why is everyone so surprised by this? What has Michigan done to suggest that this is an upset? Other than steal Purdue’s savior at wide receiver and offer him dreams of gold and riches…and maybe playing time.

Wait, Roy Roundtree did not play in the game? Really? And he would have started at Purdue? Peculiar. Anyways, good choice Roy.

And not that we need to beat on this any more than it already will be talked about, but do you think when Charlie gets his ACL/MCL surgery he'll knock out two birds with one stone and get lypo?

Or do you think that he will realize how lucky he was to have his fupa break his fall that he will choose to hold on. Plus, it's J-Claw favorite pillow.

No. 6 MISSOURI over Nevada, 69-17

Hmm...I'm thinking a player on Nevada knew the spread, laughed, then put all their money on Mizzou covering. Missouri just flat out knows how to play with the pigskin. Too bad there are so few places to place that bet in Nevada...

If Tim Tebow to Percy Harvin is awesome, then Chase Daniels to Jeremy Maclin is crazy awesome.

Speaking of crazy awesome...

No. 3 Oklahoma over WASHINGTON, 55-14

Sam Bradford is crazy awesome. I remember Billynho being sold on him after one game last season. I was a little more skeptical as I was very untrustworthy of native americans at the time (Kelvin Sampson). But, wow. Without a doubt, the best quarterback in college football.

Why no Heisman website for this guy? At least tell me he is getting hooked up with a summer job. Rhett, you know a guy, right?

Anyways, I am officially making this site the home for all things "Sam Bradford for Heisman". Hopefully Billynho and The Siets will understand...

And of course, one more game...

SAN JOSE STATE over San Diego State, 35-10

Anytime these traditional football titans meet, anything can happen. And this year's matchup was no exception. Although San Diego State came in winless, they were told by their coaching staff all week that they could pull off what would be the upset of the century.

Unfortunately, San Jose State came out swinging early and often, but San Diego State's Aaron Moore did return an interception for a touchdown! How wild.

Oh, and this one...

No. 1 USC over No. 5 The Ohio State University

Honestly, I will go on the record and say having Chris "Beanie" Wells play in this game would have made a huge difference. And by that, I don't mean Ohio State would have won. There is no way, USC is the best team in college football. And maybe the best team this century even?

Do you honestly think Wells goes down without at least three Trojans on his back even once this game? That dude is a hog. With the exception of Mike Alstott, I don't think I have ever been so afraid of any one running back. At the very least he would have been able to offer Boeckman some sort of protection.

I'm thinking if he plays in this game, the final score is somewhere closer to 20-3?

I feel bad for Boeckman. The Ohio State University fans are probably going to be all over his ass and calling for his head this week (They'll leave his midsection alone. The guy is cut.). But, there is no way Terrelle Pryor is ready to step up. I have to admit, I was impressed by him last night. When I watched him in a high school game on ESPN last year I thought he was way over hyped, but last night he showed he had balls...and speed. Damn. One thing though is that he doesn't have the greatest arm. So unless you want a 35% completion percentage, don't start him yet. Ask Illinois how that worked for them. (Don't write in complaining about how he was actually seven of nine last night, as you push up your glasses on your nose.)

One last thing... Other than Sam Bradford, there is only one other player in college football that I would guarantee draft #1 if I had the chance. Joe McKnight. He's got some mad footwork and some even crazier speed.

The most ridiculous thing about USC is that they have 10 guys just like him on offense AND on defense. Wow.

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We'll be back with more next week!

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