BCS gets another blow

[Diehard Pony]

After feeling the wrath of the non-BCS teams all season (to the extent non-BCS teams can deliver wrath), now they have this very convoluted situtation where the #1 team in both polls is not playing for the BCS National Championship.

The analysts on ESPN were unnanimous in their thoughts that the BCS system isn't working, and every year they try a reactionary tweak to try and fix the problems. The most common solutions offered by the analysts was to either go back to the traditional bowl system with a mythical National Champion, or go to a playoff system like every other division of NCAA, and NAIA football does.

We all know that this will very likely not happen, but it is clear the BCS is catching some heat from both outside and inside the BCS.

[PortlandPonys]

TCU should think twice about joining any conference out west. The west coast never gets any respect from the eastern press. Several years ago the Pac -10 had to threaten to pull out of the BCS to get a 10-1 Oregon State team into the Fiesta Bowl as an at large selection (1st Pac-10 at large since BCS BS was started). Now USC gets the royal screw job. Who knows where this may end up, the Pac-10 kind of marches to a different drummer as does most of the west coast, maybe they will tell the BCS to put it where the sun doesnt shine. One thing is for sure, TCU better thing really long and hard about any move out west.

[fan]

A 16 team playoff is the only way to get this whole thing fixed. I've said it several other times on this board and others. Take the conference winner from the 11 1-A conferences then 5 at large bids. No need for conference reshuffling at that point since everyone gets an equal shot at a payday.

[CoxSMU]

I don't know...a 16 team playoff and you may not have the best team actually winning. Its almost impossible to beat top 10 teams week in and week out...I think the best team might not actually win the tournament. I think the BCS, just fix it...

[SoCal_Pony]

In defense of the BCS system I will say this. It is very easy to criticize the exclusion of USC, but the fact is there are 3 quality teams, each with its own strong argument as to why they should play in the Sugar Bowl. The one team left behind would be justifiably upset.

In the end, I actually think the computers made the right decision. I have seen USC play multiple times this year and think they are national champion-worthy. But the truth is their weaker strength of schedule should count against them in the exact same manner as TCU’s did. Like TCU, USC could never have predicted that Auburn, Washington, UCLA and Notre Dame would all have off years. But they did so USC will have to ‘settle’ for the Rose Bowl.

A play-off system might be a fairer solution, but the OU / LSU championship game is not bad.

Hey, I’m just happy UT got shut out of a BCS bowl.

[NavyCrimson]

all the more reason the whole damn system is BS!

[Diehard Pony]

On Dale Hansen's Sunday Night Sports Show they ridiculed the BCS tonight. Don't know if it will be enough, but let's see what happens if USC wins the Rose Bowl. I'm pulling for them....couldn't care less who wins between Oklahoma and LSU.

<small>[ 12-07-2003, 08:13 PM: Message edited by: Diehard Pony ]</small>

[FWMustang]

Okay, if strength of schedule is going to become such a big player, then bring back margin of victory. Go back and look at the scores of USC games duing their weak schedule. Surely the idiots that dreamed up this system can come up with an algorithm for margin of victory vs strength of schedule.

at Auburn W 23-0
BYU W 35-18
Hawaii W 61-32
at California L 34-31
at Arizona State W 37-17
Stanford W 44-21
at Notre Dame W 45-14
at Washington W 43-23
#14 Washington State W 43-16
at Arizona W 45-0
UCLA W 47-22 10-1
Oregon State W 52-28

Looks like a bunch of a$$-whippings to me. Sure Hawaii lost, but it's not like SC beat them in a squeaker. 61-32?!?!?! other than the one loss, they didn't win a game by less than 20 points!!!!

The whole thing is a mess. Go to a playoff. I don't seem to recall anyone [deleted] in April that the best team didn't win the NCAA basketball tourney.

<small>[ 12-08-2003, 05:44 AM: Message edited by: FWMustang ]</small>

[OldPony]

Anything that is as convoluted at the BCS formula can't work. It is putting computer nerds in charge of the rankings. BCS schools are unjustly rewarded compared non BCS.
Please go to a 10 game regular season schedule and a 32 team playoff. You only have to get rid of 10 meaningless bowls and only 8 scools would play more games than now with the champ and runner up playing only 2 more games than now. The season would be over for most players before today's system (remeber the reason we can't have a playoff is becuase it is too [deleted] the student-athlete). No one outside of the top 32 would have any chance so other than some [deleted] by the #33-36 ranked teams, it would be proven on the field. It would bring back regional conference alignments and make college football more fun and exciting for all. The money would be unbelievably high and more schools would share in it. The only schools who would stand even a possibility of losing any revenue would be the top 2-3 in each of the BCS conferences. To do otherwise is to run college football for the benefit of about 12 -15 schools.

[FWMustang]

isn't that what the BCS is for though? The 12-15 big schools? I wouldn't hold my breath for the pie to get split up and given to the masses.

If they do a playoff, it would more than likely be 8 (possibly 16) teams, to ensure that the right teams get the money, and not flashes-in-the-pan tcu, Miami-OH, or Boise State.

And what about the schools who do cut back to 10 games and don't get into the playoff? that is lost revenue for teams who probably already struggle with finances. Sound like anyone familiar?

<small>[ 12-08-2003, 06:39 AM: Message edited by: FWMustang ]</small>

[PlanoStang]

Boycott the Big Cash Series! Don't watch! If enough people actually didn't watch, they'd change things.

I'm getting so sick of money = football, I only watch football when Longview, SMU, and the Cowboys are playing with my "hope they do good" priorities in that order. 3 games a weekend ain't bad.

I don't even remember who played in the BCS championship game last year, though I suspect OU was one of the culprits.

Probably our only real chance is if the congress tweaks the BCS on the nose with it's monopoly busting iron fist.

[Greenwich Pony]

We should end this "Revenge of the nerds" BCS, and go to a 16-team playoff. It would be more financially rewarding fr everyone involved, give everyone a fair shake and let the teams win it on the field.

The best team might win every year, but at least the best teams will have a fair shot at the title and it is up to them what their fate will be, not some computer geek who may or may not have seen someone play.

[mrydel]

JUST A COMMENT:

I make this statement with distain for the BCS system and desire for an equitable playoff system, but I find it humorous that the protesters this morning (nation wide, not this board) are complaining because the # 1 team in the nation is not playing in the championship game. I am wondering more why the "experts" do not have the wisdom to recognize strength of schedule and being totally unbiased as a basis for the human vote. I am sure that a lot of the voting is done in a manner that is rewarding conference schools, or voting for teams where a sportswriter went to school, or for a team that beat "my" team because they must be the best to do that. I have no faith in the human voting system and respect the computer system much more.

That said, I repeat that the system is flawed and skewed and needs to be more fair to all and equitable for all. I am just not smart enough to have the answer. HMMMMM, maybe I should ask my computer.

[OldPony]

That is the resaon for a large playoff with as many teams as can be resaonably put in a tourney. Yes-voters have prejudices and they show them by starting the same teams in the top 10 each year. At least, they try to explain themselves. The BCS is no more accurate than the pollsters have been for 50 years. They have managed to keep other deserving teams from the top 4 bowls though. I would also say that if teams played more regionally, the net $ raised might offset the loss of an 11th game. Many teams now play 12 games BEFORE bowls. Some even do it before conference champs. The educators are full of cr$p re the playoffs would make the season too long. It is just an excuse to keep the money from any kind of equitable distribution based upon success on the field.

[NavyCrimson]

plano - you're exactly right!!!!

don't watch & it'll show & the advertizers will then be pressuring the networks for a change!!!

one of the problems with the whole damn system is that they (bcs-bs) thinks it is a zero-sum game when its not...the more teams are involved the bigger the pie grows & studies have proved this over & over..its like reducing taxes & revenues will grow! just don't spend it all or horde the doe!!!