BCS, Nerds, and Bowling.....

Everyone it seems has an opinion on the BCS mess that seems quite inevitable at the end of the season. The popular thought is that only an Ohio State v Michigan rematch would be worthy of the true title of National Title Game, while others are looking at USC to sneak in the back door if they beat Notre Dame this weekend, and still there is another jean shorts wearing bunch that wants to see the Swamp Lizards in the BCS title game.

Personally I have struggled with how I would like to see this play out. On one hand I personally wouldn't watch a rematch game regardless of the particpants, in this case Ohio State has already beaten Michigan once, they shouldn't have to play them again. Having said that, the next five teams in line don't offer the prospect of a very good game. USC is average, Florida is probably most deserving based on their schedule, they did however struggle in several games this year against lesser opponents, Notre Dame has no argument to be there since their schedule consists of Michigan, USC and a bunch of IAA level opponents, which brings us to my personal favorites Arkansas. The Hogs are the hottest team out of this bunch and I think would give Ohio State the best game. There are those that would argue that no team that gives up 50 at home should play for the National Title, I would counter with the argument that this is not the same team that took the field against USC, and given a rematch now the Hogs would win. Arkansas is the best team in the best conference, how can you argue against them?

My ideal scenario is this, USC beats Notre Dame, UCLA beats USC, Arkansas beats LSU and Florida convicingly, and the computers don't screw them and put Michigan in the Title game.


On the subject of our upcoming reunion with our Nerdly cousins from the big city this weekend, it looks like it is going to be perfect weather (no repeat of the '04 game), and I think we are going to win (but you knew that already). Two words why we are going to win on Saturday: Mark Richt. As much as he has been criticized this season for his playcalling and game management, he is still head and shoulders a better coach than Chan "the man" Gailey. Two more words on why we are going to win on Saturday: Reggie Ball. As well as the midget has played this year, he ALWAYS has at least one melt down against the Dawgs. He puts so much pressure on himself to do well that it is counter productive. I am fully expecting his head to explode when we beat them for a sixth straight year. My prediction Dawgs 31 NATS 21.

Bowl Bids and Projections are out. The Big 10 has their post season line up set:

1. Capitol One Bowl-Wisconsin v SEC
2. Outback Bowl-Penn State v SEC
3. Alamo Bowl-Iowa v Big 12
4. Champs Sports-Purdue v ACC
5. Insight-Minnesota v Big 12

This virtually assures the Big 10 and Michigan of getting 2 BCS bids for the second year in a row. I have a problem with this for the sheer fact that the Big 10 doesn't play a championship game and therefore doesn't knock it's second best team out of BCS consideration. Since the BCS's inception in 1998 the Big Ten has had two teams in the mix 5 times compaired to the SEC (3), Pac-10 (2), Big 12 (3), ACC (0), Big East (0). The other at large spots were filled by Notre Dame (2) and Utah (1). This seems completely disproportionate to the rest of the BCS Conferences and at large teams.

All of this revives the BCS v playoff debate and once again lets me advance my solution for fixing college football. First off I am a huge fan of Bowl games, the week between Christmas and New Years is a veritable feast of College Football, one last gasp before the season ends. I don't want that to go away. My model would preserve SOME of the bowl games while incorporating others into the pseudo-playoffs, and it goes something like this.

Take the exsisting BCS conferences with some modifications and require them to all have a Championship game. Notre Dame would join the Big 10, Utah and TCU in the Pac-10, Southern Miss, Marshall, UAB, and East Carolina to the Big East. The six winners of these conference games along with 2 at large spots drawn from non BCS conferences and the remaining BCS schools would form an 8 team playoff bracket. First Round Games would be held in the Capital One, Chick-fil-a, Fiesta, and Rose Bowls. Semi Finals in the Sugar and Orange, and then the BCS championship in the Fiesta Bowl 2. The Bowl hosting the National Championship along with the most recent host would be first round game sites. This model preserves the regular season, makes each conference equal in terms of having a championship game, and preserves the lower tier bowls for those teams not involved in the playoff, all while deciding on the field the best team in college football.