The Rest of College Football

[Paul L]

You have way too much time on your hands.

[*JD*]

Why should Penn State be banned from the post-season? Their coach didn't cheat to win games. He just failed at life.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Florida didn't play ND.

Both Michigan and Florida had the same record. Michigan's one loss was more impressive than Florida's and Michigan MOV was vastly superior, on average. Florida struggled to beat crappy teams like Vanderbilt, Florida State and South Carolina. Outside of one bad game against Ball State, Michigan dominated everybody they faced before OSU. Michigan had a better score in the one common opponent that was available. Michigan beat a one loss team. Florida didn't.

The best that you can say -- the only thing that you can say -- is that the data was inconclusive, and therefore, you should give the benefit of the doubt to the team that wouldn't set up a rematch. I actually don't have a problem with that logic.

Florida and Michigan did NOT have the same record, no matter how many times this falsehood is stated.

MOV is not a factor for me and indeed, the BCS removed that from its calculations years ago after countless individuals complained that it encouraged "running up the score". I am more interested in who Florida beat than how much did they win by. I give Florida more credit for a 1 point win over "crappy" South Carolina than Michigan's 31 point win over a truly crappy team like Indiana. Indeed, you're already injecting a heavy dose of bias by minimizing Florida's wins over Kentucky, South Carolina, and FSU, even though all three had winning seasons, while simultaneously touting Michigan's blowouts of Indiana, Minnesota, and Sparty.

Wisconsin was possibly the best win either team had (going simply by record). But if anyone complains about SEC teams fluffing up their records with weak OOCs, well, shouldn't Wisconsin get a closer examination? Their OOC was terrible in 2006. Yet for some reason they are legit and the SEC came by their records fraudulently by playing cupcakes.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Why should Penn State be banned from the post-season? Their coach didn't cheat to win games. He just failed at life.

The NCAA has already sent them a letter talking about LOIC...

[Hannibal]

You can rant about margins of victory all you want, but Florida built the better resume.

It's not a "rant". MOV matters to anyone who doesn't try to consciously remove it from the equation because they wish that it wouldn't matter. If MOV didn't matter, people wouldn't be talking about how obvious it is that Alabama is the country's second best team, because their two most impressive games were blowouts. The W-L record of the opponents that they have beaten doesn't distinguish them dramatically from another 1-loss team.

Wisconsin was possibly the best win either team had (going simply by record). But if anyone complains about SEC teams fluffing up their records with weak OOCs, well, shouldn't Wisconsin get a closer examination? Their OOC was terrible in 2006. Yet for some reason they are legit and the SEC came by their records fraudulently by playing cupcakes.

Just because the idiots of the world think that MOV is immoral or something doesn't mean that you, I, or the voters can't use it as an objective measure of how good a team is.

So Florida beat South Carolina by 1 point? We beat Minnehah by 14 points and dominated the game. The win difference between the two opponents was a whopping 1. Minny was 6-6. South Carolina was 7-5. Whose victory was better? I'd call it at least a wash. We would have easily beaten South Carolina if we had played them, and it's not Michigan's fault that Minny played Cal in their OOC schedule when they could have played a MAC team instead.

Florida State went 6-6 in the regular season and they played a Godawful cupcake schedule. We played two teams like that -- Iowa and Minny. We beat them both by 14. Florida beat FSU by 7. We beat Vandy by 20. Florida beat them by 6. In the absence of a lot of common opponents or a head-to-head game, you can't ignore data like this.

[Optimus Prime]

35 bowl games need 70 teams. There are 120 teams in the FBS. The following have already been eliminated from bowl competition:

ACC (3): BC, Maryland, Duke
Big10 (2): Minnesota, Indiana
Big East: none
Big12 (1): Kansas
Pac12 (4): Oregon St, Washington St, Colorado, Arizona
SEC (2): Kentucky, Ole Miss
MTW (3): UNLV, New Mexico, Colorado St
CUSA (5): Rice, Tulane, UAB, Memphis, Central Florida
WAC (4): Fresno, San Jose St, New Mexico St, Idaho
Independents (2): Army, Navy
MAC (5): Miami-OH, BG, Buffalo, Akron, CMU
Sun Belt (5): Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Troy, Middle Tennessee, LA-Monroe

In addition neither USC or Miami will be allowed in a bowl game. That makes 82 currently eligible teams for 70 spots. With two weeks left, more will probably be eliminated. I think it'll probably be unlikely that bowls will pass on OSU and Penn State to select some marginal MAC team. There might not even BE another option.

RELAX DSL, OSU will be heading to the "Wal-Mart" Bowl where you may personally greet the dozen or so attendees. cheers

[whodean]

The championship game is supposed to involve the #1 & #2 teams in the nation, regardless of what conference they played in. There are no rules about one conference only being allowed to send two teams to the NCG or that a team that doesn't win its division/conference can't play in said game or a rematch can't happen...

If the SEC has the #1 & #2 teams in the nation, they should play in NCG.

This. And LSU v Alabama round 2 will be a helluva battle.

[chemiclord]

Then they shouldn't have bitched about how terrible a rematch would have been 5 years ago.

SEC wanted no rematches? Then they get no rematches. Alabama had their chance. Find someone else.

[whodean]

You can say that as much as you want, its going to happen if Alabama takes care of their business.

[Dr. Strangelove]

I'd be very surprised if Auburn beats Alabama

[hack]

Totally true. Do you want to address the point he's actually made, however?

[Paul L]

This. And LSU v Alabama round 2 will be a helluva battle.

Yeah, and who's the National Champion should Bama beat LSU? Does LSU's win AT BAMA mean nothing?

Noone wants to see a rematch because there's no need for a rematch. Les' boys took care of business in Tuscaloosa, and shouldn't have to do it again to prove they're the true NC. Had the game been in Baton Rouge, there may be an argument, but that's not the case.

I don't give a rat's ass about what DSL crows about Florida being a better team than M in '06; that's horseshit (and he knows it) and the troll is just trying to get a rise out of everyone.

No rematch in that scenario, not this year either (if the voters have any cajones).

[Dr. Strangelove]

Yeah, and who's the National Champion should Bama beat LSU? Does LSU's win AT BAMA mean nothing?

Noone wants to see a rematch because there's no need for a rematch. Les' boys took care of business in Tuscaloosa, and shouldn't have to do it again to prove they're the true NC. Had the game been in Baton Rouge, there may be an argument, but that's not the case.

I don't give a rat's ass about what DSL crows about Florida being a better team than M in '06; that's horseshit (and he knows it) and the troll is just trying to get a rise out of everyone.

No rematch in that scenario, not this year either (if the voters have any cajones).

The goal is to pit the two best teams against each other in the title game. For my money, that's LSU and Bama. I don't see Bama losing to Auburn but LSU could fall agaisnt Arkansas. In that case, who belongs in the title game? Only ONE of those three?

What if Stanford, Virginia Tech, and OK Stateall lose another game, which is very possible? They all still have a tough game left. Would you actually support a two-loss team in the title game, over a one-loss team, simply to avoid a rematch? How far are you willing to go with this "principle"?

[Paul L]

The goal is to pit the two best teams against each other in the title game. For my money, that's LSU and Bama. I don't see Bama losing to Auburn but LSU could fall agaisnt Arkansas. In that case, who belongs in the title game? Only ONE of those three?

What if Stanford, Virginia Tech, and OK Stateall lose another game, which is very possible? They all still have a tough game left. Would you actually support a two-loss team in the title game, over a one-loss team, simply to avoid a rematch? How far are you willing to go with this "principle"?

I'm sure not all of those three will lose another game, but even if so, I'd still vote in one of those instead of Bama. LSU should NOT have to beat the same team twice.

How long are you going to beat this horse?

[WM Wolverine]

If the two best teams are LSU and Bama (imo they are), they should play in the NCG... There should absolutely be no fudging your rankings to not setup a rematch like there was in '06.