OSU Big 12 Football Champions

[AquaMan]

You really think it would be fun to watch OSU get utterly creamed by LSU? There is no freakin' way you go up against that defense.

Well, we'll never know now will we?

Instead, after a full year of exciting, up and down movement within the top ten, (and some games that these two teams did not look very good in) the BCS system came up with two teams from the same conference who have played each other before (in fact every year) and didn't even manage to score a touchdown against each other. We have to endure yet another snoozebowl because the folks east of the Mississippi are so enamored of themselves and their potential markets that they marginalize the rest of the country.

Did you hear one of their announcers in the game against Georgia exclaim that even the GB Packers wouldn't want to play this LSU team?! That's not hubris, that is just plain stupid homerism.

For BCS to be legitimate they ought to factor in the graduation rates. Most of the SEC would be ineligible for bowl games.

[Conan71]

That's probably the case also, but you can't make the SoS numbers lie.  Had OU beat Baylor, it would have given the Pokes a better chance given that they had won over OU by the same margin.

Now Poke fans know what Sooner fans go through during the BCS snub period.

Honestly, I never saw OSU coming this far this year and was truly proud of how hard they played last night.  They pressured OU to the point Landry came apart. 

First conference championship and a BCS berth aren't bad ways to end a season.  There's probably 100 other college programs who would have killed for a season like this.  It remains to be seen how the Pokes do without Weeden and Blackmon next year.

When you come that close to the brass ring though...

[heironymouspasparagus]

Yaaayyyyyy, team!!!!  Conference Champions!!!  Yay!!!

Fiesta Bowl!!!  Yay!!!

Gotta love it!!

[nathanm]

Well, we'll never know now will we?

Instead, after a full year of exciting, up and down movement within the top ten, (and some games that these two teams did not look very good in) the BCS system came up with two teams from the same conference who have played each other before (in fact every year) and didn't even manage to score a touchdown against each other. We have to endure yet another snoozebowl because the folks east of the Mississippi are so enamored of themselves and their potential markets that they marginalize the rest of the country.

You talk as if the problem is some sort of favoritism. It's not. Alabama's only loss was a close one against the #1 team in the nation, who has at this point ranked #1 in the AP poll for 10 weeks. OSU is a one loss team who lost to an unranked opponent. The only argument I can see against Alabama is their half-assed performance against Georgia Southern. And I say that as someone who really doesn't like the Tide. I would rather have had OSU go to the championship game for that reason alone, but I can't really complain about Alabama being #2. Had OSU not lost and Alabama still managed to squeak into the NC game I'd be right with there with you, pitchfork in hand.

[dbacks fan]

I will be watching the Fiesta Bowl cheering the Pokes, and for the BCS Championship game, I'll be enroute somewhere between San Francisco and Phoenix on United so it won't be a priority for me. I think the BCS system sucks, but I also think the loss to ISU had a lot to do with it. I just hope that the OSU Stanford game is a good one and OSU has proven that they belong there.

[AquaMan]

You talk as if the problem is some sort of favoritism. It's not. Alabama's only loss was a close one against the #1 team in the nation, who has at this point ranked #1 in the AP poll for 10 weeks. OSU is a one loss team who lost to an unranked opponent. The only argument I can see against Alabama is their half-assed performance against Georgia Southern. And I say that as someone who really doesn't like the Tide. I would rather have had OSU go to the championship game for that reason alone, but I can't really complain about Alabama being #2. Had OSU not lost and Alabama still managed to squeak into the NC game I'd be right with there with you, pitchfork in hand.

Your naivete is charming. Had OSU not lost, Alabamy would still be playing the purple passion. Bama didn't drop as far as other teams did when they lost to number one teams. Because the cred given to them overcame the fact that they couldn't even score a td against a team that lesser teams did score against. Go figure. To think huge networks don't influence the rankings is wrong. To think that the SEC isn't helped by a sports network anchored in Atlanta, or that the Pac 12 isn't helped by being in the largest state of the union filled with sports writers isn't real world.

Do you think LSU could keep OSU from scoring the entire game? Did anyone?

[azbadpuppy]

Having a team play in the NCG that didn't win their conference, let alone their division makes a mockery of college football, and underscores the need for a playoff system.

OSU was robbed.

[heironymouspasparagus]

It's all about eastern moneyed interests.

[DolfanBob]

Wholly crap ! After Saturday nights game. The World still rotates, I'll be darn.
But really. Congrats to the Orange and Black. It was their year.

[erfalf]

Unfortunately it all came down to the loss comparison. I would bet my life that a huge majority of the human voters had no idea that OSU's schedule was so much stronger. Everyone has this perception that the SEC is so strong (Actually it is like 3 good teams and a bunch of Iowa States, course that's giving a little too much credit, they're more like a bunch of Kansas'). Fact is OSU had a far more difficult schedule. Alabama beat only four teams with a winning record (3 if you take out Div II Georgia Southern) whereas OSU beat 7. OSU beat the currently ranked 8, 12, 14& 24th ranked teams (two by 30+ points). Alabama beat the 6, 22 & 25th ranked teams.

Why is the SEC perceived to be so difficult (is it because you have 2 hard games all year and the rest cupcakes)?

The above proves the point that a vast majority of the voters only were looking at the quality of losses. People complain about teams scheduling cupcake non-conference games but as long as they vote as haphazardly as the currently do they have no room to speak.

[Breadburner]

OSU should schedule some OOC games for once.....

[nathanm]

Your naivete is charming. Had OSU not lost, Alabamy would still be playing the purple passion.

The .007 difference or whatever squeaker it was is the entire problem for OSU. Maybe you can take issue with the sportswriters and coaches that dropped OSU much farther than the computers did after their loss, but had they not lost, 99% OSU is in the championship game against LSU. And there would be no argument.

azbadpuppy, you think Alabama should be penalized for happening to be in the same conference and division as LSU?

I'm not arguing against an 8 team playoff or something along those lines, mind you. I'd love to see it. What I am arguing against is the idea that it's some kind of travesty that a team that lost to an unranked opponent should rank ahead of a team that didn't. The real travesty would have been Arkansas beating LSU and possibly still not getting a BCS bowl despite a one loss record with the only loss to Alabama, but thankfully that didn't happen. That such a thing is/was a realistic scenario is a much stronger indictment of the BCS system, IMO.

[Conan71]

The .007 difference or whatever squeaker it was is the entire problem for OSU. Maybe you can take issue with the sportswriters and coaches that dropped OSU much farther than the computers did after their loss, but had they not lost, 99% OSU is in the championship game against LSU. And there would be no argument.

azbadpuppy, you think Alabama should be penalized for happening to be in the same conference and division as LSU?

I'm not arguing against an 8 team playoff or something along those lines, mind you. I'd love to see it. What I am arguing against is the idea that it's some kind of travesty that a team that lost to an unranked opponent should rank ahead of a team that didn't. The real travesty would have been Arkansas beating LSU and possibly still not getting a BCS bowl despite a one loss record with the only loss to Alabama, but thankfully that didn't happen. That such a thing is/was a realistic scenario is a much stronger indictment of the BCS system, IMO.

What about the whole metric that OSU beat five top 25-ranked teams and 'Bama only beat two.  That really makes me question the weight strength of schedule plays.  Now what happens if Alabama beats LSU in a squeaker and OSU kicks the living smile out of Stanford?  Should Alabama be crowned National Champion or co-national champion with LSU?  

I'm trying not to be so frustrated about missing out on playing in the national title game, but it's hard for those of us who never thought we'd live long enough to see OSU not only be in sole possession of the Big 12 crown but to have a realistic shot at a national title.  Hell, I never thought I'd see the day when OSU would literally dominate OU for 60 minutes.  I hope it's not the last time but I think many people like me realize Weeden and Blackmon were the kind of dynamic combination that only comes along once every generation or so.  As a long-suffering OSU fan, I can only hope the last few seasons have improved our recruiting capabilities and we are building a strong dynasty which can go toe-to-toe with OU and major opponents outside the conference every year now.

[nathanm]

Four top 25s (at the time they played), including A&M and Texas, at least one of which I think we can all agree was over-ranked early in the season. Alabama played 5, at least one of which I think we can all agree was over-ranked early in the season. There's a reason why the scores were so close.

Believe me, I don't want to see another snooze-fest, but I quite honestly can't see who else would go. OSU and Alabama had pretty similar schedules as far as opponent rankings go, and Alabama failed to blow one of them. TBH, I was hoping for some serious chaos that somehow got Arkansas and OSU into the NC game. They're both relatively recent BCS contenders, both have explosive offenses and good-but-not-great defenses. Exactly what you need for an exciting game of football.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that LSU and Alabama are almost certainly at least as good as OSU, if not better. The problem is that in both cases their real strength is on defense, not offense. That can make for some seriously boring games.

[Conan71]

Four top 25s (at the time they played), including A&M and Texas, at least one of which I think we can all agree was over-ranked early in the season. Alabama played 5, at least one of which I think we can all agree was over-ranked early in the season. There's a reason why the scores were so close.

Believe me, I don't want to see another snooze-fest, but I quite honestly can't see who else would go. OSU and Alabama had pretty similar schedules as far as opponent rankings go, and Alabama failed to blow one of them. TBH, I was hoping for some serious chaos that somehow got Arkansas and OSU into the NC game. They're both relatively recent BCS contenders, both have explosive offenses and good-but-not-great defenses. Exactly what you need for an exciting game of football.

Regardless, the fact of the matter is that LSU and Alabama are almost certainly at least as good as OSU, if not better. The problem is that in both cases their real strength is on defense, not offense. That can make for some seriously boring games.

Sure about your metrics? ABC was claiming the other night that Bama beat two top 25 teams and OSU had beat 5.  That's where I got my info anyhow.  Seemed odd Alabama would not have played more teams in the top 25.  Either I misunderstood or ABC fumbled the stats.