So it’s “Bash the BCS Monday” as every sports outlet in America outside of Tuscaloosa & Baton Rouge decries the unfairness of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) process that pairs the nation’s top two ranked college football teams in a single game championship matchup. Although I have an issue with Sunday’s selection of LSU and Alabama to the final game of the season it’s not the same clamor emanating from Stillwater Oklahoma (And Bristol Connecticut) that the best two teams won’t be playing in the Championship game. Nor is my issue that the solution to the college post-season is some type of playoff or modified “And One” game that will alleviate all the complaints and make everyone happy. Although those are both relevant problems my biggest concern with the “Big Rematch” scheduled for January 9th is that these really are the two best college football teams in the country … and we already know which team is better. #1 ranked LSU rolled into Tuscaloosa on November 5th and in what was the football equivalent of World War I trench warfare came away with a hard fought victory over then #2 Alabama.
Oklahoma St (11-1) had an extraordinary season; the best in Cowboys history many would say and minus one very significant stumble in Aames Iowa, OSU would be headed to Glendale Arizona to take on the Tigers in the BCS Championship Game. But what a stumble it was for those trying to compare the respective strength of schedules and other ancillary factors that contribute to the selection of the Championship Game’s participants. Un-ranked Iowa State came into their November 18th matchup with Oklahoma St having lost its first four Big 12 games including home games to Texas (7-5) and Texas A&M (6-6) and entered play 0-56-2 against teams ranked sixth or higher in the Associated Press poll. By contrast OSU was 10-0 with road wins at Texas and Texas A&M, and ranked #2 overall in the previous week’s BCS standings. OSU seemed to have the game in control with a 24-7 lead mid-way through the 3rd quarter. But the Cyclones rallied to force overtime where Iowa St prevailed by a final score of 37-31 all but eliminating Oklahoma St from the National Championship picture.
The team “BCS Blocking” Oklahoma St from the Championship game, the Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) have an identical record but the lone blemish on Alabama’s otherwise spotless season is a different kind of cat altogether. As mentioned above Alabama hosted the “Beast of the Southeast” conference earlier this season and in a spirited defensive battle that also went into overtime, LSU emerged with a 9-6 victory on the fast lane to the BCS title game. With the argument brewing over the more deserving team, Oklahoma St or Alabama it would seem the quality of opponent for each team’s lone defeat may be the determining factor. Alabama lost to what was undeniably college football’s best team during the regular season. OSU’s loss to Iowa St pales in comparison to Bama’s November 5th battle with the Bayou Bengals.
I also can’t see the rationale for an extended playoff or the popular “And One” option that’s the topic of conversation every year on this day. Last evening for example I heard several of the knowledgeable talking heads on ESPN suggest that the most equitable solution involved a very limited playoff that would pair #1 LSU vs. #4 Stanford and #2 Alabama vs. #3 Oklahoma St with the winners facing off in the BCS Championship Game. Seriously? If you think the folks in Stillwater are upset, then wait until you hear the Quack! out of Eugene when Oregon’s Battling Ducks ranked #5 in the final BCS standings get passed over for a Stanford team they handily defeated 53-30 back on November 12th. One of Oregon’s two defeats this season was to the afore-mentioned LSU Tigers on a neutral(ish) field back in September. The Ducks’ 27 points were the most LSU’s dominating defense yielded all season. No, the limited playoff structure only serves to create more disgruntled football fans during the holidays.
Which brings us back to the “Big Rematch” set for Monday January 9th in Glendale Arizona and the big dilemma facing college football fans … what happens if Alabama wins? Sure the pretty crystal football that signifies the BCS champion will be handed to Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide Faithful for their triumph over LSU in the title game. But does that mean Alabama is really the best college football team in the country? Compare if you will the resume of a would-be 13-1 LSU team that had defeated the Crimson Tide earlier in the season on their home field. The Tigers undefeated regular season included victories over Pac-12 Champion Oregon, Big East Co-Champion West Virginia, #2 ranked Alabama, #3 ranked Arkansas and #12 ranked Georgia. By contrast Alabama’s only other significant victory besides defeating then #14 Arkansas was a September 10th victory at Penn St. The Crimson Tide actually played a rather tame non-conference schedule that included wins over Kent St, North Texas, and FBS member Georgia Southern. If the same BCS ratings system that determines who will play in the BCS Title game were used to determine the overall BCS Champion then I think we would already have our answer.
The BCS got it right this year. The top two teams in the country, LSU & Alabama are in the National Championship Game just the way it’s supposed to happen. Now, the only question remaining is do they really need to play this game?
Rich Sharp
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