Boise State or Ohio State? Let The BCS At-Large Debate Begin

Now that the BCS picture is starting to clear up—sort of—it’s time to start thinking about BCS at-large bids.  For the first time ever there are four Non-BCS league teams that qualify for at-large bids.  Utah, Boise State, TCU, and Ball State are all in the current BCS top 12, making them eligible for at-large spots in the BCS.  However, only the highest ranking team, Utah, is guaranteed a spot.  The fate of the rest is up to the discretion of the BCS bowls

If any of these schools, other than Utah, receive a BCS berth it’s likely to go to Boise State.  Unfortunately for the Broncos, this certainly is not guaranteed since Ohio State is also eligible for an at-large berth.  Seems like we have a good old fashioned BCS quagmire on our hands.

Remember, the only job of the BCS is to determine the top two teams and put them in the title game.  After that, the bowls are in business to make money.  This means you have to throw things like “emotion” and “fairness” out of the window.  Just last year Kansas received a BCS at-large berth over Missouri (who beat Kansas and was also eligible).
Let’s take a look at the resumes of Boise State and Ohio State…

Boise State
Conference: WAC
Record: 12-0 (8-0, Conference Champion)
BCS Standing: 9
Sagarin Rating: 11
Sagarin Strength of Schedule: 115
vs Top 10: n/a
vs Top 30: 1-0
Signature Win: @ Oregon (9-3)
TV Rating in BCS Games: 2007 Fiesta – 8.4

Ohio State
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 10-2 (7-1, Co-Champion with Penn State)
BCS Standing: 10
Sagarin Rating: 10
Sagarin Strength of Schedule: 43
vs Top 10: 0-2
vs Top 30: 1-2
Signature Win: @ Michigan State (9-3)
TV Rating in BCS Games: 2008 NCG – 17.4, 2007 NCG – 17.4,
2006 Fiesta – 12.9, 2004 Fiesta – 8.7, 2003 NCG – 17.2

Argument for Boise State
The Broncos are undefeated and undisputed conference champions.  The last time they played in a BCS bowl they shocked the world by knocking off the mighty Oklahoma Sooners.  The Broncos don’t play in the strongest conference but they beat a good Oregon team on the road.

The Broncos are rated higher by the BCS and deserve the chance to play in a big time bowl.  Plus, Ohio State has been dominated in their last two bowls and nobody wants to watch that happen again, give someone else a shot.  The Buckeyes got blasted by USC earlier this year, we already know they aren’t an elite team.  America loves to see the underdog and Boise State is the team they want to see.

Argument for Ohio State
The Buckeyes are Co-Champions of the Big Ten and played a stronger schedule than the Broncos.  The Buckeyes improved as the season progressed and aren’t the same team that lost to USC earlier in the season.  Further, Ohio State has one of the largest followings in college football and in today’s down economy the Buckeyes will help the BCS make more money.

Also, even though the Buckeyes lost the last two title games, that doesn’t mean people won’t watch them in a BCS bowl (look at the TV ratings of the last two title games).  Whether fans are rooting for Ohio State, or hoping that the Buckeyes lose, they’ll be watching. 

Prediction
The BCS bowls will select Ohio State, and they won’t lose a wink of sleep.  Sorry Boise State fans, this is a business and Ohio State is the better business move.

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Please Joe, Don’t Go! College Football Needs You, Not Just Penn State

Please Joe, Don’t Go! I know I’m being selfish in wanting you to stay. I know there’s supposed to be a time to relax and enjoy your golden years, but there’s not another Joe Paterno out there waiting to attempt to fill your shoes.

The NCAA needs a Joe Paterno. We need a man of your character who makes a team work as a team, be punished as a team and win as a team. When you had some players last season get out of line and you made the whole team clean the stadium, you made my heart pound with pride. 

You’ve never molly coddled dissenters, never been one to settle for mediocrity, never been one to offer up excuses and always was one to take the blame. 

We never heard about your team being out of control, behavior wise or football wise.  You graduate your players and the ones who leave your program leave better men than when you took them in.

You don’t bend the rules. When times are tough, you simply worked harder rather than attempting to take an easy shortcut. You are the example your boys should try to emulate. 

You are the epitome of loyalty. Most modern sports fans will never know how much money you’ve turned down to take other jobs. They may not know that the NFL came to lure you away many times, but you were loyal to Penn State and your boys. That just doesn’t happen anymore Joe. We need you to remind us that this CAN happen and should happen.

No real knock on Bobby Bowden coach, I know that’s not your style, and since this is an article about you, I’ll respect that. But when they judge Division I coaches, there is no competition between you and Bowden. All your wins were in Division I. They should have never counted Bowden’s wins at a Div. II school. I am so happy you regained the lead over him on your own anyway, and I want you to keep it forever.

I am an Alabama fan who loved Coach “Bear” Bryant and was standing there clapping at the television when you broke his record. I remember him once being asked if there was anybody he considered his equal in the coaching ranks. 

After humbly saying he was lucky to have been at Alabama for much of his career and that alone added to his legacy and saying there were lots of coaches he considered his equal, he said, “If I was a young man starting all over, I’d play for Joe Paterno. That’s a man who I admire.”

So do I coach.

Don’t go yet. Your lessons, your humbleness, your perseverance needs to be ingrained on this trash talking, chest pounding all about me generation. School administrators need to be taught that you don’t let a coach go at the first sign of a bad season.

I admire how you’ve guided that team back to BCS prominence after being told just a few years ago that you were over the hill, all used up and that the game had passed you by. 

I won’t trash them now or name names coach, because like I said, that’s not your style.  Thank you for showing the world that wisdom never gets old, that class always rises back to the top and loyalty given is loyalty paid back.

Please Joe! Don’t go. There’s men, women and children in jersey colors in every color of the rainbow wishing you wouldn’t. No other coach is so widely admired, respected and loved. We need you now more than ever.

And if and when you do, could you retire in Florida? I’m due some grand kids soon and would love to have you down the street to influence them, but no hurry, they’re not due for a few years yet. 

In fact I’ll make sure they wait for you, they’re young and have plenty of years.

 

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Big Ten and the BCS: No major changes

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The Big Ten regular season wrapped up last week, so neither Penn State nor Ohio State had a chance to improve in the BCS Standings. Not surprisingly, both teams didn’t budge when the latest standings came out this afternoon. 

As I’ve written many times before, it’s a crime that Penn State remains No. 8 in the BCS standings, behind both Utah and Texas Tech. The Lions are ranked ahead of the Utes and the Red Raiders in the human polls, but they’re a good distance behind No. 5 USC.

Add in a terrible computer average (No. 9), Penn State slips down the BCS standings despite a very impressive regular season. The BCS standing doesn’t really matter, as Penn State no longer remains in the national title hunt and can validate its season by beating USC in the Rose Bowl. 

Ohio State held at No. 10, behind BCS at-large competitor Boise State (No. 9). But the Buckeyes likely will get the nod over the Broncos for the final at-large spot after Oregon State stumbled Saturday night against Oregon. Ohio State isn’t too popular with the computers, either (No. 11). 

Michigan State dropped two spots to No. 21, and Northwestern moved up two spots to No. 22 despite not being ranked in the computer average. How does that happen?

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Should Boise State be in the BCS?

First of all, there are ten BCS spots so it would seem that the top 10 in the BCS should be in a BCS bowl. Boise State will be in the top 10, so they should be in a BCS Bowl.

The talk last year about teams from conferences like the WAC and MWC needing to soften their schedule to Hawaii like levels to improve their chances of an undefeated season and a BCS berth are silenced. Two undefeated teams, Boise State and Ball State, are likely to miss the BCS this year because a team with a more difficult schedule sits above them.

TCU will become the first team from outside the big 6 to qualify for an at large spot with a loss, and they did it with two losses. They would certainly have been ahead of Ball State with another win, showing even in these conferences differences in schedule can count for more than a single loss in the BCS.

Utah will be higher than Boise State in the BCS and earn the single guaranteed spot. The SEC champion will be in the NCG, and the loser of that game will be in the Sugar Bowl. Either Texas or Oklahoma will play Missouri next week for a chance at the NCG while the other waits to see if they will get an upgrade from the Fiesta Bowl, which would then go to Missouri. Virginia Tech will play Boston College for an Orange Bowl spot where they will play Cincinnati.

With a win over UCLA, USC would earn a Rose Bowl berth against Penn State. With a loss Oregon State would win the tie breaker (Oregon would be eliminated when record vs teams with as many conference wins as California are examined, and Oregon State wins the two way tie with USC), but USC’s perception would be greatly tarnished with the loss. For now lets assume they win.

Utah looks set for the Fiesta Bowl. This leaves the Sugar Bowl with a choice between Boise State and Ohio State. A precedent will be set.

Never before had a BCS Bowl been forced to choose to select between a team outside the Big 6 and a lower ranked historical power. Every time a lower ranked team has been selected it has involved a historical tie in for a bowl or Notre Dame. Neither of those would be in play this time, though the assumption has always been that the outsider would draw the short lot. This year the BCS will be forced to make that choice.

Make up your mind. Is the BCS system good enough to use as a conference tie breaker and seed the National Championship game, or is it an arbitrary ranking imposed on college football that should be ignored? If the BCS ignores it in this case, what signal does that send?

Perhaps Boise State did not play the likes of USC. One could argue, neither did Ohio State. I would like to see Penn State vs Oregon.

And before you try to use Hawaii against them, remember Boise State has been here before and won. Boise State sold their tickets to the Fiesta Bowl, and would sell their share again. They travel VERY well, often setting attendance records at opponents stadiums in their conference games. And that is for the regular season. Does anyone question whether the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (after 2006) got higher TV ratings than this years Orange Bowl will get?

Does anyone outside of the Buckeye State want to see Ohio State play a third SEC team in as many years? Isn’t it time to let someone else take a shot? Isn’t it time Boise State learned what SEC football was like? Or maybe it is time for the East coast to learn what Boise State football is all about.

And if USC loses to UCLA, and it is a three way tie for an at large spot? Does that not diminish both USC and Ohio State? If USC can’t beat a team thats not going to a Bowl, do they deserve a spot in a premier bowl? How do you let Oregon State, Cincinnati and Virginia Tech or Boston college in and leave out a top ten undefeated conference champion?

If a conference champion as low as #20 (Pittsbugh in 2004) can get into one of the four premier bowls, certainly a conference champion in the top 10 should get into one of the five premier bowls.

Boise State should be in a BCS bowl this year.

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"The Man" Angered By Obama: College Football and Sylvester Croom Pay The Price

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Video: Game-Changing Nominees, Week 14

Rece Davis looks at this week’s top four game-changing performances in college football.

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New Indiana AD backs Lynch

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Despite a growing clamor among fans to sack Indiana head football coach Bill Lynch, the chance for a coaching change seemed slim after a 3-9 season. Not only had Indiana rewarded Lynch with a contract extension a year ago, but the school’s new athletic director, Fred Glass, wasn’t taking over until Jan. 2. Plus, Indiana was paying hefty salaries to two basketball coaches (Tom Crean and Kelvin Sampson).

The chances for a chance went from slim to none Friday as Glass backed Lynch in an interview with The Indianapolis Star.

“Bill Lynch is and will be the football coach at Indiana University moving forward,” Glass said. “My view is last year Indiana University entered into a contract with Bill Lynch to coach our football team with an expressed promise really to give him an opportunity to get our football program to where we want it to be. And it seems to me that to fire him after one year (of a four-year extension) would not be giving him that promised opportunity. I really think contracts need to mean something again at Indiana University.”

Glass met with Lynch on Wednesday and affirmed his faith in the coach, who is under contract through 2011. The AD-in-waiting spoke publicly in response to concerns about negative recruiting.

Indiana has a strong group of verbal commitments lined up for 2009.

“We’ve been hearing that our competitors had been trying to exploit the athletic director transition as well as the supposed uncertainty around the football program,” Glass said. “With that, I concluded that instead of waiting until after I was actually the AD, though it’s a little awkward, that I was the only person who could really speak to that with authority.”

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Samford can’t score in 59-22 loss to Ohio St.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Thad Matta gave a halftime talk that was unique after his Ohio State Buckeyes…
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Week #14 Open Thread

I’m mostly-AFK this holiday weekend tending to family business, but that’s no reason we can’t have a non-Ohio State playin’ Open Thread. If nothing else, make sure you catch the OU/Okie State game and have a third helping of turkey and stuffing!

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A Buck Of A Day

Buckeye fans could not have asked for anything more on Saturday. Scarlet and Gray Nation first got to see the basketball Buckeyes put on a defensive show, defeating Samford 59-22, and later capped off their day by watching Oregon defeat Oregon State 65-38 in the Civil War, to keep OSU’s BCS dreams alive. It was a great day to be a Buckeye and here are some notes from each part of the day.

Basketball

When you give up 6 points in a half of basketball you know you are doing something right. The Buckeyes put forth another solid defensive effort, and once again spread the wealth across the board on the offensive side of the ball to defeat the Samford Bulldogs 59-22 in front of 13,000+ fans at Value City Arena. Evan Turner lead the Buckeyes with 16 points, 4 assists, and a career high 13 rebounds, as Dallas Lauderdale added 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the victory.Heralded freshman BJ Mullens came off the bench once agai, tallying 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals in 18 minutes of play. Mullens is clearly being eased into the college game, but the Bucks are going to need him against a very tough Miami (FL) squad on Tuesday night in Coral Gables. The game against the Hurricanes is the first of a tough three game stretch that also includes Notre Dame (Dec. 6, 4 p.m., Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis) and Butler (Dec. 13, 12 p.m., Value City Arena).

Football

The Oregon State Beavers gave the Buckeyes BCS hope, as the Oregon Rushing attack was too much for Mike Riley’s squad. Jeremiah Johnson (17-219-1) and LeGarrette Blount (17-112-1) lead the ground attack, and QB Jeremiah Masoli (11/17-274-3 TD passing; 12-53-1 rushing) lead the Ducks through the air, en route to a 65-38 rout of their in-state rivals. The Oregon win puts USC atop the Pac-10 standings, and a win against UCLA next week will lock the league title up for the Trojans, sending them to Pasadena to face-off against Penn State on New Year’s Day. The Trojans advance to the Rose Bowl, also opens up the last at-large spot in the BCS for Ohio State (10-2, 7-1) or Boise State (12-0, 8-0 WAC). Boise State was ranked #9 in the nation coming into their Friday night game against Fresno State, which saw a close first half turn into a 61-10 Broncos rout. Boise State would normally recieve an automatic bid for being in the top 12 of the BCS standings, but Utah Stands ahead of the Broncos, ranked at #6 in the BCS polls. The Broncos certainly have a good case to get in, marking the first time two non-BCS teams would play in BCS games, but the Buckeyes will plead a case of their own. Ohio State is 10-2 overall, with their only losses coming to the Rose Bowl participants in USC and Penn State. The Buckeyes are co-Big Ten champions, and are 8-1 since Terrelle Pryor has become the starting quarter back. More importantly, the Buckeyes are one of the best traveling teams in the country, and with money being a big target, become a likely candidate for the last at-large spot. While both the Broncos and the Buckeyes will try to state their case for playing in either (most likely) the Sugar Bowl or Fiesta Bowl, all either team can do is wait till next Sunday, when the BCS selections will be made. Could there be any more reasons to have a playoff in College Football?

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