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Just thought I might share what little understanding I have of the B.S. polls... Oh excuse, me did I say that, I meant BCS polls.
It is this complicated system that is done by the computer and by people. It seems unfair at times, but it is the best system we have.
Whoever said that LSU would drop after beating GA for the second time, I don't think that was right. That won't happen, why would we be penalized for beating a top 5 team twice? If anything it will help us in the coaches polls. Even the people who doubted that we outplayed Georgia the first time really had to eat their words after last night.
USC's strength of schedule is dropping because of two other games played last night.
So to answer your question of what makes one team better than another, it has to do with who you play, how well you play and a little bit of when you play them. Although all these things go into it, it isn't always the computer who looks at the full picture. For instance, the computer doesn't look at how bad one team won or lost, although people do. Like take for instance Oklahoma, that probably won't bring them down that much in the computer polls, but it might in the coaches/ap polls.
"From my vantage point in the Georgia Dome pressbox Saturday night, this is what I could tell you according to theories laid out by ESPN's BCS analyst, Brad Edwards:
If USC goes to No. 1 in the AP and coaches' polls, the Trojans needed Oklahoma to drop only to No. 2 in the polls and LSU to stay at No. 3. In that case, USC would play Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and LSU would be shunted off to one of the other three BCS bowls: the Rose, Fiesta or Orange. Probably still the Rose, but who can really say?
Before Saturday I was thinking the SEC champion was a lock for the Rose because the Fiesta Bowl was expected to strongly consider taking Texas to preserve the bowl's Big 12 tie-in. But now Kansas State as Big 12 champion will automatically be invited to the Fiesta.
Now what if USC moves up to No. 1 in the polls, LSU moves up to No. 2 and Oklahoma falls all the way to No. 3? It is entirely possible that LSU and Oklahoma would be the top two teams in the BCS standings and play each other in the Sugar Bowl while USC -- No. 1 in both polls, mind you -- is forced to play in the Rose Bowl.
What will become of the BCS computer rankings? The last time I saw the seven BCS computers they were shuffling off toward Buckhead, looking to tie one on. But once they sober up, LSU is expected to be No. 1 in at least six of the seven.
By the way, LSU's rematch with Georgia boosted the Tigers' over USC in terms of BCS strength of schedule. Did it boost them into the Sugar Bowl? LSU coach Nick Saban couldn't say.
"I think our team deserves the opportunity to play for a national championship," Saban said. "But the system we have is not perfect. We've taken care of business this season with only one loss, but if we wouldn't have had that loss (to Florida) we wouldn't be in this place."
However, you can believe Saban's No. 1 vote in the coaches' poll will be for LSU.
As for my vote in the AP poll, going into the weekend I had Oklahoma at No. 1, LSU at No. 2 and USC at No. 3.
Given the number of quality teams LSU has beaten -- including the most difficult of all possible rematches against No. 5-ranked Georgia in the Georgia Dome -- I will vote LSU No. 1. I'll have USC at No. 2 and drop Oklahoma down to at least No. 3, though I'll have to give 10-2 Michigan some consideration for that spot.
LSU deserves the No. 1 ranking over USC based on the fact it played and defeated more top 25 teams. LSU deserves the No. 1 ranking over Oklahoma because the Tigers won their conference, something the Sooners utterly failed to do. And LSU only lost by 12 points to a quality Florida team, not by 28 to Kansas State.
What I can't tell you is whether one of three deserving teams will lose its chance to have a shot at the national championship or whether all three will be in the running.
I can tell you this: this is the biggest mess in college football since Teddy Roosevelt saved the game from extinction a century ago. And the only thing that should be extinct now is the current BCS system."
Hope this will shed some light and anyone feel free to correct me.
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