Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin
I have no problem with the automatic placement of BCS champions. I do think that the at-large spots, at least should be opened up. I think this year illustrates that pretty well.
I'd absolutely have Mizzou in rather than KU. Missouri beat Kansas, they beat another BCS team in their OOC. They only losses were to Oklahoma (twice). I don't think KU will do very well against VT. I think Mizzou-VT would have been a hell of a game though.
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While I am not an advocate for the current BCS system, I do appreciate that they are attempting to spread the wealth both literally and figuratively. As such, saying that a conference champion has the right to play in a bowl game *if* it ends up ranked in the BCS top twelve, does have its merits. Otherwise, we would not have had last year's Fiesta Bowl match up. Nor should we say that in hindsight, just because a team gets creamed in their bowl game they did not deserve to be there. We only have to look at Ohio State in last year's BCS title game and/or Oklahoma in the 2004 title game as examples. There are plenty of folk who felt both teams deserved to be in the title game and yet both were soundly defeated.
It does seem that generally speaking, over the years the BCS selection does seem to work. Again to be clear, I am talking all five BCS bowl games (BCS Title, Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar) and not just the BCS Title game. (That is another different discussion.) Basically, the main issue I have with this season's BCS games is that and that Kansas was selected over Missouri for the Orange Bowl. Not that KU does not deserve a BCS game, but just that if only two teams are allowed to go from a conference to a BCS bowl, then I would hope they would be the two "best" teams. The other "minor" issue is that Illinois was selected for the Rose Bowl. But at least I do understand the historical (traditional) reason for the Rose Bowl to take Illinois so that there is a Pacific Ten versus Big Ten match up. So it does not seem like such a bad choice given the tradition of the Rose Bowl.
As such, if we use the BCS premise that all six of the BCS conference champions (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pacific Ten, Southeastern) are guaranteed a BCS bowl (BCS Title, Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar), followed by any other conference (Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West, Sun Belt, Western Athletic) champion that finishes in the BCS top twelve, then if we use the BCS final regular season rankings, only Missouri got screwed. And perhaps Illinois should not have gone to the Rose Bowl. Perhaps Missouri in the Rose and Arizona State in Orange.
guaranteed BCS bowl team bolded
BCS Standings
01
Ohio State - Required to play in the BCS Title game as number one ranked BCS team
02
Louisiana State - Required to play in the BCS Title game as number two ranked BCS team
03
Virginia Tech - ACC Champion, required to play in Orange
04
Oklahoma - Big Twelve Champion, required to play in Fiesta
05 Georgia - at large
06 Missouri
07
Southern California - Pacific Ten Champion, required to play in Rose Bowl
08 Kansas - at large
09
West Virginia - Big East Champion, required to play in *a* BCS bowl
10
Hawaii - Western Athletic Champion, required to play in *a* BCS bowl due to top twelve BCS standing
11 Arizona State
12 Florida
13 Illinois - at large
The same may be said if we use the AP final regular season rankings. Missouri got screwed and Illinois should not have gone to the Rose Bowl.
guaranteed BCS bowl team bolded
AP Standings
01
Ohio State - Required to play in the BCS Title game as number one ranked BCS team
02
Louisiana State - Required to play in the BCS Title game as number two ranked BCS team
03
Oklahoma - Big Twelve Champion, required to play in Fiesta
04 Georgia - at large
05
Virginia Tech - ACC Champion, required to play in Orange
06 Southern California - Pacific Ten Champion, required to play in Rose Bowl
07 Missouri
08 Kansas - at large
09 Florida
10
Hawaii - Western Athletic Champion, required to play in *a* BCS bowl due to top twelve BCS standing
11
West Virginia - Big East Champion, required to play in *a* BCS bowl
12 Arizona State
13 Illinois - at large
The bottom line seems to be that the BCS conferences (Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big Twelve, Pacific Ten, Southeastern) are not going to allow any one conference to have more than two members in a BCS game (BCS Title, Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar). The simple reason being financial. So there was no way that both Missouri and Kansas were going to get a bowl bid. But why Kansas, I do not know.
Touche. 
Linear Mode
