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BCS GURU |
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The Sounding Board (DEC. 3, 2006) From Bob … Just as I suspected, USC
gets beat by a motivated UCLA crosstown rival, and Florida sneaks into the
BCS Championship game. The Guru Says … There won’t be a split national championship this season for this reason: Florida also jumped Michigan into the No. 2 spot in the AP poll. The BCS national champion will be the winner of the game on Jan. 8. While the AP is free to vote for its own champion, the AP voters will not vault a No. 3 team over a No. 2 team that just defeated the No. 1 team, no matter how closer or sloppy the title game is. It’s safe to assume the Ohio State-Florida winner will be crowned champion by the AP as well. From Neil … Are there any BCS rules that regulate the number of teams from one conference playing in the BCS games? The Badgers will end up ranked probably 6th or 7th in the BCS rankings with a record of 11-1, and tied for 2nd place in the Big Ten. Talk about no respect. The Guru Says …
There is a rule that prohibits a conference
from sending more than two teams to BCS bowls in any given year. So yes,
the Badgers will end up in the CapitalOne Bowl, even if they finish in
the top 5.
The rule is a bit unfair. Considering that
the Big Ten’s top three teams are 34-2, why shouldn’t it send three
teams?
From Steve …
Great site,
but I have to correct you on one assertion you are currently making –
and that is that USC … "the
Trojans are in position to go for their third national title in four
years".
Actually,
they will be playing for their second. In 2003, the BCS title was won by
LSU in the Sugar Bowl. Sure, the Trojans got the AP nod – but they were
3rd in the BCS final poll that year, and did not play in the BCS game.
It seems highly inaccurate for the BCS Guru to essentially say that the
AP poll – which isn’t even used in the BCS, constitutes a national
championship.
The Trojans
have the opportunity to play for their 2nd in 3 years. Give the LSU
Tigers their due.
The Guru Says …
I must say my assertion is not incorrect
because I wrote "national title," not "BCS title."
The Trojans in 2003 won the AP poll, which
is long considered to be the more prestigious and legitimate poll
whenever there’s a split. While I won’t argue that LSU won a share of
the 2003 title, it would be wrong to say that the Tigers were the sole
champions because they won the BCS title game.
And despite the fact I’m the BCS Guru, I’m
an independent observer not at all influenced by the poobahs who make up
the BCS. And as a former scribe, I am of the belief that as long as
there isn’t a playoff, and as long as the AP poll remains independent of
the BCS system, the champion the AP crowns is just as legitimate (if not
more) than the BCS champion.
From Longhorn John … Is it true that you are
required to win your conference title in order to play in the BCS title
game? If so, is that a new rule? Do you have any links to a legitimate
source that can confirm or deny this? The Guru Says … There is no rule in the BCS setup that requires a team to win its conference to play in the championship game. That was contemplated after the 2001 Nebraska team that failed to win its division (Big 12 North) somehow made it to the title game but the rule change was never implemented. For BCS bylaws, see this link: http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility From Jay … Wanted to ask you what Notre Dame’s situation is. … My understanding is that they need to finish in the top eight instead of the top 12 and won’t get the full bundle of cash. Instead, they get a guaranteed chunk every year. The Guru Says … If the Irish are in the top 8, they are automatically in. and if they’re in the top 14, they will be in the at-large pool. ND, with a 10-2 record, won’t be in the top 8 but definitely will be in the top 14 in the final standings. The Irish will be picked by a BCS bowl as an at-large, most likely the Sugar Bowl. As far as payout, the arrangement used to be ND gets to keep all of the estimated $14-$17 million payout, and not have to share with other conference members. But to reduce the potential annual swing of $10 million, Notre Dame has opted for a lower-risk, lower-return option. The school, beginning this season, gets about $1.5 million every year guaranteed, and adds $4.5 million if the Irish play in a BCS game. From Troy … You list the Fiesta, Rose, Sugar and Orange bowls in the Race for No. 2 page. Since you don’t have the #1 vs. #2 team in any of those bowls, which bowl game will be hosting the National Championship this year? The Guru Says …
This is the first year of the "Double Host"
system, which means the four bowls will be played, and then a week
later, a national championship game will be played between the No. 1 and
No. 2 teams.
This year, the title game will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl (at the new University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the NFL Arizona Cardinals), but it’s not actually the Fiesta Bowl game. And the title game will rotate to the four sites just like before, with Sugar, Orange and Rose (in that order) in the next three years hosting the game. © BCS GURU 2006, All Rights Reserved |