It's time for December Dorkiness!
Let me preface this post by saying that I *HEART* overly complicated sports organization systems. The UEFA club coefficient system is a perfect example. That said, I think the BCS is retarded. For those of you who aren't familiar, here's a bit of background.
Until about 1998, the NCAA Division I-A (American rules) football national champions were determed by vote. And two different groups of people were polled (coaches and sportswriters), which meant that it was entirely possible to have *TWO* national champions in the same season. To end this problem, they devised the Bowl Championship Series in the late 90's so that most of the top-ranked teams would have to play each other eat least once. This was supposed to end the problem of joint national champions by forcing the #1 and #2 teams to play each other in a death match. That said, the national champions are still decided by vote. In theory, the voters are obliged to select the winner of the Top 2 matchup as #1 on their final ballot. However, after a particularly close-run season and a nasty bowl season, we still wound up with joint national champions after the 2003-2004 season. FNERGH!
The BCS, as far as I can tell, has been slightly different every year, but this year the system is as follows.
There are five games in the Series; the BCS Championship Game, the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl.
The other teams to be selected for these games will be from among the following list:
1. The champions of the following conferences; Big 10, Southeastern, Big East, Big XII, Atlantic Coast, and Pac-10
2. Any other Division I-A conference champions that finishes in the Top 12 (or Top 16, if one of the above is ranked 17 or lower) of the BCS ranking.
3. Notre Dame, if they finish in the Top 8 of the BCS ranking.
4. Any other teams in the Top 10 of the BCS ranking, in order, that haven't already qualified.
These teams are currently:
1. Ohio State (Big 10), Florida or Arkansas (SEC), Louisville, Rutgers, or West Virginia (Big East), Nebraska or Oklahoma (Big XII)Wake Forest or Georgia Tech (ACC), and USC (Pac-10).
2. Boise State
3. None
4. Most likely Michigan, LSU, and Wisconsin
The games themselves are committed to selecting the following teams
BCSCG: #1 v #2
Rose Bowl: Big 10 champion v Pac-10 champion
Sugar Bowl: SEC champion v other
Orange Bowl: ACC champion v other
Fiesta Bowl: Big XII champion v other
As it happens, the Big 10 champion and the Pac-10 champion are currently ranked #1 and #2, so they'll play each other in the BCSCG instead, and the Rose Bowl will feature any other Big-10 and Pac-10 teams that might qualify.
Where does all this leave us? With a most-likely BCS lineup as follows.
BCSCG: Ohio State v USC
Rose Bowl: Michigan v LSU
Sugar Bowl: Florida v Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech v Louisville
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma v Boise St
I can't wait!
Until about 1998, the NCAA Division I-A (American rules) football national champions were determed by vote. And two different groups of people were polled (coaches and sportswriters), which meant that it was entirely possible to have *TWO* national champions in the same season. To end this problem, they devised the Bowl Championship Series in the late 90's so that most of the top-ranked teams would have to play each other eat least once. This was supposed to end the problem of joint national champions by forcing the #1 and #2 teams to play each other in a death match. That said, the national champions are still decided by vote. In theory, the voters are obliged to select the winner of the Top 2 matchup as #1 on their final ballot. However, after a particularly close-run season and a nasty bowl season, we still wound up with joint national champions after the 2003-2004 season. FNERGH!
The BCS, as far as I can tell, has been slightly different every year, but this year the system is as follows.
There are five games in the Series; the BCS Championship Game, the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and the Fiesta Bowl.
The other teams to be selected for these games will be from among the following list:
1. The champions of the following conferences; Big 10, Southeastern, Big East, Big XII, Atlantic Coast, and Pac-10
2. Any other Division I-A conference champions that finishes in the Top 12 (or Top 16, if one of the above is ranked 17 or lower) of the BCS ranking.
3. Notre Dame, if they finish in the Top 8 of the BCS ranking.
4. Any other teams in the Top 10 of the BCS ranking, in order, that haven't already qualified.
These teams are currently:
1. Ohio State (Big 10), Florida or Arkansas (SEC), Louisville, Rutgers, or West Virginia (Big East), Nebraska or Oklahoma (Big XII)Wake Forest or Georgia Tech (ACC), and USC (Pac-10).
2. Boise State
3. None
4. Most likely Michigan, LSU, and Wisconsin
The games themselves are committed to selecting the following teams
BCSCG: #1 v #2
Rose Bowl: Big 10 champion v Pac-10 champion
Sugar Bowl: SEC champion v other
Orange Bowl: ACC champion v other
Fiesta Bowl: Big XII champion v other
As it happens, the Big 10 champion and the Pac-10 champion are currently ranked #1 and #2, so they'll play each other in the BCSCG instead, and the Rose Bowl will feature any other Big-10 and Pac-10 teams that might qualify.
Where does all this leave us? With a most-likely BCS lineup as follows.
BCSCG: Ohio State v USC
Rose Bowl: Michigan v LSU
Sugar Bowl: Florida v Wisconsin
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech v Louisville
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma v Boise St
I can't wait!