College Football

I am not sure about the “two best” teams playing in the conference championship as that just gets back to too much subjective poll based nonsense. I do like the two division winners playing in the championship. When the SEC first implemented the championship format I thought ‘great another way for our teams to eliminate each other’. But what has happened is some loses are more critical than others and teams do not give up on the season after having one loss.

And as far as not all conferences having championship games that is an easy fix. The NCAA simply says if you want to be included adopt this format. The current system with the automatic BCS berths to certain conferences is a joke. I mean does any one want to argue the Big East was a stronger conference this year than the Mountain West?

So what team that has played in the BCS championship game was not a conference champion?

And again the BCS is not about assuring that the ‘best’ teams get to play in the biggest bowls but that No. 1 gets to play No. 2 and the biggest bowls still get to determine their participants to their satisfaction. Remember before the BCS the Boises and Utahs didn’t even get to play in the Sugar Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.

I was in a discussion the other day on a college football board and a guy made a convincing case that the MWC (Utah’s conf) is competititive with the Big10, SEC et at. What he could not make a case for (actually continued to refuse to supply the data for) was that the MWC and the other non-auto bid to a BCS schools were competitive against teams that played in the NCG over the same period. He’d tell me Utah’s record against BCS schools and Florida’s record against BCS schools but not Florida’s record against non-BCS schools.

But that brings us back to my original question  what does National Champion mean with regards to Div-I (FBS) college football? Is it best season? Is it best at the end of the year? Is it best team?

In a seeded playoff would the voters be any less inclined to vote for the match-ups they want to see than they do now with just 1 and 2 playing? If not a seeded playoff what would it really determine? The two best play in the first round leave it all on the field and the winner gets picked off the next week by a team who drew someone they way outclassed?

A playoff just turns college football into the NFL where a six loss team gets to be champion over a team (that beat them already) putting up only the second undefeated regular season ever. No thanks.

@frimmel:

A playoff just turns college football into the NFL where a six loss team gets to be champion over a team (that beat them already) putting up only the second undefeated regular season ever. No thanks.

In the Giant’s defense, you have to understand that they were decimated by injuries in the early part of that season and won the majority of their games as they got healthier. Also, they lost to the Pats by only 3 points. And you have to take into consideration that their pass rush wanted to pound Brady into the turf like a tent peg(and did) and it was pretty clear that the Giants learned more about the Pats in their first meeting than vice versa. Personally, I thought it was the most exciting game I saw played last year. Why wouldn’t you want to see a game like that in college football?

I think using the NFL vs College football is a very bad analogy. Case in point last years Sugar Bowl. Hawaii, undefeated WAC champion vs Georgia, 2nd in the SEC east (but bumped ahead of Florida due to their loss to LSU in the Championship game). Georgia destroyed Hawaii. If Hawaii had played teams the caliber of SEC  teams they would not have been undefeated. I am interested in seeing good football games at the college level between good teams. I don’t care if they have a few loses along the way. The last probably comes from watching football in probably the most competitive conference from top to bottom.

playoff yes and look out for the volunteers, they will be back with the “lane train” rolling into town

So for you guys Champion is ‘playing best at the end of the season’?

I also recall that Florida lost its bowl game to a mediocre Michigan team which makes a44bigdog pressed to say they deserved to be ahead of UGA.

Georgia also beat Florida that year as well. However they had more conference loses than Florida and Florida won the SEC east. While Georgia was probably without a doubt better than Florida they did not take care of their business as they should have and did not win their half of the conference.

Sorry frimmel but I have been a UGA fan since before Herschel Walker played there, and even though my changes would have hurt Georgia last year, they plain and simply did not take care of what needed to be taken care of.

And tc whether the “Lane Train” can get UT back on track or not, there is always Auburn so you guys won’t have to sweat being the worst. Seriously if the powers that be at AU could find a way to screw up that program more it is difficult to see how. Second coach in row paid after he leaves. Hmmm.

@frimmel:

@Jermofoot:

With all the talk about BCS, I wonder why there is need for one.

Also, the game last night was great.  8-)

There wasn’t a need for it. In Div 1 college football the champ has always been ‘mythical.’ The result of a vote. No. 1 rarely played No. 2 in the Rose Bowl or Orange Bowl although No. 1 might be playing in the Rose Bowl and No. 2 in the Orange Bowl.

I don’t have much preference either way, but I find it a ridiculous topic to spend so much time on.  People will complain about the system no matter what.  Look at the NFL this year and complaints about a team with a better record not making it to the playoffs compared to another team with a crappy record in a really weak division.

@ABWorsham:

I know, they knocked my 13-3 Cowboys out of the playoffs!  :oops:
And thats all I will speak of the Dallas Cowboys, I’m still in shock about this year.

Coming from another long time (casual) Cowboy fan, I’m not in shock that Romo choked once again when it counted.  And yes, I put the majority of the blame on him.  Had the offense been good, the minor problems the defense had would not have been so painful.

@frimmel:

So for you guys Champion is ‘playing best at the end of the season’?

I think that would make sense.  A team playing well throughout the season will get honors and benefits (home field advantage, first round bye, etc.) that should assist them/reward in the post season.  I know it’s more pronounced in the NFL, but it does exist to a degree in college.

But really, the season has to end at some point, and you couldn’t crown a champ midway or even before the last game.