BCS Projections

[RazorHawk]

Arkansas versus Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.....Not a bad pairing....Nutt versus the school that allowed him to get back to his roots.

I sure hope not. That is a game there would be no upside for the Razorbacks. Beating Boise St would not do anything, but a loss would be totally devastating. It would be a classic NO WIN situation.

On the flip side for Boise St, this would be a great opportunity.

PS You can have Houston Nutt back.

[donovan]

Arkansas versus Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.....Not a bad pairing....Nutt versus the school that allowed him to get back to his roots.

I sure hope not. That is a game there would be no upside for the Razorbacks. Beating Boise St would not do anything, but a loss would be totally devastating. It would be a classic NO WIN situation.

On the flip side for Boise St, this would be a great opportunity.

PS You can have Houston Nutt back.

We have had good Coaches since him, but he took over in a very difficult situation and did well. Acutally...he was one of the people that truly took and interest in the players as students as well as athletes.( Son played for him there)....One of the reason Boises program has been better is because of Coach selection. Downside...no on is going to stay there long. Peterson is up for Coach of the Year.....may or may not make it or deserve, but you absolutely know that big school offers will come in. And all that have left have not faired all that well....but...they have gone to some pretty screwed up programs....and frankly.... you will see more and more of that. Coaches that can clean up programs will keep their jobs.. ..That is the other side of sports.........Anyway...Could Boise beat Arkansas....could go either way... Arkansas 21- Boise St 19...half time score.......stay tuned

[RazorHawk]

Boise. Do you really think a matchup between Boise St and Arkansas would be a toss up. My guess is the line would be double-digits and with that line, the game might be a toss-up.

In 2000 (6-6 season) Hogs struggled with the Broncos (10-2) and won 38-31
In 2002 (8-5 season) Hogs won easily whipped the Broncos (12-1) 41-14

I realize past performance does not mean everything, but it may be an indication of relative strengths of the two programs. Both years Arkansas played Boise the Broncos were having great seasons, while the Hogs were not much above .500. In 2000, Arkansas would have been below .500 had it not been for the win versus Boise St.

Hopefully we will not find out how they would do this year. As I stated before, this game would be a no-win situation for Arkansas.

[Dossenator]

Razorhawk...I agree it would be a no win situation for Arkansas. If Arknasas was to make it into a BCS game then they would need to play a top tier team. That would give them the chance to prove they are a top team...and if they lose in a game like that then the damage is less.

If they were to play a Boise State and win then everyone would say well they were supposed to...it does not mean that Arkansas is good.

I do hope Boise makes a BCS game....I would love to see them get thrashed by about 30 points by someone like Texas, USC, etc. so everyone could see they do not belong there yet. And if they were to win a game like then I will eat my words....but I don't see it happening.

[Eric]

I would cheer for Boise State to win (not against Arkansas), but if they played a annual powerhouse, they wouldn't have much of a chance. Teams like Texas and Florida would win handily.

[donovan]

Will be interesting to see where Louisville ends up in the polls.

This is where the computer people have the arguments on their side.

Last week in the Harris poll, one voter put West Virginia number one and Ohio State number three. Voting this kind of agenda starts right now and what you will see is the politicing begin. Non traditional power schools creeping up in the polls, Rutgers, Boise, Louisville is not what the BCS people want.........so let the games begin.

[RazorHawk]

Well, Tennessee doesn't have to win the SEC title to be a BCS team. All they have to do is finish with 1 loss and have Florida do the dirty work. I think Florida wins the SEC but because Tennessee would only have one loss, they would get into the BCS over a 2-loss Auburn team.

I would love to see UT finish with one loss. I don't think we will beat both LSU and Arkansas, especially Arkansas. I say all of this will the hope that Ainge is healthy and able to play. Here it is Thursday and it appears that he might play some, but who knows (except those in K'ville who aren't saying). But even if Ainge and all of the other dinged up players were at full speed for these two games I don't think the Vols have the mules in the DL to stop Arkansas. Obviously, if you believe what you hear and read, LSU has the most talent in the league if not the whole country. I would not be at all suprised to see the Vols lose both of these games.

Leo, I hope you take care of LSU today and the Hogs win at South Carolina. Sounds like if that happens, not only will the Vols be in Fayetteville next Saturday, but also ESPN Gameday.

[Jason G]

I have a question for everyone (but especially Spence and Eric) concerning Ohio State, Michigan, and the BCS.

Throughout their histories Big Ten Teams have always made it their goal to reach the Rose Bowl. This changed a little recently with the advent of the BCS championship game but still the Rose Bowl was a major goal if your ranking wasn't #1 or #2. This year, however, looks to be quite different with respect to the Rose Bowl.

It seems almost a certainty that the OSU-Michigan loser will end up in the Rose Bowl and be a disappointed team to be there. I think this is a great shame! Big ten and Pac-10 schools should never be disappointed with the Rose Bowl just as SEC teams should never be disappointed with the Sugar or Big XII with the Orange, etc...

Therefore, my question is this...assuming the OSU-Michigan loser is selected as a BCS team would you rather see them in the Rose Bowl or one of the other BCS bowl games? I'd much rather see the loser on Nov.18 end up in the Sugar, Orange, or Fiesta myself just so that no Big Ten team can see going to the Rose Bowl after coming off a loss that kept them from the conference championship as a dissappointment. To me it isn't that big a deal if you don't have the usual Pac-10 vs. Big Ten matchup if someone from one of those conferences is playing for the national title. Heck, that is the way it has been the last couple years anyway. Does this make any sense to anyone else?

[colorado_loves_football]

I have a question for everyone (but especially Spence and Eric) concerning Ohio State, Michigan, and the BCS.

Throughout their histories Big Ten Teams have always made it their goal to reach the Rose Bowl. This changed a little recently with the advent of the BCS championship game but still the Rose Bowl was a major goal if your ranking wasn't #1 or #2. This year, however, looks to be quite different with respect to the Rose Bowl.

It seems almost a certainty that the OSU-Michigan loser will end up in the Rose Bowl and be a disappointed team to be there. I think this is a great shame! Big ten and Pac-10 schools should never be disappointed with the Rose Bowl just as SEC teams should never be disappointed with the Sugar or Big XII with the Orange, etc...

It will likely be a Pac Ten (champion) vs. Big Ten pairing. How is that 'disappointing'? I guess I dont follow your logic through, at all. Simply because it's not a NC pairing of teams, doesn't make it any less interesting, in my eyes. I've 'suggested' it remain a Pac-Ten vs. Big Ten 'title' pairing, the winner to advance to a 'Final Four' bracket, followed by a NC pairing of teams.

Therefore, my question is this...assuming the OSU-Michigan loser is selected as a BCS team would you rather see them in the Rose Bowl or one of the other BCS bowl games? I'd much rather see the loser on Nov.18 end up in the Sugar, Orange, or Fiesta myself just so that no Big Ten team can see going to the Rose Bowl after coming off a loss that kept them from the conference championship as a dissappointment. To me it isn't that big a deal if you don't have the usual Pac-10 vs. Big Ten matchup if someone from one of those conferences is playing for the national title. Heck, that is the way it has been the last couple years anyway. Does this make any sense to anyone else?

Whichever team 'comes up short' will assuredly be represented in the BCS, somewhere. I dont' think it's too much of a 'reach' to presume the 'loser' will be playing in the Rose Bowl, California being the likely Pac-Ten opponent (barring an 'upset'). Otherwise, it's S. California.

[Spence]

It is still the Rose Bowl and IMO the best Bowl out there if you can't go to the championship game. The B-10 #2 will definately be disappointed at not being in the championship game, though. (assuming Michigan and Ohio State win the next two games)

[Jason G]

I agree and in a way that is my point.

I don't have an issue with the second place Big Ten team playing in the Rose Bowl in a normal season but this year it is going to be as if a team "fell to" the Rose Bowl instead. I, for one, think that the Rose Bowl should be something that every Big Ten (and Pac-10) team has as one of their ultimate goals. There shouldn't be someone years from now looking back at a Big Ten school and saying that they had to play in the Rose Bowl because they lost in their last regular season game. That gives the Rose Bowl, which has always been the cream of the crop for the Big Ten, a negative spin for a Big Ten school.

I want to be clear that I am not saying that the second Big Ten team shouldn't go to the BCS just not necessarily the Rose Bowl. There is no shame in going to the Fiesta, Orange, or Sugar Bowl at all and there wouldn't be much, if any, difference in payout money either. I simply would hate to see the Rose Bowl be given a negative spin for anyone in the Big Ten or Pac-10. In the same respect, I'd hate to see an SEC team "back into" the Sugar Bowl and so on. These paricular bowls have always been held in the highest regard by those respective conferences. I'd hate to see that changed or damaged even if in the slightest of ways.

Besides what would be wrong with (for example) the SEC runner up against the Pac-10 champion in the Rose Bowl and the Big Ten runner-up against another BCS conference champion in one of the other BCS bowls? I think no matter how you'd slice it they'd all be excellent matchups and you wouldn't risk any tarnishing of the bowls in the eyes of the conferences to which they have always meant the most.

[Eric]

I'd sure as heck be a happy camper. I'm expecting Michigan to lose anyway. 11-1 is not very bad in my opinion. A big contrast from a 7-5 season in which they lost the Alamo Bowl

The Rose Bowl, like Spence said, is the most classic bowl game that there is. I don't care what anybody else says. It's not just that I'm a fan of a team in the Big 10 (I'm not a "support your conference" person outside of the little guys).

A pairing of Cal and Michigan would be great to see.

[Eric]

I made this edit on the topic post:

"Okay, okay, this is totally wrong, I know

I assumed Missouri would win this week but Nebraska spanked them pretty good. I'm going to substitute Nebraska for Missouri. I think the Cornhuskers will suprise a lot of people when they win the Big 12. Now watch, now that I said that, the Cornhuskers will blow the lead and let Missouri in the championship game

Okay, so this is my new projection*:

Rose Bowl:
Cal vs. Michigan

Sugar Bowl:
Tennessee or Auburn vs. Louisville

Orange Bowl:
Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia

Fiesta Bowl:
Nebraska vs. Notre Dame

BCS Championship:
Ohio State vs. Florida


* means "guesses"

[donovan]

Also, if there is a major upset of a low-ranked team in the 20s, that would open up the door for a one-loss Boise State team. If they lose a game yet maintain a higher ranking than a BCS conference champion, they go. Which is what I'm afraid might happen if Maryland or Nebraska win their respective conferences.
* means "guesses"

If Boise State loses one game....they will be gone in a heartbeat. No one will give them any consideration whatsoever. All they are to most of those in power is an irritation they hope goes away. But after yesterday's games, I think they could play with the best of them.

[Eric]

If they lose to San Jose State next week, for example purposes only, they might get kicked out of the top 25, but if they creep back in there at 11-1, and an unranked Nebraska team upsets a team like Texas in the Big 12 championship game, it's possible. It doesn't matter what the AP and coaches think, it all comes down to the BCS formula. If Boise is ranked 21st and Nebraska is 24th, wouldn't Boise get a BCS invitation? Correct me if I'm wrong.