Spence wrote:I'm not saying it wouldn't help Ohio State. That isn't the point. 12 teams in a conference waters down the conference. If I had my way there would only be eight teams. That would still accomplish your goal of having only one champion because all the teams could play each other. It would also make the conferences stronger. Then no championship game would be needed because there couldn't be any ties.
12 teams is too many. If every conferene would drop the 4 weakest links all conferences would be stronger and the football would be better.
Spence, that's where we disagree. More conferences, in my opinion, would make it harder for the BCS to select viable teams, at any rate. I think you only need to refer to the Big East to see that 8 teams really isn't any better arrangement, than 12. In fact, I think having 12 teams gives a conference an advantage, since talent can be shared, and it also helps a conference establish an identity.
Look at the 'revised' ACC and tell me that they aren't more of a presence, competitively than they were before. Even the Big East, in some respects is a better conference now, than they were prior to Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Miami 'jumping ship' to the ACC.
You might argue otherwise, but I think the results are what matter, competitively they are probably about the same, if not better, but that's probably just my opinion. If they were to include an additional 4 teams, that would likely help them improve, if those teams were exceptionally good, as I believe the case would be with Penn St, Notre Dame, Navy & Marshall.
Whether or not the Big Ten would be 'better' with the additions of Iowa St., and Missouri, is maybe something of a question mark. But, referring to last year, it's hard to debate how it would have affected it, Ohio St. likely would have gone to the Rose Bowl, in a 'typical' year. Why I think that's relevant, is it does 'honor' tradition, while also sending a deserving team to the BCS. And, even in the unlikely event Iowa St, or Missouri should win their division, they would still have to beat the 'best' from the east, or in ohter words, Michigan-Ohio St., would still likely decide who goes, in a 'typical' year.
Think about it, it really would help the Big Ten, from a 'traditional' standpoint, if you're a 'traditionalist'. And I think those teams, Iowa St, and Missouri are good representative teams, at any rate.