Blame the Big XII: a 12-1 oSu heads to the BCS MNC

[LSUdeek]

Is there any question that a 12-1 oSu team doesn't jump over Alabama simply by virtue of the extra game against a Nebraska or K-State? They may have had a unanimous lead in the computers.

[Okie35]

A one loss team w/o a conference ship has gone to the MNC game before.

[8timechamps]

If I'm blaming anyone, it'll be ESPN. They got what they wanted.

If I'm a LSU fan, I'm just praying we don't lose to Bama. Wouldn't that suck? (seriously). You already beat them at their place, that should've been enough.

[SoonerMom2]

You are so right! I thought the same thing -- that OU/OSU game was no different than the AL/AU game -- neither was a championship game. With a 10-team league some worried about this and were told by the Big 12 it won't make any difference as we will move our games to championship weekend. Guess what? It made a huge difference because if he had been a championship game in Jerry's World, they would have jumped AL! If we don't go back to 12 teams, this is going to happen again IMHO!

[Okie35]

If I'm blaming anyone, it'll be ESPN. They got what they wanted.

If I'm a LSU fan, I'm just praying we don't lose to Bama. Wouldn't that suck? (seriously). You already beat them at their place, that should've been enough.

Yup ESPN screamed rematch and I think it'll be bad no matter who wins.

[Sabanball]

Is there any question that a 12-1 oSu team doesn't jump over Alabama simply by virtue of the extra game against a Nebraska or K-State? They may have had a unanimous lead in the computers.

Deek,

We Bama fans know none of you want to play us again--Tigerdroppings is practically in meltdown mode because of it--but the voters and the system think otherwise. Here's hoping for a good, clean game with no injuries.

Trust me when I say we know our way to the superdome and NO--and how to get the tickets.:subdued:..... RTR

[Sooner5030]

I can't believe our athletic conference took the short term known gain ($/10 vs $/12) over the indirect short and long term costs (true champ game).

everyone makes short term decision because they are rewarded on short term success. The 5 to 7 to 12 year plans are no longer a possibility in our connected world.

[LSUdeek]

Deek,

We Bama fans know none of you want to play us again--Tigerdroppings is practically in meltdown mode because of it--but the voters and the system think otherwise. Here's hoping for a good, clean game with no injuries.

Trust me when I say we know our way to the superdome and NO--and how to get the tickets.:subdued:..... RTR

I'm a long term member on 3 LSU boards and this board. Try not to get me confused with most TD members. I'm here sympathizing with the Big 12 mindset while still confident that we can beat y'all a second time.

EDIT: And I don't know if you are a member of Tidefans, but I find it hysterical that Earle still has ALL LSU fans banned. What a poon.

[wishbonesooner]

I'm afraid you are correct, a watered down Big 12 has already cost a team a BCS shot.

[OUinFLA]

Look on the bright side deek, if you beat Alabama again, espn will declare you guys the greatest team of the century, if not the greatest team of all time.

[Sabanball]

I'm a long term member on 3 LSU boards and this board. Try not to get me confused with most TD members. I'm here sympathizing with the Big 12 mindset while still confident that we can beat y'all a second time.

EDIT: And I don't know if you are a member of Tidefans, but I find it hysterical that Earle still has ALL LSU fans banned. What a poon.

I see...Well, I spent 10 yrs living in OK. I have great respect for the Sooner program, hence the reason I come here often as well.

I think OSU has a great team, and in most years their body of work would have been good enough to get them into the title game, but their late loss to Iowa ST is what hurt them. I think the BCS got it right--the two best teams will play on Jan. 9, 2012.

To put an OU twist on it, back in 1978 I remember Nebraska beat the Sooners in the regular season because of Billy Sims fumbling the game away up in Lincoln. Yet, at the end of the season the Orange Bowl decided there should be a rematch. Nebraska and their coach Tom Osborne, were as I remember it outraged. They were saying many of the things that LSU fans were saying now. OU went on to pound Nebraska in that rematch game 31-24, in a game not nearly as close as its final score. Could something similar happen next month?

[soonerlaw]

Here's my question. What if LSU and Bama were in different divisions in the SEC and played in the SEC championship game yesterday with the same 9-6 result as opposed to playing in the regular season. At the end, would the voters still want to see a rematch of the SEC championship game in the MNC?

[Sooner_Tuf]

I'll be rooting for Tide, no doubt about it. While I think it's possible Alabama wins I don't think it's very likely.
The game should be moved to one of the other BCS Game locations. Then I would like Bama's chances a whole lot more.

[bluedogok]

To put an OU twist on it, back in 1978 I remember Nebraska beat the Sooners in the regular season because of Billy Sims fumbling the game away up in Lincoln. Yet, at the end of the season the Orange Bowl decided there should be a rematch. Nebraska and their coach Tom Osborne, were as I remember it outraged. They were saying many of the things that LSU fans were saying now. OU went on to pound Nebraska in that rematch game 31-24, in a game not nearly as close as its final score. Could something similar happen next month?
"The Face" clip never gets old on this side of that old rivalry...


http://youtu.be/O8tcxfQ3_bs

[mdklatt]

Take out the 'S' and they (we) go at 11-1. They were hurt in the eyes of the human voters by not being an established name. Losing to Iowa State didn't help either, so don't feel too bad for them. You lose a game, you takes your chances.

[mdklatt]

Here's my question. What if LSU and Bama were in different divisions in the SEC and played in the SEC championship game yesterday with the same 9-6 result as opposed to playing in the regular season. At the end, would the voters still want to see a rematch of the SEC championship game in the MNC?

Probably not. Aside from being ignorant and biased, the human voters also have short-term memory. And yet when the computers disagree with the voters it's obviously the computers that are wrong. :rolleyes:

[Serge Ibaka]

Fact: if Texas* has a season identical to OSU (same players, etc.), they would be heading to the NCG. OSU stayed at #3 because of the name on their helmet.

I would say Oklahoma in addition to Texas*, but our tradition might not have been enough to overcome our reputation for BCS-letdowns.

[batonrougesooner]

Blame Baylor. They screwed OSU out of the MNC. Blame Tech as well.

Defeating an undefeated or possibly even one loss OU would have put OSU over the edge. This was supposed to be the defacto conference championship game. It was but without the expected hype.

Ironically ultimately it was OU who screwed OSU out of the game by their crappy loses.

[Sooner5030]

Blame Baylor. They screwed OSU out of the MNC. Blame Tech as well.

Defeating an undefeated or possibly even one loss OU would have put OSU over the edge. This was supposed to be the defacto conference championship game. It was but without the expected hype.

Ironically ultimately it was OU who screwed OSU out of the game by their crappy loses.

haven't posted it yet but I really think that Tuberville put all his plans/work/ideas/everything into beating OU......at the expense of everything else......horrible

[TitoMorelli]

Fact: if Texas* has a season identical to OSU (same players, etc.), they would be heading to the NCG. OSU stayed at #3 because of the name on their helmet.

I would say Oklahoma in addition to Texas*, but our tradition might not have been enough to overcome our reputation for BCS-letdowns.

Fact? We have no idea what would have happened under those circumstances. The number 2 spot was Oklahoma State's to keep or lose in November, and they lost it.

If Alabama was good enough to have been voted #2 after last week - when we already knew that they wouldn't be playing in their conference's championship game - then they shouldn't have been penalized this week for not having a game. That the Cowboys finished so close to Alabama in the final ratings most likely says more about some of the fickle voters' distaste for a rematch than it does their feelings about who the best two teams in the country are.

[SoonerMom2]

Truthfully if I was a voter, I would have lowered OSU after Pickens comments he wants an investigation if they didn't get in the NCG and the fans rioting. That was totally classless. If they got in the NCG and won, would they burn down Stillwater? Maybe the voters didn't want them tearing up the Super Dome and hotel rooms in New Orleans the way they acted last night. When I found out 13 people were hurt with two critical, I wouldn't want to be around that mob.

[SoonerMom2]

I am rooting for Alabama all the way. When traveling through the south on several occasions, found Alabama fans to be the best by far. Same when they were here for their game. They were a group of classy people who love their football and hope that we act the same way. At the Sun Bowl the security people kept telling us how much El Paso enjoyed the class of the Sooner fans and how polite we were. They did not like the arrogance of Stanford at all. El Paso football fans were with the Sooners in that game.

[GreenSooner]

Truthfully if I was a voter, I would have lowered OSU after Pickens comments he wants an investigation if they didn't get in the NCG and the fans rioting. That was totally classless. If they got in the NCG and won, would they burn down Stillwater? Maybe the voters didn't want them tearing up the Super Dome and hotel rooms in New Orleans the way they acted last night. When I found out 13 people were hurt with two critical, I wouldn't want to be around that mob.

So the classiness of boosters should help determine the MNC? I guess that's no more ridiculous than the BCS itself.

Three good things can come out of OSU getting totally screwed:

1) The BCS gets even more discredited...this time in a way that may lead conferences other than the SEC to support some sort of playoff.

2) It will send a shot across the bow of Neinas and the Big XII Lite powers-that-be. A ten-team conference whose greatest claim to fame is two storied programs plus a general sense that it's not quite as weak as the Big East won't be able to get one-win teams into the MNC. This will, in turn, hurt recruiting, maybe not for us or the Whorns, but certainly for all the middling programs in the conference. The Big XII needs to find (at least) two other quality programs, or Texas and OU need to go to a conference that not only is competitive but is seen as being competitive.

3) This will drive the Pokes and their fans crazy. They may never get within shouting distance of a Big XII title again...let alone a national championship.

Unfortunately #1 won't happen.

And #2 is a long-shot, sad to say.

But I have a feeling that we're all gonna enjoy #3 for years to come!

[tooslow]

Nick Saban definitely used the system to help his team stay #2. He voted OSU #4, along with Gary Pinkel and a few others. OSU even received a #5 vote. The problem with making votes public is that you can bet that coaches will mark down those they felt slighted their teams. Heck, maybe Gundy slighted Saban or one of the other others and this is their payback.

The SEC is still looked at as the best Conference, by far. However, for the first time in the past 8 years, they did not finish #1 in the final Conference Power rankings. This was not one of those years where SEC teams were in a dog fight every weekend. It reminded me of how the Big XII has usually been. 2 dominant teams, with a few good and crappy teams sprinkled in.

I still feel that LSU is hands down the best team in the country. It would be nice to see if the SEC Champ could still beat the best team from outside the Conference. One fact will be that an SEC team will both win and lose in the BCS championship game this year. If Bama wins, the whole theory that the SEC Champ is the best team in the Nation will be shot.

[delhalew]

One thing got Bama in the game...voter bias. Sorry SB, ya'll didn't earn it this year. The SEC was too down to match up to B12 schedule. Having the bestest loss is nothing to hang your hat on.

Fortunately for you, the BCS gave away what little integrity it had left.

[SoonerMom2]

Is there any question that a 12-1 oSu team doesn't jump over Alabama simply by virtue of the extra game against a Nebraska or K-State? They may have had a unanimous lead in the computers.

First of all it is an 11-1 OSU team because there was no conference championship game -- there was a regular season game to determine who won the Big 12. There is the difference. As I keep stating, there was no difference between AL/AU then there was between OU/OSU -- both regular conference games.

Big 12 got too cute in thinking they could move games to the same weekend as actual championship games between the teams for two divisions and it didn't work for them any better then it worked for the Big East. Short sighted and narrow mindedness caused this to happen. It would have been different if the Big 10 and PAC 12 had not gone to conference championships -- they stepped up to the plate and the Big 12 stepped back.

[SoonerMom2]

But I have a feeling that we're all gonna enjoy #3 for years to come!

Definitely!

I am not kidding on voters if you saw Pickens threatening to investigate the BCS and crazed fans rioting so much to have two in critical condition, you might think twice as a voter -- may not be right but this whole BCS system has been screwed since they kept tweaking to weaken strength of schedule.

[Sooners78]

haven't posted it yet but I really think that Tuberville put all his plans/work/ideas/everything into beating OU......at the expense of everything else......horrible

He's still sore at OU for what happened 7 years ago.

[Sooners78]

Nick Saban definitely used the system to help his team stay #2. He voted OSU #4, along with Gary Pinkel and a few others. OSU even received a #5 vote. The problem with making votes public is that you can bet that coaches will mark down those they felt slighted their teams. Heck, maybe Gundy slighted Saban or one of the other others and this is their payback.

The SEC is still looked at as the best Conference, by far. However, for the first time in the past 8 years, they did not finish #1 in the final Conference Power rankings. This was not one of those years where SEC teams were in a dog fight every weekend. It reminded me of how the Big XII has usually been. 2 dominant teams, with a few good and crappy teams sprinkled in.









I still feel that LSU is hands down the best team in the country. It would be nice to see if the SEC Champ could still beat the best team from outside the Conference. One fact will be that an SEC team will both win and lose in the BCS championship game this year. If Bama wins, the whole theory that the SEC Champ is the best team in the Nation will be shot.

Bama only lost by 3 points in overtime to the team that you say is hands down the best team in the country. I even argue that Bama outplayed LSU for much of the game. They are definitely the 2 best teams in the country. OSU's defense has been too inconsistent. Bama's defense has been outstanding even in their one loss. That being said, I would love to see a playoff so that it could be settled on the field. Defense wins championships (something I thought Stoops strongly believed 10 years ago), but it would be fun to see what Weeden and Blackmon could do against LSU or Bama.

[LSUdeek]

First of all it is an 11-1 OSU team because there was no conference championship game -- there was a regular season game to determine who won the Big 12. There is the difference. As I keep stating, there was no difference between AL/AU then there was between OU/OSU -- both regular conference games.

Big 12 got too cute in thinking they could move games to the same weekend as actual championship games between the teams for two divisions and it didn't work for them any better then it worked for the Big East. Short sighted and narrow mindedness caused this to happen. It would have been different if the Big 10 and PAC 12 had not gone to conference championships -- they stepped up to the plate and the Big 12 stepped back.

I'm confused. You replied to my OP and are now correcting me. We are on the same page. :)

[Sabanball]

Maybe now the Big 12 will be FOR a 'plus-1' system, like the SEC offered up three years ago and your conference/Dan Beebe soundly rejected.

Bama has nothing to apologize for --we were one of the two best teams chosen by the system that WE ALL signed onto and we deserve to play in the game.

[LSUdeek]

A plus one system wouldn't work this year. How can Stanford get into the game over Oregon? It doesn't fix anything!

[GreenSooner]

Bama has nothing to apologize for --we were one of the two best teams chosen by the system that WE ALL signed onto and we deserve to play in the game.

I don't think anyone is blaming Bama. You're entirely correct that the system is what the system is and (tautologically) whatever the system produces is the system's correct result. Though the fact that all but one of the computer "polls" use proprietary algorithms means that everyone signed onto the system blind.

What those of us who are upset are saying is that the fact that the system puts Bama in the BCS Championship Game is yet more evidence that the system makes no sense and that it needs to be changed.

[Sabanball]

A plus one system wouldn't work this year. How can Stanford get into the game over Oregon? It doesn't fix anything!

Deek,

Like the BCS, it would not be without flaws but it would be a step closer to a true playoff system. I'm actually happy with the current system because more times than not the BCS has got it right by ultimately matching the TWO BEST TEAMS in the end, but OUR conference DID offer up an alternative plan and the Big 12 rejected it--I'm just pointing that out to them since they seem to think now that the BCS system should be junked.

[gernblansten]

Deek,

Like the BCS, it would not be without flaws but it would be a step closer to a true playoff system. I'm actually happy with the current system because more times than not the BCS has got it right by ultimately matching the TWO BEST TEAMS in the end, but OUR conference DID offer up an alternative plan and the Big 12 rejected it--I'm just pointing that out to them since they seem to think now that the BCS system should be junked.

Do you think the posters on this website some how control the manner in which Big 12 leadership conduct business? Further, I seem to recall the SEC and ACC were the only conferences proposing a four team playoff. Your posts indicate everyone with decision making powers in CFB wanted a 4 team playoff and the posters on this board directed the Big 12 leadership to nuke the plan.