BCS bowl matchups

I had forgotten about the Big East when I put together those scenarios. All of which just makes it even less likely that a second mid-major gets picked.

 

I think while it has had a team there for the past couple of seasons, the Big East isn't automatically locked into the Orange Bowl.

I seem to remember Penn State playing Florida State there a few years ago, 2006 maybe?

 

You're right, GB.

 

That is true but I doubt the Sugar or Fiesta Bowls are going to select Cincinnati over any of the possible at-large teams.

 

Right, it has recently become a Big East vs. ACC game. Is that because of the way the two conferences are currently perceived, or the location being a good one for those conference's fans to travel to?

 

Regarding the Big East teams I think it has everything to do with how many tickets they'll sell. Outside of West By God most of them don't travel well.

 

Cincinnati will only get in if it wins the Big East. Which it might, but I'm not counting it as a lock just yet.

TCU still has Utah ahead, so it may or may not win the Mountain West. If it does and goes undefeated, it will get an at large bid. TCU would pass Boise State based on strength of schedule.

Two teams from the SEC (east winner and west winner).

Two teams from the Big Ten.

ACC champ (could be Georgia Tech).

Big XII champ (likely Texas).

Pac-10 champ (likely USC).

So, my predictions are:

Rose: Ohio State (Big Ten champ) vs. USC (Pac-10 champ)

Sugar: SEC runnerup vs. Big East champ (Cincy or Pitt or WV)

Orange: ACC champ (Georgia Tech) vs. Notre Dame

(Would a major bowl really pass on 9-3 or 10-2 Notre Dame in favor of 12-0 Boise State??)

Fiesta: TCU vs. Big Ten runnerup (Penn State or Iowa).

National champ: SEC champ vs. Texas

 

Ohio State may beat Iowa but I don't think they'll beat Penn State.

 

Well, that's why they play the games. I'm picking the Buckeyes to win out, get back in the top ten by the end of the regular season.

So, in the event OSU, PSU and Iowa all finish with one conference loss (and beat one another), what is the tie-breaker?

 

It used to be the team who hadn't been to Pasadena in the longest time. Now it's highest BCS ranking.

But if the Buckeyes run the table Penn State finishes with two Big 10 losses and OSU gets the Rose Bowl bid over Iowa due to head-to-head.

And if Penn State runs the table, OSU finishes with two losses and Iowa gets the Rose Bowl bid over Penn State due to head-to-head.

 

Is it really a given Notre Dame ends up 9-3?

Navy, Pittsburgh and Stanford(!) on the road all look potentially tricky for the Irish.

 

I'd be astonished if Notre Dame finishes 9-3. At 10-2, I'd be rendered comatose with shock. They're not that good.