BCS bowl matchups

[deskslave]

America wants to see the underdogs WIN. When Boise's Alabama's down 34-0 21-0 in the second first quarter, America will go watch something else.

So I guess America doesn't care if the underdogs win, either.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Both the Hawaii and Utah II games that were low-rated also involved SEC teams that didn't win championships. Maybe the country doesn't want to watch BCS conference runners-up.

Or maybe the Sugar Bowl, which is generally the last-aestetically pleasing game to watch because it's indoor football, was just on a bad night for TV both times.

But mainly we like to watch competitive games. And in both instances the loser clearly didn't belong on the same field with the winner.

 

[deskslave]

Does 'mainly we like to watch competitive games' explain why the 2007 Fiesta Bowl was, at the time, the third-lowest rated game in BCS history?

And given that it will have been four months since Boise's one decent win -- and less time since its utterly unimpressive wins over UC-Davis and Tulsa, to name two, what evidence is there to suggest that Boise will be competitive in a BCS bowl? Other, of course, than what happened three freakin' years ago.

 

[ucacm]

The BCS is looking like a bunch of crap games this year. I really don't see how the BCS avoids taking both Boise and TCU if they finish undefeated.

Don't Oklahoma State fans travel exceptionally well? If they are competitive with Texas and finish 10-2, I could see them getting consideration for an at large bid. I also think a 10-2 USC team gets a BCS bid if Oregon beats them but it is competitive.

I think we can count on:

2 SEC teams, 2 Big Ten teams, 1 ACC, 1 Big East, 1 non AQC school, 1 Big XII school, 1 Pac Ten for sure.

Now, lets look at the potential options: Does a BCS bowl give a bid to Boise or TCU (whichever is ranked lowest) over a 2 loss USC, Oregon, or Oklahoma State? These are really the only teams I see with a legitimate shot of making the BCS with two losses. I think that USC would almost certainly get picked over Boise or TCU.

If Oklahoma State defeats Texas and finishes as the Big XII south champion and/or Texas gets upset in the Big XII championship game, there's no way 2 non AQC schools make the BCS.

 

[deskslave]

Legitimate shot of finishing with two losses? Or of making the BCS having finished with two losses? Because if it's the latter, then you'd best include Notre Dame on that list. If you're saying ND doesn't have a shot at finishing with two losses, then that's fine. But if they finish with two losses, they're getting a BCS bid.

By the way, the ranking of the non-AQ schools is irrelevant. As long as they're in the top 12, the bowls can select either one. So if TCU's No. 9 and Boise's No. 5 (which won't happen if TCU is undefeated), the BCS bowls can take TCU and leave Boise out. There's only one guaranteed spot for non-AQ schools, regardless of how many finish in the top 12.

And USC would almost certainly get picked? Almost? If USC doesn't win the Pac-10, you don't think one of those other bowls is gonna jump at the opportunity to take them? How often do any of the other three bowls get to take USC? Almost never. You think if the Sugar is sitting there with the last pick and can choose Alabama-Boise State or Alabama-USC, Boise has any chance at all?

 

[D-3 Fan]

Armchair, Zeke, I'm praying for Oregon to nip USC and win the Pac-10. I'm sick and tired of seeing Petey an his kids in Pasadena for the umpteeth year. There should a be rule that you can't go back to the same bowl if you win your conference so many times in a row. USC has been there (what?) 4 straight years, and laid a beatdown to anyone in their way (except Texas).

Then again, the Pac 10, Big 10, and Rose Bowl isn't going to give up their long-standing agreement any time soon.

 

[micropolitan guy]

If TCU finishes at No. 5 and Boise State is at 9, then TCU goes automatically, or vice-versa.

No more than one such team from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference shall earn an automatic berth in any year. (Note: a second team may be eligible for at-large eligibility as noted below.) If two or more teams from those conferences satisfy the provisions for an automatic berth, then the team with the highest finish in the final BCS Standings will receive the automatic berth, and the remaining team or teams will be considered for at-large selection if it meets the criteria.

TCU in all probability goes if it wins out. And seeing as how the insufferable Broncos are America's Darlings, if they're 12-0 it would be very tough to take a 2-loss at-large team ahead of them. And Boise State will travel 30,000-to-40,000 fans at least wherever they go, you can count on that.

 

[Armchair_QB]

If TCU finishes at No. 5 and Boise State is at 9, then TCU goes automatically, or vice-versa.

No more than one such team from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference shall earn an automatic berth in any year. (Note: a second team may be eligible for at-large eligibility as noted below.) If two or more teams from those conferences satisfy the provisions for an automatic berth, then the team with the highest finish in the final BCS Standings will receive the automatic berth, and the remaining team or teams will be considered for at-large selection if it meets the criteria.

TCU in all probability goes if it wins out. And seeing as how the insufferable Broncos are America's Darlings, if they're 12-0 it would be very tough to take a 2-loss at-large team ahead of them. And Boise State will travel 30,000-to-40,000 fans at least wherever they go, you can count on that.

Boise State is not getting a bowl bid ahead of a 10-2 Notre Dame, an 11-1 Alabama or Florida or an 11-1 Penn State.

 

[ucacm]

TCU in all probability goes if it wins out. And seeing as how the insufferable Broncos are America's Darlings, if they're 12-0 it would be very tough to take a 2-loss at-large team ahead of them. And Boise State will travel 30,000-to-40,000 fans at least wherever they go, you can count on that.

Can we really count on that? Their home average attendance is about 32 thousand or so (yeah, I know their stadium can't hold much more), and the total attendance at the Poinsettia Bowl against TCU was 34 thousand. I know an argument can be made that the fans weren't excited for the Poinsettia Bowl, but they were playing a great opponent and got the best non-BCS matchup they could have possibly hoped for. The attendance at the Poinsettia Bowl was good for exactly the 27th best of all bowl games that year.

Are 30-40k Boise fans really going to end up in Miami or New Orleans?

 

[GB-Hack]

I think the fact that they'd have the incentive of knocking off another BCS Big Boy would get fans to show up big time.

Did they sell out their allocation to the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma?

 

[ucacm]

From what i could find, they sold out their allotment of tickets (17,500) to the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Here's a hypothetical:

Only one of Boise/TCU finish undefeated. Texas goes to national championship to play Florida/Alabama. USC wins the Pac 10.

Who the hell plays in the Fiesta Bowl? Ohio State/Penn State v. Boise/TCU?

There seems to be a general assumption that the Orange Bowl will pick the winner of the Big East, but I see the Sugar Bowl getting stuck with the Big East champion. I just don't see the Orange Bowl wanting to take Pitt/Cinci and match them up against Georgia Tech. I think Sugar gets the Big East winner by default, much like they got Hawaii.

 

[DanOregon]

Let's assume Texas v. SEC 1 in the BCS game
that leaves the Sugar Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl without a "host."
The Rose Bowl takes Pac10 (1) v. Iowa
Orange gets Georgia Tech.
The Bowl losing the no. 1 team (figure SEC 1) chooses first
Sugar takes Alabama based on tradition
Fiesta probably takes the next highest ranked team which if form holds will be either the the top non-BCS team or Cincy, I think they'd pick the non-BCS school or USC if its available.
Orange picks next, I think they take Cincy (next highest ranked team)
Fiesta picks next, I think if they have USC they don't pick a Big 10 team, but pick the next highest ranked team (Boise/TCU)
Sugar picks last, I think they'll take TCU if available, but would shy away from Boise and go with Bama-Penn State to stir the memories of 1979 (It's the 30th anniversary after all).
A couple match-ups we won't see - Alabama-VTech or Oregon-Boise State.

 

[ucacm]

Why would the Orange Bowl ever pick Cinci over Penn State?

 

[TrooperBari]

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.

Thing is, they don't have to be that good. Navy, Pitt and Stanford, while tricky, isn't exactly Murderer's Row.

 

[deskslave]

If TCU finishes at No. 5 and Boise State is at 9, then TCU goes automatically, or vice-versa.

No more than one such team from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference, and the Western Athletic Conference shall earn an automatic berth in any year. (Note: a second team may be eligible for at-large eligibility as noted below.) If two or more teams from those conferences satisfy the provisions for an automatic berth, then the team with the highest finish in the final BCS Standings will receive the automatic berth, and the remaining team or teams will be considered for at-large selection if it meets the criteria.

TCU in all probability goes if it wins out. And seeing as how the insufferable Broncos are America's Darlings, if they're 12-0 it would be very tough to take a 2-loss at-large team ahead of them. And Boise State will travel 30,000-to-40,000 fans at least wherever they go, you can count on that.

Huh. What do you know. Dunno where I got that idea, then.

I'd be curious to see how many Boise fans traveled to Fresno State or Bowling Green. Not the world's most exciting games, to be sure, but last year Georgia took 20,000 for a non-conference game at Arizona State. That's why bowls still take bigger programs.

 

[mustangj17]

Okay here's my try:
BCS: Alabama - Texas
Rose: USC - Iowa
Fiesta: Boise - Cincinnati (or flip with at large from Orange)
Sugar: TCU - Florida
Orange: Georgia Tech - Penn State/Pitt/Ohio State/ etc.

The problem is if you go by the chalk (I know, I know) - the non-BCS schools will win out - then you have the six conference champs, and you'll have to reach down and take a two-loss Penn State or Ohio State, Miami, Pittsburgh or Oklahoma State.

Boise Cincy? BOOOOO! Who wants to see Cincinatti?

I feel like they aren't as much of a mid major as Boise or TCU.

 

[nmmetsfan]

I pray that Oregon wins the Pac 10 to further muck up the Boise State argument

First if Oregon wins the PAC-10, Boise's stock goes up. Secondly, I think it would be a major oversight for bowl committees to think America would rather see a 2-loss Big Ten team or Cincinatti rather than Boise in a bowl game. Especially the Fiesta. Look what happened last time they played. Look what happened when Utah played Alabama.

If they want to make exciting games, they need to get the underdogs in. America wants to see the underdogs.

That was my point. I think most agree that if TCU and Boise win out, TCU gets the nod because of strength of schedule. But if Oregon is in a BCS bowl (I know, long shot, thus the prayers), an undefeated Boise State has a legit claim. The claim may fall on deaf ears, but it's legit.

 

[deskslave]

I pray that Oregon wins the Pac 10 to further muck up the Boise State argument

First if Oregon wins the PAC-10, Boise's stock goes up. Secondly, I think it would be a major oversight for bowl committees to think America would rather see a 2-loss Big Ten team or Cincinatti rather than Boise in a bowl game. Especially the Fiesta. Look what happened last time they played. Look what happened when Utah played Alabama.

If they want to make exciting games, they need to get the underdogs in. America wants to see the underdogs.

That was my point. I think most agree that if TCU and Boise win out, TCU gets the nod because of strength of schedule. But if Oregon is in a BCS bowl (I know, long shot, thus the prayers), an undefeated Boise State has a legit claim. The claim may fall on deaf ears, but it's legit.

No, it really doesn't. One victory still does not a BCS-bowl team make. Oregon gaining an extra measure of respect doesn't make up for 12 games of suckitude.

And mustang, just to make sure, you know if Cincy wins the Big East, they have to go to a BCS bowl, right? Even if you don't like them?

 

[nmmetsfan]

I pray that Oregon wins the Pac 10 to further muck up the Boise State argument

First if Oregon wins the PAC-10, Boise's stock goes up. Secondly, I think it would be a major oversight for bowl committees to think America would rather see a 2-loss Big Ten team or Cincinatti rather than Boise in a bowl game. Especially the Fiesta. Look what happened last time they played. Look what happened when Utah played Alabama.

If they want to make exciting games, they need to get the underdogs in. America wants to see the underdogs.

That was my point. I think most agree that if TCU and Boise win out, TCU gets the nod because of strength of schedule. But if Oregon is in a BCS bowl (I know, long shot, thus the prayers), an undefeated Boise State has a legit claim. The claim may fall on deaf ears, but it's legit.

No, it really doesn't. One victory still does not a BCS-bowl team make. Oregon gaining an extra measure of respect doesn't make up for 12 games of suckitude.

And mustang, just to make sure, you know if Cincy wins the Big East, they have to go to a BCS bowl, right? Even if you don't like them?

If 12 games of suckitude = 12-0, sign me up

 

[mustangj17]

I pray that Oregon wins the Pac 10 to further muck up the Boise State argument

First if Oregon wins the PAC-10, Boise's stock goes up. Secondly, I think it would be a major oversight for bowl committees to think America would rather see a 2-loss Big Ten team or Cincinatti rather than Boise in a bowl game. Especially the Fiesta. Look what happened last time they played. Look what happened when Utah played Alabama.

If they want to make exciting games, they need to get the underdogs in. America wants to see the underdogs.

That was my point. I think most agree that if TCU and Boise win out, TCU gets the nod because of strength of schedule. But if Oregon is in a BCS bowl (I know, long shot, thus the prayers), an undefeated Boise State has a legit claim. The claim may fall on deaf ears, but it's legit.

No, it really doesn't. One victory still does not a BCS-bowl team make. Oregon gaining an extra measure of respect doesn't make up for 12 games of suckitude.

And mustang, just to make sure, you know if Cincy wins the Big East, they have to go to a BCS bowl, right? Even if you don't like them?

Yeah. In a perfect world, I would run the BCS and I would combine the ACC/Big East. The teams would have a season long death match and if any one team were decent they could go to the Alamo Bowl or something. The rest could play in the Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl.