The final Bowl Championship Series rankings for the 2011 college football season were announced along with the post-season bowl schedule Sunday night. Alabama came out as the winners, Oklahoma State and possibly even the BCS system came out as the losers. Alabama will face LSU, the unanimous #1 and only undefeated team this season in a rematch of November 5th LSU 9-6 overtime victory in Tuscaloosa.
It will be the first time in the BCS history that two teams who met in the regular season will face each other in the championship game. It’s also the only time the game has been contested by teams from the same league, guaranteeing the SEC a sixth straight national champion.
Bama fans are estatic, Cowboy fans are devastated and angry. Did the BCS get it right this year? It's typically a debate every season, almost more than March Madness selections for college basketball. There are arguments to both sides but it's ultimately up to a computer with relentless statistics to put together this system that never seems to satisfy every fan.
Oklahoma State won the Big 12 conference with a 44-10 blowout against arch-rival Oklahoma, which many believed was a big enough statement to push them ahead of Alabama in the polls. The Cowboys have arguably the best offense in the nation led by All-American wide receiver Justin Blackmon, first WR taken in this year's NFL draft in my opinion. Coach Mike Gundy has led this team to an 11-1 season, 2nd in the nation in passing yards and points scored. A terrible road loss just two weeks ago to Iowa State (6-6) ruined their National Championship run.
The BCS system is designated to determine the nation's best two teams to play for a championship. LSU is by far the best team in college football and they beat Alabama in overtime, Bama's only loss this year over a month ago. With that being said, Alabama lost to a team that is 12-0 compared to Oklahoma State who lost to a .500 Iowa state squad. On paper, Alabama appears to be better than Oklahoma State but that's a whole different argument.
No matter what the results were from tonight's BCS rankings, people would have complained. It happens every year, "we want a playoff". No, that's not going to solve anything, people will still complain about that too. March Madness for college basketball added four teams to help prevent that but that didn't work either. People will never be satisified, it's how the world is. I think the BCS got it right, they did what they were supposed to do, have the best two teams play it out to become a National Champion.
Offense wins games, Defense wins championships.
Thank you LSU and Alabama for proving that statement; sorry Oklahoma State, maybe next year.
Alabama v. LSU, BCS National Championship, Jan. 9; 8:30 p.m.
Article Written by Kevin Kline
I dont know Kev, I think a playoff would work BETTER than this system. FCS uses a playoff and it works well there. But you are right, people are going to complain regardless of the postseason layout.
ReplyDeleteIt may be better but once that fails, people will wish to come back to the BCS format. What's ludicris is Michigan v. Virginia Tech BCS Bowl - Michigan State beat Michigan and won their division but MSU isn't in BCS bowl. VA Tech didn't play a soul all year, South Carolina should be in.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what system the NCAA uses it will receive complaints. With 119 teams in Division 1A there will never be a perfect system for deciding the top 2. But I think the playoff system would be more entertaining for the fans to say the least.
ReplyDeleteThere's little excitement for BCS matchups. If you compare it to the playoff system the NCAA uses for basketball (March Madness) that is excitement every week you can see that the BCS system is blatantly boring. I don't watch many BCS Bowls because either A) the matchups are boring or B) its been 4 weeks since college football has ended in my mind. I do watch the basketball games because they matter. Each game matters and they keep the games coming. That makes it exciting.
ReplyDeleteJM