2012 BCS National Championship: (1) LSU vs. (2) Alabama

By the way, you non SEC fans who feel screwed because of the system we have and wish there was a playoff...blame your own conference

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-wetzel_sec_reaps_reward_rejection_120311


SEC reaps reward of rejected playoff plan




By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! SportsDec 3, 10:09 pm EST

ATLANTA – There’s a sizeable portion of college football lamenting that the BCS championship game will feature a rematch of two teams from the same league – LSU and Alabama of the Southeastern Conference.


Les Miles and LSU completed their perfect season with the SEC title, and can prepare for a rematch with Alabama.
(Getty Images)

Go ahead and be frustrated.

Just don’t blame the SEC.

The familiar chant of “S-E-C, S-E-C” filled the Georgia Dome on Saturday night, this time LSU fans celebrating their 42-10 victory over Georgia for the league title. It was more than that, though. This was the recognition of a new level of power: The league is assured a sixth consecutive title Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

If it were up to the SEC, though, it never would’ve happened. At least not without giving teams from two other leagues a chance to prove themselves on the field.

In 2008, commissioner Mike Slive pitched a so-called “plus-one” plan that essentially was a four-team playoff using existing bowl games. Other than the ACC, the other conferences not only summarily rejected the plan, they refused to even discuss its details.

“I remember it being a lonely meeting,” Slive said Saturday. “That’s all I want to say about it.”

So don’t hate on the SEC for this, correct?

“That’s for you to conclude,” Slive said, with a smile. “That’s not me saying it.”

Slive is humble guy, a genteel 71-year old, almost allergic to trash talk. Besides, he doesn’t have to say it because in this case, to the rejected go the spoils. Sticking with a simple 1-2 matchup in the BCS title game has proven to be a boon for the SEC and a disaster for just about everyone else.

Under Slive’s plan, LSU and Alabama would’ve had to beat two extremely good teams on a neutral field to assure this season’s title game.

Instead, they get placed right in. Everyone else gets some NIT-esque bowl experience; it might be fun, but it isn’t for the glass football.

The decision to dismiss Slive’s plan in 2008 even had ramifications far beyond a single-season title chase; it changed the landscape of the sport.

Many conferences failed to see the increased access to the championship (four teams rather than two) and the additional revenue from the system as a lifeline for survival. They wound up nearly wiped out.

The vote all but assured the gutting of the Big East, where teams have jumped ship in fear of losing automatic qualifying status. Non-AQ leagues such as the Mountain West, Western Athletic and Conference USA have been butchered.

BCS-generated instability even played a part (along with distrust of Texas) in the Big 12 losing four schools and nearly blowing up for good courtesy of Pac-12 raids.

“I don’t think any of us are happy that the BCS is one of the contributing factors to conference realignment,” BCS executive director Bill Hancock told The Associated Press.

Well, it is. And it was easy to foresee.

 

wins vs. ranked teams: 3 vs. 4
wins vs. +.500 fbs teams: 3 vs. 7

 

Iowa State.


That's all I need to say.

 

I understand the fixation. The BCS sells that every game is so crucial since there is no playoff system. Well that obviously isn't the case now. The previous matchup clearly meant nothing for either team as long as they won the remainder of their games. Look at it that way and it should make more sense. Additionally, it makes one team have to win that matchup twice to be crowned champ while the other team only has to win once. That makes zero sense. That's my biggest beef. Full disclosure, I'm a LSU fan but it still makes no sense to me. In the abscense of a playoff, why should Bama be crowned champs over LSU if they split 1-1? LSU clearly has a better resume than Bama.

The system sucks. We need a playoff. This could honestly be the scenario on Jan 10th if Bama wins:

Hey Bama, did you:

- win your division?
- make your conf title game?
- win your conference?
- have a winning record vs LSU
- have a better overall resume than LSU?

Well, you are the champs anyway.

That makes NO sense!!!!

 

So if schedule quality and wins mean nothing, I assume if Houston had won yesterday, you'd support them being in the title game?

 

You don't think that Alabama is the best 1 loss team?

Boise State, OSU, OU, Oregon, Stanford all had their chances after Bama lost and they all blew it. These are the two best teams and last time I checked, the two best teams should play in the National Championship game.

Yes Schedule matters but which loss looks worse? ISU or LSU?

 

One of my best friends is an Alabama grad and professor there, but even I'm starting to hate you arseholes now.

 

I have no idea. I know they have the best loss. I know a lot of other teams have better wins. I know they have a great defense in a league full of terrible offenses. I think they have a mediocre offense. I also know they've already lost to LSU in a home game. I have not seen OSU play LSU, so I don't know for sure which of them is better.

ISU. Which wins look better? Why do you pick one game - especially given that in past seasons, the one loss has rarely ever been the deciding factor when looking at one loss teams? Far more often, the quality of wins and strength of schedule factor in much more.

 

It's ridiculous people think OKS deserves to be in the title game.

And Alabama should have won the first game, and they will win the title game.

 

This whole argument over who deserves to benefit from a flawed system is flawed. Need a playoff...nice find HtownHero. SEC and ACC wanted a playoff, but every other conference was greedy and clings to this flawed system because they fear the alternative.

 

alabama has 3 wins against plus .500 teams....3!!!! alabama is SO overrated, their defense is great but its not some stop everything on earth greatest defense of all time...the sec has horrible offenses and your defense is going to be great if you only beat 3 freakin teams with winning records. Alabama fans are the most annoying people ive ever met, you cannot argue logic with them.
*been around them my whole life

ok state lost to iowa state true but if thats your whole argument and the bottom line is you need to take care of business then alabama shouldve taken care of business IN TTOWN against LSU.

even if bama wins..what are they winning? a co-championship? who cares?
nobodys going to recognize them as a legitimate champ.

this game is a joke.

 

You can't be considered overrated if you have 17 players projected to be in the NFL draft.

 

As a Michigan fan I have to ask why is this situation any different than what happened in 2007?? Don't mention what happened in the bowl games. The rematch was disallowed before any of them played in a bowl. And I still feel to this day both teams did not care about their bowl game because they felt shafted.(Michigan not being in the Chip game and OSU for not getting the rematch, though I give OSU less benefit of the doubt since they were still in the championship game - and would the same to Michigan if they were the one in it)

 

Yeah I love how very few can appreciate a good defense. The first game was NOT boring. I found it to be one of the greatest games I've seen, personally. Every single snap was hard fought.

"Oh no, there wasn't 50 points scored, that game sucked!!!1"

 

You're trying to make excuses for why Ohio State got their ass beat?? It's the title game -- more important than any rivalry.

 

LOL. Even Les Miles says the winner of this game is the champ.

Seems like everyone is so bitter on this Big XII homer board. Just deal with the facts that if you're in a major BCS conference and win all of your games, then you have nothing to worry about.

Losses matter more than wins, and in the case of Oklahoma State, their loss was far greater than Bama's.

In a [more] perfect world, the BCS would be a mini playoff of four teams (no more than four). Top four in the country get to play for it all -- which should open the door for an undefeated non-AQ team...had Houston won, they probably would have been top-4 this year).

Until then, we've got the best two teams in the country.

 

The SEC is overated they have two good teams and a bunch of pretty good teams.

ESPN holds a lot of sway as to how things are perceived.

DD

 

How do you conclude that Bama is obviously better than OSU or not overrated if they have only beaten 3 winning teams? And when I say not overrated, I mean from the standpoint that they should go to the game over an OSU team that appears to have a better resume. Is it just the eyeballs test or that you know they have more talent?

 

It'll be another ugly game... but I give the edge to Bama this go round.

 

Seconded. Roll Tide.