The Best Game of THIS Weekend Debate… Final Hurdle Before the BCS National Championship

November 23, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Sports Geek.

Oregon head coach Chip Kelly is used to being in the spotlight.

His first ever game as head coach resulted in a post game brawl where his star running back, LeGarrette Blount, sluged Boise State linebacker Byron Hout resulting in Blount’s suspension for most of the season. Still, without Blount in the backfield, Kelly led his team to a Pac-10 championship, and a Rose Bowl appearance, for the first time in nearly a decade.

Then, just months later, Kelly’s star quarterback, Jeremiah Masoli, was charged with burglary, and later with possession of marijuana and driving infractions, which resulted in his kicking the Heisman candidate off his team.

Once more coach Kelly’s Ducks, who were 2010 national championship contenders at the time of Masoli’s dismissal., were without a star talent because of stupid, irresponsible actions. And, once more, Kelly rose to the challenge. After kicking Masoli off the team, the Ducks entered the 2010 season with moderately dampened expectations, but they did not stay dampened for long.

Now, with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Ducks not sit only atop the Pac-10 Conference, but thanks to an undefeated record they sit as the top ranked team in every major poll, including the BCS standings. Should Oregon finish the season in that spot, Coach Kelly, in only his second season at the helm, will have led the Oregon Ducks to their first ever national championship game.

Oregon has rolled over every opponent it faced in impressive fashion, including a 52-31 victory over Stanford, ranked ninth in the nation at the time. They have put up 504 points this season, and allowed only 172 to opponents. Oregon has risen to every challenge, and now have only one legitimate obstacle standing in the way of championship dreams – the Arizona Wildcats.

Yes, the Oregon State Beavers always present a challenge in the annual Civil War rivalry game. But this season all appearances are that the Beavers will be outclassed by the faster, more talented Ducks. If the Ducks do survive their matchup against the Arizona Wildcats, then beating the Beavers will be a mere formality.

The question is – can the Wildcats REALLY challenge the Ducks? In a short answer, yes (but it won’t be easy).

Arizona will enter Autzen Stadium ranked 21st in the BCS. They have already beaten top-ten ranked Iowa, and boast one of the best passing offenses in the country. Junior quarterback Nick Foles is averaging 275.1 yards per game, and has 13 passing TDs compared to only six interceptions. Foles’ primary target, Juron Criner, is currently one of the ten best receivers in the country, averaging 98.2 receiving yards per game.

But passing alone will not beat the Ducks.

The most important battle for the Wildcats in this game will be in figuring out how to stop the Ducks from scoring. Short of faking injuries to slow down the Ducks’ high-octane offense, that may not be possible as the Ducks are the only team in the country to AVERAGE more than 50 points per game. Running back LaMichael James has already racked up over 1,400 rushing yards and 17 TDs for Oregon, and quarterback Darron Thomas has been good for another 23 TDs in the air, 11 of which have gone to receiver Jeff Maehl.

The Wildcats are not coming into this game unprepared, or untested, though. The defense has allowed only 18.1 points per game (one of the best averages in the country), and two of the team’s three losses this season are by a combined five points. Unfortunately for Arizona, run defense has been a weakness lately, having given up 217 yards and 205 yards on the ground in losing efforts over the last two weeks against Stanford and Southern Cal, respectively.

Prior to those two losses, however, the Wildcat defense allowed only 88.9 yards per game on the ground, and if they can return to that earlier form they will have a very real opportunity to play spoiler to Oregon’s BCS hopes. If not, the Ducks can pack their bags, because they are as good as guaranteed an invitation to Phoenix on January 10th.

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The Reggie Bush Fallout Debate… Heisman and BCS Voters Cannot Ignore the Charges

November 17, 2010

Read the opposing argument from Sports Geek.

I believe the saying goes – “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, then shame on me.”

So, what happened during the 2004-2005 college football season? I’ve scoured the Internet for hours and can’t seem to find a thing about it. I thought that USC won the national championship, but I can’t find a single statistic from the NCAA about their season, and that season is also skipped in the list of Heisman Trophy winners.

Weird!

Obviously, I am joking, but Reggie Bush’s infamous actions from that season have already left a black mark on his reputation, as well as that of the Heisman Trust, the USC football program, and the game of college football.

Fortunately, we can all put that behind us and move on with our lives, right? WRONG! Not even two months removed from the closing of the book on Reggie Bush, a new book may be opening right before our eyes in Auburn, AL.

Cam Newton, quarterback for the undefeated, second-ranked Auburn Tigers (and the current favorite to win the Heisman Trophy) is now under investigation for his own little laundry list of alleged infractions against the NCAA rules. Without rehashing the minutia of every single accusation and charge, let me sum them up for you:

  • In 2008, while at Florida, Newton was arrested for burglary, larceny, and obstruction of justice after having stolen a laptop. He then left Florida to play JuCo ball at Blinn College in Texas.
  • Earlier this month, it was reported that Newton may not have left Florida just because of the theft charges, but that he actually was under investigation for three separate instances of academic cheating, and was actually facing expulsion.
  • Just days after the cheating allegations were reported, sources came forward with accusations that Newton was involved in a pay-for-play scandal, which the sources cite as the reason Newton chose Auburn over Mississippi State.

Now, I understand that these latest charges of academic cheating and pay-for-play have not been confirmed… yet. And while I completely agree that a person is innocent until proven guilty, it is important to note that these charges have also not been proven false.

I am not advocating Cam Newton’s expulsion from college football, but the allegations levied against him are very serious, and if the Heisman Trust and the national pollsters blindly ignore these charges, they are opening themselves up for another very messy, long, drawn out scandal that could result in yet another non-season for the history books.

I am reminded of a scene from the HBO Series Band of Brothers, when a British Tank Commander is warned that he is driving right into a trap. Because he cannot technically ‘see’ the gun waiting to kill him, though, he is forbidden from taking the measures necessary to protect himself, and his men. So even though he anticipates an attack, and even though he has been warned by others that there is a gun pointed right at his head, his blind compliance with foolish rules that do not take circumstance into consideration result in his own death.

This is a situation where voters have an opportunity to prevent a possible embarrassment.

It is not about following the rules, because, if the allegations are correct, Cam Newton himself was not concerned with following the rules. The voters have an obligation to protect the integrity of the awards they have been honored with the privilege of bestowing. Knowingly and willingly granting those awards to a player or team that they have reason to believe may be ineligible is carelessly risking the integrity of the award, and cheapens the accomplishments of all those other winners who did it the right way.

Moreover, it cheapens the efforts of every other person who was ELIGIBLE for the award.

When allegations like those surrounding Cam Newton surface, there are only two ways that awards such as the Heisman or the BCS national championship, can be given WITHOUT fear of further scandal or controversy. Either postpone voting until the charges can be confirmed or denied, or allow that speculation to influence the votes cast during the process.

If the voters ignore the allegations, and continue to keep Cam Newton and his Auburn Tigers at the head of the pack while still under investigation, then shame on the voters.

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The Best Game of THIS Weekend Debate… Bucks, Badgers In High Stakes Big Ten Matchup

October 14, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Sports Geek.

Over the past four years, the SEC has been the premier college football conference. It has claimed the last four national championships, and there has been an SEC program at the top of the rational rankings every week since December 7th, 2008. But with Alabama’s loss to South Carolina last weekend all that came to an end, and now it is the Big Ten’s Ohio State Buckeyes that sit atop college football’s mountain.

Behind junior quarterback and Heisman hopeful Terrelle Pryor the Buckeyes have rolled to a 6-0 record, including an impressive win over the Miami Hurricanes. The team now sits in the driver’s seat for the race to the national championship game.

But how long will the run at the top last?

Even the BCS, which provides the only ranking that REALLY matters, is projected to have Boise State, not Ohio State, as the number one team after the first standings are announced. Meanwhile, Ohio State, who is ranked number one in all of the major polls, could actually find itself as low as fifth in the BCS standings.

But a win on the road at Camp Randall Stadium over the eighteenth ranked Wisconsin Badgers could be all it takes for Ohio State to jump into the BCS lead.

As for the Badgers, who have not beaten Ohio State since 2004, a victory over the top-ranked Buckeyes would catapult them back up the rankings and into the BCS conversation, a welcome outcome after the fell at the hands of undefeated Michigan State two weeks ago. And, Home-Sweet-Home is right where the Badgers want to be for this matchup, as the team boasts one of the nation’s best home records since the last victory over Ohio State (40-4).

So, what will be the key matchup this weekend?

Wisconsin’s running backs, John Clay and James White, are leading a rushing offense that averages more than 240 yards per game (the eleventh best in the nation), while Ohio State’s rushing defense has only allowed 78 yards per game (the fourth best in the nation).

If the Badgers hope to pull off the upset Clay and White will have to find a way past Cameron Heyward and the rest of Ohio State’s defensive front.

It will be a classic Big Ten matchup between two of the conference’s powerhouse programs, with the winner staking a claim as a frontrunner team for a conference on the cusp of supplanting the SEC as the premier collection of football universities.

It is the game of the year for the best conference in the country.

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The Ranking a Banned Program Debate Verdict

October 4, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

The fact that the Southern Cal Trojans are not playing in a bowl game this season is not open for debate. But whether or not that bowl ban should extend into a ban from the rankings as well… now that is a whole different story.

Bleacher Fan and Loyal Homer each examined the issue but found themselves on very different sides.

In his argument Loyal Homer defended his firm belief that a post-season ban should also warrant a ban from the rankings as well. His main hang up with allowing a team, like USC, with a bowl ban to continue to be nationally ranked is that it brings attention and exposure (see a previous debate involving BCS notoriety) to a team that is supposedly being punished. This is a valid point, especially in a society where the media coverage of celebrity misbehaviors often exceeds that of those who are actually doing things right. Despite their violations, USC continues to garner media coverage and will likely stay in the public eye so long as they are nationally ranked.

Loyal Homer, however, failed to address the fact that a school like USC would likely continue to receive a great deal of media coverage because it is a rather large school which has had a national following for quite some time. But his point was made. Maintaining a high profile for schools violating NCAA policy is contradictory and sends the wrong message to the public.

Loyal Homer also called attention to the fact that a banned school’s inclusion in the national ranking system comes at the expense of another school. Southern Cal’s inclusion in the top 25 means that another school which is not on the business end of NCAA punishments is denied a top 25 ranking and the attention and exposure that goes with it. This exposure means a great deal to schools that fight just to become bowl eligible.

Bleacher Fan explained that while the NCAA may have been justified in their actions against USC, a ban from the rankings would be both unnecessary and inappropriate. The thesis of his argument – that a post-season ban should only apply to the post-season – was equally obvious and direct, yet well put. By banning USC from bowls for the next two years the NCAA was not attempting to undermine the competitiveness of their football program during the regular season but rather enact punishments to deter further rules violations.

Furthermore, Bleacher Fan’s assessment that bowls and rankings are independent of each other was dead on. The ranking system is not set up to simply determine bowl selections as much as it is to compare the most competitive football teams in the nation. Unless USC is banned from regular season play, then the program can surely be counted in the latter category.

But what sealed the deal for me in this debate was Bleacher Fan’s argument that banning a team from being ranked undermines the validity of the ranking system, and that the rankings ban would be punishing the wrong people. On both counts he is absolutely right. The ranking system cannot claim true validity if rankings are artificially inflated or deflated because of aspects other than actual football performance. If teams banned from the post-season are winning against other nationally competitive teams they should be credited for it with a high ranking. Imagine, if you will, if a team like Boise State were to take on USC this season. Can you imagine the uproar and backlash if they beat the Trojans but did not see a significant rise in their rank since USC was not bowl bound because of off the field issues? It just wouldn’t make sense.

It would not make sense to punish the current team for the sins of the past. The 2010 USC team was not even high school aged when the violations their team is currently being punished for occurred. It is one thing to take an ethical stand against rules violations but it is another thing entirely to undermine the achievements of a blameless group of players for the transgression of the responsible parties that are no longer present to feel the sting of punishment. This air tight logic is why I’m awarding this victory to the Bleacher Fan.

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Posted by Babe Ruthless

The Notre Dame Conference Affiliation Debate… Making A Big Move, Or Ten

May 31, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan.

Another day, another Notre Dame joining the Big Ten rumor. Where there is smoke there is fire. Many are speculating that Notre Dame will join the Big Ten when the conference announces anticipated expansion plans this November. There are three main reasons why joining the Big Ten makes the most sense, and major reasons why joining the Big East, or remaining Independent, would be a big mistake.

Reason #1: Money Talks

It is no secret that a substantial influence on Notre Dame’s decision making process throughout the years has been financial gain. The Big Ten offers a very attractive package right now – more attractive than any other conference – given it currently pays each of its programs $22M per season. Even Indiana, the league patsy, gets its price.

Plus, the Big Ten Network is a huge success, especially financially, and any other schools that would join the Big Ten would only make its content more attractive, they would also inflate its dollar value. While the Big Ten may not have all of the hottest TV markets, each of its schools have massive amounts of loyal fans and some of the largest stadiums in the country. Sure, the conference is largely centered in the Midwest, but that does not make its draw too small or make the conference financially unviable. Perhaps in college football’s yesteryear, but no longer.

Reason #2: Great, Historical Rivalries

Joining the Big Ten would not force Notre Dame to give up on its greatest historical rivalries that draw millions of eyeballs every season. In other words, Notre Dame’s regular non-conference matchup with Southern Cal would be safely preserved and become a showcase Big Ten game. Ohio State and Michigan have their long distance, historically relevant games, and so does Notre Dame. Those rivalries are important for each school to draw crowds at home and on television and the Big Ten will preserve, endorse, and grow each important rivalry game.

Also, bear in mind that many of Notre Dame’s most storied and consistent rivalries take place against Big Ten teams like Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Northwestern. I am referencing some GREAT rivalries. Take just one, for example, like Michigan State and Notre Dame. Besides just a few hours separating the two schools, 1966 wrote a memorable chapter in the rivalry. Both teams were undefeated and of course met in a game that would decide the national championship. Michigan State jumped out to an early lead only for the Fighting Irish to come fighting back to tie the game and controversially take the national title despite the teams’ identical 9-0-1 records to end the season.

Reason #3: Football Brand Matters

When Notre Dame dominated, its teams were nasty on defense and often featured a steady running attack that wore on opposing teams, allowing an efficient passing game to blow a game open. While speed is a bigger factor now in college football than, say, 20 years ago when Notre Dame’s name still carried an heir of dominance with it, the formula for winning in college football can still be: Dominant Defense + Strong Running Attack + Efficient Passing = Wins. That is the Big Ten’s pedigree, and that is the league where Notre Dame has the best opportunity to win a legitimately respected national power conference in football without comprising its identity.

Why the Big East Makes No Sense

Football is the college athletics cash cow. Period. All of the Big East’s great TV markets – like Philadelphia, New York, and others – do not matter much to Notre Dame’s football program. While the markets may be big, the audiences will not be since the quality of football is so poor. More, Notre Dame does not – ney, CANnot – associate itself with a poor brand of football that doesn’t suit its image. The disaster that is Big East football does not have an appealing brand that Notre Dame would care to be associated with… besides, are tickets really going to sell out for the big Notre Dame-Connecticut battle? Or Notre Dame-West Virginia? Without its history and storied rivalries, Notre Dame is just another football program struggling for notoriety. The Big East kills Notre Dame’s aura.

Why Remaining Independent Makes No Sense

When Notre Dame initially made the choice to become unaffiliated with any football conference it had massive financial incentives spurring the decision. Independence meant a multi-million dollar, exclusive TV contract Notre Dame did not have to share with any other school or conference. All of the money belonged to Notre Dame. It also allowed Notre Dame to have a free schedule where they could maintain a national recruiting presence by playing all over the country. The problem with the decision now is that as college football has evolved, it turns out conferences have plenty of money to go around. The Big Ten pays programs $22M per season, thanks in large part to the success of its own dedicated cable network. Exclusivity does not offer the same advantages it once did, and the need to maintain a national presence with games to fuel recruiting is null. Large institutions like Notre Dame have massive recruiting budgets – and the program would have that budget regardless of conference affiliation. In short, the reasons for becoming an independent have been rendered useless as college football has evolved.

Consider that travel expenses for the football team in the Big Ten may be dramatically reduced if Notre Dame were to join the Big Ten. Obviously that doesn’t matter much to a huge program with a huge budget, but it sure does matter for the school’s smaller sports that spend more time losing money than making it. While football is a major piece of this puzzle, the impact of a conference move will be felt through the athletics department and the entire department will participate in the decision.

It is time for Notre Dame to evolve and join the conference that best fits Notre Dame’s brand of football, its history, and financial needs. The Big Ten allows Notre Dame to adapt without changing its tradition.

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Posted by Sports Geek

The Notre Dame Conference Affiliation Debate… Never Sacrifice Independence

May 31, 2010

Read the opposing arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer.

Notre Dame is a special program, and the world of college football exists to accommodate it. As a top-drawing independent school, Notre Dame has garnered unique privileges that are available to no other program in the United States. Those privileges, however, will hold only as long as Notre Dame REMAINS independent in status.

As one of the games most storied and beloved programs, Notre Dame is synonymous with college football. When the Fighting Irish are successful, so is college football. And, although success was lacking during most of the Weis era, the world of college football has ensured safeguards to help Notre Dame always return to relevance.

The first of those safeguards is an exclusive television contract with NBC. Through at least the 2015 football season, Notre Dame is guaranteed that every one of their home games will be broadcast on national television. This contract has brought the school more than $9M per year, and has generated more than $26M in financial aid and scholarships for students of the university. All of that would be gone, though, if Notre Dame joined a conference like the Big Ten or the Big East.

Notre Dame only gets to keep that television contract because they are not a part of a larger Conference of schools. Many of the major Conferences have either negotiated their own exclusive television contracts with networks, or have created their own network, and the Notre Dame contract would create a conflict of interest. While NBC would retain the rights to Notre Dame’s broadcast, the conference would also retain rights to broadcast the games of any schools within their organization. Unfortunately for Notre Dame and NBC, it would be the conference that wins out, as it would govern the organization for the school.

The second safeguard is a special BCS clause specific to Notre Dame.

Rules for determining an automatic BCS qualification state that only those schools which have won one of the six BCS conferences (the Big Ten, Big XII, SEC, ACC, Big East, and Pac-10) can be guaranteed a BCS invitation. For every other school in the country (including the remaining schools within those BCS conferences), they must hope for an invitation. Every school, that is, EXCEPT Notre Dame.

Within the BCS rules for automatic qualification is an exception EXCLUSIVELY reserved for Notre Dame as long as it remains an independent football program. This exception dictates that Notre Dame is eligible for an AUTOMATIC BCS bid if it finishes the regular season as one of the top eight teams in the BCS standings. No other school in the country (including members of the BCS conferences) has that guarantee.

In 2008, the Big XII’s Texas Tech finished the season ranked seventh in the final BCS standings, and held a record of 11-1 (with the only loss coming to the top-ranked team in the nation). But the Red Reaiders were excluded from the BCS. Likewise, in 2007 it was the Big XII’s Missouri that missed out despite being the top-ranked team entering conference championship week, and finishing the season ranked SIXTH in the BCS, while conference rival Kansas was invited to the Orange Bowl after finishing the season ranked two spots LOWER than Missouri.

Those are only the two most recent examples of what is an almost ANNUAL snub for at least one team in the top BCS standings. As long as Notre Dame remains an Independent program, though, it will never have to worry about a BCS snub. For the Fighting Irish, a top-eight finish EQUALS a conference championship.

The decision for Notre Dame is simple – remain independent and GUARANTEE a highly lucrative television contract and a special exemption within the BCS rules, or willingly throw those GIFTS away by joining a conference such as the Big East or Big Ten, where instead of having special privileges RESERVED for it, Notre Dame would have to COMPETE for them and risk the snub of losing that competition.

As long as those rights are reserved exclusively for the University of Notre Dame, it would be FOOLISH to willingly give them up in order to join conference play.

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The Government Stance on the BCS Debate – Should Boise State Be Allowed to Crash the Rose Garden Party?

January 21, 2010

Read the arguments from Sports Geek and Loyal Homer about whether or not President Barack Obama should invite the Boise State Broncos to the White House Rose Garden.



The college football season is over, and a champion has been crowned. Only one thing remains before the curtain can officially fall on the 2009-2010 football season – the traditional invitation by the President of the United States for the national championship team to visit the Rose Garden. It is a time-honored tradition where the President of the United States takes the time to personally congratulate the top athletes of major sports, and it is a prestigious honor.

At the close of this season, however, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch wrote a letter to President Obama proposing something a little different. Once again in 2010 there were actually two teams who finished the season unbeaten, the recognized BCS National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide and the Boise State Broncos, victors of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Hatch’s recommendation is for President Obama to invite Boise State to the White House along with Alabama. According to Hatch, both deserve invitations because both finished the season unbeaten.

Obama has already made it known that he is not a fan of the BCS system, going so far as to publicly call for an eight-team playoff system in lieu of the current BCS format.

Senator Hatch, in the spirit of Obama’s comments, has essentially challenged the President to make a very bold statement. By inviting Boise State to the White House, President Obama would essentially be diminishing the legitimacy of the BCS system.

While the White House has released a statement which implies that Boise State will not be invited to the Rose Garden, the idea has not been completely ruled out.

In this time of healthcare reform, economic struggles, and international war, it is decisions like these that matter most. The President must weigh each option very seriously before acting, because the fate of the free world hangs in the balance. Fortunately, TSD is here to act as sage counsel in this period of national crisis!

Should President Obama invite both the Alabama Crimson Tide AND the Boise State Broncos to the White House?

Loyal Homer will argue that the President should indeed invite the Broncos to visit the White House, while Sports Geek will argue that the President should honor the tradition of inviting only the recognized national champions.

Tread carefully, brave debaters. The very course of human events swings with every word you write!

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Posted by Bleacher Fan

The Best 2009 Bowl Season Debate – Big Ten Redemption

January 11, 2010

Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Sports Geek about which conference had the best bowl season in 2009.



I am shocked that college football is over (I miss it already)!

With the end of the college football season, though, comes the final bit of analysis to close out 2009 where we must determine which teams and which conferences had the most success during the bowl season. There were several conferences which put forth outstanding results this year, including the WAC (proving with yet another BCS victory that they can hang with the big boys), the Mountain West (4-1 overall record) and the Big East (4-2 overall), and the SEC (winning two BCS games, including a fourth consecutive national championship).

However, only one conference defied all expectations, and won ALL of its biggest games, on the biggest stages, against the toughest opponents – The Big Ten!

During the 2009-2010 bowl season, the Big Ten was one of only two conferences (along with the ACC) in which every one of its opponents came from another BCS-Conference. The Pac-10, Big XII, SEC, and Big East, contrarily, each had at least one game scheduled against a non-BCS school from the Sun-Belt or MAC, for example. In addition, four of the Big Ten matchups came against higher ranked opponents, all of whom were ranked in the top-15, and two of which were BCS games.

With all due respect to the Mountain West’s impressive bowl record of 4-1, the conference accomplished that record by playing the WAC (two games), Conference-USA (one game), and Pac-10 (two games). Its teams did not face any teams from the Big East, SEC, Big XII, Big Ten, or the ACC. Likewise, the Big East had a record of 4-2, but those games were played against Conference-USA (one game), the MAC (one game), the ACC (two games against one of the WEAKEST BCS conferences), and the SEC (two games). In addition, only two each of the Mountain West and Big East opponents were ranked among the top-25 teams in the nation.

BCS matchups also carry additional weight, because they feature the best that each conference has to offer. Winning games against unranked MAC opponents is not quite the same as winning games against ranked opponents from the SEC or Big Ten. Consequently, BCS victories carry more weight because they earn more credit for the conference.

Of the five BCS matchups, only one game was won by a conference OTHER than the SEC (Florida in the Sugar Bowl and Alabama in the National Championship) or the Big Ten (Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Iowa in the Orange Bowl). With those results it is difficult to argue that the Mountain West or Big East had the best bowl performances, despite their impressive overall bowl records, because their premier teams lost on the biggest stage against the other premier teams in college football. In fact, the Big East lost its BCS game AGAINST the SEC. Likewise, the ACC, Pac-10, and Big XII also lost BCS games.

Because the SEC and Big Ten both won two BCS bowl games, is it logical to move down the hierarchy of remaining bowl games, beginning with how each conference performed against each other, before deciding the best performance as a conference overall.

There were two bowl games which pitted the SEC against the Big Ten, and each conference won one game. However, the Big Ten victory came in the Capital One Bowl (where #13 Penn State defeated #12 LSU) while the SEC victory came in the Outback Bowl (where unranked Auburn needed overtime to squeak past unranked Northwestern, which has not won a bowl game in 60 years). In the only game between a ranked SEC team and a ranked Big Ten team, it was the Big Ten that emerged victorious.

Last, the Big Ten went 4-0 against ranked opponents in the bowl season, while the SEC went 3-2 against ranked opponents, including that loss to the Big Ten. In each of those games against ranked opposition, the Big Ten was expected to lose. Yet, in each of those games the Big Ten defied the odds and came away victorious. With a win against #15 Miami (ACC), in addition to the aforementioned victories over #12 LSU (SEC), #9 Georgia Tech (ACC), and #7 Oregon (Pac-10), the Big Ten had a perfect record against four of the best teams in the country!

The Big Ten has been much maligned of late for struggling in bowl games. Although the criticism has been warranted in previous seasons, it was not the case in 2009-2010. Instead, the Big Ten faced arguably the toughest bowl schedule in the country, walking away with not just a winning record, but an UNDEFEATED record against ranked opponents, two BCS wins, and a whole lot more respect than it had entering the bowls season.

Congratulations to the Ohio State Buckeyes, Iowa Hawkeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, and Wisconsin Badgers for bringing victory (and restoring pride) to the best conference in college football!

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The Best BCS Bowl Debate – Orange You Glad You Decided to Watch this Game?

December 21, 2009

Read Sports Geek’s and Loyal Homer’s arguments about which BCS game is the best.



Higher stakes do not always equate to higher entertainment levels. The problem is that people seem less interested in competition these days, and more interested in what is at stake. Think about the BCS games slated for this season: the National Championship (Texas versus Alabama), the Fiesta Bowl (two unbeaten BCS party crashers), the Sugar Bowl (the used-to-be number one team versus the Brian Kelly-less, but no less undefeated, Cincinnati Bearcats), the Rose Bowl (Big Ten versus Pac-10 Champs), and then there is the Fed Ex Afterthought Bowl Orange Bowl.

With all of the drama, excitement, and headlines based on what is at stake in those other bowls, people seem to have lost sight of the Orange Bowl. The matchup between ACC Champion Georgia Tech and At-Large Iowa takes place on January 5th (I bet you didn’t even know it was on that day) has been generally overlooked by just about everyone in the college football world. Heed my words, you are going to be very disappointed if you overlook what could very well be the most entertaining game of the entire Bowl Championship Series.

I know that is a bold statement to make, but consider the two teams’ respective performances over the course of the 2009 season.

From the ACC, Georgia Tech boasts one of the nation’s most productive offenses. The Yellow Jackets own the second best rushing attack in the nation, averaging more than 300 yards per game on the ground behind junior running back Jonathan Dwyer, who completed his second consecutive season of rushing for more than 1,300 yards. Dwyer was not the only offensive star for the Jackets in 2009, either, as he was one of FIVE players to be named to the ACC’s all-conference first team. With Dwyer, quarterback Josh Nesbitt, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, and linemen Sean Bedford and Cord Howard earned all-ACC honors for their contributions to a team that was one of the highest scoring in the nation.

As for the Iowa Hawkeyes, the conversation begins with one of the stingiest defenses in the country. With a front seven that includes Broderick Binns, Pat Angerer, and Adrian Clayborn, the Hawkeyes allowed only 15.5 points per game, tenth best in the nation. Combined with a never-say-die offense that will once again be led by senior quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who makes his return to the field since suffering an ankle injury during an upset loss against Northwestern, Iowa has been one of the nation’s most exciting teams all season.

Even IF Georgia Tech’s offense is able to score on Iowa’s vaunted defensive interior, Iowa is no stranger to playing from behind. Having come back from behind in nearly every one of their games this season, it is unwise to count the Hawkeyes out of the game.

The Orange Bowl may not bring the headlines that the national championship will bring, and it may not feature any undefeated programs. However, it WILL feature a top-ten matchup pitting one of the nation’s top offenses against one of its best defenses. On January 5th, in Miami, we will FINALLY be able to answer the age old question – “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?”

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The Unbeatens in the BCS Debate – Ending 2009 On a High Note!

December 9, 2009

Read the debate intro, Sports Geek’s argument, and Loyal Homer’s argument about whether or not the presence of five unbeaten teams in the Bowl Championship Series is good or bad for the BCS.



It is very easy to hate the BCS.

Division I FBS is the only NCAA program that does not award its championship based on a playoff system, relying instead on a complicated formula of polls (with some big-school bias added in for flavoring) and computer statistics which are used to single out the two teams most “worthy” of playing for the national championship. It is an imperfect system, and it favors schools which generate revenue.

As a dedicated supporter of mid-major programs, I would love nothing more than to see a school from the MAC, WAC, or Mountain West (for example) actually represent the non-BCS world in the national championship game. I was one of the voices cheering for a ‘Huskers upset this past weekend, just because it would have opened the door for either TCU (a school from a non-BCS conference) or Cincinnati (a school from the embattled Big East) to upset the SEC/Big XII/Big Ten/Pac-10 stranglehold that has existed in college football for the past seven years.

Hating the BCS and clamoring for a playoff system are not the topics of our debate, though. Instead, my question for Sports Geek and Loyal Homer was to contemplate whether or not having five undefeated teams finish out the year and enter into BCS play was good for the BCS or not. Putting all of those anti-BCS sentiments to the side, I am awarding the debate to Sports Geek!

Sports Geek accurately described the “mission” of the BCS, keenly pointing out that it is not just about the national championship. While the BCS may facilitate a national championship game, the greater purpose of the Bowl Championship Series is to host a coalition of the five “best” bowl games of the season, with the national championship game as the centerpiece. As Sports Geek points out, each game is a “prime time game designed to draw the maximum amount of exposure.” Thanks to the presence of so many undefeated teams in the BCS, there can be no question that the best teams in the nation have earned invitations, and will be playing on college football’s grandest stages!

There does not seem to be any question regarding the validity in choosing Texas and Alabama as the two teams to compete for the championship. Even Brian Kelly, head coach of the BCS-bound Cincinnati Bearcats, has admitted that the best two teams in the nation are playing in the championship game, a fact pointed out by Loyal Homer.

At the end of the day, the BCS has done exactly what it promised, setting the stage for some potentially classic matchups. In fact, the 2009 season will mark the first time since the inception of the Bowl Alliance System in 1992 (which was the precursor to the BCS) that every one of the top-ranked teams is participating. In every season prior to this one, at least one team of higher ranking was snubbed for a lower-ranked (usually automatic) invitation. Not this season. There were ten invitations to the BCS, and the ten best teams in the country will be playing.

That’s right – the BCS worked! The (undisputed) two best teams in the country will be deservedly playing in the national championship game, and the eight teams remaining in the top 10 will square off in prime-time matchups that are each designed to do nothing more than showcase the best football programs of the 2009 season. Included in those matchups is a game between two unbeaten schools from non-BCS conferences, and a matchup that will pit the undefeated champion from the Big East Conference against the team that was recognized throughout the entire regular season as the best team in the nation (and will consequently become the swan-song of one of the best players in college football history). You could not ask for a better close to the 2009 season than that!

Like fireworks on the Fourth of July, the college football season will save its best for last. During the pre-BCS bowl season we will be treated to many entertaining and exciting matchups, but they are all meant as appetizers to the main course. Ultimately, those bowl games will build up to a Grand Finale featuring the most exciting and explosive teams of the season. And as much as I would love to see a playoff system one day, I cannot pretend to ignore the “oohs!” and “aahs!” in store for us as the ten best teams in the nation take the field in a five-game showcase of the best college football in the land!

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