First off, this assertion is not taking into account performance or coaching. It is just a comparison of our situations. I think this is an inherent problem with the conglomerate system, but as it stands, Alabama is in a better position from having lost to us on Nov. 5th for the following reasons.


Schedule
As it stands, we have one game left against the #3 team in the country. If we win this game, we will have a game against the likely #10-12 team in the country in Georgia. If we drop either one of these, since it is so late, we likely will not have a chance to recover. If we lost to Arkansas in a very close game, yet still make it to the SECCG, we have a chance to leap teams with a win in the SECCG, but I don't find us making it if we lose because I think we would drop behind 'Bama and Arkansas, thus putting us out of the SECCG. If we lose the SECCG game after beating Arkansas, voters would likely place us out of the top two, and thus out of the BCSNCG because they wouldn't want to put two teams from the same conference who did not win their conference in the BCSNCG. In the event someone jumps 'Bama after conference championship weekend, I think that team would face 'Bama if we lose, but that would just be a huge, unpredictable mess.

'Bama on the other hand, only has to beat Auburn and then they can sit and wait. Auburn is worse than both Arkansas and Georgia in my opinion, making their remaining schedule much easier. Since they lost earlier and were only placed back into 3rd in the BCS standings, they are now back in at #2 and don't have any risk of playing in the SECCG unless we lose to Arkansas. Granted, they can be jumped by another team, there is another factor which I think will overcome this.


Media Outlook
The pollsters are made up of and influenced by the media. For illogical reasons, they view 'Bama in a much great light than LSU. They worship Saban and his "discipline," as well as the general tradition at Alabama. The media protrays LSU as a good team with a crazy coach who has hung on by the narrowest of margins sometimes to win games that they shouldn't have. This was evidenced when we beat 'Bama and the media claimed that LSU was outplayed and when 'Bama gave up 21 points to Georgia Southern, but nothing was made of it. I think this will prevent teams from jumping 'Bama because they are ever glorified in and by the national media.

The Late Loss Consequence
There is an effect which comes from a late loss that nearly precludes a team from making the BCSNCG when said team loses late in the season. Voters tend to forget the earlier performances in the season that have gotten teams where they are at the present moment and focus on the most immediately recent week. This is shown by the fact that Stanford is now #4 when they lost two weeks ago. This consequence has been diminished this season to a degree(e.g., Oklahoma State at #4 after a lost to Iowa State), but it still exists.

Control of Destiny
This is the only factor which weighs in our favor. Since we are undefeated, if we win out, it is a sure thing: we are a shoe-in for the BCSNCG, whereas there is room for teams below us to shuffle despite their wins.


Like it or hate it, I think this is the way it is. I have confidence that the Tigers will win their remaining games en route to the BCSNCG, but I think it is unfair that Alabama is probably in a more favorable position.

As discussed in another thread, voters have shown favor in the past to conference winners. OKST is loved by the computers. If they win out only around 1/4 of the voters have to put them in second place on their ballots, and they are in.

My favorite point above is that WE control our destiny. We are the best, and we must continue to be on the field to make this that special season.

LSU wins three more games and it's all flatulence!

I think another part of the beauty pagent that helps Alabama's case is that we've beaten this week's #3 Coach's-poll, Arkansas, team 35-10.

And for the record, I am in full support of a playoff in 1-A football. I think the chance to play for a Nat. Championship should be left in the hands of the coaches and kids. If they win they advance. The voting and pollsters mix just isn't serving the best interest of the game, to me.

I'm open to a playoff system, IF two teams haven't fully distinguished themselves from the rest of the pack. For instance, if Oklahoma State finished the regular season undefeated, and there were no other undefeated teams other than LSU, then I'd want an automatic BCSNCG between LSU and Oklahoma State. I personally love the BCS because EVERY game is worth watching. In the NFL, you can slip up 6 or 7 times a year and still have a shot at the Super Bowl, but in College Football, a loss means so much more. I think the real problem comes out when there are multiple undefeated teams(e.g., 2004). In that case, I'm for a playoff system, but otherwise, I'm of the "you should've won all your games if you wanted a shot" persuasion.

I see where you are going, but you can't compare a college season to an NFL season. The NFL schedules are much tougher. You can't have a BCS type system in the NFL, because every year you'd have 5 or 6 teams that "deserve" to go to the Super Bowl. NFL teams can lose every week. 5 or 6 losses against an NFL schedule is very good.

LSU doesn't have a realistic shot of losing several of the games on their schedule. I'm not demeaning LSU's schedule. It's the toughest I've ever seen on the college level, but in several of those games, LSUs backups could beat the other teams starters. That doesn't happen in the NFL.

I don't think subjectivity should be any part of a system to crown a champion. You either are in the Super Bowl or you are not. Sports writers and computers don't crown the NFC and AFC champions. You have to go though the gauntlet, beating teams in other divisions, in some cases, on the road.

If every college football fan demanded a playoff, I think we'd have one, but too many are content with the current system because, IMO, it makes it easier to get to the title game.

If there were a playoff system, how many teams would go? If you say 8, Oregon and OU are out as of today. Someone is still going to feel slighted, see the NCAA tourney 64 situation. Also, a playoff system would make the regular season not quite as meaningful as it is today. Every Saturday is HUGE in CFB right now, from early Sep to early Dec. You don't have that in the NFL, and probably wouldn't be as big in a cfb playoff system. Then you have the bowls. I have family affiliated with the Sugar Bowl, so I am biased in wanting to preserve the stature of our bowl game. But even putting that aside, there is the issue of $$ payouts. You need to keep the bowls involved because this is where the money comes from for a lot of schools (that and TV rights). These funds pay for the schools' other athletic programs in women's and men's sports.

When people clamor for a playoff, they tend to forget the wide variety of issues implicated.

So .. you consider it "meaningful" that Bama got beat by LSU, LSU will have at least as good a record as Bama ... but Bama is guarnateed to be in the NCG, but LSU is not???

Robert Smith ... is that you?? Are you pretending to be Tigerfan90?? Get out a here with your Bama luvin' self.

That seems pretty meaningful, albeit unjust and essentially incorrect.