This is the problem we have in the LSU-USC example. The media has a very subjective reason to want USC in the national title -- to increase its own ratings. Because of this fact, there can be no claims of objectivity coming from the media. Sadly and predictably, the peon college football fans who listen to the talking heads of the media obey them upon command, and will gladly announce that LSU stands no chance competiting with either USC or OU. This is why the BCS puts such an emphasis on objectivity -- the computer polls, the SoS, and the quality win bonus. If LSU wins the SEC, the only thing that will hold LSU out from the Sugar Bowl will be the subjective, biased component -- the AP and Coaches Polls. The objective components will all be in LSU's favor -- computer rankings, SoS, and quality win bonus. Of course there are people who will continue to blindly follow the media and proclaim USC as the obvious choice over LSU; a team "clearly" better. Throw these following facts in their faces and they will say, "Oh yeah, I've seen USC on TV and LSU doesn't hold a candle to them." Or you might here the typical USC-media refrain, "Look at LSU's out of conference schedule!" Which, by the way, is easily countered by "Look at USC's CONFERENCE schedule. Look at LSU's CONFERENCE schedule." Yeah, conference schedule, the meat of a team's schedule. The reason teams like Miami (OH), Bowling Green, and TCU have no shot at the national title game. So ponder these facts: 1. BCS poll (only ranks top 25) -- LSU has played the #7,#11,#18 and #24 (beat 7,18, 24). SECCG will pit LSU against another top 10 BCS opponent. USC has played the #15 and no one else. 2. ESPN/Coaches Poll (only ranks top 43) -- LSU has played #5,#11,#19, and #29 (beat 5,19,29). SECCG will be against a top 10 team. USC has played #14 and no one else in top 43! 3. AP poll (ranks top 37) -- LSU has played #5,#11,#17, and #26 (beat 5,17,26). SECCG again will be against top 10 team. USC played #16 and no one else in the top 37!. 4. LSU's only loss to #11 Florida. 5. USC's only loss to unranked 7-6 Cal. 6. Despite playing W. Illinois, which does not count, and 1-11 ULM, LSU's SoS will still be much strong than USC's in two weeks! Throw out those two teams from LSU's SoS, and it's not even close! 7. LSU average margin over victory is about 25 points per game. USC's average margin of victory is about 23 points per game. So much for the media and USC fans saying that USC blows out the competition while LSU isn't nearly as impressive in wins.
While there is some truth to that post, I don't competely agree. If we had beat Florida, there would be no debate. A lot of this is b/c USC was ranked in the BCS as number 6 last year, and the fact that they were ranked ahead of us all year long in the polls. In college football past performace plays a part in ranking teams. Is it fair? I'm not sure, but it has always been that way. I'm biased, like fans and alumi of USC. I feel if we win the SECCG, we earned the right to play Okla. Sure the media has been building up USC, but that is b/c there was a better chance of us losing to Ole Miss and Ark (ranked 15 and 24), than it was for USC to be beat by UCLA or Ore St. Three weeks ago, it seemed pretty cut and dry from a national outlook, USC's road to the Sugar is easier. Since we have beaten Ole Miss and Ark, the real debates are just getting started. We win the SECCG, the only complaints you will hear will be coming from the West Coast . . . maybe this time the PAC-10 will add two teams and a title game, to avoid having Ore and USC feeling left out. I do know this. Had we beat Florida, none of this debate for number 2 would be going on, they would be debating who is #1 Okla or LSU.
