Simple Solution: AP Should Vote 13-0 Auburn #1

Controversy? What controversy?

As we LSU fans learned first-hand in 2003, AP voters feel obligated to, in times of BCS controversy, appoint themselves the moderators of computer-driven chicanery.

Why, how noble it was of said AP voters to appoint USC #1 in 2003, thus giving us a "split national title". We Tiger fans were told time and again how "fair" this outcome truly was, and how there was no shame in "sharing" a title.

Why, I humbly ask, can't the AP come to the rescue once again?

Auburn has done nothing wrong, running the table and winning the SEC, becoming the ONLY undefeated, untied SEC champ since the SEC Championship Game was instituted to NOT get to play for the national title.

"It was a down year for the SEC", some say, but those "some" who say this apparently are not AP voters. As usual, the SEC has the most teams (5) in the current AP poll. Furthermore, Auburn faced and defeated the other four teams to post a 5-0 record against top 25-caliber competition.

To recap: an undefeated SEC champion goes 5-0 against conference teams in what is, at least to AP voters, the best conference in the country...and does NOT make the BCS Championship Game.

Is my suggested solution too simplistic? Okay, what if I say a convincing Auburn victory over a white hot Virginia Tech team coupled with a sluggish Oklahoma win (no way USC wins, take it to the bank) should get Auburn the AP crown? Maybe we also give at least a little consideration to how those other 4 SEC teams fare in their respective bowls (i.e., does a 3-1 or 4-0 record by LSU, Georgia, Florida and Tenn make Auburn look "better"?)

Why, it would only be "fair" to "reward" a 13-0 Auburn team with a spotless 6-0 record against top 25 teams.

Feel free to take your best shot at why my idea is so bad...and please don't come at me with the "but USC was #1 in the AP last year going into the bowls" crap; the main reason why USC is #1 right now is because that's where they were ranked at the beginning of the season.

 

Tejas Tiger, while I appreciate your thought, that's the kind of NC I wouldn't care diddly about. That's like last year when the AP gave it to USC and look at all the discussion that has provoked in the last year.

 

Prolly should happen, but unfortunately won't. The BCS matching AU against a 9-2 Va Tech insured there would be no split this season.

Doesn't change the fact that it's a mighty good team.

 

Did you know that, during initial discussions last offseason regarding BCS changes, one of the first things suggested was postponing human polls until after the first month of the season...and the media flat-out rejected it?

Since the preseason rankings are the number one reason why Auburn was "left out" of the Orange Bowl, at the very least this change ought to be reconsidered starting next season.

I understand your sentiment, but the same media types that complain about the BCS are part of the problem and should be held to account. AP voters helped make the current mess, and they have the power to at least somewhat "fix" it with their final, post-bowl vote.

 

The AP hates the BCS, so why not vote AU #1 after the bowl? They need to be consistent with their message last year. If they don't, then they should retroactively change their votes for last year to LSU. The voters don't really give a flying fornication (ala Boortz) about the BCS unless the BCS is screwing one of their babies.

 

Michigan had the same record last year.

 

True, but not relative since their weren't any undefeated teams vieing for the MNC......

 

I hate to see Auburn get screwed over like this because it sets a bad precedent for the SEC. There was a time when 12-0 SEC team would have been the defacto consensus natl championship claiber team in the eyes of everyone. Now its looking to be like more and more of media controlled machine looking only at the $$$ bottomline.

Auburn should petition the SEC to do something to atleast get a split if they end up undefeated. Its sickening to think that they are only playing for #2 no matter what.

 

Another reason is, if both USC and AU finsih undefeated, I think the AP would give USC the nod because of a) their love of the Trojans and b) because they beat you guys last year in JH when both of you bascially had the same team. I know that last year doesn't outcome doesn't mean they would win this year, but that would probably be the mind set of the voters.

 

Was this season's LSU's team the same as last season's?

Sorry, but there's no possibility of confusing either of the '03 teams with their respective '04 teams.....