Dang, thats rough. Seems like every year that Iowa's whole team is injured. i remember in 04, weren't you guys down to your like 4th or 5th string RB for a little while? Looks like Ferentz will have to earn his big bucks once again.:grin:
I am not slamming the Big 10. In fact, I would argue, the Big 10 is the only other conference in America that has the same issues on a perrenial basis. Iowa is classy. That has been established. And...I know you guys are down due to situations beyond your control. I think I can simplify my thoughts on this just by saying. If LSU has this year's team in a year when the SEC is down (which is what seems to be going on the Big 10), then we run the table and play for the NC...or maybe we don't play for the NC...due to the fact that the PAC 10 is down EVERY year except for USC. I also get tired of the OOC schedule argument. Let's see...I'm in the SEC, and I'm likely to be playing as many as 5 top 25 teams, maybe a few in the top 10 or even 5, so what should I do? Add another one so I can play 6 or 7. It's a little easier to add tough OOC when you're conference is cake. As far as records. Sometimes, it's not who you play...it's who the team your playing has played. Anyway, I perplexed. As much as nearly everyone has moaned about the BCS. I believe the non-recognition of SOS or at least the dminisihing of it, hurts the SEC...and the Big 10...Except for this year.
One scenario absolutely no one is thinking about. What if Arky wins out, Florida wins out, and Arky wins the SEC CG? If OSU loses: OSU will have: 2 wins vs top 25 teams (Iowa,Texas) 1 win vs top 10 teams (Texas) 1 loss (vs top 5 team) If Mich loses, they will have: 1 win vs top 25 (ND) Possibly 1 win vs top 10 (depends where ND ends up) 1 loss (vs top 5 team) Compare to Ark: 4 wins vs top 25 (Aub, Tenn, LSU, Fla<SECCG>) 3 wins vs top 10 (Aub, LSU/Tenn winner, Fla<SECCG>)* 1 (loss vs top 5 team) *Note: outside chance of LSU/Tenn loser finishing in top 10* Now someone explain to me how the Michigan/OSU loser gets in over Arky. They would have twice the wins over ranked opponents, and 3 possibly 4 wins over top 10 teams.
Great job nutria You expose the BCS for what it is right there. Still a popularity contest. The voters still control it. If they decide Arkansas is the #2 team in the nation, then Arkansas is in (SOS = one of the best in the country at that point). If they decide Arkansas is the 4th best team in the country, then no chance.
"Now someone explain to me how the Michigan/OSU loser gets in over Arky." First, intriguing scenario with Arky, for sure. A lot would have to happen for Ms. Chicken and the Buckies to be matched up in the big game... a lot meaning other undefeateds would have to lose and even some one loss teams would have to lose again. It's a long shot. My thinking is... if Arky did run the table, voters would see it as the SEC having a bunch of good teams, but no great team. It is unfair, for sure, but there would have to be some "penalty" for getting 50 points laid on ya, regardless of the circumstances. Also, voters have memories... the moon and stars were slightly altered last year when the Big Easy Champ went down to Georgia and beat the SEC champ basically at home. That shouldn't happen to "the best team in the best conference" and it has given L'ville and WV some added repect, regardless of their weak schedules. So, yes, Ark could run the table and still be logically left out of the big game.... and the voters not missing an ounce of sleep, either. Unfair... perhaps...
As opposed to the Big 11 Ten only having 2 teams? No one else has really competed with OSu or Mich so far. How does having a conference inferior to its top 2 team, make you better than having a dog fight with top 10 teams 3-4 times a year?
You should be proud the SEC had (and has) so many teams ranked. There's some media love there!! "The Big Ten having only two teams"... how do you know that? Wisconsin had a very good showing at Michigan, It's their only loss. They finished last year beating Auburn... how do you know they're not a good team. How do you know they couldn't beat, say, Arkansas... just because it's taken them all year to get recognition... why does that make them bad. Penn State lost to ND, OSU, and Michigan (17-10). They're not ranked. Do those three losses make them bad? LSU has two losses to similar quality teams, does that make them bad?? Iowa's been a big disappointment with all their injuries. Georgia's been a disappointment... the media doesn't always get it right when they rank teams, especially early on. You're not the only league that has dogfights. Auburn's had, what, two losses in the last three years in the SEC. I'd have to check, but I don't think either Michigan or Ohio State have had it that "easy" in conference. Easy's the wrong word for sure, but you get my drift.:wink:
I'm curious as to why we have so many bowl tie-ins with the Big 10. I'd like to see a Pac 10 or two. Is it because of teams' ability to travel- by teams' I mean fans. Maybe geography factors in?
I didn't mean for it to come across like that. I'm not trying to say that the rest of the conference isn't good. What I meant was that those two schools appear to be in a separate class from the rest of the conference. Only 4 times in the last 20 years, has there been a season where neither Mich nor OSU was at least conf. co-champs. Does that make tOSU & Mich great, or does it just mean the rest of the conference just isn't as good as they are consistently?
I think our three with you (Cap, Outback, music city) are now two. We are out of the Music City, adding Champs (against ACC). We use to always have two against the Pac 10 (Rose and Sun), but even that's changing. Our two match-ups with the Big 12 are the Alamo Bowl and the Insight. Then our #7 plays the MAC champ... when we have a #7!!!
