September 22, 2008

Could an undefeated Southern Cal miss the BCS?

America's favorite LA Times columnist Chris Dufresne sounds the alarm that no fan wants to hear: Your team could go undefeated and miss the MNC game. Sure, it's happened before - just ask Tulane and some other team from the southern plains that didn't complain too much.

But three letters make this a code blue, five-alarm red flag alert: USC could miss the BCS title game.

Stunningly, though, only one week after USC's dominating performance against Ohio State left the Trojans as overwhelming favorites to get to the national title game, the watchwords in coming weeks might be: Watch out.

Watch out for the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences.

Watch out for Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana State and maybe Alabama.

Dufresne correctly notes that USC basically has "pinatas" left on its schedule. For the first time in recent years, the Trojans do not have an AP top-25 team left on their schedule. Meanwhile, the SEC and Big XII are heavily represented in both polls.

In 2004, USC, Oklahoma and the SEC champion all finished unbeaten and the SEC champion was left out.

You're nuts to think that's going to happen again.

Good as it looks, there is no guarantee that going 12-0 is going to get USC to the BCS title game.

Georgia, at 13-0, could not possibly be denied, nor could any other 13-0 SEC champion.

I suspect there are some SEC fans that wouldn't shed a tear if undefeated Big XII and SEC champs played for the crystal trophy while a 13-0 Southern Cal was relegated to the Rose Bowl, no?

Comments:

Could an undefeated Southern Cal miss the BCS?
America's favorite LA Times columnist Chris Dufresne sounds the alarm that no fan wants to hear: Your team could go undefeated and miss the MNC game. Sure, it's happened before - just ask Tulane and some other team from the southern plains that didn't complain too much. But three letters make this a code blue, five-alarm red flag alert: USC could miss the BCS title game.
Stunningly, though, only one week after USC's dominating performance against Ohio State left the Trojans as overwhelming favorites to get to the national title game, the watchwords in coming weeks might be: Watch out. Watch out for the Big 12 and Southeastern conferences. Watch out for Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana State and maybe Alabama.
Dufresne correctly notes that USC basically has "pinatas" left on its schedule. For the first time in recent years, the Trojans do not have an AP top-25 team left on their schedule. Meanwhile, the SEC and Big XII are heavily represented in both polls.
In 2004, USC, Oklahoma and the SEC champion all finished unbeaten and the SEC champion was left out. You're nuts to think that's going to happen again. Good as it looks, there is no guarantee that going 12-0 is going to get USC to the BCS title game. Georgia, at 13-0, could not possibly be denied, nor could any other 13-0 SEC champion.
I suspect there are some SEC fans that wouldn't shed a tear if undefeated Big XII and SEC champs played for the crystal trophy while a 13-0 Southern Cal was relegated to the Rose Bowl, no?