System Failure

Ruffle My Feathers, a weekly sports blog by Justin Lewis

Here we go again; BCS system failure!  This is ONE of my last articles on the Bowling for Controversy Series AKA B.C.S. The SEC has struck again and this time they went for the most historic record they could find.  Alabama and LSU became the only two teams from the same conference to make it to the NCAA Football National Championship game.  Man, are they good!  How does a team who doesn’t even play in their CONFERENCE championship game (Alabama), get to play for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?  They were sitting at home eating hot wings and resting comfortably as the other teams worked to get in.  That’s ridiculous!

Got Favoritism? Well the BCS does.  Alabama didn’t even win their own division thus resulting in them not being eligible to compete in their own Conference championship game. Again they didn’t do so because (wait for it) they did NOT win their own DIVISION!  While LSU, Oklahoma State, and Oregon were beating their opponents into the ground this past weekend in order to get a SHOT at the National Title, Alabama players and coaches were at home eating hot wings and laughing knowing they would play for the championship whether LSU won OR lost.  Yes you all remember LSU vs. Alabama, the game where Alabama LOST, AT HOME!  Who’s to say that if LSU lost this past weekend that they still wouldn’t be playing Alabama? Way to go B.C.S, you’re the best!

We should have avoided this rematch due to the “unquestioned fair practices” of the BCS, right? Wrong!  The BCS committee and supporters are delusional.  They have the nerve to have a Twitter handle of “@everygamecounts”.  How does every game count if it didn’t matter who won the first (INSERT SARCASM HERE) “Barn Burner” between Alabama and LSU (which ended with LSU winning by a whopping score of 9-6 in overtime)?  Maybe it should read “@EveryGameCounts_except_if_an_SEC_team_is_involved”. So now all of these great 1-loss teams get a shot at the ShouldCouldaWoulda Bowl, The Kardashian Bowl where they give out butt pads and 60 day money-back marriage certificates, or maybe the Betyawishyouwouldofchangedconferencesearlier Bowl.

Granted the SEC is a tough conference but when it is compared to the Big 12 (this year’s version), there’s no comparison. It’s kind of like choosing whose lack of couth, speaking skill and intelligence bothers you more Elisabeth Hasselbeck or Sarah Palin?  Well that’s a close race but anyway… The likes of Kentucky, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State don’t match up with Baylor, Kansas State, Texas or even Texas A&M (the way their quarterback has been playing lately).  None of the SEC teams previously mentioned even sniffed the Top 40 yet here Kansas State, Baylor, and Texas stand at #8, 12, and 24 in the PRIZED BCS rankings.

Here are some alternatives to what some have deemed The Rip Van Winkle Bowl (LSU vs. Alabama):

Stanford vs. LSU. They only lost to Oregon who had two tough losses to LSU (On a neutral field) & USC because good kickers are more difficult to attain than a Kardashian Divorce/Annulment (Good luck Bruce and Kris).  Heisman front runner Andrew Luck could show Alabama’s defense what a REAL quarterback looks like, as opposed to the other quarterbacks in the SEC who could combine together like Voltron and still not be half as good as he is.

How about Boise State? Remember them, the team who also has trouble with kickers but NOT with their tendency to beat every opponent on their schedule year in and year out?  Boise State soundly beat Georgia (who was ranked #19 at the time), the team who actually PLAYED for the SEC championship.  Did ya hear that BCS, Alabama, and all you SEC fans?  Again they beat Georgia, yes that Georgia; the team that just this past weekend was one win from claiming your holy SEC title (albeit they lost, but at least they made it to their conference’s championship game).

Oklahoma State vs. LSU would be good. The comparison between Oklahoma State and Alabama is shown (by the BCS) to be close but that’s far from the truth. For instance, Strength of Schedule. Alabama’s Strength of Schedule is ranked 38th nationally. They played (5) ranked teams (going 4-1 with the one loss coming against LSU) and outscored them 151 – 58. However their other opponents have a combined win/loss record of: 39 – 45. Those teams were Kent State 5-7, North Texas 5-7, Vanderbilt 6-6, Ole Miss 2-10, Mississippi State 6-6, Tennessee 5-7, and Georgia Southern 10-2.   See any perennial powerhouses in there? I sure don’t.  They outscored those unranked opponents: 281 – 48, but only 1 of those teams (Vanderbilt) are going to a bowl game; and as you can see just (1) of those teams currently has a winning record.

On the other hand Oklahoma State’s Strength of Schedule is ranked 10th nationally. They have beat five teams with winning records to Alabama’s three. They also have four wins over BCS Top 25 teams to Alabama’s two.  They outscored their ranked opponents 164 – 110 (This score is deceiving because Oklahoma State had already taken most of their starters out due to them being so far ahead).   The unranked teams they played had a combined win/loss record of 49 – 47.  Those teams were Arizona 4-8, Louisiana-Lafayette 8-4, Tulsa 8-4, Kansas 2-10, Missouri 7-5, Texas Tech 5-7, Iowa State 6-6, and Baylor 9-3. Baylor is now ranked #15 and like the other 4 teams in Bold they are in a Bowl Game. They outscored the unranked opponents 428 – 200.  In terms of style of play Oklahoma State is very versatile. They can score every 52 seconds or they can win in hard nosed fashion by being one of the best teams in the nation in taking the ball away from opposing offenses.  Alabama bores you to death with the 3 yards and a cloud of dust offense, but they do have a stifling defense that is fun to watch.  So I believe versatility and excitement should win here.

I just want a change from having the same kind of game occurring again where it’s only exciting if you’re a Field Goal Kicker!  Last year’s battle in the National Championship Game between Oregon and Auburn was a very low scoring game in terms of what we are used to BUT it was very exciting and featured great Offensive AND defensive talent.  This game is all about defense and special teams and I love games like that, but I am also partial to seeing something different.

With all these deserving teams I just mentioned do you still think Alabama should get another chance? Do you think Herman Cain should give it another go, too? The SEC is given too much credit and it has to stop now.  Humans play a bigger role in BCS bowl rankings/placement, just resubmit your votes.   We saw how this game went last time, Alabama LOST!

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