If you believe that the amount of spittle that forms in the corners of Lou Holtz’s mouth is a direct correlation to how exciting a college football season is, this has been one for the ages. (Quick side note: How in the world does a man with a terrible lisp decide to name his son Skip? What are his other kids’ names? Shelly? Sammy? Sacagawea?) Anyways, with parity at an all-time high, the best teams have all lost at least one game, leaving only 6 undefeated teams remaining. What makes this season one of the most exciting in recent memory, will also lead to the greatest controversy College Football has ever seen. After this season is done, the NCAA will finally begin to move away from the BCS, and legitimate playoff talk will begin.
Why do I believe this? Because there are two scenarios that could possibly play out and each of them is wonderfully awful for our friends at the Bowl Championship Series.
Scenario 1: The teams with the best chances to go undefeated aren’t teams that anyone is going to watch, and certainly aren’t teams that fans will believe are legitimate national champions.
Here are the undefeated teams in order of their chances to go undefeated:
1. Hawaii…..Key Wins: None
Key Games Left: Boise State, Washington
2. Kansas…..Key Wins: @ Kansas State
Key Games Left: @ A&M, Nebraska, Missouri
3. South Florida…..Key Wins: @ Auburn, West Virginia
Key Games Left: @ Rutgers, @ Connecticut, Cincinnati, Louisville
4. Ohio State…….Key Wins: @ Purdue
Key Games Left: @ Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, @ Michigan
5. Boston College……Key Wins: @ Georgia Tech, Wake Forest
Key Games Left: @ Va Tech, Florida State, @ Maryland, @ Clemson
6. Arizona State……..Key Wins: None
Key Games Left: Cal, @ Oregon, USC
Is there any combination there that interests you in the least? Can you really picture yourself having a national championship party at your house to watch Kansas battle South Florida? Or how about heading to your favorite bar to watch the proclaimed “best screen team in football”, Boston College battle an Ohio State team that isn’t close to as good as it was last year.
If any two of these six teams is playing in New Orleans on January 7th, I can guarantee the lowest ratings in BCS history. The only way people will consider ending the BCS is if people don’t think the National Champion is even close to the best team in college football, and therefore the viewer doesn’t think enough of the “championship” game to tune in.
However, as you can see, all of these teams are benefiting from favorable schedules so far this year (with South Florida the one exception). I doubt that two of these six teams will end up undefeated. This of course leads us to Scenario 2, which is far more likely.
Scenario 2: 5 or 6 quality teams will end the season with 1 loss, making last years’ Michigan-Florida debate seem microscopic in comparison.
Imagine if the season ended with the following teams having 1 loss:
1. LSU
2. South Carolina or Kentucky
3. Ohio State
4. South Florida
5. West Virginia
6. Boston College
7. Va Tech
8. Oklahoma
9. Kansas or Missouri
10. Cal, USC or Oregon
11. Hawaii (Probably Undefeated)
Can you imagine the debate we would be having with eleven quality teams trying to convince BCS jerkoffs that they belong in the National Championship? While the chances of this happening are slim, the possibility of 5 or 6 teams having only 1 loss is quite realistic. This year, the BCS luck will finally run out.
Outside of a few occasions where one team gets screwed (Michigan last year, USC in 2003, Auburn in 2004), the BCS has been incredibly lucky. If we get LSU, USC, Ohio State, Boston College, South Florida and Oklahoma with all one loss (which is definitely possible), how in the world can the BCS act like there are two definitive teams that deserve to play for the National Championship? If enough major programs get screwed over, we will finally get the playoff that so many of us want.
So whether you root for a Hawaii-Kansas BCS Championship Game, or for Pete Carroll to openly weep to Skip Bayless on First and Ten about how USC is getting screwed and not even the illegal booster money he’s giving his players is making them happy, just root for massive controversy. This season has had plenty of excitement, and in about 6 weeks, the BCS era of college football will begin to die.
-Violent J
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