Tuesday, November 18, 2008

BCS Championship Doomsday Scenarios

Nothing like hypothesizing and speculating to find ways for the BCS to become a mess of chaos. Everyone likes a little mayhem this time of year, and especially those haters of the current system will root for things to get flipped upside down in the coming weeks.

Word right now is that we'll see the Big 12 champ vs. the SEC champ in the BCS title game in Miami on Jan. 8. That's pretty likely unless the following scenarios play out (assuming that the BCS title game will feature conference champs, though ESPN's Brad Edwards says otherwise):

Scenario 1: Missouri wins the Big 12.

It's still unclear who will represent the Big 12 South in the Big 12 championship game if Oklahoma beats Texas Tech Saturday in Norman. Moot point in this scenario, though.

Let's say that two-loss Mizzou wins the Big 12, the BCS title game will likely be without a Big 12 rep.

Advantage
: USC.

Scenario 2: Florida loses again in the regular season (at Florida State?) then beats Alabama in the SEC championship game.

Totally legit that the Gators could lose to FSU. Not likely, but not improbable either. If a two-loss Florida then beats 'Bama, which we'd bet a paycheck on, the SEC is probably out of the BCS title game.

Advantage: USC.

Scenario 3: Oregon State wins out, claiming the Pac-10 crown.

Would send the Beavers to their first Rose Bowl in over 40 years and spell disaster for USC's title chances.

Advantage: Penn State, Utah, Big 12 South team(s)

4. Scenarios 1, 2 and 3 all happen.

If scenarios 1 and 2 both go down, are we without a Big 12 and SEC team in the championship game? Quite possibly.

Add in scenario 3 to the mix, that would, theoretically, eliminate the Trojans from any BCS title game arguments since USC would be the Pac-10 No. 2. (If the Beavers lose -- next week at Arizona and then the Civil War against Oregon -- this is moot. USC could sneak back into title discussions.)

But who else? Does Penn State get back in the mix? A one-loss Big 12 South team that didn't even get to play for the conference title? Undefeated Utah? Does the world just implode?

Thoughts, analysis and chaos theories in the comments, please.

7 comments:

Simon said...

I vote world implodes.... Joe Pa must not be allowed to play in the title game.

Anonymous said...

here's what I wonder though - let's say the Beavers win the pac-10 but USC wins out, plus a few of the teams ranked above USC lose. USC could end up as one of the top 2 teams in the rankings, and don't they have to take #1 vs #2 for the championship game? So there you go, USC in the title game even though they didn't win the pac-10. I think it's legit.

GMoney said...

Luckily, 1 and 2 aren't going to happen because Missourah sucks and Florida wears jorts.

Anonymous said...

Scenario #5 - OU beats TECH and jumps UT. OU beats Mizzou vaulting them to the BCS game. Meanwhile Florida loses to FSU and then beats Alabama.

Advantage - UT

Then we have an OU vs UT part #2. Both teams give the "OB" the finger and play the BCS in the Cotton Bowl where it belongs.

Anonymous said...

If Oregon St. and USC both win out, I think both will go to BCS games. There are 10 slots available, with automatics going to the ACC, Big East, Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and Pac 10 champs. That leaves 4 open slots for Big 12, SEC, Pac 10, and Utah/Boise St. If both Utah and Boise St. win out, the Pac 10 could be left out, but I think a one-loss USC will look pretty good to some BCS bowl committee.

Anonymous said...

Theoretically, the title game could be played between the No. 5 vs. No 6 teams. In a doomsday scenario, I think a 1-loss Big 12 south team gets the nod against Penn St.

Bokolis said...

I'd prefer maximum chaos. I want to see a bunch of one-loss teams, with Boise St and Utah going undefeated. Having to decide which two of the one-loss teams go to the title game, while two undefeated teams get lesser bowls, will make further mockery of this sham.

The icing on the shitcake would be The U earning a BCS bowl bid.