When Matt Hayes makes predictions everyone listens.

i think hunnicutt would have a better chance

Haha, sportsguru is a whiny biatch!

why is everyone still acting like USC is the USC of old? to paraphrase rick pitino, Reggie Bush ain't taking the field saturday. Matt Leinart isn't gonna be under center. Mark Sanchez ain't walking through that door.

i don't know why USC is being made out to be some kind of juggernaut when they aren't that good. i have no problem with them not being in the BCS. they face a tough stanford team this saturday and could very well lose (i don't think they will, but Stanford is playing good ball right now) and even Arizona might give them trouble (equally unlikely, but you never know).

and the media seems to reveling in USC's "ordinary-ness". when Texas kinda fell back, or a better example maybe being Miami in the mid-200s, there werent' weekly "OMG ____ SUCKS NOW LOL!" columns, and it seems to me that USC is taking more than their fare share.

I wouuld love a Smurfs vs. Horned Frogs championship, or Bearcats v Hawkeyes or whatever. just to stick it ot the BCS and conference committees and show how ridiculous the BCS is and how badly we need a playoff....which is still years away, as the TV/conference contracts are signed for years.

i think the BCS is tied into ABC through something ridiculous like 2018 or some shiat. I heard that last year's annual "THE BOWL SEASONS SUCK, WHEN DO WE GET A PLAYOFF?" sports talk radio feeding frenzy

Florida vs. Texas

rickythepenguin: I wouuld love a Smurfs vs. Horned Frogs championship,

That is exactly what they don't want. The entire point of their getting into a BCS bowl is to is feed off the reputation of a major conference champion...well, that and the big $$$.

Prediction: Boise State wins out and gets dropped from a Bowl game in favor of Notre Dame.

Why? Because f*ck you, you'll watch what we tell you. That's why.

netweavr: Prediction: Boise State wins out and gets dropped from a Bowl game in favor of Notre Dame.

Why? Because f*ck you, you'll watch what we tell you. That's why.

I hope so. Go Notre Dame!

/hates Iowa

Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

mitchcumstein1: Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

I agree. The winner of this weeks Iowa/Ohio State team gets in the Rose Bowl. No other Big Ten team in a BCS bowl game.

i have a feeling this bowl season is going to be incredibly boring

rickythepenguin: why is everyone still acting like USC is the USC of old? to paraphrase rick pitino, Reggie Bush ain't taking the field saturday. Matt Leinart isn't gonna be under center. Mark Sanchez ain't walking through that door.

i don't know why USC is being made out to be some kind of juggernaut when they aren't that good. i have no problem with them not being in the BCS. they face a tough stanford team this saturday and could very well lose (i don't think they will, but Stanford is playing good ball right now) and even Arizona might give them trouble (equally unlikely, but you never know).

and the media seems to reveling in USC's "ordinary-ness". when Texas kinda fell back, or a better example maybe being Miami in the mid-200s, there werent' weekly "OMG ____ SUCKS NOW LOL!" columns, and it seems to me that USC is taking more than their fare share.

I wouuld love a Smurfs vs. Horned Frogs championship, or Bearcats v Hawkeyes or whatever. just to stick it ot the BCS and conference committees and show how ridiculous the BCS is and how badly we need a playoff....which is still years away, as the TV/conference contracts are signed for years.

i think the BCS is tied into ABC through something ridiculous like 2018 or some shiat. I heard that last year's annual "THE BOWL SEASONS SUCK, WHEN DO WE GET A PLAYOFF?" sports talk radio feeding frenzy

All the BCS bowl games will be on ESPN (re: not ESPN on ABC, actual ESPN) in 2-3 years. That is part of the new BCS contract with ESPN after this year.

Yeah, there's no way Iowa and Ohio State both get in since they're playing this week. The loser of that game drops to like 17th. I would think Miami might sneak in as the last BCS team.

i look forward to ESPN's control of the BCS bowl games. finally, we won't have to speculate through the season anymore and will be able to see USC, Texas, Oklahoma, and 7 SEC teams play each other.

YouWinAgainGravity: i look forward to ESPN's control of the BCS bowl games. finally, we won't have to speculate through the season anymore and will be able to see USC, Texas, Oklahoma, and 7 SEC teams play each other.

Nah, there's still polls, so there will be at least 2 Big 10 teams available even though none of them are within the actual 20 best teams in the country.

Also, I'd say USC wouldn't be in there, but Arizona hasn't played USC, Oregon, or Cal. Even ASU should be tough, as a rivalry game. It's entirely possible that we get some weird 3 way tiebreaker for the conference title.

rickythepenguin: why is everyone still acting like USC is the USC of old? to paraphrase rick pitino, Reggie Bush ain't taking the field saturday. Matt Leinart isn't gonna be under center. Mark Sanchez ain't walking through that door.

They're still a good team, but there's no real excellence. When a team is dominant for so long and suddenly they're just good, it's looked upon as they suck. Arizona's been a tough opponent for them, even when USC was dominant; Stanford and Arizona could certainly beat USC...but I wouldn't bet on either of those games. Should be an interesting close to the season; pretty much all the top teams still have to play each other.

Oregon still has Arizona and Oregon State.
Arizona still has USC, Oregon, and Cal.
Stanford still has USC, Cal, and Notre Dame.
USC still has Stanford and Arizona.
Oregon State still has Oregon (but already lost to Arizona and USC).

All those teams are within 1 conference game of each other and they all play each other. Oregon State probably has the easiest schedule to close out on, but they've already lost the tiebreaker to two other teams.

I really don't believe they're going to serve up Alabama to another BCS buster again this year- especially TCU

I say give Boise a big dose of a SEC power. Let's see if they can pull a Utah.

dletter: mitchcumstein1: Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

I agree. The winner of this weeks Iowa/Ohio State team gets in the Rose Bowl. No other Big Ten team in a BCS bowl game.

What's with the Big Ten hate? Was there a meeting I missed?

rickythepenguin: i don't know why USC is being made out to be some kind of juggernaut when they aren't that good.

Their record over the last 8 years was something like 85-8. That is why they have been considered a juggernaut. This is a rebuilding year and they are still in the Top 25. That's another reason.

JoJoTheIdiotMonkeyBoy: dletter: mitchcumstein1: Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

I agree. The winner of this weeks Iowa/Ohio State team gets in the Rose Bowl. No other Big Ten team in a BCS bowl game.

What's with the Big Ten hate? Was there a meeting I missed?

The chances of both TCU and Boise State getting into BCS games is just slightly ahead of zero. The BCS is only obliged to take one non-BCS conference school that finishes in the top 10. Assuming TCU beats Utah, that means its TCU (because there is no bloody way TCU is losing to New Mexico or Wyoming).

Boise State going 12-0 and being forced into the Poinsettia Bowl or some bullshiat like that is bad enough. If Boise State gets left out for a goddamn 8-4 or, quite possibly 7-5 Notre Dame team, I hope the WAC sues the BCS and gets an injunction to stop all of the games. Not that they will stop them, but they need to raise hell.

USC has three games left, all at home. Stanford and Arizona might catch them out, but as someone else said, I wouldn't bet on it.

Oregon has three games left, including a road game against Arizona and a home game against OSU. They might get one of those, but it'll be tough to get both.

Arizona has road games at Cal and USC. Throw in Oregon and if they play hard they might go 3-1.

OSU plays UW and WSU, both of which should go into the 'W' column, but we saw how well USC did with that mindset against UW.

I predict a 3-way tie between USC-Oregon-OSU.
- USC wins out, finishes 7-2 with a win over OSU and a loss to Oregon
- Oregon goes 2-1 with a loss to OSU (and has that win over USC)
- OSU 3-0 with a win over Oregon (and that loss to USC)

Any Pac-10'ers know how this tie would get broken?

My Top 25 with commentary (new window)

Full Rankings (new window)

tnpir: The chances of both TCU and Boise State getting into BCS games is just slightly ahead of zero. The BCS is only obliged to take one non-BCS conference school that finishes in the top 10. Assuming TCU beats Utah, that means its TCU (because there is no bloody way TCU is losing to New Mexico or Wyoming).

Boise State going 12-0 and being forced into the Poinsettia Bowl or some bullshiat like that is bad enough. If Boise State gets left out for a goddamn 8-4 or, quite possibly 7-5 Notre Dame team, I hope the WAC sues the BCS and gets an injunction to stop all of the games. Not that they will stop them, but they need to raise hell.

luckily even with all the special consideration notre dame gets, they can't get into a bcs bowl with more than 3 losses

JoJoTheIdiotMonkeyBoy: dletter: mitchcumstein1: Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

I agree. The winner of this weeks Iowa/Ohio State team gets in the Rose Bowl. No other Big Ten team in a BCS bowl game.

What's with the Big Ten hate? Was there a meeting I missed?

I've lived in Big Ten country all my life, no Big Ten "hate" here, just Big Ten reality.

As stated, Iowa & Ohio State are 10 & 11 in BCS right now. Whomever wins that game drops to like 16-18. If Iowa wins, no way a 3 loss Big Ten team gets into a BCS game. If Ohio State wins, then both Iowa & Penn State (if they both win out otherwise) have 2 losses, probably neither one will crack the Top 12 of the BCS rankings by the end of the year. Other than BCS conference shenanigans, neither one really deserves a place in the games with the "Top 10" teams.

Isn't Iowa's starting QB out for the season?

Why would a three loss Big Ten team from Iowa get a BCS berth?

Oh wait...Illinois would like a word with me I think.

AdolfOliverPanties: Their record over the last 8 years was something like 85-8. That is why they have been considered a juggernaut. This is a rebuilding year and they are still in the Top 25. That's another reason.


absolutely they were a juggernaut, but not now. and when they lose now or play subpar games, ESPN et al are giddily pissing their pants about how USC LOST TO UW AND OREGON LOL!!!!

i mean, we're seeing now why Pete Carroll was so butthurt about Sanchez leaving. He knew he'd have to throw a freshman QB in the mix (whom, to his credit, has played way beyond his years) and because he saw the bulk of his defense get drafted. everyone knew USC would have a down year, but the way they get reported it just irks me.

there's just no way they should have been ranked as highly as they were in the BCS. biggest problem in college football: legacies. USC has been dominant for 5-6 years, so they must be dominant now. I hope they lose to either Stanford or Arizona just so we can quit talking about them.

and how about arizona? if they win out, they will win their first outright pac 10 title, ever. how big would that be for a traditionally moribund program? and it was only two years ago that Tucsonans were calling for Mike Stoops'* head on a platter.

they tied for the pac 10 title in 1993 with....Washignton? It has been awhile.



*or Bob, I always call him by his brother's name

mitchcumstein1: Well, Iowa plays Ohio State this week, and I'll eat my hat if a two loss Iowa team or a three loss Ohio State team is playing in a BCS bowl.

See my above post...The Big Ten is a darling to the BCS bowls. They take their teams in whether they have earned it or not (Illinois).

It's also obvious that there is a huge Big Ten backing in the polls as their teams are usually ranked about ten spots too high. See Ohio St right now.

dletter: As stated, Iowa & Ohio State are 10 & 11 in BCS right now. Whomever wins that game drops to like 16-18. If Iowa wins, no way a 3 loss Big Ten team gets into a BCS game. If Ohio State wins, then both Iowa & Penn State (if they both win out otherwise) have 2 losses, probably neither one will crack the Top 12 of the BCS rankings by the end of the year. Other than BCS conference shenanigans, neither one really deserves a place in the games with the "Top 10" teams.

You don't have to be in the top 12, it's top 14, and it's fairly likely that one of a two-loss Iowa or Penn State would end up in the final BCS top 14.

And the BCS bowls, in case you haven't noticed, don't care about taking the alleged best teams. They care about ratings and money. Iowa travels extremely well. So does Penn State. They will go before the BCS bowls take a second non-Big Six conference school.

Basically, for the four at-large spots you can guarantee that the SEC Championship loser will be there, and one of TCU or Boise will be there. The other two will be filled by, in order, Texas if they choke in the Big 12 Championship, one of a two-loss Iowa or Penn State so long as at least one is in the Top 14, two-loss USC (for TV reasons -- their fans are known to not travel particularly well), Georgia Tech if they win their last two but lose in the ACC title game, Miami (assuming they win out), Boise State/TCU, Big East second place team if there is a qualifier. I'm guessing no Big 12 team will be eligible other than if Texas chokes in the conference title game.

"I heard that last year's annual "THE BOWL SEASONS SUCK, WHEN DO WE GET A PLAYOFF?" sports talk radio feeding frenzy"

It's still out there. I rarely watch a bowl game unless I care about the teams involved. However, make it a playoff and ALL the games are suddenly interesting.
If anyone really wants a playoff, you've got to stop watching the bowl games. I understand if it's your favorite team, but if not, go do something else.

The English Major: /hates Iowa

Sorry to hear that.

Iowa is going to the Captial One Bowl.

/Saw Capital One Bowl reps at the Indiana game
//Correlation isn't causation
///They're still going to the Capital One Bowl

Ok, that list is bad. If Stanzi's foot is as bad as it seems, and I severely doubt he's playing Sat against OSU if he had surgery this week, then the Buckeyes are rolling over Iowa, since it is pretty clear that their offense relies on him. Iowa had half it's game yardage by the time Stanzi went out with 11 min left in the second.

Two back to back losses for Iowa knocks them out of the BCS picture, IMO.

My BCS picture, for shiats and giggles:

Championship: Texas vs. Alabama
Fiesta: Cincinnati vs. USC
Sugar: Florida vs. LSU
Rose: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Orange: Georgia Tech vs. TCU

That's based on the order of picks, if I can interpret the BCS rules right. LSU and USC take the at large picks due to fan bases and such, TCU goes to the Orange because they will bring the least money and Orange picks last, and Boise gets shafted, which doesn't actually bother me.

I actually think USC and LSU should be flipped on pick order, but putting them basically at home guarantees large turnouts. And yes, Alabama is beating Florida.

srhp29:
See my above post...The Big Ten is a darling to the BCS bowls. They take their teams in whether they have earned it or not (Illinois).

To be fair, it's the Rose Bowl, not the BCS. Each game gets to pick whoever they want provided they're in the top 14, and the Rose Bowl really likes keeping the traditional Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup. Pretty sure Illinois only got chosen because OSU was in the championship game that year.

It's also obvious that there is a huge Big Ten backing in the polls as their teams are usually ranked about ten spots too high. See Ohio St right now.

USC, OSU, and ND seem to always be ranked about five spots higher than they should. It's a little ridiculous.

Oh wait, USC and LSU have to flip, that's a conference game.

GAT_00:
Sugar: Florida vs. LSU

You can't have three teams from the same conference, so LSU has no chance unless Alabama or Florida lose twice and don't get picked.

My predictions:
Fiesta: TCU vs. Pitt/Cincy (replace TCU w/ Boise if TCU loses)
Sugar: Florida/Alabama vs. Miami
Orange: GT vs. USC
Rose: Iowa/Ohio State vs. Oregon
Nat'l Championship: Florida/Alabama vs. Texas

This may be the first year in a while where none of the at-large spots go to a Big 12 team, probably because the big 12 is down this year. (Note: this assumes USC, Oregon, and GT all win out)

ffish: USC has three games left, all at home. Stanford and Arizona might catch them out, but as someone else said, I wouldn't bet on it.

Oregon has three games left, including a road game against Arizona and a home game against OSU. They might get one of those, but it'll be tough to get both.

Arizona has road games at Cal and USC. Throw in Oregon and if they play hard they might go 3-1.

OSU plays UW and WSU, both of which should go into the 'W' column, but we saw how well USC did with that mindset against UW.

I predict a 3-way tie between USC-Oregon-OSU.
- USC wins out, finishes 7-2 with a win over OSU and a loss to Oregon
- Oregon goes 2-1 with a loss to OSU (and has that win over USC)
- OSU 3-0 with a win over Oregon (and that loss to USC)

Any Pac-10'ers know how this tie would get broken?

My Top 25 with commentary (new window)

Full Rankings (new window)

They would compare results against the rest of the teams in the conference, from fourth place on down.

If Stanford finishes above Arizona, Oregon would be eliminated by their loss to Stanford and USC would get the Rose Bowl by H2H over OSU.

If Arizona finishes above Stanford, OSU would be eliminated by their loss to Stanford and Oregon would get the Rose Bowl by H2H over USC.

If Stanford and Arizona finish tied in the conference standings, USC will win the tiebreaker outright because they would be the only team to defeat both Stanford and Arizona.


USC is fortunate that Washington has fallen apart.

Actual tiebreaker link (new window).

GQueue: I'm guessing no Big 12 team will be eligible other than if Texas chokes in the conference title game.

You know, I have always disliked Nebraska (thanks to their fan base), but it would be funny as hell to see them in the BCS if they were to somehow get to the Big XII Championship and beat Texas.

Kurmudgeon: "I heard that last year's annual "THE BOWL SEASONS SUCK, WHEN DO WE GET A PLAYOFF?" sports talk radio feeding frenzy"

It's still out there. I rarely watch a bowl game unless I care about the teams involved. However, make it a playoff and ALL the games are suddenly interesting.
If anyone really wants a playoff, you've got to stop watching the bowl games. I understand if it's your favorite team, but if not, go do something else.

It would also help if we called the current system what is really is, a Two Team Playoff.

The media should call this system a playoff at every opportunity.

Cincinnati v. Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl? blech...I couldnt think of to many things that Id rather watch less, maybe WNBA, poker, soccer, men's gymnastics or something equally awful.

/Live more or less in south florida and would go down to the orange bowl just to see a good game between 2 teams that I normally wouldnt get to see. Not those 2 teams though.
//Go Gators...don't let me down.

That_Dude: Miami

AHAHAHAHAHAHA. Can I get some of that weed?

basemetal: I say give Boise a big dose of a SEC power. Let's see if they can pull a Utah.

Hands down. This was the best BCS bust of all time. Nothing brought me more joy than watching Mormons take it to the "big, bad SEC" in their own backyard.

GQueue: dletter: As stated, Iowa & Ohio State are 10 & 11 in BCS right now. Whomever wins that game drops to like 16-18. If Iowa wins, no way a 3 loss Big Ten team gets into a BCS game. If Ohio State wins, then both Iowa & Penn State (if they both win out otherwise) have 2 losses, probably neither one will crack the Top 12 of the BCS rankings by the end of the year. Other than BCS conference shenanigans, neither one really deserves a place in the games with the "Top 10" teams.

You don't have to be in the top 12, it's top 14, and it's fairly likely that one of a two-loss Iowa or Penn State would end up in the final BCS top 14.

And the BCS bowls, in case you haven't noticed, don't care about taking the alleged best teams. They care about ratings and money. Iowa travels extremely well. So does Penn State. They will go before the BCS bowls take a second non-Big Six conference school.

Basically, for the four at-large spots you can guarantee that the SEC Championship loser will be there, and one of TCU or Boise will be there. The other two will be filled by, in order, Texas if they choke in the Big 12 Championship, one of a two-loss Iowa or Penn State so long as at least one is in the Top 14, two-loss USC (for TV reasons -- their fans are known to not travel particularly well), Georgia Tech if they win their last two but lose in the ACC title game, Miami (assuming they win out), Boise State/TCU, Big East second place team if there is a qualifier. I'm guessing no Big 12 team will be eligible other than if Texas chokes in the conference title game.

The only other Big XII team that could be eligible would be Oklahoma State if they win out (Texas Tech, Colorado, @OU). But they need some help to get to 14 or higher.

Even then, I don't think they get picked over USC or a two loss Big 11 team.

Racht: You can't have three teams from the same conference, so LSU has no chance unless Alabama or Florida lose twice and don't get picked.

Ah fark, you're right. LSU can't get in.

I'd like Pittsburgh to get the seat, but I'm thinking it goes Miami. Or maybe the bowl will take Boise since the next choice is so far down.

PowerSlacker: They would compare results against the rest of the teams in the conference, from fourth place on down.

If Stanford finishes above Arizona, Oregon would be eliminated by their loss to Stanford and USC would get the Rose Bowl by H2H over OSU.

If Arizona finishes above Stanford, OSU would be eliminated by their loss to Stanford and Oregon would get the Rose Bowl by H2H over USC.

If Stanford and Arizona finish tied in the conference standings, USC will win the tiebreaker outright because they would be the only team to defeat both Stanford and Arizona.

I do not think this is accurate...In a three way tie between OSU...Oregon...USC...I believe the Rose Bowl berth would go to the team that had not been the conferences BCS representative in the longest. That would be OSU.

This assumes OSU beats Oregon and that is the only loss the rest of the season for any of those three teams.

Same thing if Arizona ends in a three way tie where each of the three had lost to one of the other two...Arizona has never gone...they would get picked.

Maybe the Pac 10 has changed their policy, but this is how it was no more than a few years ago.

GoDawgs!: That_Dude: Miami

AHAHAHAHAHAHA. Can I get some of that weed?

They're ranked 14th in the BCS and only have one more tough game. If they win out they could very easily find themselves in the top 12 where they will be taken as an at large because:
1. They have a large fanbase
2. The teams above them will already have been chosen or are teams the bowls will never pick if they don't have to(Boise or TCU).

Yes, they will probably get killed. They probably will not deserve to be there but that has never been a factor in bowl selection before. It will be one sided as hell but who else will get in?

My predictions

NC: Florida v. Texas
Rose: Ohio State v. Oregon
Fiesta: USC v. TCU
Sugar: Alabama v. Boise
Orange: Georgia Tech v. Cinncinati

Capital One: LSU v. Iowa

I'm kind of hoping that Auburn gets the Music City Bowl. My mother lives just north of Nashville. She has already volunteered to babysit so the hubby and I can go to the game...if we get that bid. Most folks think Auburn will get a better bid, but I am not so sure that we would deserve it.

Championship: Texas vs. Alabama
Fiesta: Cincinnati vs. USC
Sugar: Florida vs. at large
Rose: Ohio State vs. Oregon
Orange: Georgia Tech vs. TCU

OK, the rest of these are right. I think the bowl takes Miami, unless they lose a game, probably to South Florida. I'd like it to go to Pittsburgh, but I suspect they will fall too far to stay in the top 14 when Cincy beats them. The next couple in the BCS line aren't going to be a good choice. So Miami if they win out, otherwise Boise. And if Miami loses, TCU goes to the Sugar, and the Orange gets Boise.