Geaux Tigers!

Isn't predicted bowl games a bit silly? What purpose does it serve other than generate angry or idiotic emails?

It also sets up being called all sorts of names.

The bowl games situation will settle itself. A few teams will be upset that they did not go to a "better" bowl.

Hopefully the fact that Ohio St fell all the way to 7 means there's no chance they'll make the Nat'l Champ. game. No offense to them (like Stewart said, it's not their fault they kept beating mediocre opponents), but I don't want another crap NC game. Hopefully this also means we don't get a million people in here saying "BUCKS" or some variation thereof over and over again. (And no, OSU, I don't "hate you," I don't really care one way or the other, I just don't want a crap NC game.)

More and more we're seeing why college football needs a playoff. Teams that lose late in the season are punished more and miss lesser bowl games. Teams in the smaller BCS conferences don't have to go through a championship game.

BTW, I would be shocked if Ole Miss stays close to LSU even in Oxford.

As for UGA, loved the black uni's!

Also, not going to the championship game could be a better deal. If UGA loses to LSU, then it drops in the polls, but if UT wins out, UGA is set for an at-large (probably Sugar Bowl) bid. I might even have to consider making that trip!

Of course I would rather UGA get to play LSU and win the SEC title and still go to the Sugar Bowl! LSU might even be able to get an at large BCS bowl.

Let's be honest. The most important question facing college football today is who will wind up in the Emerald Nuts Bowl.

The Illini are up and Notre Dame is down. Is there the remote possibility that Ron Zook's recruiting has cut into the Notre Dame mystique that exists in Illinois?

Looking at the Illini's roster, it seems that despite Zook's emphasis on recruiting outside Illinois, he has continued to pull players from top catholic schools in Illinois (where playing at Notre Dame is the fantasy).

To augment #3: We learned that Tennessee does have a defense. In games against California, Florida, and Alabama, it seemed that the Vols defense couldn't put a stop to a telegram. The performance against Arkansas validates the performance against Georgia. If Tennessee's defense shows up for the games against Vandy and Kentucky, they'll play in the SEC championship. There, it is likely they'll give LSU a game. It's also likely that Georgia will garner an invite to a more prestigious bowl game than the loser of the championship game. Dawgs playing for the national championship? That's betting against the house in Vegas. Good luck with those odds.

The Big 12 has three highly ranked teams. OK has beaten Tx & Missouri, and Missouri has beaten an Illini team unranked most of the season. This reminds me of last year when OSU had beaten Tx and Mich, and neither Mich nor Wisc had a good victory between them except for Mich beating Wisc. Only the names have been changed to protect the weaklings.
I think Fla is the only team capable of beating LSU and no one left on the Oreg schedule is a challenge to them. But GA is no easy mark.
But between now and then we have the battle of the two most highly ranked teams with the most lowly ranked schedules. With no BCS victories between them Hawaii vs Boise must break some sort of record for powderpuff heroes squaring off.

dawgs may be playing better than anyone but we wont get crak at title.title game should be uga vs lsu ,big 10,big 12, pac-ten are pretender conferences-play sec schedule boys-well trade for a season and it would be alot easier to go undefeated

OSU's loss does nothing but prove how weak the Big 10 is. There are at least 6 teams in the SEC who can beat OSU, yet it took this long for a Big 10 team to do it. GA, KY, TN, LSU, Auburn, and FL could definitely beat them, and I would even say they'd be favored in the contest.

The parity in NCAA football this year is exactly why they DO NOT need a playoff. If there was a playoff next month, none of the excitement of this season would be there. Look no further than NASCAR for why a playoff sucks. After a long season, only 12 drivers get to compete for the big trophy, though the other racers are still on the track. This takes out all of the importance of the season, including the Daytona 500.

I say to have everyone debate which team is best. In the end, at worst, there are two teams that folks can't agree upon. What's so bad about that?

Five things I have learned this week.

1. Next year the Big Ten is going to be the big three (Ohio State, Penn State and Illinois), the solid two (Michigan State and Wisconsin), the mediocre five (Iowa, Michigan, Purdue, Northwestern and Indiana) and the really bad one (Minnesota).
2. The NCAA needs to take complete control of all officiating.
3. If you are a South Carolina fan and see a Heisman Trophy candidate on your schedule, turn off the TV and bury your head in the sand because it is about to get ugly.
4. Michigan is worse than I thought (and that is saying a lot) are are darn lucky to be going to a bowl game.
5. There is absolutely no need for a playoff. A playoff would have ruined the excitement of such a wild season. How many chances would LSU have taken against Florida, Bama and Auburn if they knew they had a cushion?

>>>>OSU's loss does nothing but prove how weak the Big 10 is. There are at least 6 teams in the SEC who can beat OSU, yet it took this long for a Big 10 team to do it. GA, KY, TN, LSU, Auburn, and FL could definitely beat them, and I would even say they'd be favored in the contest.

Your arrogance is surpassed only by your unbridled ignorance of college football. This is perhaps the most idiot post that I've ever seen. Illinois would give each and every team in the SEC a run for its money-probably beat all but one of them.

oh - i wouldnt want to peeve any folks off, but imagine a 16 team playoff-week 1-8 games/week 2 - 4 games/week three - 2 games/week 4-
2games(champ game and 3-4matchup
to earn top 4 spots with 5 and up ranked by polls. top 4 teams would play 4 extra games. make season 10 games and all but 4 teams play same nu of games as now or less

Stewart, you're going to hold the Mountaineers' victory over Louisville against them? Have you not seen any of the recent LSU games before yesterday's exhibition? I thought you yourself had said that it was too late in the season to penalize teams for ugly wins.

West Virginia and LSU lost close games in which they were missing one of their key players (White and Doucet), while Oregon played well enough to win against a team that was good at the time. Kansas is undefeated but somewhat untested (which will change soon). Oklahoma and Missouri don't have as good excuses for their losses but still have chances to finish with better resumes than the other teams depending on what happens in the next few weeks. Luckily, alot can still be determined on the field rather than at the polls!

Personally, I'm pulling for an Oregon-West Virginia title game, but I'll be happy to see a matchup with any of the contending one loss teams (or Kansas).

The BCS game I am hoping for is Kansas vs. West Virginia. I think that these two teams are evenly matched and just a half step below Oregon and LSU. Neither team has a dominating defense and just might give the Navy vs. North Texas score a run for the money. That would be must see TV.

I just hope that if there is a blowout in the National Chamionship game, the masses ridicule and disparage the losers in much the same way as Ohio State was this year.

As an 8 year OSU veteran (who missed only one home game in those 8 years), I frankly was happy to finally lose b/c they're not #1 material and didn't want to see them humiliated by another SEC team (my brother unfortunately went to U of Fla). I'm happy to be playing for the Rose Bowl and hope to see them beat that team up North next week. After living through Earl Bruce and Cooper, I really thought it was going to be Wisc that burst our bubble, but those Illini played a good game..gotta give them credit.

Just to put this misconception to rest....

When noting that the "smaller" BCS conferences don't have to play a title game, it should also be pointed out that those with 12 members also do not have to play a title game.

The NCAA rules state that a conference needs to have at least 12 members to hold a title game. But they do not have to hold the game. The Big 12, SEC and ACC choose to have a title game, and the schools in those conferences reap the benefits of the game.

So please once and for all, spare me the rhetoric that the poor teams in the three conferences "have" to survive the title game. If you really think that it is unfair, call your respective conference commissioner and ask him to end the game. When he stops laughing, let me know.

Tired and more tired of hearing how tough the SEC is. Tennessee got creamed by Cal and may well play in the chmapionship.

Somebody in the SEC come to Columbus, We have open dates, please come....Miami, USC, Oklahoma, Va Tech, Cal....they're all coming, and we're going there. If we are so bad, take the 2 hour flight and come to the shoe. I don't see any takers....There should be exactly 0 responses to this. Especially from Gainesville because I don't think thier trailers have wifi, unless they steal it from starbucks.

will: Mandel loves the SEC, thats the difference.

As for ND, Weis is not going to be the one to take them to the next level. He might be able to recruit, but translating that into big time wins is another story.

PS, Don't you think Urban Meyer saw this coming at ND? Good choice on his part IMO.

OSU suffered a bad game. The Illini played mistake-free and the Buckeyes, for some odd reason, couldn't stop the rushing game. Illinois ran the same 3 rushing plays the entire game and the Buckeyes (who previously gave up fewer than 70 yards per game) gave up massive yardage.
You do have to wonder, though, how the game would have been different had the officials actually reviewed that fumble (and YES, it was a fumble) that led to Illinois' first TD.
But better to lose now and rebound before the bowl game. As I said when all the LSU/SEC whiners were complaining, you have to WIN all your games before you can complain about someone else being above you in the polls. OSU didn't, plain and simple. Good luck to whichever teams make it to the NC game.
GO BUCKS!

Will -- Whaaaat?
Missouri has the BEST loss of anyone. they lost AT 4th ranked Oklahoma WITHOUT their #i RB Tony Temple (who ran for 140+ yd. yesterday). And if MU wins out, they'd avenge their ONLY loss. On a neutral site MU won;t blow a late 3rd quarter lead again vs. OU (name the last team to lead OU in the 3rd quarter at Norman, Will?). Oregon lost AT HOME to now mediocre Cal team. LSU lost at a now mediocre UK team (and barely won 4 other games, 3 at home), W.Va lost to a now mediocre So. Fla team. OSU lost AT HOME to Illinois, whom Mizzou beat on a neutral field (and led 37-13 at one point -- the game wasn't that close). MU wins the next 3, they are playing in the BCS and will deserve it.

Mandel,

Thank you for finally, officially and legitimately admitting that all the sports writers don't have a clue who is the number one team in the country.

I believe that is the most accurate and honest statement you have made all year and I commend you for it!

Now maybe all the people who know even less than you can shut up and stop making claims based purely on speculation.

Last years "down" Big 10 went 2-1 head to head against a self-proclaimed far superior SEC.

Speculate all you want, head to head is the only true indicator.

Let us wait until after the bowl games to stake our claims on superiority. Then and only then you can gloat or crawl back into your caves until next year.

Regards to All!

1) Glad OSU is out of the NC game. But, looking forward to see OSU v. USC in 2008
2) Wouldn't mind seeing any of the following two teams in the NC game: Oregon, WVA, Oklahoma, Kansas. Can't see LSU winning out, because they'll lose in the SEC title game.
3) The Rose Bowl is gonna be boring. Given the ORegon wins out, the winner of ASU/USC goes to the Rose Bowl faces winner of Michigan/OSU. *yawn*
4) Does Notre Dame play Army? I hear they have the worst record among the three service academies.
5) My dream bowl games:
USC v. LSU (matchup of 2 preseason favorites, though Im certain USC will win), Oregon v. WVU, Oklahoma v. Hawaii, Cincinatti v. Illinois, Notre Dame v. Utah State, Georgia v. VaTech II, ...

OSU may not be the best team in the country (hard to tell who is), but Mark May has been picking them to lose all year. Please do not give this idiot any credit for picking the upset. He's been wrong most of the year!

OK six - if you're tired of hearing about how strong the SEC is, you have a few options:
1. Start a letter writing campaign to all of the PAC10 AD's and lobby for tougher schedules, more money and better coaches who can recruit.
2. Deliver some Lou Holtz-type pep talks to all of your players and have them step up their game.
3. Stop listening. The SEC has winning records against every BCS conference except the Big Ten (and even then, not by much - thanks CFDW). I'm sorry that the truth is what it is.

We will welcome Oregon in the title game. I personally wish it would have been USC, but we'll beat the Ducks all the same. BTW - we have a guy who is a little familiar with UO's defense, because he regularly torched them in practice (Crowton).

GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Nice to see that the Georgia fans are already making their plans for the SEC Title game and/or the Sugar Bowl. Kentucky will put that to rest when they beat the Dawgs next week. And then they're gonna beat Tennessee the week after that. Thus, I'm predicting a Florida - LSU rematch in Atlanta.

phork you moron I just have one stat for to shut your ignorant pie hole -

SEC 11 - The Ohio State University 0.

SEC teams already know the outcome so why bother making that trip?

Kansas will lose. Oregon and LSU will not. Dixon wins Heisman. (Knight gets legal rights to Dixon's eternal soul). Oregon beats LSU 42-28 in NC game. It all seems very clear to me.

Missouri may have the best loss of any of them (highly debatable) but they also have fewer quality wins than anyone, save that terror of the mid-west Kansas. Funny how the teams with weak schedules want to focus on losses instead of who they beat, but I guess they have no choice. A kansas fan on another post was actually trying to claim that Cent Mich and Toledo in the same season constituted a serious challenge. What a laugh. I guess so when you are kansas.

If (cause I don't know for sure) what Chris said at 7:33 is true about championship games I share his/her sentiment 100%. Just because your conference decides to hold a championship game isn't reason for another conference to do so. Nor does it give any legitimacy to your argument that it isn't fair or your attempt to oppress other conferences with the decisions of your own favorite conference.

Like Chris said, shut up and live with it or contact the commissioners of your conference.

Regards to All!

Kansas is a joke. No Oklahoma or Texas. Lets just put Hawaii #2.

to Kelly:

By Michigan standards, yes it has been an awful year. How many teams are there in the Pac 10 or SEC with 3 or more losses?

We deserved to lose each of the three games that we lost, without question.

Wins against Illinois, Penn state, Purdue, etc. and we are sitting 6-1 in the Big Ten and they have earned the chance to play for the outright big ten title this weekend.

Despite the fact that Michigan has won 5 big ten titles in the past 10 years and has finished in the final top 10 ranking six of the last 10 years ago, the '97 national championship and last year's 11-0 start seem like a long time ago.

Regardless I'll be in Ann Arbor this Saturday, section 34, cheering on big blue and hoping the spirit of Bo on the anniversary of his passing can help UofM turn things around against a very good buckeye team.

Conferences which hold championships give those that don't good excuses when they lose. Remember, the 51 day layoff was why the pride of the Big Ten, OSU & Mich, went down the tubes. Coaches can only teach timing in actual games, don't you know.

Yes, the Big Ten is legit...thanks for acknowleding that. i think i spelled that wrong haha.

To gobluebeatthebucks:

Good luck to that team up north and despite what the rest of the country thinks, we know the gravity of this week and its importance in the tradition of college football, even though we will be on opposite sides of the scrimmage line!

It's beat Michigan week!

Regards to All!

I realize the current setup makes the regular season very exciting, but how great would a play-off be this year?

Charles
Who are you claiming has "quality" wins? I'll bet they were all at home, too.

MU beat Illinois (currently in top 25). MU beat, no DESTROYED, both Nebraska and Texas Tech - scored 41 both times and held each to NO OFFENSIVE TDs, when each was in top 25. Nebraska won at ACC's wake, btw, funny how people have forgotten that since MU waxed them. MU DESTROYED Colorado at Boulder -- CU's worst home loss in 25 yrs. Aside from the loss at OU (to be avenged on neutral site!), and the 4th quarter garbage points by Illinois in the first game, NO team has been within 2 TDs of MU (and against A&M, Tigers could've added an asy TD at end, but...actually, I think they should have for so many reasons).

KANSAS is 10-0, Congrats!! I give them credit; HOWEVER, they don't have TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, or even TEXAS TECH on the schedule this year. For me, that takes away from them being in the top 5. They will lose to either Missou or Oklahoma should they meet them in San Antonio.

Also, TEXAS will play as an at-large team in a BCS bowl, hopefully the Sugar Bowl. With our offensive line consisting of true freshman, redshirt freshmen, and a sophmore, watch out next year when they have some experience! HOOK EM!!

Wow, Stewart. I retract everything I've said about you. You apparently had a change of heart.

KANSAS is 10-0. They are good; HOWEVER, they don't play OU, TEXAS, OR TX TECH this year. Hell, anyone could be 10-0 if they left those 3 teams off the schedule. They are a top 10 for sure, but not top 5.

Texas will receive an at-large BCS berth. Hopefully, it will be the Sugar Bowl so I don't have to buy a plane ticket! HOOK EM!!

LONHORNS ARE GOING TO THE ORANGE BOWL!

Tim you are a freakin idiot. The Pac 10 may have a soft non-conference schedule but at least they play Div I-A teams. Do you see Florida doing that. No..they play Div I-AA schools.Did anybody from the SEC play any tough non-conference schedule. NO they didn't. I'm tired of how everybody says how good the SEC is when they have nothing to prove it because their too chicken to play any real tough out of conference games

Dear Stewart,

How's this for a realization of your Oregon-Oklahoma rematch wishes: LSU goes down in the SEC championship game, Oregon closes out, and Oklahoma beats Missouri/Kansas in the Big 12 championship game. Doesn't seem like such a pipe dream any longer, does it?

Tim @ 8:06 kills me. As my grandmother used to say, "Well, if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black."

Pac10 needs to play tougher schedules? Excuse me? I'd like to try a little of whatever you are on. Maybe it'll make me believe in the Easter Bunny again.

Don't even give him that much credit, Big house. The Pac10 does NOT have soft OOC schedules by any comparison, least of all by SEC standards. USC starts next year at Virginia, followed by Ohio State at home. That's the norm rather than the exception.

The current set up would not be diminished by an 8-team playoff. The winner of Mich/OSU goes to a BCS bowl, the loser does not. Kans vs Missouri, and the loser is out, ditto the loser of the winner vs OK. Texas probably has the best shot at a second BCS bid even if it is OK to lose the title game. Tenn/GA vs LSU and the loser is out. Ditto the ACC championship. Only LSU has a remote chance to be chosen for a BCS bowl if it loses, but only because ten teams go. Limit that to 8 teams and LSU might not make it. Second place in the Big East is out. The PAC Ten may be the only one in which finishing #2 likely gets you in at this point.
Remember that Notre Dame and non-BCS schools have special rules to get them to a BCS bowl even if they finish 10th - 12th. What an 8-game playoff does is likely guarantee the very best team is one of the 8 and doesn't get left out like Auburn did a few years back, and other recent times when it was difficult to choose one of the 1-loss teams for the NC.
I just don't see how a playoff diminishes anything.

OK, I can't take this any longer. Mich was not embarrased, blown out or destroyed last year by USC. The game was tied at half and they lost by two TD's. If you think they were blown out you didn't watch the game, sheesh.

sfprman -- I was not aware that Missouri was missing a key player in the game against Oklahoma. It's been hard for me to follow Missouri since they seem to get alot less attention compared to other teams. I used the language that I did because LSU's only loss was on the road in triple overtime against a pretty good team (when a game goes to triple over time there are countless points in the game you can point to to say one team should have won earlier), Oregon's only loss resulted from a fumble on the last play that would have tied the game, and WVU, while not a one man team like Florida, is not great without White. I just meant that it's hard to rank Missouri higher than Oklahoma since the win was fairly convicing (and I didn't know about Temple) and it's hard to put Oklahoma ahead of Oregon or LSU. But like I said, luckily alot of this debate will get to settled on the field instead in these empty debates with LSU playing Arkansas and the SEC title game, Oregon playing UCLA, WVU playing Cinncinnati, and the three Big 12 teams meeting up.

Hopefully things won't be left to arguments about who played the tougher conference schedule. I don't think analysts can evaluate the conferences very effectively -- the Big East went 6-0 in bowl games last year (if I count correctly). You can interpret that as either the Big East is a great conference, or the Big East is a greatly underrated conference (assuming the bowl games are set to be somewhat even). I cite that just to show how silly these sorts of collective conference statistics can come out, not to argue for Big East supremacy.

Personally, I'm an SEC fan from Alabama but I can identify with the Ohio State fans: right now I don't think LSU deserves to be #1 and I worry about an embarrassment in the title game.

Bighouse, you are correct. The SEC teams may or may not be as tough as their fans think. But to claim the SEC is far superior based upon the amount of beating up on each other and then claim another conference is weak because of the same situation removes any credibility of such a claim.

Intra-conference parity does not translate to national superiority or the right to be ranked higher than teams with better records. If those teams have strong OOC victories..then ok, but this isn't the case for the SEC. Thats the reality and everything else is pure speculation.

Regards to All!

Charles,
You are right on. Everyone talks about tradition and all of the money the bowl games generate. They could easly name each game of the tournament after one of the bowl sponsors. And how could this not generate even more revenue than the current setup?

Well if the Big Ten is such a lowly horrible conference as most people seem to make it sound.
lets count up those bowl eligible teams from the Big Ten
Iowa,Michigan St, Michigan, Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Penn St, Ohio St, and Wisconsin
That would be ten teams from a eleven team conference that have atleast 6 wins....what a lowly conference they must be.

For Bighouse - Auburn played K- St and USF. USC played ND and Nebr. Miami played OK and A&M, I think. None of this was anything to cheer about, but the BCS teams that played two BCS teams ooc are rare.
The problem for the Big Ten is that they have measured themselves for a long time against ND. I don't see a quality ooc win for them this whole season. The SEC beat Louis. , Va Tech, Ok St, & K-St. Fla still plays FSU and SC plays Clemson. There is little doubt that the SEC body of work far outweighs the Big Ten in ooc. But if you claim the SEC work is still pitifully small I cannot disagree. With schools like Hawaii, Boise St in the Top 25 without a single BCS win and Kansas there with a victory over a 6-4 A&M team as its claim to fame there will likely be fewer and fewer big games ooc.

Perception is reality...lets play the who beat who game....WVU drummed Miss St, who beat Kentucky, who beat LSU,who in the eyes of the land is number 1...WVU drummed Maryland, who beat Boston College, who beat VA Tech...perception is whatever we want it to be...say what you want about South Flordia but they are 7-3 with wins over Auburn(who beat Flordia and should have beaten LSU) and WVU (see above) How did Michigan ever get back to 12 in the polls in the first place....How can USC still be highly ranked...they did lose to Stanford lest we forget...TV talking heads who have proved time and time again they know NOTHING direct the BCS band of voters..they could orchestrate a playoff with some cash...wake up College presidents...it can only enhance the opportunities for your student athletes and your universities...but the danger is still $$$$

Charles,

The play-off argument is a long time one with good points on each side. I personally feel that playoffs might reward teams who are hot in the short term or have a critical call go in their favor. Whereas rewarding teams based over the length of the whole season is more equitable.

Thats my personal view and if a playoff were instituted, I wouldn't be complaining either. You will then have people saying they should be number 4 instead of number 5 in the case of a 4 team playoff etc. etc. It would never end.

We have what we have and although not perfect, it is better than the previous decades.

Regards to All!

I'm also glad to see OSU out of the hunt for the title, and I'm a Buckeye through and through. That team looked in slow motion the entire day. We've been a step off each year. 2005 was the year the buckeyes were the best. But an early loss to Texas, and another to Penn State sealed the deal. But as far as great offensive weapons, and a tough as hell defense, that team at the end of the year was playing the best out of anybody.

I smell an Oregon, LSU match up in the makes.

Next year, OSU-USC should be fun, and OSU will be back to seek revenge against the Illini as they make their own title run...

BTW 5 Big Ten teams in the top 25...

One more thing, didn't UF in Zook's last game get shellacked by a team in the Big Ten that was the third or fourth best team? Iowa over Florida by a zillion points....

Bottom line with the SEC, cuz I have the guts to say it..... the South has the most blacks, and the blacks are the toughest and best athletes in the world.

They are stronger, and faster than us white boyz..... and many of the kids stay relatively close to home, rather than go up North to a Big Ten school...

Given that, I think the Big Ten does pretty darn well all things considered, given the recruiting that it has in the area.

Speak on this people....

For those of you (Mandel) who are convinced that Oregon-LSU is a done deal or that Ohio State is out of the NC picture, you better do your job and take a look at the remaining schedules of all the one loss teams. There is in fact a lot of football to be played.

Mandel's "nightmare scenario might go something like this:

-First of all, Ohio State wins at Michigan, preferably in a blowout.
-Kansas and Missouri play in two weeks. Obviously, one of them loses and drops from contention. Ohio State moves up a spot in the rankings.
-A very suspect West Virginia loses to either Cincy (road), UConn (home), or Pitt (home). OSU moves up one more spot.
-Far from infallible Oregon loses to either Arizona (road), UCLA (road), or Oregon St. (home). OSU moves up one more spot.
-Oklahoma loses at Texas Tech or at home to Ok. St. or to the Missouri-KS winner in the Big 12 title game. In my opinion, Oklahoma is the least likely to lose of all the teams ranked ahead of OSU.
-Teacher's pet LSU, a virtually defenseless team living on the brink of disaster, loses to either Ole Miss (road) or Arkansas (home) or in the SEC title game. OSU moves up another spot.

My point here is to not make a prediction or to hope for a miracle for the Buckeyes, but instead to point out that the season is far from over and that anyone who professes that the race is over for all but a few is jumping the proverbial gun. And remember, OSU only needs to be #2 to get into the NC game. It can happen.

Remember Buster Douglas. haha.

eric y-town,

I was thinking the same thing with regards to the Mandel "nightmare" isn't quite over. Only five teams in front of OSU have to fall and that isn't a long shot by any means.

The only factor that might affect the objectivity of such a scenario is the subjectivity of the voters involved. It wouldn't surprise me if they manipulated the final standings to keep OSU out of the title game even if everyone now in front of them drop another game.

The bigger question is what are they going to do next year if (speculation) OSU wins out convincingly and returns the 20 out of 22 starters expecting to return??????? OSU is in a rebuilding year and ranked 7 for now.....quite an achievement for any football program.

Regards to All!

swingguru:
No offense, but you are nuts! If anything, the weather is a bigger factor than race.
OSU may not be the best team in the nation, but it is not due to our lack of athletes. Heck Florida beat us last year with a big, slow white guy running right up the middle.

Buster Douglas?

For Eric y-town : I suspect that Leach's outburst will have Tech fired up for OK, but if Tx sneaks in they easily may jump OSU. OSU is a better team than any Big 12 North team in spite of the Illinois comparisons. Oreg probably has the best chance to win out, but put LSU there if Tenn wins the east. Even if not Fla is probably the only SEC team capable of taking down LSU. I just don't see GA having much more chance than Tenn. WV is suspect in the same way OSU was suspect, but WV is only in difficulty if there is a major let down. I see this as unlikely at this time in the season. If Oreg wins out and Ariz St does in dramatic fashion I could see Ariz St moving ahead of OSU for the same reason Fla moved ahead of Mich last year.
You are right about a few things. There is much football to be played and OSU is not out yet.

Youngstown: OSU lost at HOME in November. That's likely too much to recover from. And, your scenario is muddled when it comes to OU vs. the MU/KU winner. Plus, it will be Mizzou (who beat Illinois, so unless it's OSU vs. Mizzou, just be happy about beating Michigan and getting a ticket to the Rose Bowl (Pasadena beats New Orleans, anyway). vs. LSU in New Orleans...that's even worse. Mizzou vs. Oregon. THAT would be fun.

Chase Daniel and his receivers are amazing, it;s too bad the Big 12's TV package is keeping most of the country from enjoying them (regardless, Stewart Mandel needs to watch some old footage in order to get-up-to-speed).

Rayon Fog / Bighouse -

It's funny how you conveniently skipped over all of the rest of the sage advice which I gave to you, and instead decided to concentrate solely on the OOC schedule strength issue. Again, have your conference establish more of a history earning respect and winning in big games. Let's look at the history - all time conference rankings (again CFDW) - PAC10 is FOURTH, behind SEC, Big Ten and Big XII!!! Don't let your relatively recent success in the first half of this decade thanks to ONE team, USC (in which the SEC is a close second) cloud what I assumed should be college-educated, rational thinking.

But just go on assuming that all of us in the South are uneducated, and PLEASE, in your locker room pep talk, emphasize that the SEC should be underestimated. I will relish the outcome. If only we had some recent evidence as to what happens in the NC game when that occurs? Oh wait - we do.

If a team is undefeated, and all the others are not, is there any way to argue that they shouldn't at least get a chance to play for the crystal ball? Stop arguing about which conference is the best... it's impossible to discern. This conference debate is the offspring of a BCS system in which strength of schedule is the deciding factor in who plays whom for what. Lets play it off, but not until KU plays for the title. Go Jayhawks.

Charles. M

izzou beat Illinois on a neutral site MU led 37-13 until holding on, but it was over with 14 minutes left...AND that MU team has only gotten better and doesn;t let teams back in). Ohio State lost AT HOME a day ago. Ohio State may be better than 5 of the Big 12 North teams, but not Missouri -- for the very direct illinois comparision AND what MU did in every other game.

In the second game of the season, Mizzou also beat the hell out of Ole Miss IN OXFORD. Worse than any other SEC team did. Obviously, MU is better than any SEC team (okay, it;s not obvious, but based on head-to-head, how can one argue?)