# College Football Thread - BCS, Bowls, Conference Championship, Coaching Changes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 27, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979 "2007-11-27T23:51:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/321 "2008-01-02T03:40:38Z")
The BCS shot itself in the foot with stupid, stupid matchups. The Rose Bowl picking the Illini for the sake of tradition was just stupid. Illinois is a pretty good team, but they were ranked high while USC was ranked low. It’s not like absolutely everyone didn’t see that blowout coming. And same with Georgia and Hawaii now. Georgia and USC are probably the best two teams not in the championship game, and they got matched up against the 2 weakest teams selected to the BCS (barring perhaps Kansas, but then nobody really has any idea if Kansas is any good or not, nor why they were chosen ahead of Mizzou). Anyways, all the major conferences are acquitting themselves quite respectably, so hopefully the “my conference is soooo much better than yours” pinheads will shut up and enjoy just enjoy watching some talented young men playing their hearts out. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/322 "2008-01-02T03:51:33Z")
[QUOTE=Gorsnak] The BCS shot itself in the foot with stupid, stupid matchups. The Rose Bowl picking the Illini for the sake of tradition was just stupid. Illinois is a pretty good team, but they were ranked high while USC was ranked low. It’s not like absolutely everyone didn’t see that blowout coming. And same with Georgia and Hawaii now. Georgia and USC are probably the best two teams not in the championship game, and they got matched up against the 2 weakest teams selected to the BCS (barring perhaps Kansas, but then nobody really has any idea if Kansas is any good or not, nor why they were chosen ahead of Mizzou). [/QUOTE] I’ll go as far to say that none of the top 4 BCS teams are matched up against each other, outside the Nat. Championship of course. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/323 "2008-01-02T04:12:19Z")
[QUOTE=treis] BCS very disappointing so far. USC whacked Illinois, and Georgia is in the process of whacking Hawaii. Where are all the people that wanted Hawaii in the national championship? [/QUOTE] They’re in Hawaii, so I feel little pity for them. Meanwhile Missouri’s en-stiffening looks even dumber after they toasted Arkansas. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2008, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/324 "2008-01-02T05:06:05Z")
[QUOTE=treis] BCS very disappointing so far. USC whacked Illinois, and Georgia is in the process of whacking Hawaii. Where are all the people that wanted Hawaii in the national championship? [/QUOTE] I kindof feel sorry for Hawaii. At least you could figure that Illinois would have a chance against USC. I mean, they play against stiff competition and have faced good defenses and such. But Hawaii set up against a premier SEC team? A real defense and ground attack? I guess they “earned” the right to be led like lambs to the slaughter, but maybe Ball State or something would have been more their speed. (But at least they get to cash a good check. Like those boxers who last 1 round–the money still spends.) ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/325 "2008-01-03T00:46:06Z")
I think it was stupid for the Rose Bowl people to have picked Illinois, but I don’t think that anything could have been done to keep Hawaii out of a BCS game. Even though their conference is weak, they were undefeated and ranked ~10. If they got shut out of one of the big bowls, it would have said to every school in a non-major conference: “The only chance you have of getting into one of the big money bowls is to get into one of the big money conferences.” And that ain’t right. (Besides, every once in a while one of these schools that has a nice run against a bunch of cupcakes needs to get slapped down, before they get too uppity.) Could the Rose Bowl people have picked Georgia? Or would that not have been allowed because of the Sugar Bowl-SEC thing? ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/326 "2008-01-03T01:12:37Z")
Nope. Georgia, Oklahoma, and VaTech were all ineligible for selection by the Rose Bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/327 "2008-01-03T03:31:13Z")
[QUOTE=treis] Nope. Georgia, Oklahoma, and VaTech were all ineligible for selection by the Rose Bowl. [/QUOTE] Do you have a cite for that? Becuase I believe you are mistaken, at least with respect to Georgia. The Rose Bowl, having lost the #1 rated team to the championship game (Ohio State) got first pick of a replacement team. They could have chosen Georgia (which did not win the SEC championship) but instead chose to go with “tradition” and take a Big 10 team. When Georgia was passed over by the Rose, the Sugar got next pick for a replacement, having lost LSU to the title game. They chose Georgia. [Here are the bowl selection rules.](http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility) So as I understand the rules and the process (and maybe I don’t), the Rose Bowl foolishly passed up a USC-UGA matchup. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/328 "2008-01-03T03:39:10Z")
Confirming my understanding, [here’s a columnist complaining about the Rose Bowl’s selection of Illinois](http://www.sports-central.org/sports/2007/12/24/a_college_football_christmas_wish_list.php): > [@](#): > > But when the **Rose Bowl selected 9-3 Illinois over obvious 10-win, eventual BCS at-large selections Georgia and Missouri** , and with Hawaii securing an automatic bid, there were no at-large slots left. Ironic that the Rose Bowl sticking to its Big Ten/Pac-10 tradition (despite the lack of a BCS worthy Big Ten team) ended up hurting the Pac-10. (emphasis added) ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/329 "2008-01-03T03:47:33Z")
From the page you cited: > [@](#): > > C. When two bowls lose host teams, then the bowl losing the number one team may not select a replacement team from the same Conference as the number two team, unless the bowl losing the number two team consents. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/330 "2008-01-03T04:00:17Z")
Hmm. Could’ve taken #7 Missouri, though. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/331 "2008-01-03T04:10:33Z")
Yep. Everyone knew that Illinois wasn’t at the level of a USC. I would have picked WVU, but Mizzou would have been interesting as well. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/332 "2008-01-03T04:49:36Z")
What the hell is with the OU band and their fight song? Every 4 minutes I hear them playing their damn fight song. 1st down, play the fight song, sack, play the fight song, long reception, play the fight song. Do they play the fight song when Bradford rips a good fart? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/333 "2008-01-03T05:09:54Z")
Have you ever tried to teach a band made up of kids from Oklahoma more than one song? Can’t be done. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/334 "2008-01-03T05:12:25Z")
Didn’t you know? It goes: “Positive yardage! Positive yardage! Positve Yardage! Yay first down!” or “Didn’t fumble! Didn’t fumble! Three and out!” or “Overrated! Overrated! Overrated! Norman stinks!” In other news - West Virginia kicked ass. And that big guy crying in victory and pride for his state choked me up. This is the only game where I was rooting against my Big XII. Good job Mountaineers! ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/335 "2008-01-03T05:13:17Z")
[QUOTE=treis] What the hell is with the OU band and their fight song? Every 4 minutes I hear them playing their damn fight song. 1st down, play the fight song, sack, play the fight song, long reception, play the fight song. Do they play the fight song when Bradford rips a good fart? [/QUOTE] It’s a shit song from a shit school. Schadenfreude city! I love to see o.u. get beaten like red-headed stepchildren. WVA had every reason to lose this game and promptly came out and beat the Gooners into the dirt. Hey, Fiesta Bowl selection committee… do yourself a favor and permanently ban o.u. from your bowl game. That’s two ass-kickings and embarrassing showings in a row! Side note: this is probably the first game I’ve watched in HD on my new TV… and I think the problem was that Sam Bradford needed a couple of gallons of Oxy for his face. Dude looked like he wore a beard of bees and started swatting them. A new worry for college athletes: gotta wear heaps of makeup to cover those spots! ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/336 "2008-01-03T06:09:10Z")
re: my beloved Illini in the Rose Bowl Yeah, we took a beating. But accounts from the area were that there was a sea of orange in the days leading up to the game = $$$ being spent there by Illini fans. Would Georgia fans have traveled as well? A non-insignificant factor to the committee. About the game: A break here or there, and it would have been 35 - 27 or so. No blowout. And Rashard Mendenhall ripped USC for 155 yards rushing, while USC had been giving up 80 or so total per game. No embarrassment there. He will make some NFL team a winner. To neutral observers: did USC seem a bit classless to you? Finally, my hat is off to USC. The best team in the country right now (IMHO). They have only themselves to blame for not playing in the NC game. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/337 "2008-01-03T14:49:57Z")
Not having seen WVU play this year, their whoopin’ of OU came as a pleasant surprise. That was some inspired play and led to some inspired commentary… - The reference to beefy Owen Schmitt’s breakaway touchdown run as _“He’s like a runaway beer truck!”_ - Noting that players **Berry** and **Dingle** were on the [sideline](http://ballhype.com/video/video_fiesta_bowl_s_berry_dingle_w_commentary_by_matt/)… _“Boy, they shouldn’t let those two guys sit together - at least keep 'em in that order…”_ ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/338 "2008-01-03T15:31:09Z")
[QUOTE=treis] What the hell is with the OU band and their fight song? Every 4 minutes I hear them playing their damn fight song. 1st down, play the fight song, sack, play the fight song, long reception, play the fight song. Do they play the fight song when Bradford rips a good fart? [/QUOTE] Maybe they were helping out their non-band buddies with a fight-song drinking game. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/339 "2008-01-03T16:29:31Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Do you have a cite for that? Becuase I believe you are mistaken, at least with respect to Georgia. The Rose Bowl, having lost the #1 rated team to the championship game (Ohio State) got first pick of a replacement team. They could have chosen Georgia (which did not win the SEC championship) but instead chose to go with “tradition” and take a Big 10 team. When Georgia was passed over by the Rose, the Sugar got next pick for a replacement, having lost LSU to the title game. They chose Georgia. [Here are the bowl selection rules.](http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility) So as I understand the rules and the process (and maybe I don’t), the Rose Bowl foolishly passed up a USC-UGA matchup. [/QUOTE] I actually think they were kind of smart in a way. I think they pruposefully avoided a USC-UGA matchup because it woudl compete with the National title game, create more questions and put more doubt out about the national title game. I firmly believe that they make a concerted effort NOT to make any other bowl game nearly as compelling as the National Championship game if they can help it. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Sensitive](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Darth\_Sensitive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Sensitive)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979/340 "2008-01-03T16:33:40Z")
[QUOTE=Oslo Ostragoth] To neutral observers: did USC seem a bit classless to you? [/QUOTE] I had just been rooting for a good football game while flipping around the bowls, until I saw the halftime highlights, with the USC player doing the front flip into the endzone with defenders coming. Then I started rooting for Illinois. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-football-thread-bcs-bowls-conference-championship-coaching-changes/427979.md?page=18)