Either bandwagon or anti-SEC or real old school fans?
I am tired of the SEC always being the presumed national champion. Last year, despite arguments that “every game counts”, apparently games between two SEC teams don’t count. This year, the complaints are that Georgia didn’t get in to a BCS bowl game and that the rule against allowing more than two teams into the BCS games. If we didn’t have that rule, there would be 6-10 SEC teams in the big Bowls every year. If ND didn’t go undefeated, we probably would have had another two SEC team championship this year.
I’m not saying that the SEC isn’t the best conference. I’m saying that it is not the ONLY conference that matters. So that is why I will be rooting for Notre Dame this year, if only to prove that the assumption the the national championship should go to an SEC team isn’t true.
Can I say something? Admittedly I’m a Dawg fan so that’s where I’m coming from, but… The assumption is NOT that the national championship should go to an SEC team. The assumption is that an SEC team should be in the national championship game. Given the past few years, I’m not sure how that’s even at issue. If you want to be a legitimate NC winner, beat an SEC team for the title.
I get the SEC fatigue. I despised the rematch last year just as much as anyone. I would have burned down my house if Florida had backed into the NC game. But… again, given what the SEC has done, you need to beat them.
And one other thing: If Oregon had remained unbeaten… or K State had remained unbeaten… I don’t think there’s too many SEC homers (outside of the State of Alabama*) who wouldn’t think that unbeaten team should have faced ND in the Title Game.
But all else being equal (like 3-4 undefeateds or 3-4 one-loss teams) the nod ALWAYS goes to the SEC these days. The other problem is while you think there is not an assumption that the SEC should win the championship every year, I will point out that last year and this year (had ND lost) both teams in the championship game would have been SEC teams so the deck is stacked so they are guarantied to win. Remember when Nebraska went without winning its own conference championship and the uproar over it? Notice last year it was about the “two best teams”? I even read an article after 'Bama lost that despite there being 3 one-lost teams that Bama deserved to go to the big game because they were the “best team”. You have to admit the SEC is held to a different (more leinent) standard than the rest.
Yes. And like I said - I think the conference has earned that. Until someone beats them in a Championship game.
Yes, and if you take nothing else away from this conversation take this… There are SEC fans (like me) that disliked the rematch, don’t like the way it’s set up, and are happy as a pig in shit that change is a’coming.
And here’s the thing… ND did NOT lose. They won and they get a crack at changing the overall perception. The argument that UF could have gotten in with a Notre Dame loss is more of a knock on the BCS than the SEC. I bet you and I could sit down for two hours and not disagree one iota on the shittiness of the BCS.
Yes. But did they earn that? I think so.
I don’t want you to get the sense we’re arguing. I agree with a lot of what you’re saying. AND I can kind of understand it - back when they were talking Michigan v. Ohio State as a possible rematch for the NC game, it made me want to vomit.
Anyways… I think there’s an easy fix: 45-0 Notre Dame over Alabama? That oughta do it.
I’m sorry… did you get the impression I thought that would happen?
Doh! Hit submit too soon - that’s what was hardest about my Dawgs losing in the SEC Championship. I fully believe that they would have throttled Notre Dame. And I believe Alabama is going to as well. But we’re talking hypotheticals here.
Same way as Boise State and Utah. USC and Oklahoma started out as #1 and #2 and went wire to wire undefeated.
I think the SEC love is fairly recent and the defining moment came last year. I give credit that they had won 5 in a row and had shown that they deserve to be considered (maybe not chosen) for the championship game every year, but last year it seem to take on a self-fulfilling prophesy aura that the SEC would win and it felt the same way today. I think it is at the point that the SEC is virtually assured a spot in the NC game (maybe deserved) but that now it seems almost a given that two will get in every year.
To answer the question in the OP - as a Big Ten fan it chafes my ass that both teams can’t lose. The best I’m hoping for is an earthquake to swallow both teams whole.
Not that I watch much college football, but given your choices, I’ll be cheering for Oregon. Who should have been in the BCS Championship game in the first place, were it not for the unwritten, “Thou Shalt Have No Championship Game Without One SEC Team,” rule. Tight overtime loss to #13 Stanford? Sorry, you’re clearly not championship material. Get rolled 20-0 by #15 Texas A&M in the first quarter at home, before figuring out that it might be a good idea to start playing football? Just proof of the Tide’s inner mettle and great winning form.
Yet another reason why there should be an 8 team playoff. And why there should be no polls 'til Week 8 or so, and no more scheduling non FBS opponents. Though Oregon’s just as guilty of that as everyone else. Really, it should be Ohio State v. Notre Dame, but tattoos/Tressel/something something.
As for Notre Dame, Brian Kelly should have been out on his ass after having that kid die under his negligent watch two years ago. Oh, that’s right, it was the student’s idea to go up in a 50 foot tall scissor lift during a windstorm and film their practice; the coaching staff had nothing to do with telling him to do it. And they certainly wouldn’t have retaliated in any way against the kid if he refused to go up because it was unsafe. Winning excuses everything.
It’s a game where I wish both teams could lose, though I guess I’ll be pulling for 'Bama to pound ND, if I think about it. Line’s 'Bama -9 to 9.5, so I don’t think I’m the only one doing so.
With 6 for Notre Dame, 6 for Alabama, and 5 for Don’t Care, I voted Don’t Care because I like symmetry. I guess that means I actually don’t care, but I still like symmetry.
I don’t care, but my usual simmering dislike for ND is gone this year. I hate that they’re always overrated. There was a period from the 90’s through the '00s where they were consistently invited to bowl games they didn’t deserve to go to. They were there because they were overrated in the polls ND and they’d bring the audience.
They’ve turned it around the last few years. I don’t think there’s any question that they should be in the national championship game. If this team is overrated, it’s only by one position. We’ll see in the championship game.
Really don’t see how you are getting that impression. Had Oregon and Kansas State not both lost, there would be no SEC team in the BCS Title game this year. The only way an all-SEC game would have even been a possibility this year would be if Notre Dame also lost, and even then, I don’t think it would have happened.
I hate that argument, “well if you only gone undefeated you would have made the title game.” Apparently only SEC teams are allowed to lose a regular-season game. Going undefeated is not easy.
