# LSU - Bama II **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 10, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014 "2012-01-10T03:33:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/21 "2012-01-10T04:52:28Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Wah wah wah. Bama is the champ, and they earned it. If you don’t like it, tough. Alabama in the **Coaches’** champ. There may be one or two historically significant polls/awarding bodies out there who view things differently. And they didn’t earn it. They lost in their own house. They didn’t win their _division_, much less conference. And the only reason that more deserving teams didn’t get a chance to prove their mettle on the field is that too much of the rankings depend upon a backwards-looking popularity contest. Now, Alabama is one of five teams with one loss this season. There is no champ. Edit on preview: **Oakminster** : SEC lovers can kiss the rest of our asses. It’s a corrupt system dominated by money and an old boys’ system. This shit keeps up, and you’re going to be left with a regional sport no one else gives a fuck about. And the Big 12 is every bit as good as the SEC, if not better (and there are stats to prove it). ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/22 "2012-01-10T04:55:20Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > Um, Alabama had the 2nd toughest schedule in the country this year, but I’m sure that you knew that. > [Cite](http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team) [No, they didn’t](http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2011/Internet/toughest%20schedule/fbs_9games_cumm.pdf). Okie State had a tougher schedule. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/23 "2012-01-10T04:56:52Z")
> [@azraiel](#): > > And the Big 12 is every bit as good as the SEC, if not better (and there are stats to prove it). LOL. How many consecutive BCS Championships do they have? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/24 "2012-01-10T05:01:08Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > [No, they didn’t](http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/2011/Internet/toughest%20schedule/fbs_9games_cumm.pdf). Okie State had a tougher schedule. I’ll stand by my source, though even if I were to concede to your source, that has Alabama playing the sixth toughest schedule…how exactly is that “relatively weak”? ---
**Author:** ![quixotic78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/3ab097/32.png) [@quixotic78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quixotic78)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/25 "2012-01-10T05:01:31Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > Um, Alabama had the 2nd toughest schedule in the country this year, but I’m sure that you knew that. > [Cite](http://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/strength-of-schedule-by-team) Strength of Schedule power rating? That seems fishy to me. [Here’s](http://www.gberatings.com/sos/) a cite with Bama at 34, [here](http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/current_congrove_rankings.html)they’re at 29, and [here’s](http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/120) one with them at 30. That seems closer to reality to me. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/26 "2012-01-10T05:01:31Z")
SportsCenter: If you like great defense and excellent place kicking… Bwhaaaa! I enjoyed the game but that did make me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![azraiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@azraiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/azraiel)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/27 "2012-01-10T05:04:48Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > LOL. How many consecutive BCS Championships do they have? Why, none at this point. Because the conference’s best team was denied the _opportunity_ to even contest for one this year. Do you really think you have a point here? It’s a circular argument completely unconvincing to anyone outside of your privileged conference. I don’t expect your blinders to allow you to even see that though, much less admit it. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/28 "2012-01-10T05:05:04Z")
[I feel like dancing! Sweet Homa Alabama ROLL TIDE ROLL!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xA1HNa7rXf4&feature=share) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/29 "2012-01-10T05:06:31Z")
> [@quixotic78](#): > > Strength of Schedule power rating? That seems fishy to me. [Here’s](http://www.gberatings.com/sos/) a cite with Bama at 34, [here](http://www.collegefootballpoll.com/current_congrove_rankings.html)they’re at 29, and [here’s](http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/rankings/120) one with them at 30. That seems closer to reality to me. Fair enough, ignorance fought. It appears that they didn’t play either Georgia or South Carolina this year, which would have made that sos much higher. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/30 "2012-01-10T05:08:17Z")
Alabama and Stanford coaches both had votes in the poll, and unsurprisingly both put Oklahoma State outside of the top 3 to improve their own rankings. Oklahoma State did not have a vote. In general, all the coaches who will be in the Big 12 next year put Oklahoma State ahead of Alabama, and all the coaches who will be in the SEC next year put Alabama ahead. The SEC just had more votes. Thus the rematch. Awesome system. Not only is the title determined by a popularity contest instead of playing football, but the voting is done by people with an obvious self interest and breaks down exactly along those self interest lines. Would be interesting to see Alabama deal with Justin Blackmon, but I guess allowing the SEC to very literally vote itself the title is good too. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/31 "2012-01-10T05:11:58Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > These two teams suck. > > Don’t give me any shit about “great defensive battle”. This is outright shitty football. > > Oregon for Champ. I agree this was a travesty of a NC game, which I purposely didn’t watch, but fuck the Ducks. They, like the Tide, had a chance to beat the Tigers in the regular season and failed. Furthermore, the Ducks lost to the Trojans. The NC should have been Tigers and Cowboys, period. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/32 "2012-01-10T05:30:04Z")
Interestingly, I’ve seen [at least one AP writer](http://www.macon.com/2012/01/09/1857149/my-final-ap-top-25-ballot.html) who decided to go with OK State as #1 in his final ballot. I’ll be interested to see if lots of them do this (as a form of protest). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/33 "2012-01-10T06:02:04Z")
> [@Doctor\_Who](#): > > Interestingly, I’ve seen [at least one AP writer](http://www.macon.com/2012/01/09/1857149/my-final-ap-top-25-ballot.html) who decided to go with OK State as #1 in his final ballot. I’ll be interested to see if lots of them do this (as a form of protest). The BCS Board has already presented the national championship trophy to Alabama. Be rather interesting if some of the voters wanted to play such petty games. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/34 "2012-01-10T06:05:16Z")
One thing that is really 'ffed up is that there were columns written about how if LSU lost they could still be voted the NC. That won’t happen due to tonight’s pasting but still . . . Think about if the Pat’s were given the NFL championship despite their loss in the Super Bowl because of their regular season exploits? What if Green Bay was awarded the NFL championship this year ahead of the Super Bowl? What if the NCAA basketball champion was determined on regular season rankings and the tournament be damned? The NCAA football system is really fucked up. Every year they manage to find a new way to demonstrate how fucked up it is. Ways that can’t even be anticipated. Yet, we still suck it up. Shame on us. ---
**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 10, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/35 "2012-01-10T06:22:18Z")
I know Alabama has a great defense, but holy shit, LSU’s offense was all kinds of shitty. Those option plays looked like Jefferson didn’t understand the concept at all. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/36 "2012-01-10T06:25:38Z")
God, I love you people. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/37 "2012-01-10T06:35:02Z")
What is with the Ok St split title talk? Did you guys watch their bowl game? 11 yards rushing, and Stanford gave away that game at the end. You get the win, but it was the exact type of performance that showed me that Ok St was about as good as Stanford, and both are probably worse than Oregon and Wisconsin. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/38 "2012-01-10T06:41:36Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > I know Alabama has a great defense, but holy shit, LSU’s offense was all kinds of shitty. Those option plays looked like Jefferson didn’t understand the concept at all. How do you really separate out the effects of the opposing team in this type of analysis? I see good defenses making average offenses look poor, and I see good offenses making average defenses look poor. My opinion: LSU and Alabama have great defenses and average offenses Oregon and Wisconsin have great offenses and average defenses (I mention this because I’ve read posts saying the Oregon/Wisconsin defenses were horrible, same type of argument) ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/39 "2012-01-10T06:53:36Z")
I would argue that LSU/Alabama’s offenses are a tick below average, as are Oregon/Wisconsin’s defenses. In fact, Oregon’s defense might just be bad. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014/40 "2012-01-10T06:54:25Z")
[Final AP Poll](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/football/ncaa/01/10/ap.poll.ap/index.html) [ol] [li]Alabama (54 first place votes)[/li][li]LSU (1)[/li][li]Oklahoma State (4)[/li][li]Oregon[/li][li]Arkansas[/li][/ol] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lsu-bama-ii/609014.md?page=3)