# Woohoo! Utes Screw Up BCS!!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 3, 2009, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677 "2009-01-03T05:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/81 "2009-01-05T18:52:41Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Sure, but why stop there? > > Why should Ohio State play Michigan every year? Why not just have each team play all the other teams in the Big Ten, and then take a vote to see who’s the champion of the conference? > > Or, why have Texas play Oklahoma every year? Surely, it’s far better to have each team play a random sampling of other Big Twelve teams, and then let the coaches vote as to who the conference champ is. What I’d like to see for conference championships is for the two highest ranked teams to play each other in the conference. As an example, instead of North and South playing each other for the Big XII championship… how cool would it have been to have an OU Texas rematch for the Big 12 Chamionship? Then there would be no question on who to send to the BCS championship game. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/82 "2009-01-05T18:52:50Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > And Oklahoma Killed Texas Tech, and Texas Tech beat Texas. Head to head records with only two teams tied, I agree. What’s completely arbitrary is the people who want to use head to head on only two teams in a three team tie. :rolleyes: I’m aware of that. It doesn’t change my point. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/83 "2009-01-05T18:56:02Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m a USC guy. I agree. > > Kind of. > > The system we have now is basicly a “pick em”, or popularity poll. If people picked the “really best team”, I think USC would be champions. But, no. If we had a “Best Record”, then Utah wins. > > We got shit instead. Two teams, without the best players (team) or records, playing for the championship. > > Makes Formula One look “sporting”. :rolleyes: Wow that’s a great debates type of statement. But I’m sure you know that. Two Heisman trophy quarterbacks playing for the BCS… It’s not like it’s Sister Mary’s School of the blind playing the leprocy orphanage. I wouldn’t say that shit instead. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/84 "2009-01-05T19:02:53Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Because the system works. > > Basically, Chick-fil-A conducts a poll of who the two most popular teams are, these two teams play in the “Sour Cream & Onion Pringles Bowl”, and the winner is awarded the “Crystal Pepsi Ball”. > > The NCAA does not officially recognize this “SpeeDee Oil Change Most Popular Team”, so there is no such thing as an NCAA champion in football. > > It isn’t difficult to see Tostitos why magicJack they don’t settle it on the Outback Steakhouse field. You would have to be Emerald Nuts to think there was anything wrong with this system. This is the best explanation of the current system I have ever seen. Congrats, Utah. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/85 "2009-01-05T19:03:11Z")
Crap, I missed the edit window. That last line was supposed to say: "I wouldn’t say that “we got shit instead.” I think it’ll be a good game. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/86 "2009-01-05T20:37:48Z")
> [@Soapbox\_Monkey](#): > > 8 teams. There are 6 BCS conferences. Take the winner of each conference, and then two wild card teams who have the highest remaining records, be they in an official BCS conference or not. > > This year, the playoff teams would have been: > > Cincinnati (Big East winner) > Penn State (Big 10 winner) > USC (PAC 10 winner) > Florida (SEC winner) > Oklahoma (Big 12 winner) > Virginia Tech (ACC winner) > > Wild card teams: > Boise State > Utah > > Sure, teams like Texas and Alabama could still complain, but the argument to them would be simple: if you want to be in the tournament, win your conference. You didn’t, so shut up. Why include the winners of each conference? Why should the Big East or Big 10 champion go, if Texas or Alabama is ranked higher? ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/87 "2009-01-05T20:41:18Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > No shit genius. I don’t know what crawled up your ass and made you a dick today, but of course it is “just opinion.” Just like all the coaches polls, the sportswriters polls, and the algorithms they develop for the computer polls are all “just opinions”. Ease up champ. Hamlet, you’ve been warned twice before about insults outside of the Pit. This is your third warning. No insults outside of the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/88 "2009-01-05T21:00:32Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I can tell you the very first argument that will come up with that system: Not all conferences have a championship game. It’s an oft repeated complaint that USC doesn’t have to get beat up with a championship game, but the SEC and Big XII do. I like conf champ games (even though my conf Pac10 doesn’t have one). They are fun to watch, usually are pretty good teams and something is riding on it. However, regarding the complaint about having to play one: Those conferences did it to themselves. They expanded to 12 teams for some reason (probably money), split into 2 divisions and created a conf champ game to bring in money. So, if you don’t like playing one, jettison your 2 worst teams and play every team in conf head to head. ---
**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 5, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/89 "2009-01-05T23:42:13Z")
A couple of years ago, I played NCAA on the original Xbox. I created a school and put them in the WAC. Then I would schedule a really tough non-conference. I knew if I screwed up more than once, it was the Humanitarian Bowl for me. I played several seasons with this team and usually played the Humanitarian Bowl. One season, there was only one undefeated team and I had only one loss. The undefeated team played a one-loss Tennessee team in the NC game. Who did Tennessee lose to that year? My team. I did play in a BCS bowl that year. I think I only played one more season after that I was so irritated. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/90 "2009-01-06T04:04:45Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > I’m a USC guy. I agree. > > Kind of. > > The system we have now is basicly a “pick em”, or popularity poll. If people picked the “really best team”, I think USC would be champions. But, no. If we had a “Best Record”, then Utah wins. > > We got shit instead. Two teams, without the best players (team) or records, playing for the championship. > > Makes Formula One look “sporting”. :rolleyes: USC could play a team of 15 clones of my grandmother and lose 16 games game by 58 points and everyone would still declare them the best team in the nation. I would love to see USC play the best SEC team that way this could finally be settled on the field. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/91 "2009-01-06T05:34:21Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > USC could play a team of 15 clones of my grandmother and lose 16 games game by 58 points and everyone would still declare them the best team in the nation. I would love to see USC play the best SEC team that way this could finally be settled on the field. Please… that is a ridiculous exageration. If Southern Cal were to play such a team, they would win 11 times, but lose one in the middle of the season. On to current events\*: Ohio State and Old Miss have demolished the theory of Big 12 dominance. What was considered a trio of excellent offenses and good defenses has been proven to be a trio of better-than-average offenses and sub-par defenses. How much has the spread for the Florida/Oklahoma game widened since the truth of the Big 12 has been exposed? \*Should I have started a new thread? I apologize it that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/92 "2009-01-06T07:47:55Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > I can tell you the very first argument that will come up with that system: Not all conferences have a championship game. It’s an oft repeated complaint that USC doesn’t have to get beat up with a championship game, but the SEC and Big XII do. Then the SEC and Big XII need to stop being such a whore for the money and figure out a better system. If their system hurts their teams, the solution isn’t to break our’s equally. > [@HubZilla](#): > > Why include the winners of each conference? Why should the Big East or Big 10 champion go, if Texas or Alabama is ranked higher? This isn’t even unusual though. 8-8 San Diego made the the NFL playoffs over the 11-5 New England Patriots and 9-7 Jets. This is why [Piker is wrong](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=10649811&postcount=72). The regular season would REMAIN extremely important, just instead of fighting for the #1 ranking, you’re fighting for your conference championship. (Would make interconference rivalries _ridiculously_ exciting). Granted, such a system would cause problems in scheduling non-conference games. ---
**Author:** ![Rucksinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/898d66/32.png) [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/93 "2009-01-06T12:31:51Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > The regular season would REMAIN extremely important, just instead of fighting for the #1 ranking, you’re fighting for your conference championship. **(Would make interconference rivalries _ridiculously_ exciting).** Granted, such a system would cause problems in scheduling non-conference games. I’m missing something here. Why would interconference rivalries be exciting when those games wouldn’t matter? ---
**Author:** ![Piker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@Piker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Piker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/94 "2009-01-06T20:35:14Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’m missing something here. Why would interconference rivalries be exciting when those games wouldn’t matter? Yeah, I’m confused too. Oh, and any college football system that includes a team like four-loss Virginia Tech in the Nat’l Championship picture is a joke. Basically, with college football, we have three choices: (1) The Old School Bowl System: People argue about which team is the best in the country, but the whole idea of there being a clear national champion is put to bed. Restore bowl games to their pre-BCS stature, and new years returns to awesomeness. (2) The Bowl Championship Series: Picks a clear winner, but tends towards under-inclusiveness. Devalues bowl season by diminishing other major bowls. Protects integrity of college football regular season. (3) Expanded Playoff Proposals: Picks a clear winner, but would tend towards over-inclusiveness. Devalues bowl season by diminishing each bowl as simply part of a tiered tournament, decreasing the amount of traveling fans at the stadiums that create atmosphere and energy, and destroying some of the oldest traditions in American Sports. Devalues regular season by minimizing the unique importance of avoiding any loss. I choose (1). I am not a money grubbing conference commissioner or athletic director, or whatever caricature trotted out by unbearable sport-talk radio fans. I’m just a fan that appreciates college football for its unique regular season, and one of the more special events (Bowl Season) in all of sports. ---
**Author:** ![Piker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@Piker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Piker)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/95 "2009-01-06T20:39:15Z")
Oh, a caveat to my desired return to the old bowl system. If we ever go back, the major bowls should have to pick their teams on some basic objective standards of merit, rather than on their drawing power. That’s one facet of the old system that I detested. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/96 "2009-01-07T01:19:39Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’m missing something here. Why would interconference rivalries be exciting when those games wouldn’t matter? Presumably because he meant to say _intra_conference rivalries. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2009, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/97 "2009-01-07T07:00:02Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Wow that’s a great debates type of statement. I’ve never been accused of making any kind of sense, and I don’t see why I should stand still for it now! And, the the Gentleman who’se grandmother is Taylor Mays: Lets hope the gene pool was favorable in your case! 😉 ---
**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 8, 2009, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/98 "2009-01-08T05:58:09Z")
The Utes aren’t satisfied screwing up the BCS they want to [destroy](http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3814472) it. Go Utes! ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/99 "2009-01-08T06:27:39Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#): > > I’m missing something here. Why would interconference rivalries be exciting when those games wouldn’t matter? **Intra** …my bad. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677/100 "2009-01-08T06:35:44Z")
> [@Piker](#): > > Oh, and any college football system that includes a team like four-loss Virginia Tech in the Nat’l Championship picture is a joke. Do you consider the **NFL** playoffs a joke? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woohoo-utes-screw-up-bcs/479677.md?page=6)