BCS Debacle '06

[Schaddy]

With the latest BCS controversy now in full swing, Schaddy takes a look at the effect that a bad system is having on what should be another great college football season. Find out just what's causing all the drama, and why the current system simply has to go.

[StevenSD]

This is from another Message Board


Anyways, I still can't believe people are complaining that this should be a playoff. College football just got done with a playoff basically. Every team that was in the running three to four weeks ago basically just got eliminated, this is the right matchup. Is Michigan better then Florida? Yes. Did Michigan lose to Ohio State already? Yes. If it was a playoff game that they plaed in would Michigan get another shot? Hell no. USC eliminated Notre Dame, LSU eliminated Arkansas, Florida survived Arkansas. This all made sense and every critic in the world says it's wrong? Over the last three weeks there has been some amazing football played, West Virginia-Rutgers, Arkansas-Florida, Arkansas-LSU, and obviously Michigan-Ohio State and when it came to the end it got it right. Going into that Ohio State-Michigan game everyone said the loser of this game gets left out of the Championship Game, yet here we are surrounding the system in controversy when it complied with our initial decision. Maybe I'm saying this because my team is already in the title game, but I do feel strongly with this that the system got it right this year, and I do think that if Ohio State had lost that game with Michigan this year I would have understood why Florida would be playing instead of Ohio State and agreed it's the right decision.

The college football season, is a playoff.

[Schaddy]

Saying the entire college football season is a playoff is so amazingly ridiculous I can't even believe that guy posted all that.

College football consists of a non-conference season that is usually filled with a cupcake or two, and then a regular season, during which only ONE conference in the nation (Pac-10) features a schedule where each team plays every other team in their league.

I can see how a person could argue that it's a "playoff" in the sense that if you lose, or lose too much, you're out of it, but it is not even close to a real playoff. That's actually a worse rationale than favoring the BCS, in my opinion.

[Jwalk]

If the BCS will not go to a playoff system they need to implement more bowls being "BCS" Bowl games, and with that changing the rules to allow 3 teams from a given conference into BCS Bowl games. This may seem Homer, and call me homer is you think it is, but Wisconsin, imho, got screwed this year.

[Schaddy]

I don't think the Badgers got screwed all that bad; Michigan, Oklahoma, and some other schools left out of the BCS got screwed worse.

Wisconsin never had a defining win this year, so it's hard to argue we're truly one of the elite teams in the nation when our only matchup against an elite team was a loss. Now, obviously it was about as good a loss as you can have, on the road against the #2 team in the nation, but a loss it was. I think that the Badgers are playing right where we should be.

The thing that I've been mad about is the perception that the Badgers, at 11-1, are overrated. That's simply not true. But I won't get into that again. The BCS is an amazingly flawed system, and that's the thing that really needs to be harped on. We need to get rid of it NOW.

[GatorsRock]

Again, please explain why you feel that Michigan is a better team then Florida. All I hear is that Florida should go because they haven't played OSU yet, but Michigan is still the better team. Why do you feel that way? (not dissing your opinions or anything I just want to know)

[Schaddy]

I'll first say that this is the truest definition of splitting hairs there is. I can't make a great case why Michigan is any better than Florida, or why Florida is better than Michigan. They're both awesome teams. Basicly, I'm just going with my gut because I've seen Michigan a lot this year and they've impressed me every time I've seen them.

But here goes...

Michigan is a more dangerous team offensively. They are much more consistent running the ball, and not only can Hart be a one-man offense, but the threat of their outstanding run game sets up man coverage on the outside, where they have a trio of receivers that stacks up with anyone in the country, including arguably the best big-play threat in the nation in Manningham. Florida's run game has been, for an elite team, surprisingly average and inconsistent. Their passing game and ability to get excellent field position from their defense makes up for that quite often, but it remains a fact that great teams that have to win big games late in the season need to run the ball, and Michigan does that much better than Florida does.

Defensively, Michigan has probably the best run defense in the country (statistically they're the best), despite their hiccup against Ohio State. I feel that the run offense and defense are the only true advantages Michigan has on Florida, but those are big advantages to have.

To be fair to Florida, they are really oportunistic, getting turnovers and blocking kicks. Again, it's splittinig hairs.

Finally, Michigan's kicking game is very, very good. Florida's kicker finished the season 4 of 13, while Michigan's made 16 of 19, and I've personally seen him stick a dagger in some teams during his time in Ann Arbor. When you're talking about bowl games, the kicking game is very important, IMO, because you're obviously seeing two very good and evenly matched teams, and those type of game tend to come down to the little things and making clutch field goals late.

I have to reiterate: despite the fact that my gut and a few numbers tell me that Michigan is better, it's not an absolute fact, and it's not saying that Florida is an absolutely outstanding team. I just don't feel that they'd be able to beat Michigan on a neutral field (gut again, but that's what I'm going with here), thus I feel Michigan is the 2nd best team, and they should play Ohio State.

I wish Florida all good luck in the title game, and it should be a classic. They are very capable of beating the Buckeyes, no doubt about it. But if you told me I had to pick one team to play Ohio State, I would pick Michigan. Hopefully that's not just a garbled ramble, LOL.

[datruth55]

College football consists of a non-conference season that is usually filled with a cupcake or two, and then a regular season, during which only ONE conference in the nation (Pac-10) features a schedule where each team plays every other team in their league.
Actually there's two. Everyone in the Big East plays each other cause there's only 8 teams.

[Schaddy]

Actually there's two. Everyone in the Big East plays each other cause there's only 8 teams.

Good call; I stand corrected :o

[The Gopher]

I think the playoff should be the top 4 teams.... 8 man.. 12 man and 16 man could get too long, causing too many injuries...

[Who Dey]

I also think a playoff should consist of only four teams with #1 playing #4 and #2 vs. #3. The winner of these two games go on to play for the title.

[Schaddy]

Hey, if a four team tourney is all we could do, I am 100% for it. At least that would add a shred of competition to the college postseason. Any playoff format is a HUGE improvement over what we've got now. And there would always be time to make the playoff longer, if that became a possibility. I think that the college tournament should be relatively small, as it would allow the traditional bowl series to continue, one of the real highlights of any sports season. Any playoff system implemented would be a great step forward.

[dbuilder]

In my opinion. If Florida played Michigan Head to head. You could forget about the run, and that is where the trouble begins. It was stated that we are a very opportunistic Defense. Why? Because of the pressure our front four creates. Not just the pressure on the QB but the fact that running the ball is not an option and creates a one dimensional offense. Our struggles have been turnovers that have left our defense with a short field tim and again, but we are deep up the middle from the line, to the linebackers to the safeties. Combine that with 2 servicable and successful corners in Reggie Lewis and Ryan Smith gives you the best Defense in the country with about 5-7 first day draft choices. IMO

[Schaddy]

^ You make some good points; like I said, it's splitting hairs. The Gator D is excellent, with guys like Nelson and Siler who are among the very best at their positions. They are going to give Ohio State a different look than they've seen all year, and they're going to cause some problems for the Buckeyes.