BCS Standings-On Suicide Watch for the Big 12 Championship Game

       With a few weeks left to go the college football regular season, let's start some of the BCS debates prematurely.

The Big 12 

If the Oklahoma Sooners beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders, then the triumverate that is Texas, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech will be tied. The leader at that point in the BCS standings will be granted a trip to the Big 12 Championship game. So, who should go? The experts have basically said that, in that situation, the choices will be Texas or Oklahoma.

     The most atrocious part of this discussion is Texas. Why? Schedule. It has long been conventional wisdom that Tech plays patsies during the pre-conference schedule, but look at the Lonhorns' pre-conference gauntlet. The ONLY team that Texas encountered before conference play that has a winning record was Rice. That's right, the mighty Rice Owls. So, if you want to discount Texas Tech as a team that only plays second rate competition in September put Texas in the same category. Tech played a Nevada team that, at the very least, is as good as Rice. Oklahoma, by the way, played TCU and Cincinnati. Edge-Oklahoma by a slim margin.

     Next, lets look at comparative scores. This is, of course, not the best way, but at least it compares apples to apples. Oklahoma beat Kansas 45-31. Texas beat Kansas 35-7. The Red Raiders beat Kansas 63-21. Edge Texas Tech. 

     Oklahoma still has to play Oklahoma State, but. . . Texas 28-Cowboys 24. Texas Tech 56-Oklahoma St. 20. Edge-Texas Tech.

     Texas Longhorn fans will point to a thrashing of Missouri as a trophy on their mantle, since neither Oklahoma or Tech had to play them. However, don't forget that Oklahoma State beat Missouri, and the way Tech treated the Cowboys shows a superiority.

     So, if Texas Tech does get beat by Oklahoma, the choice would seem to be between Oklahoma and Tech. Oklahoma would have won the head to head, but don't negate the importance of the order of the schedule. Much was made of the Texas Longhorns' run through the 'gauntlet' of Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Tech. Don't forget that the Red Raiders are finishing their own gauntlet of Kansas (who was ranked until the Tech demolished them), Texas, Oklahoma State, and now Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Oklahoma has had "get well" games scattered through their Big 12 schedule.  So, Tech has earned their dues.  

     I am a huge fan of the Texas Tech Red Raiders, but, to be fair, all schools would have a valid argument. I just hate it that the "pundits" have already discounted Tech and were basically crowning the Texas Longhorns even AFTER they lost to Tech. What a joke! I would also like to offer this BCS possibility that could cause a serious travesty. The BCS standings are so close, and three of the top 5 are Big 12 teams. Don't be surprised if the Big 12 South Champion, rewarded with a trip to its Championship game loses AND due to that loss doesn't even make a BCS Bowl Game. Think about it-Oklahoma beats Tech. Then Texas and Oklahoma move up and Tech goes down to number 5 or 6. Then Texas or Oklahoma loses to Missouri. the other two move up and the now two-loss Big 12 team drops down behind them. Only two can go from any conference. In fact, if Missouri wins, they get a spot automatically so actually only ONE Big 12 South team would make a BCS Bowl.! Taking the BCS standings into account, and Florida playing Alabama in the SEC Championship(thus knocking one of them out of the National Title picture). The lone Big 12 South team that makes the BCS in that instance is rewarded by not playing in the Big 12 Championship game by PLAYING FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!   

      THE "Non BCS Schools"

     There is a HUGE game this week in this category Saturday as Utah plays BYU. The Utes(who have already been shut out of the National Championship after going undefeated a few years ago with some coached named Urban Meyer) already have the edge over USC, Oklahoma, and Florida in the computer rankings. Yes, their schedule, with wins against Oregon State(that beat USC), TCU, Air Force, and a once proud Michigan team; give them credibility. The human polls are all that is holding them back now, but a win versus BYU will give them a victory over number 14 in the BCS. This would give them an even bigger boost in those computer rankings. Utah is currently .0230 points behind USC in the overall rankings, so a win will at the very least move them past USC. Sorry, Trojan lovers. Meanwhile, with the Big 12 Showdown this week, the Utes could pass the loser of that game. That would make the Utes #4 with the Conference Championship games still looming. The SEC Championship game will eliminate one. Then, and again this is mere speculation, if Missouri wins the Big 12 Championship Game, the Utes "should" make it to #2 and play for the National Title. What I hate most is that the Bowl games don't matter anymore. If you want to argue, for example, that Utah hasn't played any top-5 team-fine. They will play one in a BCS Bowl. What if they win? what if they beat the 2nd representative from the SEC, like Alabama? Far fetched? Let's see-does Utah over Pittsburgh ring a bell? What about Boise State over Oklahoma? If they beat Alabama or Florida would they be deserving? Of course they would, but it would be too late. It is possible that Utah could win that game, giving them 6 wins vs. bowl teams. and be the only undefeated team. They still wouldn't even get a sniff.

     Secondly, as I have mentioned in previous columns, the ACC and the Big East are horrible.  Yet, their "champion", if you can call the that, will get automatic bids to BCS Bowl Games. Meanwhile, the Mountain West Conference, which has three teams in the top 16 in the BCS-Utah, BYU, and TCU, have to fight for "At-Large" bids. Boise State, which is about to finish undefeated for the second time in three years is about to be left out of a BCS game. Ball State-forget about it. However, NO team in the ACC or the Big East is ranked above ANY of these teams. the highest ranked ACC team is North Carolina at #22. The Big East's highest representative is #19 Cincinnati.

     This is all just food for thought. It does, howver, show some of the flaws in the system and should make some teams very wary. Just keep in mind that the biggest game of the season is probably not being played this week. That will be the Big 12 Championship Game. Missouri is the key. If Missouri wins, the BCS will be exposed for what it is-an arbitrary sham that creates debate instead of ending it.

Who will make the BCS?    Who won't make it?