Wednesday, January 7, 2009

West Coast college football better than perceived


West Coast college football wasn’t so bad after all this year, was it?

The knock on elite teams such as USC and Utah was that they played inferior talent out west.

So let’s take a look for a minute:

The Pac-10 finished 5-0 in bowl games, proving USC played a very tough schedule.
Utah is the only undefeated team left; thanks to its Sugar Bowl win over an Alabama team that was one victory from the BCS championship tilt.

USC was denied a BCS title shot based on its Pac-10 schedule. But since those Pac-10 teams are 5-0 in bowl games, doesn’t that have some meaning in the aftermath?

Oklahoma is in the title game based on its “tough” Big 12 schedule.

But when you look at it, the Sooners’ best wins this year were against Texas Tech (loser to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl) and Oklahoma State (loser to Oregon of the Pac-10 in the Holiday Bowl.)

The best team Oklahoma beat which went on to win a bowl game turned out to be Missouri, which had to go overtime to defeat Northwestern in a no-name bowl.

So much for the argument about Oklahoma’s superior schedule/competition in the Big 12.

The obvious answer is a BCS playoff, where teams like USC can prove (or disprove) their strength.

One can only hope Oklahoma doesn’t lose the BCS championship to Florida, or it will be another knock on the supposed invincibility of the Big 12.

Prediction:
Florida 38, Oklahoma 34

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

First of all the Oregon Ducks were the # 2 team in the Pac 10 they beat the # four team in the Big 12 on the west coast by the way. Oregon St won 3-0 over a Pittsburgh team that lost to Bowling Green by ten and was blown out by Rutgers by 20 and yet Oregon St won by only 3-0. Arizona beat BYU by 10 the same team that was blown out by TCU 32-7 a team that Oklahoma blew out. Also Texas Tech lost to Mississippi the same team that beat who Floridia and where was that game Oxford Miss -- no, it was on Floridia's home field. Also let us now forget the lead cow of the mighty Pac 10 USC they jumped out big on Penn state in the Rose Bowl and Brent Musberger among others could not stop extolling the wonderful talent of the men of Troy USC but he suddenly quit talking that mess when Penn state came back and where within a little bit of making it a on score game. Having said all of that I agree completely that we need a playoff system in college football; but then we would not have nearly as much to talk about as we do now.

Anonymous said...

Let's see now: USC beat Ohio State by 32 points. Texas beat Ohio State by three, so that makes USC 29 points better than Texas. Oh, yeah, Texas also beat Oklahoma by 10 points. That makes USC 39 points better than Oklahoma, which is in the BCS championship. Yes, a playoff is needed.

Anonymous said...

Like I said when they go to a playoff we will have a lot less things to talk about. But I do wish they would; that way all of the what ifs, could ofs, etc., go out the window and you settle it on th field.