It's (Un)Official: Oaklahoma-LSU for the Sugar Bowl

[SirFozzie]

Per ESPN...

Oklahoma (12-1) and LSU (12-1) will be No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, when the final BCS Standings are released today (5:30 ET, ABC).

This means the Sooners and Tigers will square off for the national title in the Nokia Sugar Bowl on Jan. 4 in New Orleans.

USC (11-1), which entered the final week of the season as the BCS' No. 2 team and enjoyed a 24-point win over Oregon State on Saturday, will finish third and meet No. 4 Michigan in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Trojans are the top-ranked team in both the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll and The Associated Press' media poll and could still win AP's national title with a Rose Bowl victory. The coaches' poll is obligated to crown the BCS championship game winner as its national champion.

In the end, USC's schedule strength and computer rankings were not strong enough to hold off the Sooners and Tigers within the BCS formula. USC non-conference opponents Auburn, BYU, Hawaii and Notre Dame, along with conference foes Arizona State and Washington, all failed to live up to preseason expectations, which weakened the Trojans in every element except the minds of the human voters.

Despite its 28-point loss in the Big 12 championship game, Oklahoma held onto the No. 1 spot in most of the BCS computers, mainly because those ratings are no longer allowed to factor margins of victory or defeat. Those rankings, along with a very strong schedule, allowed the Sooners to hold their spot as the BCS' No. 1 team.

In the coaches' poll, the Trojans had 37 first-place votes and 1,542 points to the Tigers' 18 first-place nods and 1,516 points. Oklahoma still received eight first-place votes and 1,449 points.

In the media poll, the Sooners fell to third after holding the top spot since the preseason. USC is No. 1 for the first time in 22 years, garnering 42 first-place votes (1,595 points). LSU (1,580) got 21, and Oklahoma (1,491) received the final two.

[Ben E Lou]

[cthomer5000]

Jeez, what a bizzare scene this is going to be..

Should be one hell of a bowl season though! Toss out the Fiesta Bowl, the other 3 are great matchups.

[Balldog]

Gay.

[Ben E Lou]

I like it, because it will create a little more pressure for a playoff system. The "consensus" #1 does not get to play in the title game. Gold.

[IMetTrentGreen]

fuck old white rich people. fuck them all. they ruined the government, they ruined all forms of media, and now they are fucking with my favorite sport. good thing i am a white male, i can change this

[Ben E Lou]

Oh....and I fully admit that it much easier to celebrate since none of the three teams involved mean much to me. If the Dawgs were in USC's position, I'd probably be demanding a federal investigation.

[SackAttack]

Yeah, well, it's your Dawgs' fault in the first place. If they had beaten LSU last night, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

[ctmason]

People to kill...

Josh....ah man...how do you spell your last name?

[HornedFrog Purple]

The possibility of co-champs in a system that was designed to not to allow it. Greatness.

Of course if USC loses then the BCS will claim it worked. So please don't lose USC.

[General Mike]

This is bullshit

From CFBNews.com

"The precedent was set in 1998 when an unbeaten Kansas State team lost in overtime and was passed over by a one-loss Florida State team to play for the national championship. This year’s Sooners didn’t lose in overtime. They didn’t lose in a hard-fought title game. Oklahoma got thumped and was thumped with everything on the line."

USC got screwed, 'nuff said.

[Eaglesfan27]

As a Trojan fan living in New Orleans a few miles from the Sugar Bowl and with a connection who could likely get me a ticket to the game - I am going to be so infuriated if the Trojans don't end up 1 or 2 in the BCS

The interesting thing is that LSU is my second favorite team as I've been following them for a few years since I moved to New Orleans, so I want them to be USC's opponent so I can watch my two teams play each other. But, if I had to choose I will still choose USC over LSU and I really hope the "experts" are wrong and USC plays in the sugar bowl.

[MrBug708]

I think, as a UCLA fan, this is a much worse situation for me. Not only is USC gonna beat Michigan, as a UCLA fan, I'm gonna hear how the Trojans were screwed out of a complete NC for the rest of my life

[sooner333]

No, Kansas State didn't play anybody all season like the Sooners did. They didn't beat the season-ending #6 team in the nation. And they lost to an unranked foe in the Big 12 game. Nobody thought they were #1, they were just voted there by default. The computers didn't think that Kansas State deserved to still be #1 like they think OU does this season. Enough said. You can say all you want about USC deserving it, but comparing completely different scenarios from 1998 Kansas State and 2003 Oklahoma is stupid.

[zums]

#1 USC vs. #4 Michigan

#2 LSU vs. #3 Oklahoma

Hmm.. whattaya know, looks like a mini bracket is set up, kinda makes sense to just have the two winners play and settle this shit.

-zums

[detroit_fan]

I feel sorry for whoever plays the sooners.

[Gambit]

Originally posted by Balldog
Gay.

It may be politically incorrect to say that, but you're right. How the hell does the #1 team in the nation NOT play for the national title? Simple, have Notre Dame and Georgia lose in the final week

BCS - C = BS

[Gambit]

It's official now. 5.11 for Oklahoma, 5.99(I think) for LSU, and 6.15 for USC

Total crap

[Mustang]

*cough*

bullshit

*cough *

bullshit

*cough*

[SirFozzie]

*chuckles* I think they got one half right, but that's the half everyone else disagrees with.

Oklahoma-USC.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted above
Gay.

Originally posted above
It may be politically incorrect to say that, but you're right.

I don't see the connection. What does this have to do with anyone's sexual leanings? Do homosexuals have more trouble with math than other people?

Is "stupid" too difficult a word to come up with there? Or am I being too "politically correct" to suggest that as a better fit?

[NoMyths]

Well said, Quik.

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
*chuckles* I think they got one half right, but that's the half everyone else disagrees with.

Oklahoma-USC.

Hey, SirFozzie, I said elsewhere that I was one of four people in the world that was in favor of this matchup. I guess I found #2.

Do you know who 3 and 4 are? I think it's an elderly married couple who lives in Montana- the husband went to USC and the wife went to OU, both about 50 years ago

SI

[Franklinnoble]

Yeah... "faggoty" would have been a better adjective.

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by SirFozzie
Despite its 28-point loss in the Big 12 championship game, Oklahoma held onto the No. 1 spot in most of the BCS computers, mainly because those ratings are no longer allowed to factor margins of victory or defeat.

I keep reading and hearing this, and it is absolutely false. If you look at the computer ratings WITH the margins of victory factored in (i.e. Sagarin "Predictor"), OU has an even bigger lead. Their average margin of victory during the regular season was 34 points.

Or, maybe the whiners just want to factor in the margin of victory for the Big XII Championship game and leave it out for the remaining 12 games.

[SirFozzie]

Hey, I just copy and paste in that post.. that was from espn.com

[Vegas Vic]

Originally posted by General Mike
USC got screwed, 'nuff said.

Had USC been good enough to beat Cal-Berkley (a SIX loss team), they wouldn't be in this predicament.

[Gambit]

Originally posted by QuikSand
I don't see the connection. What does this have to do with anyone's sexual leanings? Do homosexuals have more trouble with math than other people?

Is "stupid" too difficult a word to come up with there? Or am I being too "politically correct" to suggest that as a better fit?

They might have problems with saying "oh that's gay" rather than the math in general(which sucks ass).

[TargetPractice6]

Originally posted by Vegas Vic
Had USC been good enough to beat Cal-Berkley (a SIX loss team), they wouldn't be in this predicament.

Is OU's 28 point beat down via K St. better than the close 3 point lose USC suffered to Cal?

[mckerney]

Originally posted by TargetPractice6
Is OU's 28 point beat down via K St. better than the close 3 point lose USC suffered to Cal?

Yes.

[SirFozzie]

In the polls? Yes, it favors USC. beyond that? It counts the same, +1.00 point each team

Is USC's strength of Schedule comparable to OU's?

Since the answer is NO, and that's what counts in the BCS for a couple of points, USC's on the outside looking in

[Cringer]

They all suck, call it a draw and wait till next year.

[Scarecrow]

Originally posted by TargetPractice6
Is OU's 28 point beat down via K St. better than the close 3 point lose USC suffered to Cal?

Well, since K-State also beat that same Cal team by 14 points at the beginning of the season...

yes.

[Easy Mac]

Originally posted by Scarecrow
[b]Well, since K-State also beat that same Cal team by 14 pointsiat the beginning of the season...[/i]

yes.

I italicized the important part. Hasn't everyone who has argued against Oklahoma said that its the late season that matters, not the early season? So pointing to an early game has no basis on how teams fare now.

Its like this:
Clemson beat Furman 28-17.
Clemson beat South Carolina 63-17.

Therefore, Furman should beat South Carolina by 35. Clearly that logic doesn't hold up.

[Buccaneer]

Let's see, a majority of the pollsters believe USC is the better of the 3 (or all of) teams. They beat Michigan in the Rose, why wouldn't they still be the best team and be awarded the mythical championship? Why do you (or they, BCS) assume otherwise when it is wrong? It seems to me that those that are calling BCS "BS" then you wouldn't have any problems with just going by the opinion polls.

[Buccaneer]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
I italicized the important part. Hasn't everyone who has argued against Oklahoma said that its the late season that matters, not the early season? So pointing to an early game has no basis on how teams fare now.

Its like this:
Clemson beat Furman 28-17.
Clemson beat South Carolina 63-17.

Therefore, Furman should beat South Carolina by 35. Clearly that logic doesn't hold up.

It is not logical because there is too much apples and oranges. When it comes down to it, you have to go with your guts in picking the best team, regardless what the BCS says.

[sterlingice]

Originally posted by Cringer
They all suck, call it a draw and wait till next year.

Damn straight.

Sign on the Sugar Bowl front gates: "Sorry guys, you all lost. Go home. There's nothing to see here."

SI

[JW]

The actual argument should be whether OU or USC should play LSU. LSU ended up ranked #2 in the human polls and #2 in the BCS rankings. Using either system to pick the top two teams, LSU would be playing for the national championship. My own opinion is that LSU should be playing USC based on what transpired yesterday.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by JW
The actual argument should be whether OU or USC should play LSU. LSU ended up ranked #2 in the human polls and #2 in the BCS rankings. Using either system to pick the top two teams, LSU would be playing for the national championship. My own opinion is that LSU should be playing USC based on what transpired yesterday.

And mine is that OU should play LSU based on what happened September 27.

[Easy Mac]

I think the computers have an east coast bias built into their system.

[CamEdwards]

For those who are interested, Jerry Palm with collegebcs.com is going to be on my show tomorrow morning at 7:15 a.m. CST.

[Easy Mac]

So thats what, 8:15 here? Dammit Cam, I have to go to work... can you tape it for me man.... wait, I don't have a tape player.... ummm mp3 it for me.

[DanGarion]

Originally posted by mckerney
And mine is that OU should play LSU based on what happened September 27.

Don't you understand the game knows nothing about names, it only sees numbers!




But USC still got screwed...

[DeToxRox]

Michigan vs USC is going to be a damn good game.

Don't assume USC will romp Michigan, Carr's record vs top 10 team's is excellent and give him a month and you'll end up surprised.

[The_herd]

Anyone else notice the Sagarin and NYT polls?

Sagarin:
1. Oklahoma
2. LSU
3. Miami (OH)????

NYT:
1. USC
2. LSU
3. Michigan
4. Texas????
5. Oklahoma

[Craptacular]

Well, we can now get a good guess as to how strongly the NYT poll values late-season games compared to earlier ones. Oklahoma fell to 5th in their ranking, behind Michigan and Texas. Hmmmmmmmm.

[Craptacular]

Nice post The_herd!!!!

[The_herd]

I thought you were just providing comentary for my post.

[Easy Mac]

I think NYT just has a map of America hanging in the office, then throw darts and pick the colleges in the order it lands.

[SlapBone]

I don't know who I want to win the NC but I do know who I DON'T want to win it. To avoid controversy I won't say their name but their initials are Oklahoma Sooners