Jim Tressel won't be happy to read this.
Ohio State has lost the BCS National Championship game the last two seasons. In fact, they are the only team to ever lose the BCS National Championship game. Yes, it’s only been played twice, but Ohio State has only ever lost it. Congrats to the SEC, who have the only two teams to ever win it.
But here we are getting ready for 2008. Should Ohio State be allowed in the title game once again?
Sure, they are allowed by the rules, but will the voters (Coaches and AP and Harris) actually rank them No. 1 or No. 2 and give them the nod for the game? The computers are blind to this process (or at least should be, they are a computer and don’t have this human emotion).
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It’s entirely possible that Ohio State ends up No. 1 or No. 2 in the BCS Rankings, where none of the pollsters put them as No. 1 or No. 2 but the computers give them such a high ranking that it’s enough to pull them up, despite the human wishes.
Let’s say that Ohio State is the only undefeated team at the end of the regular season. With a win over expected quality of teams like USC who could finish in the top 10, it would be hard to say no, especially if they are the only undefeated team.
But in a field of one-loss teams, with one or fewer undefeated teams, it would be a selection by the pollsters. Personally, I wouldn’t rank Ohio State as No. 2 in this case: Even if I thought they were the second best team in the country for 2008. They’ve had their chance—and, well, you know the results.
It seems then that the only way Ohio State makes it in to the game is if they’re a clear choice: As one of two undefeated teams (or the only one), or the only one-loss team with fewer than two undefeated teams.
So what are the chances of Ohio State actually being in the game this year? Don’t count on it.
In fact, here’s my bold prediction: Ohio State will not be playing in the 2009 BCS National Championship game. They won’t go undefeated. I see a one-loss season in a field of one-loss teams, and I can’t pick them as No. 1 or No. 2.
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6 months ago
The 2008 Buckeyes could just as easily go 12-0 as they could 10-2 (or worse, if that's even possible). The big question for me has always been Boeckman, and Pryor is too new to the system to throw out on the field unless the Bucks have a huge lead late in the game. Tressel can't just rely on Beanie running the ball if/when Boeckman starts throwing incompletes (or god forbid, picks) when under pressure, other teams will see that coming a mile away if they rely on it too much.
Regardless, if they have any hope of going to Miami for the MNCG, they need to run the table. Nobody will let them near the championship game even if they lose to USC by just one point.
6 months ago
I like the points you made in the article. I hope the voters use the same wisdom, but we have to remember that ESPN and all it's Herbie's will use all their powers to push The Ohio St as high and as far as they can. These people can justify whatever they want to and they have a powerful persuasion.
I think if OS wins at Usc and has just one loss to a much lesser team, Herbie and Co will try their best to justify one more chance, after all last year was a rebuilding year and they have been pointing to this season for two years now. We have been hearing since last MNCG that they will have the team this year. Herbie and Co. will justify The OS, regardless of the weak schedule. It hope I'm wrong.
Remember these people change the rules as they see fit. When Oka and Neb lost late and diden't win the confrance, they had no problem justifying who they wanted, last year they said if you don't win your confrance you (can't) play for MNCG. I still remember them pushing Oka as the best team in the history of college football even after they lost, if they want it they will justify it.
These guys can flip-flop as good as John Carrey ever did.
6 months ago
While I don't like Ohio State any more than the next guy, I still have to point out that their 2008 team shouldn't be judged by people's opinions of their 2007 and 2006 teams. Obviously, they're a different squad this year, as is every other team. This isn't a pro league, where the teams stay about the same from year to year. This is college, where a fourth of the players leave every year, replaced by totally new ones. And the ones that stick around have a chance to improve by miles. You can't judge OSU just because two years ago they got blown out. That's just silly.
It's truly foolish to blindly say you'd exclude them from the BCS Championship without even seeing them play a game. If the Buckeyes are the best or second-best team in the country, they deserve a shot at the championship. Luckily, the people who decide these things are more level-headed and unbiased than the author of this article.
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Also, Mark:
How is it that you know how to spell "persuasion" and "regardless" but not "conference," "Kerry," or (my personal favorite) "didn't?" You know that the little red underline means the word is misspelled, right?
from 6 months ago
Agreed, James, with your first two paragraphs.
But we've got to let spelling mistakes go, man. It's a comment section, not an article. We've all made spelling mistakes, right?
from 6 months ago
Fair enough, I suppose that as long as the point gets across the spelling isn't important; everyone makes mistakes. I'd like to redact that comment.
Sorry, Mark.
from 6 months ago
I see your points. While the turnover isn't exactly 25% each year, there are changes each year. My whole point is that if voters get a choice of Ohio State or someone else, I, and I think they too, will choose someone else. If they don't have a choice, in that it's just clear cut that OSU is one of the two, then sure, they'll be there. But given a choice, which is what pollsters are given, they get to decide.
And I would like to disagree that "the people who decide these things are more level-headed and unbiased than the author of this article." Have you heard about Spurrier and Duke? Did you read my other article, where you can identify the conference of a coach (pollster) by looking at their poll?
6 months ago
Ohio St should beat Sou Cal and go to #1 for the rest of the season. This will put them in the BCS title game against the SEC or Big 12 winner, or just maybe the South Florida-West Virginia winner.
6 months ago
James I don't think OS should be left out because last years loss, I just don't think any team should be hyped the way they will be after the chances they've been given. All college football fans know this happens. Some teams are bigger darlings than others. When ESPN starts treating all teams equal, fans won't be on some teams as bad. Some have said, OS will have to win out to be considered for MNCG, I say they can do less and get more consideration.
from 6 months ago
I agree with you about ESPN, but that will never happen. And it's not just because of last year's loss, it's for the last two. I agree it's possible for them to get in without them winning out, but they would have to be the only 1-loss and it would have to be against USC probably.
6 months ago
My freind get your facts striaght, the BCS has been in tact for while there was not an a game with an offical title of BCS Title game, and of those ten years thier have been ten winners and 10 losers oof the BCS championship.
from 6 months ago
The facts are quite clear: There has only been two BCS National Championship Games; 2006 & 2007 (seasons, they were actually called the 2007 & 2008). Yes, the BCS has been around for 10 years, but not the Title game. They played in the Rose, Fiesta, Orange or Sugar. Adding in the rest of the BCS makes Ohio State (Big Ten's only representative in the #1 vs #2 game) 1-2.
6 months ago
Who cares if you want to see Ohio State in the NC game. If they handle their business and win against USC they will be in. Why don't you write a article about the rest of college football stepping their game up and not choking down the stretch and you wouldn't have to worry about Ohio State getting into a NC game with 1 loss. Just to give you a start, Missouri, West Virginia, Kansas, Oregon, Boston College, and South Florida all where ranked #2 when the BCS polls came out and they pissed it away. If any of them would have handled their business OSU would have been in the Rose Bowl. Write about that!
6 months ago
just so you know, in all of Ohio States recent #1 vs. #2 games they are 3-2 . ( Ohio State #2 31-Miami Hurricanes #1 24, Ohio State #1 24-Texas Longhorns#2 7, Ohio State #1 42-Michigan Wolverines #2 39, Ohio State #1 14-Florida Gators #2 41, Ohio State #1 24-LSU #2 38) by the way, last year Ohio State WAS NOT SUPPOSED to go to the National Championship, Mizzou and West Virginia just choked in the last game of the season. Ohio State was not hyped-up like they were in the 2006 season, the just got lucky that #1 and #2 teams lost in their last game, and that sent Ohio State up 7 spots in the polls. Every year should be a fresh start, so people need to forget the past 2 seasons and look at what happens this season. Forgive and forget 'eh?
5 months ago
SC-OSU is gonna be a dandy
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