What if Armageddon occurs

[Duck24]

Bare with me here:

UGA beats LSU
OU beats OKie State
Clemson beats VT

What happens? Is the natty really going to be two teams from the same conference and division, neither of whom won the conference?

[Duck07]

Unless they decide to let Stanford or Houston in, yes. How about this, had we lost today and that above scenario happened, would Stanford get in, and if so, would we end up in the Rose at 9-3?

[Bud Lee]

Bare with me here:

UGA beats LSU
OU beats OKie State
Clemson beats VT

What happens? Is the natty really going to be two teams from the same conference and division, neither of whom won the conference?

It would be LSU and Stanford…two one loss teams that didn’t win their conference championship…which by the way the more I think about it the “but they didn’t win their conference championship” argument is silly. Look at the body of work between #1 and #2…given what they have done can you honestly say that they don’t deserve to be where they are? Why should they be punished because they are in the same conference?

[karlhungis]

I say just give it to Houston. I would love to see Houston play LSU and get demolished.

[Bud Lee]

I say just give it to Houston. I would love to see Houston play LSU and get demolished.

Speaking of Houston...I really want them in a bowl game (perhaps the Sugar) against Boise State. That would be a good matchup in my opinion.

[UofDuck]

Bare with me here:

UGA beats LSU
OU beats OKie State
Clemson beats VT

What happens? Is the natty really going to be two teams from the same conference and division, neither of whom won the conference?

It would be LSU and Stanford…two one loss teams that didn’t win their conference championship…which by the way the more I think about it the “but they didn’t win their conference championship” argument is silly. Look at the body of work between #1 and #2…given what they have done can you honestly say that they don’t deserve to be where they are? Why should they be punished because they are in the same conference?

I TOTALLY get LSU's body of work. But honestly, what is Alabama's? Have they beaten one team that is still ranked other than a very shaky Arkansas? I know they also pounded some serious cupcakes along the way too. I just don't see how people use the body of work argueument for them anymore.

The SEC had a losing record in bowl games last year. If they do it again, will we be hearing how great the league is top to bottom? Probably. The point is, I am so sick of hearing "every week is tough in the SEC". Whatever.

[karlhungis]

I say just give it to Houston. I would love to see Houston play LSU and get demolished.

Speaking of Houston...I really want them in a bowl game (perhaps the Sugar) against Boise State. That would be a good matchup in my opinion.

While it would be a good game, I am tired of seeing Boise matched up with teams like TCU and Houston. Let them play the big boys. They don't schedule them during the regular season (for whatever reason), let them face a known talent in a bowl game.

[Bud Lee]

Bare with me here:

UGA beats LSU
OU beats OKie State
Clemson beats VT

What happens? Is the natty really going to be two teams from the same conference and division, neither of whom won the conference?

It would be LSU and Stanford…two one loss teams that didn’t win their conference championship…which by the way the more I think about it the “but they didn’t win their conference championship” argument is silly. Look at the body of work between #1 and #2…given what they have done can you honestly say that they don’t deserve to be where they are? Why should they be punished because they are in the same conference?

I TOTALLY get LSU's body of work. But honestly, what is Alabama's? Have they beaten one team that is still ranked other than a very shaky Arkansas? I know they also pounded some serious cupcakes along the way too. I just don't see how people use the body of work argueument for them anymore.

The teams that were ranked when they played them were #23 Penn State, #13 Arky , #12 Florida, #1 LSU, and #24 Auburn.

The teams that are still ranked - #1 LSU, #8 Arky, #21 Penn State.

Therefore, they won one at home and one away against ranked opponents that have finished ranked. You have a point tough...

They played two of the worst teams in the SEC (Ole Miss & Tennessee) and three mediocre teams (Mississippi State, Vandy & Auburn) and a downed Florida.

But in looking at their body of work you also have to look at what they did against their opponents…when you look at their stats they are 1st in the nation in points against and 16th in points for…that means like LSU their defense is so good it is eliminating other’s opportunity to score and giving them the short field in which they are able to capitalize. Their offense is also 15th in the nation and they are 74th in passing yards…which doesn’t make them great, but it makes them efficient and with their defense that is all you have to be,


I don’t know…I would prefer OSU or Stanford, but I find it hard to justify letting OSU jump Bama with their lost to an unranked Iowa State. My problem with Stanford is they have NO big wins and y’all crushed them by 23.

I just don’t see who else you would plug in instead of Bama…what are your thoughts on who it should be?

The SEC had a losing record in bowl games last year. If they do it again, will we be hearing how great the league is top to bottom? Probably. The point is, I am so sick of hearing "every week is tough in the SEC". Whatever

First of all…they went .500 (like the PAC) and that is not a losing record IMO. Second…it isn’t really fair to say that because of their bowl record they are the best or the worst because the teams that they played may be a hell of a lot better than teams that the others guys have played. I mean, if we look at bowl games as who is the best conference in America, than MWC (4-1) would be the best followed by the Big East (4-2) and then a tie for third with the Sun Belt (2-1) and Independents (not a conference I know…but still they were 2-1). Everyone else was at .500 or below.

Instead you should look at WHO the SEC beat…Oregon (by 3), Texas A&M (by 22), Michigan (by 38), Michigan State (by 42), Penn State (by 7)

And who they lost to….Pitt (by 7), Ohio State (by 5), Florida State (by 9), Central Florida (by 4) North Carolina (by 3 in OT).

So…we won 5 games against PAC 10, Big 12, and Big 10 teams and all but two were won by a large margin. We lost to the Big 10, Big East, and ACC and all but ONE was by one score with the exception to Florida State that won by 9…that is in my biased opinion impressive.

[Phalanx]

I would call a win @ USC a big win. In fact, USC is a better team than anyone Alabama has played, except LSU. Stanford has the biggest win among 1-loss teams.

[Bud Lee]

I would call a win @ USC a big win. In fact, USC is a better team than anyone Alabama has played, except LSU. Stanford has the biggest win among 1-loss teams.

No…you’re right. I thought about USC after I made that post. That was a quality win. I got to say….USC is impressive this year. Those kids should be awarded. Watching those games it is hard to believe that they were playing for nothing but pride. Say what you want about their asshole of a coach, but he is doing something right over there.

[Bud Lee]

By the way...I really think OSU is going to jump Bama if they win at OU.

The computers love the Big 12 and the voters (for the most part) are not going to want a Bama vs. LSU rematch.

[Duck07]

Alabama's Schedule
vs Kent State (5-7) W
@ #23 Penn State (9-3) W
vs North Texas (4-7) W
vs #6 Arkansas (10-2) W
@ Florida (6-6) W
vs Vanderbilt (6-6) W
@ Ole Miss (2-10) W
vs Tennessee (5-7) W
vs #1 LSU (12-0) L
@ Miss St (6-6) W
vs Georgia Southern (9-2) W
@ Auburn (7-5) W

Opponents W-L (81-61)
OOC W-L (27-19)
Conf W-L (54-42)
Best Wins:vs #6 Arkansas, @#23 Penn State
Best Loss: vs #1 LSU

Stanford's Schedule
vs San Jose State (5-7) W
@ Duke (3-9) W
@ Arizona (4-8) W
vs UCLA (6-6) W
vs Colorado (3-10) W
@ Washington State (4-8)
vs Washington (7-5) W
@ #9 USC (10-2) W
@ Oregon State (3-9) W
vs #8 Oregon (10-2) L
vs California (7-5) W
vs #26 Notre Dame (8-4) W

Opponents W-L (69-75)
OOC W-L (16-20)
Conf W-L (53-55)
Best Wins: @ #9 USC, vs #26 ND
Best Loss: vs #8 Oregon

Here are my thoughts on these two schedules/seasons:
Stanford has the better win beating USC on the road, whereas Bama's best win was at home to Arkansas.
When comparing their next best wins, I call it a push because I think ND would Penn State even though Bama went on the road.

Who wants to argue that the P12 should be playing an extra conference game? You force the SEC to play 9 games and all that parity starts to go down the drain and those W-L records change. Bama missed playing Georgia or South Carolina this season and Arkansas withstanding, they haven't played anybody with even an above-average offense. Maybe that is part of the reason why their defense looks so good - they haven't played anybody worth a lick on O. LSU on the other hand played Oregon and WVU, both solid offenses. I'm not sold on Bama's D, and right now, that's all they can hang their hat on. Not their offense beyond Richardson, not their ST, just their D. If Georgia Southern puts up 300 on the ground against them at home with a week to prepare, well, let's just say I think Oregon would have embarrassed Alabama in that game.

Its been a crazy year and its hard to say who precisely deserves to be #2 but we need to seriously reexamine all this automatic adulation for Alabama when frankly, I don't think that schedule is all that impressive all things considered, and the defense is good, but its nowhere near as tested and proven as LSU's.

Personally, I think OSU should get in if they beat OU as the big 12 has been pretty solid this year. Alabama can cry that they lost to a better team, but I believe you have to take conference standing into account, otherwise the conference season means nothing.

[Bud Lee]

I really think that might happen...only time will tell.

[pezsez1]

How strange would that be, as an Oregon fan, to be watching the second-best team in the Pac-10 play for a national title while the Ducks -- the best team in the Pac-10 -- are left playing in the Rose Bowl?

I actually like Stanford, and I wouldn't mind seeing them play for the Natty, but the mere fact that situation could occur just shows how arbitrary this whole system really is.

That's also why I firmly believe there should be a rule that only conference champions should be allowed to play in the Natty. College football is the only major sport where winning the preceding round of competition doesn't propel you to the next tier up. Teams should have to win in the conference season to get to their conference championship game... and then win that to be conference champions and have a shot at the Natty.

Again, I use my NBA example. What if after the Western and Eastern conference finals were over, what if David Stern had decided to disregard the Mavs winning the West, and instead made the finals a rematch of Miami vs. Chicago because on paper those teams should be better?

This way of doing things makes absolutely no sense!

[duckgrad99]

By the way...I really think OSU is going to jump Bama if they win at OU.

The computers love the Big 12 and the voters (for the most part) are not going to want a Bama vs. LSU rematch.

I don't. I know you hate Alabama, but Oklahoma State lost to Iowa St. As much as I don't want to see a rematch, I think LSU and Alabama are the two best teams.