Whats the point spread?

[superfecta]

now that we know who playing in the BCS bowls,but argue over who is #1,what would the score have to be to establish OU or USC the champ?Say if both teams won.So how much better is USC than LSU?A touchdown?So if OU beats LSU by 10 or more are they the champs outright?If OU played michigan,how much better are they?21 points?Then if USC rolls up 28 on them are they worthy of #1?Seems to me ,much like horseracing you can judge the superiority of a horse by who hes beaten and by how much ,you can do the same for these bowl teams.Any linemakers out there?

[ranchwest]

I disagree about a win against common opponents (or attempting to measure the similarity of opponents) being a clear measure of class and superiority in football. You can build a progression of victories such that a DII team should be national champions, this team beat that team beat that team. Teams match up differently with different teams and a lot depends on whether coaches can review film and find weak spots in their opponents.

Part of being a champion in football is being versatile enough to take on all comers and overcome the many areas of adversity that are faced.

That's why the best measure of a champion is through a playoff.

It is not uncommon in I-AA for teams to go 8-3 in the regular season and then win the I-AA national championship (four playoff games, starting with 16 teams). I think the same could happen in I-A. It is a combination of player personnel, coaching, injuries, dealing with adversity, fan support and a lot of other factors.

[kingfin66]

Originally posted by ranchwest
I disagree about a win against common opponents (or attempting to measure the similarity of opponents) being a clear measure of class and superiority in football. You can build a progression of victories such that a DII team should be national champions, this team beat that team beat that team. Teams match up differently with different teams and a lot depends on whether coaches can review film and find weak spots in their opponents.


I totally agree with you ranchwest. There is no transitive property in college football. I would add to your statement about different matchups, etc., that teams are very different at the end of the season than at the beginning. A case in point is W.Virginia. They got hammered by Maryland (and everybody) early. Now they matchup with them again and haven't lost a game for a long time.

Also, regarding margin of victory, it isn't a BCS factor. It used to be and the argument could be made that it should be again.

In my opinion, if USC beats #4 Michigan, then they should remain #1 period.

As an aside, this year's bowl games have some very intriguing matchups. There are about 15 games that I could see going either way.

[ranchwest]

Yes, you are right about how match-ups can change through the course of a season.

If a I-A team is not in the hunt for the mythical national championship, their most likely goal is winning conference. The first few games of the year are often considered "pre-season" games. The coach wants to experiment, evaluate his talent, find his team's strengths and weaknesses, find out who will have the individual character to improve the team's character. These things can lead to a team maturing over the course of the season.

That's what is so unfortunate for the teams that are in the hunt for the MNC. They cannot take any risks. Look back a few years ago when Miami lost to Washington and their whole season was shot, they barely missed going to the MNC game.