One Week to Go - Top 25 (11/27/11)

I think we all know USC is banned from playing in the Pac-12 Championship and a post-season bowl game, but I didn't realize they were not even allowed to appear in the Coach's Poll and BCS rankings until this past week.

But back to pressing matters: for all the big ticket matchups and upsets of the past few weeks, the Thanksgiving rivalries resulted in almost no surprises. That sets everyone up for a weekend of Conference Championship games and last ditch efforts to play spoiler next week.

Here's where we stand.

BCS Bowl Projections

I started this post a few weeks ago, and then the big weekend of upsets happened and I didn't get back to it. Since tomorrow night I'll be hitting the bottle pretty hard (Ticknor's bachelor party), I figure tonight is a good excuse to do some blogging about the upcoming (and final) announcement of BCS qualifying schools.

Basic rules are that no more than 2 teams from a single conference can be selected to the 5 BCS Bowls (Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, BCS Title) unless the #1 and #2 teams in the final BCS rankings are from the same conference, and by some miracle, neither is the conference champion.

[Scenario for that last bit: If Arkansas beat LSU tonight (say 13-10) and the new rankings reflected Arkansas #1, LSU as #2, and Bama as #3. Then Arkansas then loses to Georgia in the SEC title game. 3 SEC schools in BCS bowls (Georgia for the automatic bid, and LSU & Bama in a rematch for the Championship).]

The SEC champion is tied to the Sugar Bowl; the Big Ten and Pac-12 to the Rose Bowl; the Big 12 to the Fiesta Bowl; the ACC to the Orange Bowl. The Big East champion is guaranteed a BCS bowl entry through 2013 but is not tied to a specific bowl.

Finally, assuming that the #1 and #2 ranked schools in the final BCS rankings represent 2 conference champions (as in 2010 with Auburn and Oregon), their corresponding tie-in bowl games receive 1st and 2nd choice of remaining automatic qualifiers and at-large teams, respectively. They cannot "steal" schools based on the previous qualifications above.

If Notre Dame finishes in the top 8 of the BCS, the Irish get an automatic bid. A top 12 finish gives them a chance at one of the at-large spots, but they have only cracked the BCS three times since its inception in 1998. Any other school from a non-major conference can crack the BCS with a few other stipulations. Boise State is the best explanation by example.

Enough talk, more NUMBERS!

Put up or Shut up!

Conference play is in full swing, and there were some heavy-hitting matchups among top 25 teams this weekend. A little redemption for Nebraska and Taylor Martinez against Big Ten perennial powerhouse Ohio State. Who cares if the Buckeyes are down this year due to the scandals? The Huskers are trying to hold onto a respectable season after the defense has vastly underperformed so far this year. Also, the Red River Rivalry was not close, and that's why I think Oklahoma continues to be the obvious number 1.

So, without further adieu...

Conference Shakedown - 10/1/11

Some serious matchups between top 25 schools this week. Some schools stepped up big (Bama, Wisc). Others were a letdown (Neb, Va Tech). I will say this much. The B1G Ten has 1 school carrying the torch for the conference right now, and Wisconsin better win out to keep things respectable. The SEC dominated the news again, and it looks like a Big XII v. SEC title is brewing.

Show me whatcha workin with.

Top 25 - 9/11/11

Ten years later...

This isn't an article about the terrorist attacks or "where was I", but I think it's important to acknowledge something that has definitely had an impact on me in many areas of my life over the last decade.

That being said, it's also my mom's birthday today. Not a great way to remember someone's birthday, but at least it didn't take a historic event to lock it away in my mind. She's been celebrating 9/11 a lot longer than we've been memorializing 9/11/01. Today is still my mom's birthday first, and the anniversary of a National tragedy second.

And onto the new top 25.

Super Duper Mega Conferences: Pac-16

All this talk of superconferences is not new. In fact, when the Big Ten announced they were looking for a 12th team 2 years ago, I put in my two cents (as I always do) that 16-team conferences were right around the corner. Apparently I was just a little bit premature - er, early - in making such a bold claim. But it is certainly looking more and more like a viable possibility.

So, why not some hypothetical Superconferences? Keep in mind, my firsthand knowledge is only by performance in College Football. And college football is the obvious draw here since NCAA basketball already has a playoff system that people are mostly happy with. I'll try to due some diligence to include academic accolades, but no guarantees.

Imagine 4 conferences with 16 teams each resulting in a veritable "King of the Hill" of college football. Mandatory conference review/realignment every 5 years to ensure up-and-comers get their fair shake too. Today's report looks at a hypothetical Pac-16 since they are the focal point among experts right now.

The 2011 College Football Season is Here

What a better way to avoid back-to-back hangovers and save some $$ than by staying in on Saturday night to blog! It's been a while since I've written, so I'm probably a bit rusty. Let's get to it.

Not the BCS - Week 1

What up SportsTemps blog followers?!

It's been 6 months since ANY blog posts. Yes, I gave up on NASCAR blogging almost as quickly as I started it, but the real surprise is that Anderson hasn't found the time or need in so long.

So here's my Top 10 for NCAA Football. Last year I did a top 25 each week, but that became a bit complicated to justify. Trying to simplify my life and this post....

1. Oregon - They beat legitimate Stanford a few weeks back...Ohio State hasn't beaten anyone other than a shaky Miami.
2. Ohio State - see above
3. Boise State - Giving them some respect that is long overdue. If I'm not mistaken, QB Kellen Moore has only 1 INT on the season (and about 15 TDs).
4. TCU - Similar story to Boise State. Kind of curious to see if the upset bug hits Oregon and Ohio State, could we actually have a BCS title with 2 non-majors?!
5. Nebraska - Not if the Big Red can help it. I'm a fan, but I'm still not 100% sold on this team yet. Our QB runs like Nebraska QBs of past, and the defense is strong, but something still feels off.
6. Oklahoma - The remaining schedule doesn't look too bad at this point. Could be a Big XII Championship game vs. Nebraska to decide which team plays for BCS glory.
7. Auburn - Tigers have had a few scares, including this week's road victory over Kentucky. They do have the victory over the recently amazing South Carolina Gamecocks.
8. South Carolina - Only Auburn has beaten them, and Spurrier is looking to take his 2nd SEC team to a BCS game...possibly a 2nd NCAA Championship.
9. Alabama - Let's face it. They are still a quality football team. Conference play in the SEC often favors the home team, and if this week's game was in 'Bama and not South Carolina, they may still be #1.
10. LSU - Nobody is impressed with the other Tigers of the SEC, but they are still undefeated, so they deserve this spot...for now.

See you next week!
-MT