BSU #1 in BCS?

[tombo]

With the BCS championship game now almost alway about a week after most of the Jan 1 games. ( which I hate!!) I'd love to see the NCAA have a two game playoff. the top 4 teams pay on Jan 1 then the Championship game 1 week later.

I agree. That is the perfect solution IMO. The 2 teams that lose in the first playoff games will play no more games in a season than they currently do. The final 2 teams playing in the championship game will be the only teams to add a game to their schedule.

I would rather see the first 2 games played the weekend after Jan 1st because Jan 1st is already too crowded with games, and then the championship a week after that. I know it extends the season but what better TV games would there be than top 4 fighting it out the first weekend in January and the top 2 deciding who is national champions the following week?

 

[tombo]

Regardless, nobody is counting on "away" fans to fill the stadiums. I feel very confident (from experience) that the home fans will come out to see their team in a national championship playoff game.

App state averages 28,963 fans per home game at 21,650-seat Kidd Brewer Stadium which is only 3 hours from Chatanooga where the game was played. (http://www.goasu.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21500&ATCLID=205004084)
The 2009 total attendance for the FCS national championship game was 14,328 which is less than half the attendance of a regular App State home game showing there are plenty of division 1 fans in the area who didn't attend the ational championship game. In spite of this you still feel confidant (from experience) that home fans will come out and see their home team play in a National championship game? Well after playing in 3 previous playoff games spread out all over the place neither team seemed to want to come out and see their team in person? I have to admit I am not sure whether the home team was Villanova or Montanna, but whichever team was the home team in 2009, they didn't send many folks to the stadium.

 

[esk444]

Traveling to an away bowl game is not a problem. Traveling to 2, 3, or 4 away playoff games after attending 7 to 12 regular season home and away games and an away conference championship is draining both physically and financially. It will deter all but the most diehard fans from attending, especially if the distances require air travel.

People don't realize that the 1-AA playoffs are played in the home stadium of the higher seeded teams until the championship game because they could not sell enough tickets to neutral site locations with one week's notice.

In 1-A, instead trying to fill up neutral site stadiums of 25K+, you'll have to sell 65K-90K+ stadiums with just one week's notice. Honestly, only a handful of teams have sufficient followings to do that for consecutive weeks. It's like having a major mega convention for several weeks where you don't know the location. It's just not that easy to move that amount of people on short notice. The NCAA might end up with half empty stadiums if say Hawaii plays Boston College in Miami.

Alternatively, you could piggyback on the season ticketholders of the teams by having the games at the home stadium of the higher seeded team. But that would involve winter games in cold climates, which many schools from the south would object to.

The risk would probably worth be trying if there wasn't already a viable alternative, but the presidents are probably thinking why mess with a system that has been profitable and successful for nearly a century and destroy that tradition.

 

[esk444]

I actually went to a bowl game for my alma mater a few years ago. I'm not sure if you guys knew this, but most academic programs sets up alumni events throughout the week heading up to a major bowl game. The bowl game is kind of like a convention for alums to catch up with the school and each other. When I attended these events, they are used by the deans to cultivate relationships to encourage donations to the school (not unlike a timeshare presentation).

Having the game at one location where the visitors stay for several or more days (Big 10/12 fans often stay for a week or more as a holiday to avoid cold weather) gives lots of access to the schools that they just can't get elsewhere and will eventually develop into millions of dollars of donations. For example, rich alums from NYC rarely ever attend home football games, but showed up in droves when my school went to a major bowl. In a playoff system, fans will fly in for the game and leave the next day. No more cocktail parties or alumni events, etc.

I know this doesn't mean anything to the casual fan who view sports as entertainment, but these end of year convention type bowl games probably make presidents gun shy to scrap the bowl system. Keep in mind the number 1 job of a president is usually to generate donations.

I'm not saying it's right, as I would prefer a playoff myself, but that's one of the reasons why there is so much inertia to keep the system as it is. It's not like they are a complete bunch of idiots trying to spoil everyone's entertainment. It's about the bucks, which could be more than what they get from playoff TV contract.

 

["Roger"]

I know almost everyone will disagree with me, but I consider a playoff one of the least effective ways to decide who really has the best team.

Lets start with the mathematics. If team A would beat any of the other teams in an eight game playoff four out of five times that they were to play them (that would be clearly the best team - I suspect that there rarely is a team this dominent in college football), the chances that they would win an eight game playoff is about 50%. That is a very poor result. Newspaper reporters and coaches can pick a dominent team and have a better record than that.

In pro sports, they do have playoffs. How well do they do? My favorite year was when all three major sports had suspect teams win. St. Louis won the world series with such a lackluster team, the Onion did a spoof with LaRussa apologizing for having won the World Series. (The point being, that every newsbeat reporter who covered baseball knew that this was a fluke.) The same year, the Steelers backed into the playoffs needing some other team to lose to even make the playoffs, but they won the Superbowl. Finally, Miami won the NBA playoff having finished way behind Detroit during the regular season within the Eastern conference and about five teams in the Western division had superior records (often far superior).

Personally, I liked the old bowl system much better when there were two, three, or even four meaningful games. Now, some of the major bowls are yawners with everyone knowing that the outcome means nothing. So what if the year ends with a dispute about which of two or three teams is the best. It is a bunch of college kids. Let them all have fond memories and be able to argue that they might have had the best team. (And the truth is they might have.) Put the fun back into New Years.

 

[TUGBrian]

as with all popular topics, someone can point out the flaws in any possible solution.

there simply is no way to please everyone all the time.

 

[Passepartout]

In keeping this somewhere in the vicinity of the theme, Kellen Moore of Boise State is the #1 contender for the Heisman Trophy. His confidence and accuracy are unbelievable!

Oh, and I agree that October is waaay too early to be playing "my team can beat your team" when they will never meet.

Jim Ricks

 

[tombo]

In keeping this somewhere in the vicinity of the theme, Kellen Moore of Boise State is the #1 contender for the Heisman Trophy. His confidence and accuracy are unbelievable!

Oh, and I agree that October is waaay too early to be playing "my team can beat your team" when they will never meet.

Jim Ricks

I have not seen Kellen play much on TV, but the most impressive player I have seen so far is Cam Newton from Auburn. I say that grudgingly because Auburn is our most bitter rival. Without him they would have lost 4 or 5 games. Thanks to him they are undefeated.

This article has cam Newton in a 3 way tie for first with Terrell Pryor and LaMichael James. Number 4 is Denard Robinson and number 5 is Kellen Moore.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/483483-heisman-top-5-going-into-middle-of-october

As you said October is too early to pick most things like National Champs and heisman winners, but if he stays healthy Cam Newton will be hard to beat IMO.

 

[Elan]

App state averages 28,963 fans per home game at 21,650-seat Kidd Brewer Stadium which is only 3 hours from Chatanooga where the game was played. (http://www.goasu.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=21500&ATCLID=205004084)
The 2009 total attendance for the FCS national championship game was 14,328 which is less than half the attendance of a regular App State home game showing there are plenty of division 1 fans in the area. in spite of this you still feel confidant (from experience) that home fans will come out and see their home team play in a National championship game? Well after playing in 3 previous playoff games spread out all over the place neither team seemed to want to come out and see their team in person? I have to admit I am not sure whether the home team was Villanova or Montanna, but whichever team was the home team in 2009, they didn't send many folks to the stadium.

I'm not sure what Chattanooga has to do with the home fans of Montana or Villanova. By home fans, I meant (I thought quite obviously, but apparently not) fans of the host team, keeping with my earlier comment that the higher seed would host the playoff game (in their own stadium). Not the designated "home" team in a neutral site game.

I guess you're saying that if Alabama hosted a playoff game, they couldn't fill Bryant-Denny?

 

[tombo]

I'm not sure what Chattanooga has to do with the home fans of Montana or Villanova. By home fans, I meant (I thought quite obviously, but apparently not) fans of the host team, keeping with my earlier comment that the higher seed would host the playoff game (in their own stadium). Not the designated "home" team in a neutral site game.

I guess you're saying that if Alabama hosted a playoff game, they couldn't fill Bryant-Denny?

The 2009 FCS Championship game was between Montanna and Villanova. Which team was the host team? It was played in Chattanooga (as it has been every year since 1997). You said the home fans will come out and watch the National Chamionship game.

Regardless, nobody is counting on "away" fans to fill the stadiums. I feel very confident (from experience) that the home fans will come out to see their team in a national championship playoff game.

Since the FCS championship game is always played in Chatanooga where there is no division 1 school to my knowledge, I thought you must be referring to the team deemed to be the home team and wearing the team color jerseys rather than white jerseys.

Your FCS playoffs that you present as an example that works perfectly fine doesn't play it's national championship game at either team's home stadium and is instead played annually at a neutral site in Chatanooga where attendance is abysmal.

 

[Elan]

Here's a nice clip of an article by Pat Forde (ESPN) that demonstrates just how asinine the current system is:

------------------------------------------------------------------------


Mad Dash: Every week, there is freshly annoying evidence that Snob America simply isn't ready for an outsider national championship contender. Consider this week's polls.

Boise State (11) is No. 3 in the USA Today coaches' poll and the Harris Interactive Poll. TCU (12) is No. 5 with USA Today and No. 4 with Harris.

Yet by BCS computer average, where laundry is not taken into account, these two schools rule. The Broncos are No. 1 with two computers (Sagarin, Massey), No. 2 with Billingsley, No. 5 with Colley and No. 6 with Anderson. (The sixth, Wolfe, has not yet released its rankings.) TCU is No. 2 with Sagarin and Massey, No. 3 with Colley, No. 4 with Billingsley and No. 7 with Anderson.

All five computers have both Boise and TCU ranked higher than the consensus 1-2 in the polls, Ohio State (which is anywhere from sixth to 15th) and Oregon (fourth to 10th).

The Dash understands that those computer numbers may well change, as strength of schedule ebbs for the Broncos and the Horned Frogs. But as of right now, they're both being dissed by voters in favor of Establishment teams.

Boise State isn't getting any love from the human polls.
Boise continued to lose ground to Ohio State and Oregon in the USA Today poll. The Broncos slipped from 101 points behind the Buckeyes to 120 behind and from 24 points behind the Ducks to 53 behind.

TCU suffered the same indignity. It slipped from 190 points behind Ohio State to 242 behind and from 113 points behind the Ducks to 175 points behind.

Based on what, you ask? Here's what:

Oregon beat Washington State by 20.

Ohio State beat Indiana by 28.

Boise beat Toledo by 43.

TCU beat Wyoming by 45.

The laundry loyalists either decided there simply was no way the sudden Alabama power vacuum at the top was going to be filled by outsiders or decided beating Washington State and Indiana was more impressive than beating Toledo and Wyoming.

The latter possibility overlooks the fact that neither Indiana nor Washington State has accomplished anything this year. Average computer rankings for those four, as of this week: Toledo 57.2, Wyoming 68, Indiana 83.2, Washington State 94.8.

Bottom line: Boise and TCU had more impressive victories than Oregon and Ohio State, but were penalized anyway. You cannot objectively dismiss the Broncos and Frogs for the schedules they've played so far, but objectivity isn't getting much run in the notoriously nonsensical coaches' poll.

(That can also be seen in the treatment accorded to Oregon State (13). The Beavers have played an incredible schedule to date -- at Boise, at TCU, at Arizona. They lost the first two in respectable fashion, by a combined 22 points. They beat then-No. 9 Arizona on Saturday. Their reward? No ranking, and fewer votes than a Texas team that has been a flaming disappointment so far.)

 

[Elan]

The 2009 FCS Championship game was between Montanna and Villanova. Which team was the host team? It was played in Chattanooga (as it has been every year since 1997). You said the home fans will come out and watch the National Chamionship game. Since the FCS championship game is always played in Chatanooga where there is no division 1 school to my knowledge, I thought you must be referring to the team deemed to be the home team and wearing the team color jerseys rather than white jerseys.

Your FCS playoffs that you present as an example that works perfectly fine doesn't play it's national championship game at either team's home stadium and is instead played annually at a neutral site in Chatanooga where attendance is abysmal.

Ok, now that we're on the same page. My original post alluding to the FCS playoffs referenced the higher seed playing at home (meaning in their own stadium). In FBS, since it's immensely more popular and there's much more money involved, I would allow that a playoff might be able to get away with having the semi-final games and certainly the championship game at a well known neutral site (Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, etc), much as the MNC game is held at a neutral site now. I also mentioned this possibility earlier. But the first two rounds (at a minimum) should be held on the respective teams' home fields.

 

[Elan]

In keeping this somewhere in the vicinity of the theme, Kellen Moore of Boise State is the #1 contender for the Heisman Trophy. His confidence and accuracy are unbelievable!

Oh, and I agree that October is waaay too early to be playing "my team can beat your team" when they will never meet.

Jim Ricks

Kellen's cumulative stats over 2009 and 2010 (I might be slightly off -- going off the top of my head):

53 TDs
4 INTs
7 sacks

He's not big, nor fast nor does he have a strong arm. But he's got no peers when it comes to decision making.

BTW, sorry for the hijack. I got kinda carried away!

 

[tombo]

Look at Boise's 2009 opponents final records.

Beat their toughest opponent Oregon who lost to Stanford and only had 3 or 4 opponents all year with a 2009 winning season. Then they got spanked by ohio state in the bowl.

Beat Miami of Ohio who won 1 game all year losing 11.

Beat Fresno State who had a big 8 and 4 record

Beat Bowling Green who was 7 and 6. They lost to the powerhouses of Central Michigan and Marshall while beating the powerhouses Troy, kent state, ball state, and miami ohio.

Beat U C Davis who went 6-6 after losing to Sacramento state and southern utahand beating teams like winston salem state, cal poly, north dakota, portland state and western oregon

Beat Tulsa who lost 7 out of 12

Beat Hawaii who went 6-6

Beat San Jose State who went 2 and 10

Beat Louisianna Tech who lost 8 and won 4

Beat Idaho who went 7-5

Beat utah State who went 4-8

Beat Nevada who went 8-4

beat new mexico state who went 2 and 10

Boise state beat a total of 5 opponents during the 2009 regular season who had winning records.
Out of their other 7 opponents one lost 11 out of 12, 2 teams lost 10 out of 12, two who lost 8 games out of 12, and 2 who went 6-6.

Only one of Boise State's opponents ended up in the top 25 2009 teams (oregon). Comparethat to Alabama who played 5 teams who ended up in the top 25 including 2 that were ranked number one when we played them.

With their opponents they should be undefeated. They play a decent opponent at the beginning of the year and then another late in the year. Plenty of time to rest and heal players. Plenty of time to prepare for the few teams they play with winning seasons.

If Boise State wants more respect they need to play some tough out of conference opponents each year. To only play 2 or 3 games in a year that are decent teams and then complain that they are not considered a top team even though they are undefeated is what they should get. I am not saying they aren't a good team, but the only way they can prove that they are a great team is to play some really tough competition each year during the regular season.

 

[Elan]

BSU's not looking for any more respect. Especially not from the system that's currently in place. As Pat Forde so objectively pointed out, even when respect is earned, it's not granted by the current biased system. Having said that, there's nothing embarrassing about being only 15 years into D1A football, having two BCS bowl victories under their belt, and being the 3rd ranked team in the country -- ahead of the Horns, the Tide, the Irish, the Trojans, the Gators, the Noles, the Huskers, etc.

That's pretty decent respect, I'd say.

As I stated before, all schools like BSU and TCU are looking for is equal access, and a chance to settle things on the field.

 

[tombo]

BSU's not looking for any more respect. Especially not from the system that's currently in place. As Pat Forde so objectively pointed out, even when respect is earned, it's not granted by the current biased system. Having said that, there's nothing embarrassing about being only 15 years into D1A football, having two BCS bowl victories under their belt, and being the 3rd ranked team in the country -- ahead of the Horns, the Tide, the Irish, the Trojans, the Gators, the Noles, the Huskers, etc.

That's pretty decent respect, I'd say.

As I stated before, all schools like BSU and TCU are looking for is equal access, and a chance to settle things on the field.

They are ranked high now. As the season progresses and their strength of schedule enters the mix they will drop in the polls unless there are few if any undefeated teams. I would be willing to bet a lot of money that if Alabama wins out and Boise is undefeated that Alabama will jump Boise in the rankings (rightfully so) due to strength of schedule.

You settle things on the field during the regular season to prove you deserve a chance at the big game. Bama has a tough enough schedule in the SEC but went outside conference to play Clemson 2 years ago, Virginia tech last year, and they are in the works to play Michigan in 2012 with all games being played at a neutral site. We play Penn State home and away this year and next. 3 years ago we went to a neutral site (jacksonville, FL) to play Florida State and they beat us. It was a loss we didn't have to have on our record, but it is a chance you take when trying to get your strength of schedule up to where you get to play in the championship game if you win them all.

If Boise tried to set up a neutral site big non conference game each year, they could easily do that. Texas, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and several other schools would do that in a heartbeat, however due to scheduling years out they have to start sheduling now, not a year in advance. Boise can not with a 30,000 seat stadium do a home and home series with a big school. No major school will accept that little amount of revenue for one of their 12 games. It is Boise who needs the big teams to play them to increase their strength of schedule rating, not the big boys who already have tough schedules and much to lose with little to win. If a big team wins it is like oh well they should have beat little Boise State. If a big team loses to Boise it will be grief heaped on them by all of the national and local media.

Heck Boise should agree to play at any of the top 10 teams as an away game every year. They would get more money, more TV exposure, and more respect.

If Boise continues to play a schedule where 7 or 8 of the 12 teams they play can't even achieve winning records against the other lower caliber teams in that conference, they don't deserve to jump ahead of a one loss team who has played 6 or 7 games against top 25 teams. If Boise had to play Florida, LSU, Arkansas, Auburn, Tennesse, and a hard non conference opponent each year and still went undefeated, good for them. Playing one hard game at the beginning followed by one near the end of the season does not qualify them to play in the national championship game. The college playoffs are the regular season games. The payoff for winning them all after playing a tough regular season with a hard strength of schedule is the National Championship game.

 

["Roger"]

...
If Boise tried to set up a neutral site big non conference game each year, they could easily do that. Texas, Alabama, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and several other schools would do that in a heartbeat, however due to scheduling years out they have to start sheduling now, not a year in advance. ...
Heck Boise should agree to play at any of the top 10 teams as an away game every year. They would get more money, more TV exposure, and more respect....

I haven't seen any recent articles, but I remember about two years ago Boise was trying to add some top ranked teams to their schedule and the other teams didn't want to take a chance on them. They had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

 

[Passepartout]

I haven't seen any recent articles, but I remember about two years ago Boise was trying to add some top ranked teams to their schedule and the other teams didn't want to take a chance on them. They had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

That's exactly right and even more correct now. The 'big' school teams won't spend the money to appear in a smaller market, when they achieve no status from beating an upstart, and (in Boise's case) the likelihood that they lose is too big a risk. The hope of the smaller conference upstarts is that they get invited to ever 'better' bowl games. Case in point, the last two January 1 Fiesta Bowls.

Jim Ricks

 

[tombo]

Here is a good article discussung non conference opponentsfor Boise:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/10/09/2111006/boise-state-goes-lower-on-the.html


A Quote:
"ESPN could help with made-for-TV games, but those will be at neutral sites, likely far from Boise.
For those wondering why the Broncos just don't hit the road for big-name games that help their strength of schedule, here's why: Football games generate roughly $1.86 million per home date. Even with guarantees soaring, the Broncos make more by playing at home. And every dollar matters these days.
So unless the Mountain?West gains AQ status and other AQ teams decide it now makes sense to come to Boise, it means more games against the likes of Toledo from the Mid-American Conference, Tulsa from Conference USA and, gasp, even remaining WAC teams at Bronco Stadium.
Ugh. Ugly. And almost unavoidable"

Bama played in 3 neutral site games against non conference foes in the last 4 years and are working on another for 2012. We seat 101,000. Boise seats 30,000. Who loses more revenue playing at a neutral site over playing at home? Weak excuse on Boise's part IMO.

Also in the article:
"The next three nonconference foes scheduled to play on the blue are Toledo (Saturday), Tulsa (2011) and Miami, Ohio (2012). Not exactly the type of opponents that generate a summer's worth of buzz (Oregon) or attract ESPN College GameDay (Oregon State).
While BYU is slated for games at Bronco Stadium in 2012 and 2014, the nonconference home schedule is devoid of a BCS-conference opponent until Washington State in 2016.

In other words, a child born today won't get a chance to see a BCS-conference foe in Boise until he or she is in first grade. And that depends on how you feel about the Cougars."

If Boise isn't going to play top 25 BCS teams at home because they won't come to a 30,000 seat stadium, and if they won't play them away every year at the BCS team's home field or at a neutral site because they don't want to lose the revenue, then they won't ever play them.

If they really want to have a good shot at playing for the BCS Championship, do whatever it takes to schedule some tough BCS opponents. If not don't complain when they are overlooked because they refused to do what it takes to be recognzed.

 

[Elan]

I haven't seen any recent articles, but I remember about two years ago Boise was trying to add some top ranked teams to their schedule and the other teams didn't want to take a chance on them. They had everything to lose and nothing to gain.

I actually laughed out loud when I saw the suggestion that Florida would gladly play BSU in a neutral site game. Nothing against the Gators (I like to watch the Gators), but they haven't left the state of Florida for a non-conference game since 1986 (IIRC). I'm sure they're now suddenly anxious to go to New Orleans or Dallas to play the #3 team in the country.

 

[tombo]

I actually laughed out loud when I saw the suggestion that Florida would gladly play BSU in a neutral site game. Nothing against the Gators (I like to watch the Gators), but they haven't left the state of Florida for a non-conference game since 1986 (IIRC). I'm sure they're now suddenly anxious to go to New Orleans or Dallas to play the #3 team in the country.

Bama will play you. Get your coach to call ours. We are full next year with Penn State AT Penn State, and in 2012 we are booked since we are finalizing plans to play Michigan as our big non conference foe at a neutral site in Dallas Texas. Maybe Boise's coach will start the ball rolling we can schedule 2013 or 2014 before it is too late and we have already scheduled a game with someone else. We will play tough non conference teams at a neutral site, and we have the record to prove it.

Boise has scheduled Toledo (2010), Tulsa (2011) and Miami, Ohio (2012) for their big out of conference games. None had a winning season last year, and I doubt any of them will this year. Woo Hoo! In fact Miami Ohio only won one game last year while losing 11, and they are the big 2012 non conference opponent that Boise scheduled? Now that will make you laugh out loud!

 

[am1]

Once they join th Mountain West this will not matter as much. Hopefully a few more teams will be added and a conference championship game is set up. Too bad Utah and BYU left. As that would have been a very good conference and worthy of AQ status. Even as it is it will be better than the little east but the eastern bias (money) will keep them with a AQ and while the MWC may not get one.

When you have instate rivals like The U and FSU and a few good netural site stadiums why bother leaving the state?

 

[Elan]

Bama will play you. Get your coach to call ours. We are full next year with Penn State AT Penn State, and in 2012 we are booked since we are finalizing plans to play Michigan as our big non conference foe at a neutral site in Dallas Texas. Maybe Boise's coach will start the ball rolling we can schedule 2013 or 2014 before it is too late and we have already scheduled a game with someone else. We will play tough non conference teams at a neutral site, and we have the record to prove it.

Boise has scheduled Toledo (2010), Tulsa (2011) and Miami, Ohio (2012) for their big out of conference games. None had a winning season last year, and I doubt any of them will this year. Woo Hoo! In fact Miami Ohio only won one game last year while losing 11, and they are the big 2012 non conference opponent that Boise scheduled? Now that will make you laugh out loud!

Why don't you get Bama's AD to call BSU's AD? After all, BSU's ranked higher.

I think BSU is working on getting those MAC/CUSA games off the schedule. Some of those games were scheduled for a while back and got pushed out in time due to other considerations. One other thing to keep in mind is that BSU would prefer to play regional teams for recruiting purposes. I'm pretty sure BSU's AD has contacted every Pac-10 school, and only UO and OSU have bitten. I have a lot of respect for those programs for agreeing to home and home series with BSU, especially since BSU has gone 5-2 in the 7 games played thus far.

 

[Elan]

Once they join th Mountain West this will not matter as much. Hopefully a few more teams will be added and a conference championship game is set up. Too bad Utah and BYU left. As that would have been a very good conference and worthy of AQ status. Even as it is it will be better than the little east but the eastern bias (money) will keep them with a AQ and while the MWC may not get one.

When you have instate rivals like The U and FSU and a few good netural site stadiums why bother leaving the state?

I'm not faulting Florida at all. They do what they can get away with, and I'd do the same if I were them. It's just the notion of UF going to a neutral site to play a good team was pretty funny. I'd love it if it happened, however.

 

[Elan]

Some good discussion here. It's been fun, but I'm not gonna see things your way, and your not gonna see things my way, so let's just agree to disagree. I think there's been some decent points made on both sides, but this horse died from it's repetitive beating about 50 posts ago.

In closing, I think it's unfortunate that college football has turned into what it is today. Specifically, it's sad that teams like Alabama and BSU can't/won't play each other because of the money that's at stake. The only thing that would help better determine relative team strength would be more inter-conference match-ups of good teams, and because of the structure of the BCS, teams are reluctant to play those games. As good as college football is, it could be even better. Especially with a playoff!

Out!