Bloody Weekend for top ranked teams...

[mweb]

They might be, it's really hard for me to tell from their schedule. But they are the 3rd best team in the B12 and that should be a favorable matchup for VT.

I'm not really sure what their place in the B12 standings has to do with their matchup against VaTech. They were tied for the best record in the conference, and maybe they would have beaten Oklahoma if they played them, who knows. Your right that it's hard to tell how good they're based on their schedule, we shall see.

[mweb]

BCS standings: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/BCSStandings?week=8

Looks like Illinois was extremely lucky, as there were 3 teams ranked ahead of them(Mizzou, ASU, UF), but two couldn't play because of the dumb conference limit rule, and ASU couldn't play USC in the Rose Bowl.

BTW, ACC got screwed! VaTech is the computers #1, BC was the team the computers would have sent to the Rose Bowl instead of Illinois.

[geschinger]

It's almost like they feel obligated to appease the Big Ten, I don't get it. I understand Ohio State, but not Illinois, not at all.

Rose Bowl is the one that cares most about tradition. It's ridiculous but they feel that getting the traditional PAC-10 / BIG-10 matchup should trump a better matchup.

[beaner]

Rose Bowl is the one that cares most about tradition. It's ridiculous but they feel that getting the traditional PAC-10 / BIG-10 matchup should trump a better matchup.

Good point, I hadn't considered that. Michigan would have been a better choice, they won at Illinois this year.

[geschinger]

Good point, I hadn't considered that. Michigan would have been a better choice, they won at Illinois this year.

Michigan was ineligible to be selected. They weren't in the top 14 of the BCS which is a requirement for them to have been selected.

[beaner]

Michigan was ineligible to be selected. They weren't in the top 14 of the BCS which is a requirement for them to have been selected.

I know, I was kidding...sort of.

[mweb]

Ok, so here's the computers consensus that Gesh was hoping would look better than those Sagarin ratings;) :

VaTech

LSU

Ohio State

Mizzou

Kansas

Georgia/Oklahoma(tie)

ASU

USC

WVU

UF

Hawaii

BC

USF

Clemson

Illinois

Brilliance!

So if the computers had their way, the title game would be the much anticipated rematch of VaTech vs LSU, Oklahoma wouldn't get in if it weren't for that pesky human rule about BCS conference winners, ASU would be in the Rose Bowl over USC, and the ACC would get a second team in BC.

[mweb]

Rose Bowl is the one that cares most about tradition. It's ridiculous but they feel that getting the traditional PAC-10 / BIG-10 matchup should trump a better matchup.

Illinois was the highest ranked team that could play in that game, so I'm not sure tradition had anything to do with it.

[geschinger]

Illinois was the highest ranked team that could play in that game, so I'm not sure tradition had anything to do with it.

From my reading of the selection rules, it was all about tradition:

The champions of selected conferences are contractually committed to certain bowls, unless they are No. 1 or No. 2. (ACC: Orange; Big Ten: Rose; Big 12: Fiesta; Pac-10: Rose; SEC: Sugar).

If a Bowl loses a host team to the title game, then the bowl gets first choice at a replacement team. The rest of the selection order is as follows: Orange, Fiesta, Sugar.

I'm not sure who - Sugar or Rose got first pick but if it was the Rose getting to replace #1 OSU, they picked Illinois over Georgia, Kansas, WVU, and Hawaii.

[mweb]

From my reading of the selection rules, it was all about tradition:

I'm not sure who - Sugar or Rose got first pick but if it was the Rose getting to replace #1 OSU, they picked Illinois over Georgia, Kansas, WVU, and Hawaii.

Alright. Yeah, I guess ASU could have went somewhere else, and one of those teams you list could have played in the Rose Bowl, that would have been better.

[mweb]

So Gesh, take your pick between the computer, Harris, Coaches, and AP polls. Rank them if you like, just remember the computers have ASU over WVU.

[geschinger]

Ok, so here's the computers consensus that Gesh was hoping would look better than those Sagarin ratings;) :

VaTech

LSU

Ohio State

Mizzou

Kansas

Georgia/Oklahoma(tie)

ASU

USC

WVU

UF

Hawaii

BC

USF

Clemson

Illinois

Brilliance!

So if the computers had their way, the title game would be the much anticipated rematch of VaTech vs LSU, Oklahoma wouldn't get in if it weren't for that pesky human rule about BCS conference winners, ASU would be in the Rose Bowl over USC, and the ACC would get a second team in BC.

At least they'd of left Illinois out which would of been an improvement.

[mweb]

At least they'd of left Illinois out which would of been an improvement.

They would have been left out regardless if the Rose Bowl didn't pick them like you mentioned, or UF or Mizzou was allowed to play in it. But their replacement for Illinois just by looking at the rankings would have been BC, sure you would have loved that one just as much.

[geschinger]

They would have been left out regardless if the Rose Bowl didn't pick them like you mentioned, or UF or Mizzou was allowed to play in it. But their replacement for Illinois just by looking at the rankings would have been BC, sure you would have loved that one just as much.

I would hope they'd do the right thing and pick the eligible and outstanding USF team.

[mweb]

I would hope they'd do the right thing and pick the eligible and outstanding USF team.

It wouldn't be right for them to jump the superior BC team, go Eagles!