Go Gators!!

[toadgod33]

Um

Cannot wait until the Gators are crushed! UM and OSU are the best two teams in the nation. OSU does not want to play UM again, because they know they would lose.

 

[pourts]

Ohio State destroyed Michigan. Here are some stats for the game: OSU had 503 total yards compared against Michigan’s 397, OSU's 3rd down conversion percentage was 55% compared against Michigan's 31%, and OSU had 24 first downs compared against Michigan’s 17. Try to find a statistical category where Michigan beat OSU. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=263220194.

Aside from the stats, consider the following: two OSU fumbles occurred because the OSU center had a cast on his arm and was making bad snaps. Both of those fumbles were turned over to Michigan. As far as bonehead penalties are concerned, Michigan got a fresh set of downs simply because its center did not look up on a punt (and an OSU player made contact with him). After the penalty, OSU still held Michigan to three and out.

I imagine that if the stats for the game were a little closer then there might have been a rematch. However, if the game is analyzed, it is clear that Michigan doesn't deserve a rematch. The computer aspect of the BCS poll has Florida and Michigan as equal. With that reality in mind, the human element of the BCS comes into play. Michigan played OSU and was dominated by OSU. Florida has not gotten to play OSU... which one deserves a shot at the championship?

I do wish that there was a rematch though... I would love to see Michigan get beat by OSU again.

Wow, this is ridiculous. The only stat that matters is the score, which was very close. If you want to argue penalties and casts and crap it was a stupid penalty that didn't affect the particular play which kept OSU's winning drive alive, like blackjack said.

For the record, I hate what ESPN and fantasy sport leagues have done to sports. The stats tell you very little about a game, like who makes a big play under pressure, who had the momentum when, etc. Guys like Chris Berman and Tony Kornheiser have made careers talking about stats-- but they know very little about the sports they talk about. Its pathetic.

 

[Bernie Kosar]

Wow, this is ridiculous. The only stat that matters is the score, which was very close. If you want to argue penalties and casts and crap it was a stupid penalty that didn't affect the particular play which kept OSU's winning drive alive, like blackjack said.

I’m just trying to make the point that if you objectively assess the game, OSU greatly outplayed Michigan (of course, objectively assessing the game is not possible for me since I’m an OSU fan… it’s just my opinion that OSU dominated). As far as using stats are concerned, it is simply one method that can be used to attempt to analyze something abstract, such as a football game. Of course, the stats do not capture many different variables which impacted the game.

I was also making the point that OSU did not win the game because of one particular Michigan penalty and, in my opinion, Florida deserves a shot at the national championship more than Michigan.

Also, it is rather ridiculous to think that penalties and other variables, such as luck, do not impact the game and the only thing that matters is the score and players "stepping up." It’s not that simple. Penalties and a lucky/unlucky play when viewed individually may seem minor, but can greatly alter the outcome of any game (e.g. stifle a drive or impact a team's morale). Furthermore, you can't single out a single penalty and state that the game was won or lost because of that penalty. Meaning, earlier penalites, or other variables, may have impacted the outcome of the game, but the impact of them may have been less obvious.

As far as score is concerned, it does not necessarily reflect how well a team did or did not play. I've seen games where players "stepped up" during key plays and the team outplayed the other team, but still lost.

Finally, I think blackjack was merely giving a plug for his team... so I should have merely responded with OSU ROCKS AND IS WAY BETTER THAN MICHIGAN!!!!

 

[thenuge]

All true college football fans will now pray for the BCS to implode under the wrath of a bunch of pissed off Michigan, Wisconsin and Louisville fans . . .

Louisville? Are you smokin' bluegrass or what?

No, I repeat, NO Big East team should be playing for the title. I can understand Michigan and Wisconsin, but for the love of god...
What's next? Uh, Boise State only lost once... oh, and they play on blue turf!

 

[Goober]

What's next? Uh, Boise State only lost once... oh, and they play on blue turf!

Well, at least the BCS keeps some of the ridiculousness to a minimum. Case in point: (most prob don't remember except the older guys) BYU "winning" a nat'l championship in 1984 because they were undefeated. Had you stacked them against non-conference (then) powerhouses like Clemson or Nebraska, they'd have been demolished. In the end it keeps teams like BYU from manufacturing "winning seasons" that don't meet the same level of difficulty as a lot of midwest or southern teams (or any conference for that matter).

 

[UMichfly]

What's next? Uh, Boise State only lost once... oh, and they play on blue turf!

Uhh...am I missing some sarcasm somewhere, 'cuz if not, you might want to check your facts. I'm a firm supporter of the Louisville bashing however, feel free to add any other highly overrated teams you'd like to .*cough USC cough

 

[nittany03]

Louisville? Are you smokin' bluegrass or what?

No, I repeat, NO Big East team should be playing for the title. I can understand Michigan and Wisconsin, but for the love of god...
What's next? Uh, Boise State only lost once... oh, and they play on blue turf!

I arbitrarily picked the ranked 11-1 teams for my driveby snarking because their fans might have a somewhat valid argument . . . don't read too much into it. I just abhor the BCS . . .

 

[Thisguy]

No, I repeat, NO Big East team should be playing for the title.

I hope you mean no 1-loss team from the Big East. The Big East had a major stigma attached to it going into this year, but Louisville, West Virgina and Rutgers gave it a formidable top 3.

The ACC was clearly the worst BCS conference this year, with the teams the league wants to meet every year for the ACC Crown (FSU and Miami) both going 6-6, and probably wouldn't even be bowl eligible if it weren't for the approved 12th game.

 

[a_m]

For all the people that think Michigan got screwed, think about it this way.

What would happen if there was a rematch and OSU won again? UF gets pissed because having one more win than UM in a tougher schedule didn't get them in over UM.

If UM wins, OSU can always claim a split championship since they already beat them and would be 1-1 this year.

IF OSU wins, then they beat both teams and deserve it. If UF wins, then UF wins. Simple as that.

 

[scoober78]

What would happen if there was a rematch and OSU won again? UF gets pissed because having one more win than UM in a tougher schedule didn't get them in over UM.

If UM wins, OSU can always claim a split championship since they already beat them and would be 1-1 this year.

IF OSU wins, then they beat both teams and deserve it. If UF wins, then UF wins. Simple as that.

You do realize that according to your logic, no team in the same conference as an undisputed #1 should ever meet for the National Championship? Doesn't seem like a valid way to carry on.

I do agree with you though that the split season record seems to be a point of contention....then again, isn't it the nature of chapionship games to weigh more significantly. Take a MLB example for comparison...Boston may have a favorable record against a single opponent...say the Yankees...but that ceases to matter when it comes to the playoff for the AL East. Whoever wins the series, wins...

Why do we think of college football differently?

<edit in itallics>

I honestly think that the way to decide which "#2" team plays for the championship is to honestly say..."If these two teams played, who would win?" In this case who wins Michigan vs. Florida? Why can't the NCAA createa system where we find out? That would be the #2 vs the #1....and finally a real national champion.

 

[mts4602]

Louisville? Are you smokin' bluegrass or what?

No, I repeat, NO Big East team should be playing for the title. I can understand Michigan and Wisconsin, but for the love of god...
What's next? Uh, Boise State only lost once... oh, and they play on blue turf!

Umm OK.

I agree that they lost to Rutgers so of course they shouldn't be playing for the NC. But if they hadn't lost...then yeah they deserve to play in NC.

Would they have gotten it? Probably not b/c everyone is still hung up with the SEC and how wonderful it is.

And whats up with Notre Dame? The only reason they are in a BCS game is b/c of their tradition...people just can't let it go..just like the SEC.

Give Louisville an SEC team to play besides that terrible UK team and then we'll see what happens. If they were in the NC game with Ohio State. They'd put up a good fight. I'm not saying they'd win but it'd be a good game.

 

[Thisguy]

And whats up with Notre Dame? The only reason they are in a BCS game is b/c of their tradition...people just can't let it go..just like the SEC.

Actually, Notre Dame got in on its merit...if you can call it that. I thought they'd be picked over a more deserving team because of thier fan base, but if you look at the BCS standings, at-large berths went to Michigan (ranked #3), LSU (ranked #4) and Boise State (ranked #8). The only 2 non-conference champs ranked ahead of Notre Dame (ranked #11) were Wisconsin (#7) and Auburn (#9), but those two teams weren't eligible for selection because there can only be 2 teams from one league in the BCS.

That being said, LSU should rip the Irish a new one.

 

[Cate]

Nobody really wanted to see an OSU-UM rematch. What would be the point of replaying a game that had been played just a few weeks before? Either OSU would win, proving that they could beat Michigan, which we already knew, or Michigan would win, proving nothing, since they'd already lost to OSU once.

Here's what I want to see: Michigan beats USC in the Gator Bowl. There are two possible outcomes there: either Florida does what neither Michigan nor anyone else could do and upsets OSU, thereby earning a national title fair and square, or Florida loses to OSU, drops in the polls, and Michigan rises back up to No. 2 -- which is where pretty much everyone (Michigan fans included) thought they should be to begin with.

Incidentally, has anyone heard news of Mark May spontaneously combusting after USC lost to UCLA?

 

[Thisguy]

Here's what I want to see: Michigan beats USC in the Gator Bowl.

You mean the Rose Bowl, right? It seems odd that there are 2 teams that are unhappy to be playing in the grandaddy of 'em all.

 

[fc2spyguy]

You mean the Rose Bowl, right? It seems odd that there are 2 teams that are unhappy to be playing in the grandaddy of 'em all.

Only the "grandaddy" if it's Pac10 v Big10. This bcs crap can be put where the sun don't shine.