USA Today article about possible 2 BE teams in BCS

[Bull Matrix]

USA Today: Big East could land two teams in top bowls Reply

By Andy Gardiner and Thomas O'Toole, USA TODAY

The Big East Conference has fallen out of the race for the national championship, but an enticing prize is still within reach. If Louisville and West Virginia win their remaining games, the league could put two teams in Bowl Championship Series games for the first time.

West Virginia is seventh and Louisville ninth in the current BCS standings. Winning out would leave both the Mountaineers and Cardinals 11-1 and would require WVU defeating No. 14 Rutgers on Dec. 2. Louisville would claim the conference crown (and automatic BCS berth) by virtue of its win against West Virginia.

But West Virginia could have enough strength to be picked ahead of the loser of fourth-ranked Florida vs. sixth-ranked Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference championship game, either of which will have at least two losses.

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"Without studying it closely, I know there is a chance for two Big East teams," West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said Monday. "A few years ago we weren't considered worthy of one spot."

The conference took a big hit when perennial powers Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech and Boston College left for the Atlantic Coast Conference. But the addition of Louisville and the resurgence of league originals WVU and Rutgers have helped the Big East rebound.

"Putting two teams in BCS bowls would put to rest a lot of questions about the viability of the Big East as a conference, not only in terms of how competitive we are but how attractive our teams are in the marketplace both to the bowls and television," said Nick Carparelli, the league's assistant commissioner for football. "We were left dead and buried two years ago and took a huge step forward this season. There are more steps to take, but we've moved a little quicker than we expected."

Because of the way the guaranteed spots could play out, there might be only one at-large bid available among the five BCS games. Decisions will be finalized Dec. 3. A breakdown:

•Ohio State and Southern California are in at least the Rose Bowl, but realistically Ohio State is in the Tostitos BCS Championship on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz., by virtue of its No. 1 BCS standing.

Should analysts be correct in predicting USC would move to the No. 2 BCS spot by defeating Notre Dame and UCLA, that would put the Trojans in the title game. The Rose Bowl then would have lost both anchor teams  the Big Ten and Pacific-10 champs. The Rose can fill its slots first from the at-large pool  but after anchor teams for the other bowls are decided: SEC winner to the Sugar, Big 12 winner to the Fiesta and ACC winner to the Orange.

Based on tradition, the Rose certainly would pick Michigan of the Big Ten. At worst, the Wolverines will be among those eligible to be selected (at least nine victories and at least 14th in the BCS standings). If they are third in the BCS standings as an at-large (with conference member Ohio State the automatic), the Wolverines also would be an automatic selection. They could even be automatic as the No. 4 BCS team.

As for the other Rose spot, Notre Dame looms, and the Irish are always attractive for any bowl. They are assured of a BCS bid by being in the top eight of the final BCS. Should they lose to USC, the Irish might fall below No. 8, knocking them from automatic but keeping them eligible. The Rose would have to decide if it wants a rematch of Michigan's win at Notre Dame in September or a team from the East such as West Virginia or Florida, should they be available, or even a 10-2 LSU.

•After the Rose Bowl fills both its spots, the other three BCS games can pick their teams from the at-large pool and Big East winner. By rule, the selection order is based on the dates closest to the title game: Allstate Sugar (Jan. 3) goes first, then FedEx Orange (Jan. 2) and Tostitos Fiesta (Jan. 1).

•The at-large pool could have some interesting teams. BCS No. 11 Boise State is guaranteed a spot if it finishes in the top 12 thanks to a new inclusion rule designed to help teams outside the big six leagues. The Tostitos Fiesta on Jan. 1 is the most likely destination.

The Big East champ would be Louisville if it wins out and West Virginia beats Rutgers. That leaves an exciting 11-1 West Virginia offense available possibly as high as BCS No. 5.

The loser of the SEC title game will have at least two losses. LSU, No. 10 in the BCS, already has two losses.

The only other one-loss team in the top 10 under that scenario would be Wisconsin. By rule, no conference can have three teams in BCS games, so the Big Ten's Badgers (11-1) would be out.

•Another possibility, though unlikely, could scramble the picture. Provisions exist for bowls and leagues to make deals that move anchor teams to create more attractive matchups or avoid rematches. Would the Sugar Bowl want local favorite LSU (if it beats Arkansas) enough to make a deal for the Orange to take possible SEC champ Florida? And if Boise loses to Nevada ...

[BULLfreak]

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[dabull80]

now I'm really confused except that Wisconsin got screwed.  Thats the problem with large conferences(should be max 10) they have years when they don't play each other.

[Joe]

why are you confused?

[Guest]

From today's Orlando Sentinel:

Rose Bowl chief executive officer Mitch Dorger said Monday that Florida sits on a list of about a half dozen likely candidates to play in his game on New Year's Day.

Dozens of permutations remain possible as the Bowl Championship Series standings shake out over the next two weeks. But a Gator squad that beats Florida State but loses the Southeastern Conference title game to Arkansas would be attractive to the Rose as a BCS at-large selection.

"Certainly, they are on our radar scope," Dorger said in a telephone interview.

Assuming the Gators make neither the national title game nor the Sugar Bowl, where the SEC champion will likely end up this year, they would join Notre Dame, a one-loss West Virginia or Louisville and a two-loss Oklahoma or LSU as Rose candidates. Either Michigan or Southern California will make the other half of the match-up.

Dorger said Rose Bowl leadership expects any invited team to purchase at least 20,000 tickets to the game. So figure on Gator Nation's interest in spending New Year's in California as a key criteria come the Rose's pick.

"I'm not sure Florida fans will leave their state," he said.

[Guest]

There's another Associated Pres story from a Waterbury, Connecticut paper...

It's hard to imagine the Rose picking Notre Dame, which is a natural because of its national following. The Irish already would've played USC and Michigan. That leaves the Big East champ, an SEC team, Boise State or Oklahoma as the likely Rose pick -- and that leaves Notre Dame in play for the Orange and Sugar bowls but not the Fiesta, which picks last among the at-large teams.

Let's examine those choices:

A Big East team in the Rose? Louisville, Rutgers or West Virginia in the Rose? It seems unlikely the hoity-toity "Granddaddy of Them All" would select a Big East team, but who knows for sure?

SEC teams have been in the Rose but not since 1946. And it would be a two-loss SEC team, either Auburn, Arkansas, Florida or LSU.

Boise State will be in the BCS if it goes unbeaten (it must win at Nevada on Saturday for that to happen). Boise in the BCS is one thing. Boise in the Rose? That's as unlikely as Ohio State saying it doesn't want to play in the national-championship game.

Oklahoma has to be in the top 14 of the final BCS standings; the Sooners are 15th this week. To be in play for the Rose, the Sooners -- whose early-season loss at Oregon essentially was caused by bad officiating -- obviously must move up at least one spot, beat Oklahoma State this week and have Texas win the Big 12 South.

If the Sooners win the Big 12 South, then go on to beat Nebraska in the Big 12 title game, they'll be in the Fiesta Bowl. And a loss in the Big 12 title game almost certainly would mean OU wouldn't finish in the top 14 of the BCS.

The Rose wouldn't mind if a three-loss California somehow made it into the top 14; if USC were in the title game, the bowl could pick the Golden Bears and keep its Big Ten/Pac-10 matchup.

[Guest]

Thus, the rose Bowl Short List is:

- Arkansas as SEC Runner-up

- Auburn

- Florida as SEC Runner-up

- LSU

- Louisville *

- Oklahoma

- West Virginia

(* = probable BCS automatic qualifiers, others would be at-large selection)

[Joe]

I'd put Cal in, several of the teams in front of them Oklahoma, Rutgers, Georgia Tech, Boston College, texas. They could easily jump into the top 14 where there is no doubt that the snobby Rose Bowl would take them.

[Apis Bull]

now I'm really confused except that Wisconsin got screwed.  Thats the problem with large conferences(should be max 10) they have years when they don't play each other.

9 team conferences allow for that, not 10 unless you wan't 9 conference games and an unbalanced schedule.

I'd love to see eight 9 team BCS conferences or six 12 team conferences with championship games and a 12 team playoff with the top 4 seeds having byes.

[HarveyGlass]

now I'm really confused except that Wisconsin got screwed.  Thats the problem with large conferences(should be max 10) they have years when they don't play each other.

9 team conferences allow for that, not 10 unless you wan't 9 conference games and an unbalanced schedule.

I'd love to see eight 9 team BCS conferences or six 12 team conferences with championship games and a 12 team playoff with the top 4 seeds having byes.

That's a fantastic idea.  It's human nature to either change or get left behind.  Darwin said, "It's not the strongest of the species that survives, it's the one most responsive to change."

The reason college football is spinning its wheels in the face of massive popularity is its refusal to change.  Something like you mentioned, Apis, would be perfect for taking the game into the next century, but instead, the old men are going to let "tradition" destroy the game.

There's only so many times a team's fans are going to feel screwed and helpless before they swear off college football.