Orlando Sentinel preseason pick - USF in Orange Bowl against Clemson

[Bullschmutz]

Lol they have Florida playing in the ROSE bowl.

Anyone who publishes that is either an idiot or on drugs.

They have USC going to the National championship leaving that game an at large spot if the PAC 10 only has one BCS caliber team.

Get your facts strait before calling a guy an idiot.

That's a really, really big if. The Rose will do everything in its power to get a Big Ten team and a PAC 10 team together, even picking a seriously suspect Illinois team just last year. Only 3 times in history has that not happened. They will not reach into Florida to select a team. Since 1902, the Rose Bowl has featured ONE team from Florida, that being Miami in 2002 because they had to host the National Championship game that year. And Miami maybe, maaaaaybe brought 10,000 fans to the game. It's only been 61 years since an SEC team has played in the Rose Bowl.

Those are facts.

Its hard to imagine that neither ASU, Oregon or Cal will be ranked high enough to qualify. I think they lowered the rankings to 18th for this year.

[South_Florida_Flip]

Lol they have Florida playing in the ROSE bowl.

Anyone who publishes that is either an idiot or on drugs.

If USC is going to play in the National Championship game, then that pick is not so far fetched. I'd have to presume that they have Georgia as their SEC Champ and playing in the Sugar Bowl.

Just not too sure how Ohio State might feel about having that match up again 

[South_Florida_Flip]

That's a really, really big if. The Rose will do everything in its power to get a Big Ten team and a PAC 10 team together, even picking a seriously suspect Illinois team just last year. Only 3 times in history has that not happened. They will not reach into Florida to select a team. Since 1902, the Rose Bowl has featured ONE team from Florida, that being Miami in 2002 because they had to host the National Championship game that year. And Miami maybe, maaaaaybe brought 10,000 fans to the game. Its hard to imagine that neither ASU, Oregon or Cal will be ranked high enough to qualify. I think they lowered the rankings to 18th for this year.

Those are facts.

If USC beats Ohio State on 9/13, then they could run the table. Arizona State could be the only other BCS participant from the PAC 10 this season.

So if Ohio State and UF are 11-1 and there are no other PAC 10 options, then the Rose Bowl could take UF. You really think that the Rose Bowl would want to do what they did last year in taking Illinois? That game was over before halftime and I am sure viewers shut that game off early as well.

[Bullschmutz]

In short, yes. Absolutely.

[windbane]

how about the pick for UCF vs. Rutgirls in the St Pete Bowl. 

I'd go to that to cheer them on vs. RU.  I hate RU...

I agree...I despise Rutgers.

I'll see you punks there in a freshly bought scarlet hat and my souvenir towel from the game last year.

ditto.  no way i ever cheer for UCiF, especially against a Big East team in a bowl game.

Buttgirls losing to UCiF would make the BEast look like pansies.

Seriously, why would anyone root against a Big East team in a bowl and especially when you have to root for UCF?  Geez...

[Guest]

Lol they have Florida playing in the ROSE bowl.

Anyone who publishes that is either an idiot or on drugs.

They have USC going to the National championship leaving that game an at large spot if the PAC 10 only has one BCS caliber team.

Get your facts strait before calling a guy an idiot.

That's a really, really big if. The Rose will do everything in its power to get a Big Ten team and a PAC 10 team together, even picking a seriously suspect Illinois team just last year. Only 3 times in history has that not happened. They will not reach into Florida to select a team. Since 1902, the Rose Bowl has featured ONE team from Florida, that being Miami in 2002 because they had to host the National Championship game that year. And Miami maybe, maaaaaybe brought 10,000 fans to the game. It's only been 61 years since an SEC team has played in the Rose Bowl.

Those are facts.

Its hard to imagine that neither ASU, Oregon or Cal will be ranked high enough to qualify. I think they lowered the rankings to 18th for this year.

The only minor tweak last year was a one-time allowance if there weren't any eligible teams in the Top 14.  The Rose can't go below the Top 14 if there is an eligible team remaining in the Top 14.

At-Large Eligibility

If there are fewer than 10 automatic qualifiers, then the bowls will select at-large participants to fill the remaining berths. At at-large team is any Football Bowl Subdivision team that is bowl-eligible and meets the following requirements:

  A. Has won at least nine regular-season games, and

  B. Is among the top 14 teams in the final BCS Standings.

No more than two teams from a conference may be selected, regardless of whether they are automatic qualifiers or at-large selections.

If fewer than 10 teams are eligible for selection, then the Bowls can select as an at-large team any Football Bowl Subdivision team that is bowl-eligible, has won at least nine regular-season games and is among the top 18 teams in the final BCS Standings subject to the two-team limit noted above and also subject to the following: (1) if any conference has two or more teams in the top 14, then two of those teams must be selected and (2) from the teams ranked 15-18, a bowl can select only a team from a conference that has fewer than two teams in the top 14.

All teams ranked in the top 14, other than those from conferences which have already had two teams selected, must be included in the bowl selections.

If expansion of the pool to 18 teams does not result in 10 teams eligible for selection, then the pool shall be expanded by blocks of 4 teams until 10 eligible teams are available subject to the two-team limit noted above and also subject to the following: (1) if any conference has two or more teams in the top 14, then two of those teams must be selected and (2) from the teams ranked 15 or lower, a bowl can select only a team from a conference that has fewer than two teams in the top 14.

http://www.bcsfootball.org/bcsfb/eligibility