Who Deserves to Play Ohio State?
The Scarlet Knights fell off their horse this past Saturday, thus deflating much of the debate over the Bogus Championship Series. By beating Michigan, Ohio State has a lock on the championship game. Who will play them is still something to be solved on the playing field and by the pollsters. For further news and analysis I searched the sports sites while sipping my morning coffee.
- Ivan Maisel writes that the top five teams in the BCS rankings “play each other or have already played each other.” This makes the BCS picture clearer, but in fairness he says that “head-to-head competition is not always valid.”
- Pete Fiutak reminds us in his top ten bowl prediction rundown that the polls play a bigger factor in the BCS rankings than the teams entire seasons (i.e., as opposed to objective data).
- On NPR’s Morning Edition, John Feinstein compares the Ohio State v. Michigan game to the Thrilla in Manilla, as he and Steve Inskeep deconstruct the game and its national title implications. When asked about Boise State, Feinstein said that his “belief is in sports if you don’t lose, then you should be allowed to play for the championship.”
Neither the events of the weekend nor the thoughtful analysis (dispassionate or otherwise) changes what I said in my Four P’s post. If anything, I am less enthusiastic about the upcoming bowl season, as well as college football in general. The fact that I installed a garbage disposal during the epic Ohio State v. Michigan game is evidence of my declining interest. My somewhat apathetic honest, but cynical, answer to the title question of this post is, “Who cares?”
I used to say that I was a fan of college football because of the purity of the game. Professional football is a business, while amateur football is a true sport. Big money teams dominate in the professional leagues, but in college the underdog has a chance. I now think that between endorsements, media contracts and the BCS (which has less to do with selecting a champion than it does with monopolizing the limelight and maximizing profits); the line between the NCAA Division I-A and the NFL is all but obliterated. Of course, the NFL still has one key distinction over the NCAA—they have a playoff system.
Go Bucks! I’ve lived in Columbus for 3 years now and never thought I’d be a fan of college football. I knew I was a gonner when I was jumping up and down on a chair in my parents basement when a touchdown was scored on Saturday. I’d be an even better fan if I could tell you who scored the touchdown, but I’m still learning!
As a big ten fan, but more of a Michigan fan, my opinion is still one of “no second chances.” Ohio State won, Michigan lost. A re-match is bad for the game. If Michigan wanted a legitimate shot at the National Championship, then the team knew what needed to be done.
There is no shame in losing to a team that beat you. There is only shame in lack of effort, and there was no lack of effort present in that match.
If those of us who watch college sports are true enthusiasts of the college game, then the team sitting in the seat of who should play OSU is currently Boise State. Should they lose to Nevada (a very real possibility), then they too would forefiet that right, and the debate would explode as to which one-loss team deserves a shot at beating a legendary Big Ten power.
Even though I was disappointed in the U-M/OSU outcome, my hat is off the “The Buckeys” for putting together a very tough and very real football dynasty that has shown it’s grit and mettle over this past 5 – 7 years!
Go Big Ten!
Michigan Defence + Hart = very good Michigan team this year. Without Hart, they would likely have been a 9-3 team -with Hart and “a better than I give him credit for” Henne, the offense showed that they could compete on Saturday with a very good Ohio State team.
That said, Ohio State won, Michcan’t lost. I think it would be lackluster to have a Big Ten rematch for our manufactured National Title game.
On another note, even this ND/Quinn die-hard fan could not help but sit in awe of the Troy Smith show the other night. Unless Quinn puts up 900 passing yards and 10 TDs on USC the Heisman is all but wrapped up.
Your answer isn’t cynical, and I mean that in terms of the definition of the word “cynical”. Apathetic would be a more appropriate adjective, but not exactly honest: you cared enough to make a blog post on the issue.
I think my answer was more jealous than anything. Ohio State has a great team, Michigan a very good team and ND a enjoyable team.
The sad thing is that this year, there are really no teams that rose to the challenge and “deserved” a #2 birth. That’s why the voters found it too easy to keep voting like they have been all year.
Whoever wins whatever in the next few weeks will determine what odd matchups get picked for the Bowl Games. With all likelyhood we’ll see at least one re-match within the BCS.
Odd matchups are what sometimes makes college football far more enjoyable than pro. There is far more emotion involved and the games can be far more enjoyable.
Some examples:
I have seen TCU play USC – and win.
Michigan lost to BYU in 1984.
I have seen Fresno St. defeat UCLA
I have seen Miami (Fla.) shut out by Arizona (a huge underdog).
I have seen Penn St. (also a huge underdog in this game) defeat a very surprised Tennessee.
Utah – from another “undeserving” conference, won the Fiesta bowl two years ago.
Odd matchups are enjoyable, novel, exciting. Probably those who dislike them most are odds-makers, who are ruining the game anyway.
@Austina: Before you become a hardcore CFB fan, you should read my post about BIRG’s and CORF’s that I wrote about a year ago. Josiah was BIRG’ing, while I was CORF’ing (and he loves to remind me of that moment).
@Estefan: I’m a Big 10(11) fan, too. PSU first, Iowa second, and the rest all lumped together (providing they’re not playing the Nittany Lions or Hawkeyes).
@stelmodad: I agree with you and Estefan that a rematch, though interesting, is less than ideal. Besides, OSU beating a statistically matched Pac-10 or SEC opponent will prove that Big 10 football is in a totally different league than all the rest.
@Josiah: I do not know which is worse: (1) You not commenting directly on the topic, (2) nit-picking on my word choices or (3) knowing that there will be a smug smirk on your face when you read that I agree that “somewhat apathetic” is a more fitting phrase than “honest, but cynical.” Of course, given the time, I usually go back and re-read my posts for clarity (unlike…say, Holton), so I would have gotten around to correcting it eventually. If you’d like, maybe we can work something out where you proof-read my posts in exchange for a box of these?
I have to say I am a Miami Hurricanes Fan and after seeing the past few games I believe that Michigan is a better match up for the National Championship game than Florida. USC lost today so there hope is lost for a national championship game. I know that OSU and UM have already played but OSU had home field advantage, if it was on UM field I would say put in someone else but I would love to see a matchup between these to on a field that none of them knew. Wouldn’t you? So all you haters out there that dont want to see this game happen….think about it. Florida will get killed by OSU and you know it.
[quote post="757"]Florida will get killed by OSU and you know it.[/quote]
While I am inclined to agree that Big 10 football is the best in the country right now, I must say that no, I don’t think we know. There have been too many of those type of assumptions blown apart this season. I really don’t care who plays OSU, because no one “deserves” to play for the national title unless you earn the opportunity on the field. Right now, IMHO the only team that deserves to play OSU is Boise State.
Could it be more clear? Michigan should play O-state for the championship in neutral territory this time. Mich got beat by less than a field goal at Ohio.
I can understand why the Ohio State fans would want to play Florida …
Michigan – Ohio State
Joe, It’s clear whose fan you are.
What is also clear to me is that the BCS is a bunch of crap . . . but we Americans would rather have our traditions (even if they stink). Hey, am I upset that my unranked Nittany Lions get to play the Tennessee Volunteers in a New Year’s Day bowl? Well, it is fair at least, since the SEC is way overrated, right? The Big 10 is “real” football. However, according to the statistics, U-M and Florida are very close.
Florida
Michigan
How can you choose either one, beyond the fact that OSU has already beaten U-M? How can you say that the system works when so much debate is involved in selecting the championship game? Either the BCS is the right system and every other NCAA sport is wrong in how they select their season champion, or the BCS is wrong and the other sports do it right. Think about it. Even Florida’s coach is calling for a playoff.
[...] Wow! Tonight’s Fiesta Bowl was even more exciting than Penn State beating Tennessee. I still cannot believe the football game I have just watched—great calls and gutty excecution from start to finish. Bob Stoops has met his match in Chris Petersen. Remember what I said about Boise State *deserving* to play Ohio State for the NCAA Division I National Championship? If this does not further the cause for instituting a playoff system, then I do not know what will. [...]