Waste of Ink

[osu99jp]

What a waste of ink this article is. I'd fire this guy just for coming up with the idea of writing such a dumb article, especially this early in the season. And why the hell would anyone continue reading after first sentence of the third paragraph, "It would be impossible for two teams to pass them".

There, your dumb question has been answered. Stop writing.

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plai...360.xml&coll=2

Unbeaten Buckeyes possibly passable
Ohio State could win them all, not have chance to win it all
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Doug Lesmerises
Plain Dealer Reporter

Columbus -- So maybe poll voters will warm to Florida if the Gators survive the SEC. Maybe the computers will continue to show love to Southern Cal if the Trojans eventually add Notre Dame to previous nonconference wins over Arkansas and Nebraska.

With 6-0 Ohio State ready to start the second half of its season at Michigan State on Saturday, is there any reason to worry that an undefeated Ohio State team could be left out of the national title game, as undefeated Auburn was in 2004?

"It would be almost impossible for two teams to pass them," said BCS analyst Jerry Palm, who runs the Web site www.collegebcs.com. "I'd be shocked if the Ohio State-Michigan winner does not make it to the national championship, especially if it's Ohio State."
That's assuming both those teams enter their Nov. 18 matchup at 11-0. In the meantime, the best thing for Buckeyes fans to do, like it or not, is to root for both Michigan and Notre Dame the rest of the season, because the success of the Wolverines and Fighting Irish would help Ohio State with the computers. As an opponent, Ohio State should want Michigan as strong as possible, and as an opponent of an opponent (Notre Dame lost to Michigan), the Irish influence the Buckeyes as well. The first BCS standings will be released on Sunday.

If you haven't closely followed the Bowl Championship Series lately, you'll be happy to know a three-year-old change to the calculations is helping Ohio State's cause.

Starting with the 2004 season, the power of the human polls increased, with the total points of the polls factored into the BCS standings, not just the overall ranking.

So Ohio State is more than just No. 1. The Buckeyes' current dominance - with a combined 175 of 179 first-place votes in the coaches poll and Harris Interactive poll - carries a lot of weight. Each human poll counts for one-third of the BCS standings, while six computer polls combine for the other third.

"They have about as big a lead as you can have," Palm said. "They'd have to be about fifth in the computer polls to get passed, and that's just not going to happen."

At the moment, the Buckeyes would not be leading the cumulative computer ratings, five of which have released standings. The Buckeyes are first in one, second in three of them and third in another. USC is on top in four computer lists, and the computers will continue to love the Trojans as long as Arkansas and Nebraska roll along in the rankings, their only losses coming to USC.

This is where style points come in. Asked about the idea of winning impressively after a victory over Penn State three games ago that was tighter than the 28-6 score, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel dismissed the notion.
"I've never been accused of style," Tressel said. "I don't subscribe to the style-points thing. I know when you get into your conference, there's nothing stylish about it, they're battles."

But the Buckeyes don't have a very daunting schedule before the Michigan game, which may be reflected in more than the computer ratings. If the Buckeyes lose their dominating lead in the polls, or even fall out of the top spot in one poll, that's when the computers will matter much more, and that's probably not what Ohio State wants.

"If there's no consensus, you can let the computers decide," Palm said. "If there's a consensus, the computers are out of it, and that's where Ohio State is right now. But that can change. They're only a three-point win over Northwestern from that changing."
The computers no longer factor in victory margin, something with which Sagarin, the creator of one of the computer rankings used by the BCS, doesn't agree. In fact, his system - which does factor in scores - has Ohio State on top.

"They forbid us to use scores, but people look at scores," Sagarin said. "I remember a [conference] commissioner was asked about that, and he said human beings understand the nuance of scores, and computers don't understand the nuance of scores. That was the first time I heard the word 'nuance' used about college football."

So their fate with the computers is out of the Buckeyes' hands. But as long as USC and Florida haven't lost, looking good in victory - not just winning - will help the Buckeyes stay on top with the voters. And that's what they need to get where they want to go.

[shantyman]

These guys need something to write. There is so much sports coverage nowadays that a lot of dead air is filled with anything these writers can think of.

[Franny]

This is a dumb article but Shanty is right, people will be writing crap like this for the next 6 weeks. Listen to ESPN radio, all those dopes have a new BCS scenerio every day. I myself am just praying for an undefeated OSU/Michigan game, I think everyone wants to see it. Then, ideally, the Buckeyes would face USC or Florida, that would be big. I do not want to see a cheap Big East team sneak in (West Virginia). No disrespect to the WV, but they aren't a USC, they aren't a Florida (historical college football power)

[osu99jp]

One thing I read in an SI.com article that I hadn't thought about....

If OSU and Michigan are 1-2 when they play and OSU wins...then OSU will eventually participate in three #1 vs #2 matchups in one season - unprecedented!

All they talk about up here on the radio is OSU vs Michigan - everyone else between now and then has been written off. I'll feel comfortable talking about Michigan once Michigan State is taken care of. Now that MSU has been ravaged by injuries of late, I am starting to feel comfortable...

Michigan won't have a walk in the park this weekend without Manningham, either...

[JMart]

I said it on Unabated when we did our college football predictions, but if WVU and Louisville went into their game undefeated, the winner would go on to the national championship game. Their schedule is too easy, and the SEC teams are going to beat each other up, I'd be surprised if they had an undefeated team at the end of the season.

[Franny]

I said it on Unabated when we did our college football predictions, but if WVU and Louisville went into their game undefeated, the winner would go on to the national championship game. Their schedule is too easy, and the SEC teams are going to beat each other up, I'd be surprised if they had an undefeated team at the end of the season.

They won't put a Big East team in the National Championship game if USC is undefeated, it just won't happen. Numbers will be fudged, computers hacked, etc. The difference between the potential TV ratings is too large.

Florida runs the table IF they beat Auburn this weekend. Its that simple.

[rickspics]

Originally Posted by JMart

I said it on Unabated when we did our college football predictions, but if WVU and Louisville went into their game undefeated, the winner would go on to the national championship game. Their schedule is too easy, and the SEC teams are going to beat each other up, I'd be surprised if they had an undefeated team at the end of the season.

WVU won't make the title game even if they are undefeated their schedule is too weak. Too many high school teams and a weak conference will kill them.

[Franny]

Florida.... OUT

USC is strugg-a-ling with AZ State. Dammit!

[osu99jp]

Funny thing is, Charles Barkley was on Gameday via telephone and predicted a 21-17 Auburn victory - it was going that way until Auburn returned the final "Cal/Stanford lateral play" fumble for a TD as time expired to win 27-17.