November is approaching. Let the BCS debate begin. Again.
OK, I know what all the BCS defenders will say. Yes, seven unbeatens remain. So what? Every year we have a number of unbeatens. They always whittle themselves down to two obvious choices for the BCS title game.
Sorry, you spineless conformists. This is different. In the 12 years of the BCS, only once has there been more than seven unbeatens at this point in the season. Last season had nine. However, you knew Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State would beat one another up and Alabama had to play Florida in the SEC championship game.
And what finally happened? College football had only one unbeaten, but 13-0 Utah pounded the stuffing out of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, launching a Mountain West Conference proposal that fell on deaf ears but made one point crystal clear.
The BCS system is unfair.
In 2006, seven teams also were unbeaten, but it was obvious Ohio State vs. Michigan would eliminate one and so would West Virginia and Louisville. Then Boise State knocks off Oklahoma, finishing unbeaten and making the country wonder why it didn’t get a shot at a national title.
This year could be an even bigger mess, involving bigger schools from bigger conferences. The seven current unbeatens come from six leagues. All seven could remain unbeaten entering the SEC championship game, when Florida (7-0) will likely play Alabama (8-0). Take a look at the seven, listed according to their BCS rankings, and their toughest remaining regular-season games:
No. 1 Florida (7-0): at South Carolina, Nov. 14.
No. 2 Alabama (8-0): LSU, Nov. 7.
No. 3 Texas (7-0): at Oklahoma State, Saturday.
No. 4 Iowa (8-0): at Ohio State, Nov. 14.
No. 6 Texas Christian (7-0): Utah, Nov. 14.
No. 7 Boise State (7-0): Nevada, Nov. 27.
No. 8 Cincinnati (7-0): at Pittsburgh, Dec. 5.
I still say the BCS title game will be the SEC champion versus Texas, if the Longhorns get past Oklahoma State. OSU’s Zac Robinson has developed into the Big 12’s best quarterback and the ‘Horns have ditched their four- wideout set, a strange tinkering entering their biggest remaining hurdle.
But unless Iowa, Cincinnati, TCU and Boise State all lose, we will have one unbeaten with no shot at the national title. No, the system won’t change. But then, neither will our pleas.
