SEC CHAMPS!!!!!!!!

[fletcher]

not going to get into the fight but tigers got screwed like usc did last year, I think ou and usc have the right to be there usc not a fan of but did go wire to wire can't take that away from them, but that is why i don't like preseason rankings should wait first 4 weeks then first ranking comes out , and sports writers should not be allowed to vote only coaches, I know one writter very well who hurt cal went to school with him mith vingle from charleston sc paper he moved tex from 9th the week before to 4th with his vote and dropped cal from 4th to 7th and it screwed cal major, this guy was in the band in high school with me and not saying anything is wrong with being in the band not everyone plays a sport and that is fine, least he did something he liked, but he has been a sports writter for some good size papers for over 14 years before that covered other things. my point is he does not know the sport like a coach and many writters don't.

You will never have a playoff so guys bitching about that forget it bowls are major money to all and sometimes a team gets screwed with the bcs junk which should go, the pc geeks have about as much right to vote in my eyes with their programs as sports writters do and that is none.

Yes tigers are a good team and no you won't have a true champ in some eyes because to many teams are sitting with out losing a game, and 3 are major teams to go through the sec with out a L i will say is unreal , for any team to win all their games are good teams i don't care what conf they play in or who they played only takes 1 bad half to lose a game. Did auburn get burnt no just left out which is a shame because they are sitting where usc was last year and trust me far from a pac 10 fan sec yes pac10 never but must be fair and that is why if you want change you don't start vote till after week 4 and only coaches get to vote, great year tigers you got the bum rap this year, if they started higher in the preseason they would of had the pts to be there maybe. And for those who point out who teams play, those games for the most part are made 4-6 years in advance in fb and some teams have to fill a whole on a date if a team backs out which happens a lot of time and most big schools will have to take a 1-aa team or very weak D1 team when it happens with in 1 year, not enough open spots on that day for teams to have a big choice on who they play, and for the rest of the sch like i said made 4-6 years in advance,hell no-one knows how good the team they will be playing is at that point , they just can take a guess. The big conf top teams will be good most years but even they can go down in a 4-6 year span from what they were when you made sch.

Tigers did all they could but just got left out plain and simple, they are a very good team and did what was ask of them but preseason rankings is what screws everything up and sports writters and bcs pc geeks who have never touched a ball except their own.

Nice job tigers great year sorry you got left out but i can't make a case against ok or usc even though would like to against usc but can't they did what they had to do,

Tigers should be proud and they would give both ok or usc a game, me i think ok is the best team at this point of the year then tigers then usc also schools should all play conf championship or none.

like i said hats off to tigers and their fans you just got grabed by the numbers game, you had a great year and 1 game left and a very tough game never know with a ou win and a tiger blow out.

 

[Scott4USC]

People also need to realize the computers as well as the polls had Auburn #3. Everybody had AU #3. So AU is not getting screwed like USC last year in terms of BCS title game. USC was unanimous #1 in both Coaches poll and AP poll. AU is #3 in both polls and computers. BIG BIG DIFFERENCE! Too bad for AU fans that the AP doesn't have AU ranked #1 or #2 then you hve decent chance at a split NC.


You can't take away pre-season polls and make things work. Lets say you take what Fletcher said, hve the polls start 4 weeks in. That is flawed in it own right.

What if team A has 4 relative easy opponents to start the year and 4 extremely difficult opponents to end the year. (just happens to work that way)

Team B plays 1 huge opponent early and wins but has an easy schedule the rest of the year.

Everybody will have team B #1 after 4 seeks for beating a big time opponent and who is gonna take team A over B at the end after team A beats their quality opponents which happen to fall at the end of the year?

SECOND EXAMPLE!

Team A lucks out and beats an "over-rated" ranked team early in the year. Say sometime in Oct. after the polls are released. Since we start the polls 4 weeks in, that team will get huge boost because people "think" they beat a great quality opponent but in reality they are not a top 10 caliber team.

We always had pre-season rankings and we should always keep them. AU had their #1 ranking last year and that was blew it. USC and OU earned their pre-season #1 and #2 rankings this year and guess what, the pre-season polls got it right! Both OU and USC went undefeated playing the toughest SOS's compared to the other undefeated teams.

 

[AuburnRulez]

GMAN,

NIU has a good offense? Didnt BG just score 14 pts on a medicore D??

 

[AuburnRulez]

I agree MAC teams do well against Vandy. NIU did against Alabama last year. Those SEC teams yall talk about Kentucky and Vandy play in a hard conferance where they have nothing to lose. For some reason there able to get up and play the big teams and play them close.

 

[AU999]

Facts

Facts

Here a list a buddy of mine composed. Keep in mind these are facts(don't hold me to that if one thing isn't true) and not the opinion of a biased fan. Mostly deals with conference strength but the last line is definitley interesting.

The SEC has 5 teams in the top 20 (AP/Coaches) more than the Big-12 and
Pac-10 combined.

The SEC has 4 teams in the final BCS top 15, the same as the Pac-10 and
Big-12 combined.

There are more mid-majors in the top 20 than in the Big-12.

There are more mid-majors in the top 20 than in the Pac-10.

Auburn has won more games against 9 win teams than OU and USC combined.

Auburn has won more games against 9 win teams than the entire Pac-10
conference.

Auburn has won more games against 9 win teams than the entire Big-12
conference.

Auburn has won as many games against 9 win teams as the Pac-10 and
Big-12 conferences combined.

The Sugar Bowl pits the SEC Champ against the ACC Champ. There are 5
teams in the top 20 in the SEC, 4 in the top 20 in the ACC. That's 9
schools in the top 20 represented by their conference champions in the
Sugar Bowl.

There are more top 20 teams in the ACC and SEC than the Pac-10, Big-12,
Big-10, and Big East combined.

There are more top 20 teams in the ACC and SEC than the Pac-10, Big-12,
and every mid-major conference combined.

And, one interesting factoid...

Should Auburn, UT, UGA, and LSU win out, Auburn will have won 4 games
against teams with 10 wins and one game against a 9 win team(VT). I'm pretty sure that's a NCAA record.

 

[flapjack]

You make your bed and you lie in it. The only part of the schedule an Athletic Director has control over is the Out of Conference schedule. What Auburn played was pathetic (not calling Auburn or the SEC pathetic). If they were ranked high in the preseason - like last year - it would not have mattered, but if you start out down in the polls, you need some impressive early victories to boost you up or you need the top teams to drop some games. Bottom line - Neither happened. I know, I know, G Tech and Bowling Green pulled out. A good AD would have been able to find better than The Citadal, La Tech and Louis-Laf. He didn't. He dropped the ball before the season even started and put you guys at a huge disadvantage. It is a huge risk in this system to play ALL outta conf games against awful teams if you are seeking a national championship. Would not have mattered if USC or OU tripped up, but they didn't. Lay the blame where it should be - on the AD of Auburn.

A play-off would solve everything, but you know this corrupt system is not about to change. Makes me sick that we have to go by schedule, conf strength, style points and all that BS instead of settleing it on the field. But it's been that way for over a 100 years and continues to be and every AD in the country knows this.

 

[Scott4USC]

AU999

Nice facts and strong argument for AU. It sucks they don't get to compete for BCS NC. I agree with you. That said, most of these facts are not a great argument and misleading facts. I will prove it.

The SEC has 5 teams in the top 20 (AP/Coaches) more than the Big-12 and Pac-10 combined.

Take a look at the OOC schedule of all SEC teams ranked in top 20, remember, wins gets you in bowl games AND gets you ranked in the top 25. Can't fool me!

Auburn has won more games against 9 win teams than the entire Pac-10 conference.

Same as above. Nice to have 9 wins but look at the teams most of those teams beat to get those 9 wins. Look at the OOC play. If the SEC is so tough, why so many teams have 9 wins? Can you have it both ways? OOC schedule answers most of it! That is what, 3 automatic wins right there, then you just need to win 6 conf. games. BOOM! 9 win season! SEC is notorious conf. of having teams STAY BAD! Meaning AUTOMATIC WINS! I have the data to prove it!

Auburn has won as many games against 9 win teams as the Pac-10 and
Big-12 conferences combined.

I have shown why that is misleading and not as impressive as one might think! A fact none the less!

Should Auburn, UT, UGA, and LSU win out, Auburn will have won 4 games against teams with 10 wins and one game against a 9 win team(VT). I'm pretty sure that's a NCAA record.

Again, not as impressive as one might think! A fact none the less!


Since these all are facts, I have to say, nice layout! However, I can see right through it and so can the AP poll, Coaches poll, and the BCS computers. ALL 3 had AU ranked #3. Now you might make an argument that the AP and Coaches poll are biased against AU (i don't believe that). You can't, i repeat, CAN'T make an argument that the BCS computer poll was biased against AU. They had AU ranked #3. So that shows why these "facts" are kinda bogus and misleading. THE SEC is not fooling anyone anymore. Why? There were 3 teams that finished with no losses from 3 BCS conferences. If USC or OU tripped up, AU is in the BCS Title game and the SEC would never been exposed. Until now, the SEC was never exposed and all my arguments over the off-season turned out to be TRUE! Why? Because all my arguments were based on "factual" data! Data people don't want to here or believe!

 

[ET4646]

sun...your last post is dead on...could not have said it better myself...if you think auburn didnt get screwed than you have trojan or sooner glasses on. what is the solution? i dont know, but i will tell you the only reason usc and ok are in the orange bowl is because they started the yr in the preseaon polls 1 and 2...CASE CLOSED. if you tell me otherwise that is horseshit. we didnt get a fair shot, we did everything we could have done this year and got fukked

Yes you got fukked now quit crying about it and go win your bowl game :clap:

 

[AU999]

Good points even though I disagree with you Scott. But in your response you give reason to move Auburn up (If there were another BCS poll). As I stated Auburn has the chance to have beaten 4 opponents with 10 wins (UT twice). For that to happen, those 3 opponents play the following teams...Iowa (9 wins), Texas A&M (7 wins), and Wisconsin (9 wins). If they all win out shouldn't Auburn move up? Not to mention we will have beaten the ACC champ. All of that would seem to help Auburn and the SEC's OOC schedule in the end.

Good Talk

 

[Sun Tzu]

Scott we can debate til the cows come home who is number one now, but NOBODY earns a PRE-season ranking. A team, in theory, can live up to it, but the ranking that comes in August hasnt been earned at all. It is pure conjecture, speculation, and for some voters hope. That's no different if the pre-season number one pans out, or it doesnt (see Gerry Faust).

 

[Scott4USC]

Sun Tzu

I agree nobody technically earns a pre-season ranking. However, you do earn a pre-season ranking based on what your program has accomplished and what players you have returning back. There is no doubt in everyone's mind that USC earned their pre-season #1, especially if Mike Williams was let back. In fact, I though OU deserved to be pre-season #1 and USC #2 because of how inexperienced USC was.

Taking out pre-season rankings does not fix the problem and I do not think it is necessary. If AU played a quality OOC schedule, I really think they would be playing in the Orange Bowl. They def. would have closed the gap in computers and they def. would have earned more poll votes. That is a fact! Would it have been enough? Nobody knows but I can tell you during the last month of the season or maybe full season, people could make a super strong argument for AU to pass USC or OU for #2 or #1 slot.

AU999

If the SEC does win out that will def. help AU's argument. However, I still don't think you can make enough of an argument to place AU ahead of USC or OU. You can make an argument of them being deserving. Thats it. BTW, USC already beat the ACC champ with 60k+ VT fans vs 15k USC fans.

 

[Sun Tzu]

Scott your argument would make sense except forthe facts. Nobody penalized Auburn in the human polls for their OOC schedule. They gained on OU every week, and tied them in one poll and got within 2 votes in another. Those were what, 2 months after the last OOC game? ThenBama beat their archrival on the road, not givingup a td until the last minute of the game while Ou whipped that powerhouse Baylor and the lead expanded. Per your cal logic it must have been a conspiracy.

The truth is, like it or not, if the first poll was October 10 Auburn would have been 1 or 2. They had beaten what was perceive as a good LSU team, had won in Knoxville, and USC had barely gotten by CAL while everyone said they were outplayed. And that was just a few weeks after the controversial call that turned the Va Tech game. If you think the polls would have looked the same if that was the first poll as they actually did you are either very clueless or jsut too blatantly partisan. I dont think it is the former. Alsoremember this is the time everyone was doubting OU's defense and their offense was sputtering.

At the beginning of the year you said USC was too young to win anything this year and how mcuh the loss of Williams would hurt. Yet you argue they earned a #1 pre-season ranking?

 

[Scott4USC]

Sun Tzu

At the beginning of the year you said USC was too young to win anything this year and how mcuh the loss of Williams would hurt. Yet you argue they earned a #1 pre-season ranking?

Not exactly. I did place a large futures wager at the beginning of the season on USC and then added to it 8 weeks into the season.

I did say USC was young (which they were/are) but I had faith in the USC coaching staff. Remember, my goal was for USC to just get to OB, not necessarily win it.

My pre-season rankings I had OU #1, USC #2, and at the end of the season rankings I have USC #1, OU #2. That is just my rankings.

I strongly believe if AU played a quality OOC schedule, they might be playing in the Orange Bowl and OU might be left out. Now what you said to back up your argument is valid. I just think if Auburn played a quality OOC schedule, there would have been MORE BUZZ about Auburn and AU would have passed OU after OU gave up 35pts back to back games AND barely won each game. The quality OOC would have already created the buzz ahead of time about putting AU at #2. I know for a fact AU would have improved in the computers and that is where OU really separated themselves from AU. AU might hve been able to pass OU like Texas passed CAL. Who knows. I do know if AU played a quality OOC schedule, they might be playing in the OB.

I also disagree with you about the voters not taking into account of AU's OOC schedule. I know at least 2 people who brought it up every week and that is Corse and Herbie. I think a lot of voters take their advice. Just my opinion.

If they had a new poll after 3-4 weeks, i do not think AU would have passed USC since USC beat V-Tech on the road to open the season. Plus USC was defending co-champs. I think AU might have passed OU since OU played every game at home to start the year for like 5-6 games. Then again, we might be over estimating the intelligence level of the voters or maybe underestimating the intelligence level. I don't know.

 

[tulah]

I look at it like this .

Last year (#1 in preseason polls)AU started the season with USC then @GaTech
And they lost both games by a combined score of 40-3.

This YR it started with UL Monroe & Miss St.
We all now how those 2 games turned out.

Basicly they had a 2 game preseason this YR in hopes not for a poor start like LY. That is why they aren't playing in the OB!!

All you PAC-10 haters look at the OOC Schedule the PAC-10. plays
compared to the SEC OOC schedule.
hands down the PAC-10 play better competition.


WAREAGLE
Why do you say UCLA is not a good team ?
Obviously you live outside of the PAC-10 region.
UCLA has a great rush attack , A good pass game
& great secondary. Certainly not a push-over by any means.


I think VaTech wins the Sugar Bowl.
I also beleive that if AU did play in the OB it would be a DD loss for them regardless of whom they'd play.

 

[soljah67]

Tulah I totally agree with you. I feel USC is gonna win. UCLA is gonna win. And Oregon State is gonna win. Virginia Tech has a shot at winning the Sugar Bowl, with a good defense and Randell at QB, they do have apretty good shot at making this a good game. I may play small on V Tech just for the hell of it, and because I feel it is going to be a very interesting game and defensive game.

 

[Scott4USC]

Good post tulah.

West coast never gets respect except for USC. If you are a player and want to play on the west coast and win the Heisman trophy, USC is only school. CAL running back Arrington not getting invited to the ceremony is BS. He had done everything better than Peterson and he had to split time at RB. Peterson gained a lot of his yards in garbage time early in the year. He also played same SOS as Peterson. Yet Peterson gets the hype and no love for Arrington. I do know playing against Arrington helps USC defense against Peterson. Both are awesome RB's but I really don't understand all the Peterson hype.

As for UCLA, they are an extremely talented offensive team. All over the place except their QB is average. The UCLA DL was their only weakness this year and against USC they have had a full year to gain experience and mature. + 3 weeks to prepare for USC and USC only having 1 week for UCLA. UCLA lost their 6 best defensive lineman from last year. BOAT LOAD OF PLAYERS TO REPLACE!

Like many say, the teams USC play seem to always suck and the teams that AU or OU play are always great. After USC beat V-Tech, numerous posters here were claiming V-Tech was at best the 5th, 6th, or 7th best team in the ACC. I laughed and said they are a very very good team. We all know why they said V-Tech sucked, cuz USC beat them.

I read people pimping AU's win over Tenn. but when ND beat TN @TN and USC blew out ND nobody says anything. Then AU struggles to beat TN 2nd time and AU should get more love! TN was supposedly one of AU's great wins this season. The same TN team who lost to ND and struggled badly to beat Vandy and Kentucky. But TN is a 9 win team, right?

As for OU's opponents, people claim how great teams OU has beat. Why are the Aggies and Cowboys so great? Dare I even question Texas? Everyone knows Texas can get
outcoached/outplayed by many. Plus the don't even have a passing attack. Bad sign for OU if Michigan beats Texas in Rose Bowl.

The best one of them all. OU is playing AWESOME now, clicking on all cylinders. That is why they will kick USC's A$$ because USC struggled against a "bad team" in UCLA. OU finished the season against CO, Nebraska, and Baylor. Did anyone think their was even a chance of a close game in any of those? Do any of those teams have an offense? Does anyone think finishing the season against those 3 teams actually "hurts" OU in preparation for USC? I DO! I think UCLA and ND would beat all 3 of those teams if they were played at the end of the season! USC played Arizona as their 3rd last game, and I think Arizona could compete with CO, Nebraska, and Baylor and I wouldn't be the least surprised if Arizona beat all 3. Stoops really had them playing well at th end of the year. He is gonna be a great coach like his bro!

I also believe that if AU did play in the OB it would be a DD loss for them regardless of whom they'd play.

I agree. I do not think AU has been tested all year by "anyone" to help them prepare for USC and OU. Name an offense AU faced that is close to being as potent as USC and OU? UGA? NO.

AU has faced defenses that are very good but how great are those defenses because I do not think the SEC is a great offensive conference. Has anyone picked up how great AU's offense has looked this year in the SEC? Isn't it funny that they hired an "ex" pac 10 OC who was basically run out of the Pac 10.

Doesn't mean AU couldn't compete or win, just means I give OU and USC the advantage over AU. It is quite easy to make a case for USC and OU to beat AU. Vegas would have had OU -1 over AU and USC -6, but that was prior to OU destroying their last 2 opponents.

Guess my rant is over! :142lmao:

 

[Sun Tzu]

UCLA, you know that team that was one questionable call from beating USC and went 6-5, got pounded at home by Oklahoma State. The team that finished 5th in the Big 12 SOUTH. While alot of the others things stated may be right or can be argued, please dont try and procalim UCLA as a good football team. And if they are, it doesnt bode well for USC against the team that finished First in the division.

And Scott you really showed your hypocrisy in the part about OU's finishing schedule. They played those 3 games AFTER Auburn tied them in the polls and then beat Bama and Tennessee. But you think it was Auburn's SOS that somehow caused voters to suddenly drop them and OU really deserved to be there ahead of them? Can you just pick a side of the fence and stick with it?

 

[Scott4USC]

Sun Tzu

UCLA played OSU 1st game of the year. UCLA lost all 4 starters from their great DL from last year AND their top 2 backups on the DL as well. They lost their top 6 players on the DL from last year. You expect UCLA to stop/beat OSU who has a great rushing attack with a great OL? I made money taking OSU in that game and that was my primary reason! If OSU played UCLA now, it would be a completely different game. Maybe UCLA still loses but no way OSU rushes for that many yards on the ground again. Not like the OSU defense shut down UCLA's offense either.

And Scott you really showed your hypocrisy in the part about OU's finishing schedule. They played those 3 games AFTER Auburn tied them in the polls and then beat Bama and Tennessee. But you think it was Auburn's SOS that somehow caused voters to suddenly drop them and OU really deserved to be there ahead of them? Can you just pick a side of the fence and stick with it?

Didn't AU creep up on OU after OU gave up 35pts back to back weeks and barely won? I do think AU's SOS played a part in them being ranked behind OU. Certainly plays a big part in "my" book! I can't speak for all voters. I also think OU dominating their last 3 opponents played a big part in OU seperating from AU. How is that playing both sides of the fence? I am calling it as I see it.