College Football: This week

[Imran Siddiqui]

They said there was a very slim chance of Michigan passing them (ie, close to 0). There is also probably a similar chance of Cal passing Auburn (which are seperated by 0.08 in the BCS numbers.. similar to the difference between Utah and Michigan) . We ALL know, however, that Cal will not pass Auburn unless Auburn loses to Tennessee.

And it doesn't matter if Michigan beating Ohio State would have made more of a difference than Utah beating BYU. Utah was firmly entrenched as 6th in the BCS. As long as they didn't lose, they would have been in.

It's kind of like when teams in baseball aren't "mathamatically eliminated" until a certain time but for weeks before that everyone knew they were out of the postseason. Like ESPN said, all the Michigan loss really does is make Utah more of a lock for the BCS. With a Michigan win, they'd still be a lock, just a closer one .

[Tuberski]

Hell, why am I arguing?

Utes go to a BCS Bowl!!!!

All that matters!

ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

That's better... no 'because' except that they took care of business!

[Solomwi]

Tuberski, from one 11-0 to another... CONGRATULATIONS!

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Solomwi
Tuberski, from one 11-0 to another... CONGRATULATIONS!

Wonder what bowl an 11-1 Auburn team will go to?

[Guynemer]

Right it down, take it to the bank, bet the family fortune:

Utah will defeat whomever they play in the BCS.

Be it Oklahoma, Auburn, USC, California, Michigan, Miami, or Boston College. Or, heaven help us, if some other team pulls the upset in the Big 12 or SEC championship games.

I'm not saying they are the best overall team. But none of those teams has a defense that can match up against the Utes.

It's like 2002: I said over and over again on this board that Miami was the superior team, but the Buckeyes would win because their strengths matched up against Miami's weaknesses.

I think USC and Oklahoma would have the best chance of beating Utah, as they are the only teams that have an offense capable of keeping stride with Utah. USC more so, as the Sooner defense is too sieve-like.

But, in the end, I'd put my money on Utah. Not to cover the spread--but to win.

Utah will finish 12-0, and won't be able to claim a share of the national championship. We need a playoff. NOW.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Guynemer
We need a playoff. NOW.

[Guynemer]

Here is the best possible BCS scenario:

Orange: USC-Auburn. BCS #1 vs. BCS #2.
Fiesta: Oklahoma-Utah. The other two major undefeated teams meet. (Boise State? Whah? Can't hear you, la la la la.)
Rose: Cal-Michigan. Pac-10 vs. Big-10, as God intended.
Sugar: Miami-Boston College. A rivalry game to wrap it all up.

However, this is contigent on Auburn passing Oklahoma in the BCS. Possible, but not super likely.

If Oklahoma finishes #2, we'll probably end up with Utah-BC and Auburn-Miami. Snooze city. My confidence in the ability of bowl selection committees doing something altruistic and for the public good (matching up Auburn and Utah) is somewhat lacking.

[Solomwi]

Originally posted by PLATO


Wonder what bowl an 11-1 Auburn team will go to?

"You may say I'm a dreamer..."

On a serious note, what's the prognosis for having either Ainge or Schaeffer back by Atlanta?

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Solomwi


"You may say I'm a dreamer..."

On a serious note, what's the prognosis for having either Ainge or Schaeffer back by Atlanta?

It looks as if Schaeffer will be available. He is expected to return to practice the week before the game. Weather or not he is 100% will be the question. Clausen is still looking like the guy right now, but we'll see. Ainge is an interesting case. Noone seems to really be talking about his injury. I have heard some rumours that it may be much more serious than we have heard (i.e. career threatening). I hope these are just the doom and gloom crowd.

Auburn looks very healthy and will have two weeks to prepare. Tennessee had a badly needed off week last week, but has Kentucky yet to go before beginning prep for the Tigers. On paper, it looks like an Auburn blowout, but I am betting it will be much closer than the first game.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by PLATO

Well, we still have the 3rd Annual Guynemer's Gamecube NCAA Football Championship Tournament!

Reminder: our philosophy is that to be the best in the country, you must at least be the best in your conference. And we offer one wild card just in case an independant team is really good.

By winning their conference, having at least 9 wins against Div. I-A teams, and no more than two losses, the following teams have already accepted their bid into the GGNCAAFCT:

Pac 10: USC
MWC: Utah
WAC: Boise State
Big Ten: Michigan

Still up in the air:

Big 12: Oklahoma is in with a conference championship. If they lose, no bid for the conference champion, and Oklahoma has to hope for the single wild card berth.

ACC: Miami or Virginia Tech or Virginia could all meet requirements; and if Virginia beats VT, and VT beats Miami, then no ACC team will get an invite. Serves 'em right, conference poaching bastards.

Big East: Only Boston College could qualify--they beat Syracuse, they are in.

Conference USA: Louisville is in with a victory in one of their remaining two games.

SEC: The winner of the conference championship game is in, be it Auburn, Georgia, or Tennessee.

MAC: No eligible teams.

Sun Belt: No eligible teams.

Independants: No eligible teams.

That leaves the Wild Card: take all the teams that have at least 9 wins against Div I-A and no more than two losses--the Elite. Conference champs are in. Out of the rest of the Elite, one team gets the wild card--the team that has the most victories against the Elite.

Way too many possibilities to sort through here. What we do already know:

Iowa is in the clubhouse with one Elite victory. Which means that Texas and Wisconsin are hosed.

How things play out with the ACC and SEC messes will have much bearing on the wild card; a 9-win Arizona State also makes things interesting. But I'm fairly certain that Auburn is in regardless of what happens, as they appear to have a lock on the wild card if they lose the SEC.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Guynemer

SEC: The winner of the conference championship game is in, be it Auburn, Georgia, or Tennessee.

The SEC championship game is set. It will be Auburn vs. Tennessee. Georgia is out, even if Tennessee looses to Kentucky, then they still go. They own the tie breaker with Georgia.

[Solomwi]

Originally posted by PLATO


It looks as if Schaeffer will be available. He is expected to return to practice the week before the game. Weather or not he is 100% will be the question. Clausen is still looking like the guy right now, but we'll see. Ainge is an interesting case. Noone seems to really be talking about his injury. I have heard some rumours that it may be much more serious than we have heard (i.e. career threatening). I hope these are just the doom and gloom crowd.

Auburn looks very healthy and will have two weeks to prepare. Tennessee had a badly needed off week last week, but has Kentucky yet to go before beginning prep for the Tigers. On paper, it looks like an Auburn blowout, but I am betting it will be much closer than the first game.

Honestly, I think you're right. Everything clicked for us in Knoxville, and a big part of it was Rosegreen picking up on a big tipoff from Ainge via his eyes. It may be like our 2000 rematch with Florida, where we narrowed it to 28-6 from 38-7 in the regular season, which is what I'm hoping for, or it may be closer than that, but I agree it won't be as bad as the first go-round.

I haven't heard what the nicks and bruises from Alabama are, but our only two injuries that concern me are OLB Antarrious Williams and C Jeremy Ingle. Williams didn't play yesterday, but Ingle did, albeit not at 100%.

[Guynemer]

Originally posted by PLATO


The SEC championship game is set. It will be Auburn vs. Tennessee. Georgia is out, even if Tennessee looses to Kentucky, then they still go. They own the tie breaker with Georgia.

You are right of course.

That means if Tennessee loses to Kentucky and then beats Auburn, there is no automatic bid for the SEC.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Guynemer


You are right of course.

That means if Tennessee loses to Kentucky and then beats Auburn, there is no automatic bid for the SEC.

Hmmm. Even if UT looses to Kentucky and then beats Auburn they will be a 9 win team. Why wouldn't they get the automatic bid?


Edit: Oh I got it. The two loss rule. Okay.