Questioning the Decision Makers
When the BCS changed their formula in deciding who plays for thenational championship, they put an added emphasis on the humanpolls. They made both the AP poll, which is chosen by mediamembers, and the coaches poll each worth 33 percent of the equationon how the two best teams in the nation would be chosen. An averageof four computer polls comprise the last third of the formula.
The BCS did this after the USC Trojans were left out of the BCSNational Championship game despite being ranked No. 1 in both humanpolls last season.
No one is questioning the intelligence of these two groups asthey both know football very well, but I am questioning how manyteams do these people actually watch and how willing are they tosay they made a mistake.
For a case study, let’s take three teams’ resumeswith their names blacked out and you guess which is ranked highest,which is only ranked in one poll, and for a bonus, the schoolsdepicted:
Team A: 2-0, defeated defending Big12 champ on the roadby 24, and beat a Pac-10 team on the road.
Team B: 1-1, opened with a 33-point win, lost to a teamcoming off a loss to the fifth best team in the Mountain West.
Team C: 2-0, returned every offensive starter from lastyear’s 9-4 team, beat the defending Cotton Bowl Champion,came home to win by 31 in home opener
Team B is the highest ranked (17th in both polls) and happens tobe named Michigan. They are coming off a loss to a Notre Dame teamthat got whipped on both sides of the ball in a loss to BYU theweek before.
Team A is Fresno St., the only Top 25 team with two road wins,and along with Miami are the only teams currently in the Top 25 whohave wins over Top 25 opponents. Despite these facts, the Bulldogsare ranked an average of 19.5 in the polls.
Memphis is Team C and they own a win at Mississippi, yet onlyappear in the AP poll.
How does this make sense, especially when so much is riding onthe polls this season? When just looking at the nameless profilesof Fresno St. and Memphis, they should be ranked higher then theWolverines, but they don’t have the history of Michigan, andthey were outside the polls to open the season.
For people that have actually seen Fresno St. play, theyknow how the Bulldogs dominate along both lines of scrimmage, haveplaymakers on defense like Richard Marshall, and attack people onoffense with quarterback Paul Pinegar.
That’s the rub. The people filling out the polls do notactually see these teams play because they are focusing on theirown opponent (coaches) or are covering a single game for the newsoutlet that writes their checks (media).
What ensues are teams that were supposed to be good, likeMichigan, staying in the polls because they were high in thepreseason poll. Now, Michigan might still have a good year, butwhat they have accomplished to date on the field does not merittheir current position ahead of Fresno St. or Memphis.
Also, how willing are the voters to admit when they are wrong,that the little guys might be better than the people theyoriginally voted for in the polls?
With so much riding on the polls this season isn’t it timethat the voters took their duty as seriously as the teams that itaffects?
It may turn out that Michigan may be much better then Fresno St.or Memphis, but if voters were doing their job correctly theselittle giants would be higher.
Non-BCS teams already know they most likely must go undefeatedto gain entrance to any of the four BCS bowls, at the least canthey get an even playing field to be in the national championshipif they run the table.
Upset Specials
#16 Iowa at Arizona St, 9 p.m. Saturday
The Hawkeyes and their swarming defense led by All-Big Ten DEMatt Roth travel to the Valley of the Sun to battle the Sun Devils.Iowa’s defense is solid but their offense has sputtered undersophomore quarterback Drew Tate.
The Sun Devils, who disappointed last season, have started 2-0with impressive wins against UTEP and Northwestern. Andrew Waltersleads the offense as he has thrown six touchdowns in two games.Walters is trying to become the ASU career leader in yardage andtouchdowns. He has to beat the records set by Jake Plummer.
The Sun Devils’ defense, led by Dale Robinson, who has 4.5tackles for loss this season, forces turnovers all night as ASUcatches Iowa looking ahead to their showdown at Michigan.
The Pick: Arizona St. 27-14
#20 Wisconsin at Arizona, 3 p.m. Saturday
Barry Alvarez takes his Badgers to Tucson, Ariz. to battle theMike Stoops’ led Wildcats in a game that may show how muchArizona has improved under the former Oklahoma defensivecoordinator.
The ‘Cats are coming off a 23-6 loss to Utah wherequarterback Kris Heavner went 19-of-25 for 244 yards against the15th ranked Utah Utes last week, but four turnovers by the Wildcatsended their upset bid.
The defense stopped the high-powered Utes for much of the nightand the Badgers don’t have the weapons that Utahpossesses.
Wisconsin scored only a single offensive touchdown last week asthe defense managed 11 points in the 18-3 win over UNLV. RB MikeBell runs for just enough yards against the nation’sseventh-ranked defense, and the Wildcats eliminate the turnovers toimprove their record to 2-16 against ranked teams since 2000.
The Pick: Arizona 17-12
Big Games
#5 LSU at #14 Auburn, 2:30 p.m. Saturday
The top running back combination in the nation welcomes thedefending National Champion Tigers in the SEC opener for LSU.
Cadillac Williams and Reggie Brown combined for 269 yards ononly 34 carries in Auburn’s victory at Mississippi St. lastSaturday. Auburn also got seriously improved play from quarterbackJason Campbell who had three touchdowns as the Tigers rolled43-14.
LSU got thoroughly outplayed by Oregon State, but found a way towin in week one and then came back impressively (but doesn’teverybody) against Arkansas St. The quarterback spot is still up inthe air with the Bayou faithful hoping that freshman JaMarcusRussell sees more time.
Tommy Tuberville’s defense takes advantage of LSU’syoung quarterbacks, and Auburn gets one big play from Campbellwhich is just enough to put Auburn in the thick of the NationalTitle race.
The Pick: Auburn 20-13
#21 Maryland at #7 West Virginia, 11 a.m. Saturday
It’s time for the Mountaineers to prove that they are forreal and it comes against the team that owns them in Maryland.
Quarterback Rasheed Marshall is coming off a five-touchdown day(one rushing) on 14-18 passing and 225 yards. This is the weekafter running back Kay-Jay Harris set the Big East record of 337yards rushing against East Carolina.
Maryland has beaten West Virginia four straight times includingtwo wins last year by a score of 75-14. The Terrapins defense isanchored by All-World sophomore linebacker D’Qwell Jackson.If the Harris’ hamstring holds up (he’s questionable)the Mountaineers have too many offensive weapons and their defensetakes advantage of Maryland’s inexperienced offense as theMountaineers defeat their nemesis.
The Pick: West Virginia 31-20
Season Record: 2-1 (Predicted Boise St. and Fresno St.upsets, a Chris Rix meltdown from perfect.)
Trent Redden is a junior finance and public policy major. Hecan be reached at [email protected].
