Gerry's Top 25 and BCS Projections: Week 14
Posted by Gerry Meskill
The 2005-06 bowl picture is starting to clear up. Southern Cal, Penn State, and West Virginia have all clinched BCS berths. Notre Dame is a near lock as well. Texas vs. Colorado, Virginia Tech vs. Florida State, and LSU vs. Georgia will produce three more BCS teams. Spot number eight will come down to Ohio State or Oregon, both of whose regular seasons are over. In short, the BCS will be riddled in controversy once more.
THE TOP TEN
1. Southern Cal (11-0) - The UCLA Bruins will have lots of fans this weekend in places like Baton Rouge, State College ... well I'm sure lots of other places, too.
2. Texas (11-0) - Anybody who watched the Nebraska-Colorado game this weekend should be rooting for a Texas blowout in the Big XII championship game. Just in case anyone forgot, the Colorado faithful reminded everyone what thugs they are.
3. LSU (10-1) - Can a weekend go by without LSU almost losing? Okay, besides that Tennessee thing.
4. Penn State (10-1) - The Big Ten champions await assignment.
5. Notre Dame (9-2) - Notre Dame's special teams were terrible on Saturday, and Brady Quinn threw two senseless interceptions. However, the Irish offensive juggernaut rolled once again, this time right into the BCS.
6. Auburn (9-2) - It's too bad Auburn can't play Oregon in a pseudo-BCS game. No matter what system you come up with, some teams will have legitimate gripes.
7. Virginia Tech (10-1) - The Hokies need only beat Florida State to win the ACC for the second consecutive year. And why not? Everybody else has been beating the Seminoles.
8. Ohio State (9-2) - The Buckeyes deserve a BCS bid, but their fans don't. There should be a rule. If your fans make the news for defecating in a cooler, you don't get a BCS bid.
9. Miami-FL (9-2) - Between the way Larry Coker is talking and the Hurricanes are playing, you get the impression this team doesn't really care anymore.
10. UCLA (9-1) - A win over the hated Trojans would make this a magical season for the Bruins, even if the BCS snubs them.
THE REST
11. Oregon (10-1)
12. Georgia (9-2)
13. TCU (10-1)
14. Texas Tech (10-1)
15. Florida (8-3)
16. West Virginia (9-1)
17. Louisville (8-2)
18. Wisconsin (9-3)
19. Alabama (9-2)
20. Central Florida (8-3)
21. Clemson (7-4)
22. Boston College (8-3)
23. Michigan (7-4)
24. Fresno State (8-3)
25. Georgia Tech (7-4)
BCS Projections
Rose Bowl: Southern Cal vs. Texas
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. West Virginia
Comments
Where do you think Oregon will play? Bummer Notre Dame will take their spot.
Posted by: joseph santos-lyons | November 28, 2005 10:25 AM
Oregon may well end up at the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. Ohio State has been in Tempe two of the past three years. That's why I don't see them going again. If the Orange Bowl chooses Penn State over Ohio State, I think the Ducks will get the nod over the Buckeyes. If not, I'd suspect the Ducks wind up in the Holiday Bowl.
I'd just like to comment on the second part of your statement. It is unfortunate that every year it seems like someone gets screwed by the BCS. However, everyone is making ND out to be the villain this year. ND, Ohio State, and Oregon are all among the BCS elite, and have all had fine seasons. The conference buy-in system guarantees a mediocre team from the Big East (West Virginia this year) to receive a reward that will be denied one of these teams. Hopefully the expansion to five games will alleviate this injustice (it won't), but the villain this year should be West Virginia, not Notre Dame.
Posted by: Gerry | November 28, 2005 01:49 PM