Mephistopheles

If your definition of mediocrity is south carolina and kentucky, then that makes Illinois, Okie State and just about all the teams ranked 25-40 mediocre.

Who deserves that spot over Mizzou if they were to win out? They'd have a Top 10 win, be 3-1 or 4-1 against Top 30 teams, and the best loss of any 1 loss team(save maybe Arizona St.) I'd was debating the Kansas as a top ten team as well. They'd be 0-0 against top tens teams and 3-1 against top 30 teams (OU, Illinois, Kansas). I am not so sure a 1 loss Big XII team is more impressive than a 2 loss SEC or Pac 10 team.

The 2001 Cornhuskers for example. :lol: and Oklahoma a few seasons later? I SENSE A BIG XII PATTERN

Unfortunately if you accept that the number two team is not the number two team, the system does fail.

not necessarily

no they dont

This is true, but who has the speed to match up with them? The Big XII's overrated trio = not so much. Ohio State? Not after last season's NC. WVU? They could put points on the board against LSU, not so sure they can stop them. Honestly, there are pretty much 2 universities that have enough speed to match up against LSU: USC and Florida. Those schools have the best chance to knock off LSU. Unfortunately, neither of the teams have a realistic scenario of facing them. Of the teams with a legitimate chance of facing LSU, WVU probably matches up the best, though I think LSU would score pretty easily on them. LSU isn't invincible, but I don't think the 1 loss teams match up that well against them. Their only loss in the best conference was a flukish triple overtime loss on the road to Kentucky. Id like to know what last years Ohio States team has to do with this years? Um last years' was significantly better and got drilled by the SEC champion who had tremendous speed on defense and offense just like this years likely SEC champion?

Not a likely scenario. 1. LSU has to lose to one of two teams (teams that UF is better than so they can beat teams that good) 2. LSU then has to get an at large BCS berth, which is likely, unless they lose to Arkansas and beat UGA 3. USC has to get a BCS at large berth, but not win the Pac 10. If they win the Pac 10... 4. OSU has to get in the NC 5. USC and LSU gets BCS berths and then with conference tie-ins they have to hope that WVU gets into the NC versus a Big 12 team...and the other big 12 teams dont get berths 6. Fiesta Bowl picks both LSU and USC. Plus a bunch of other things involving Hawaii and such. Possible? Yes...likely? No. now way they play in a non-BCS game? I don't believe the SEC has a tie in with a bowl that also has a tie in with the Pac 10. They have them with the BE, BXII, BT and ACC.

This is true, but who has the speed to match up with them? The Big XII's overrated trio = not so much. Ohio State? Not after last season's NC. WVU? They could put points on the board against LSU, not so sure they can stop them. Honestly, there are pretty much 2 universities that have enough speed to match up against LSU: USC and Florida. Those schools have the best chance to knock off LSU. Unfortunately, neither of the teams have a realistic scenario of facing them. Of the teams with a legitimate chance of facing LSU, WVU probably matches up the best, though I think LSU would score pretty easily on them. LSU isn't invincible, but I don't think the 1 loss teams match up that well against them. Their only loss in the best conference was a flukish triple overtime loss on the road to Kentucky. You're right, but I'd sure like to see the WVU-LSU matchup. That would be an entertaining game, and all the Mountaineers would have to do is keep the game close enough for Les Miles to do something stupid. At the very least it would be fun to watch, with both teams at or above 35 points. Two teams have scored 30 on LSU this season. WVU and UF's offense are fairly similar with UF's being more dynamic over the course of the season. Florida out up 24, albeit with a complacent offense the second half. My pick: 38-27 if that match up is there. If they face Kansas: 42-21. If they face Mizzouri: 42-24. If they face OSU: 35-7. OSU looked like crap today.

Not a likely scenario. 1. LSU has to lose to one of two teams (teams that UF is better than so they can beat teams that good) 2. LSU then has to get an at large BCS berth, which is likely, unless they lose to Arkansas and beat UGA 3. USC has to get a BCS at large berth, but not win the Pac 10. If they win the Pac 10... 4. OSU has to get in the NC 5. USC and LSU gets BCS berths and then with conference tie-ins they have to hope that WVU gets into the NC versus a Big 12 team...and the other big 12 teams dont get berths 6. Fiesta Bowl picks both LSU and USC. Plus a bunch of other things involving Hawaii and such. Possible? Yes...likely? No.

Watch what you say: There are some people here who feel Vandy is a cupcake and it was an embarrassment for the SEC that UT almost lost to them. I didn't say they were hard to pick, heh.

Good call, Mephistopheles. 3 for 3. Mizzou was up by 24 before they gave up a garbage time score. It lived up to mismatch status. Meh I said it would be a 14 point game. It was what? 17? CLOSE ENOUGH.

This is true, but who has the speed to match up with them? The Big XII's overrated trio = not so much. Ohio State? Not after last season's NC. WVU? They could put points on the board against LSU, not so sure they can stop them. Honestly, there are pretty much 2 universities that have enough speed to match up against LSU: USC and Florida. Those schools have the best chance to knock off LSU. Unfortunately, neither of the teams have a realistic scenario of facing them. Of the teams with a legitimate chance of facing LSU, WVU probably matches up the best, though I think LSU would score pretty easily on them. LSU isn't invincible, but I don't think the 1 loss teams match up that well against them. Their only loss in the best conference was a flukish triple overtime loss on the road to Kentucky.

Good call, Mephistopheles. 3 for 3.

Good call. This one ended quickly.

Good. Now we need OU to win out and win the Big XII. alabama lost to UL-Monroe and tennessee barely beat vandy at home... looks like the sec sucks sweet fake FG by that tricky JoePa... PSU up 24-7 over moo FLorida rules blah blah blah blah, Lil ten sucks blah blah blah Tim Tebow blah blah blah, bunch of numbers I made up, blah blah blah. Mature response. Coming from you? HA Why is Keener allowed to insult me personally in every thread and never get reprimanded? I'd be banned by now if I said anything remotely close to what he says.

statistically speaking this isn't really true...

No one said it was perfect. Obviously all close games do not show the same thing, but how many close games are blowouts that turned close late? Not a large portion. If games are close the entire time, then winning or losing by a couple of points isn't really that important. Why? You said it yourself, 1 play or 2 plays decided the game. Yes, it may penalize teams who got back in late against scrubs, but generally they get back in and become down by 2 TDs, not five points. The ones who get back by five points are few and far between, and we really should reward them for coming back a bit...

For one season, probably. But given the fact it was the same story last season at the end of the bowl season (where sufficient cross games exist) we can at least believe the SEC is top overall for now. oh i know and don't care...

not really....im not advocating giving out championships based on scores when you can play the games. im advocating using them to produce the top two teams to play for the NC and then let the winner win.

Sorry, I can't follow you there. There's something to be said for the relativity between bad wins and good losses, but you can't weight them equally like that, it's the fundamental purpose of the sport. sure you can. we're talking about predicting who is better. in terms of future performance, theyre identical. This may sound crazy, but why are we talking about predicting future performance? Ranking the teams should be a reflection of what has happened, not what the percentages are moving forward. we're asking which teams is better. Which is more important? what theyve done or how good they are? answer: how good they are Now you're just playing with words. What's more important in determining team strength, what might happen, or what actually has happened? what might happen because it pretty much uses what has actually happened as a basis...we're talking about looking at what has happened, and then saying what things in the past point towards success in the future. in reality beating a team by 1 point is roughly equivalent to losing to the same team by 1. that's the ultimate idea.

Sorry, I can't follow you there. There's something to be said for the relativity between bad wins and good losses, but you can't weight them equally like that, it's the fundamental purpose of the sport. sure you can. we're talking about predicting who is better. in terms of future performance, theyre identical. This may sound crazy, but why are we talking about predicting future performance? Ranking the teams should be a reflection of what has happened, not what the percentages are moving forward. we're asking which teams is better. Which is more important? what theyve done or how good they are? answer: how good they are

Sorry, I can't follow you there. There's something to be said for the relativity between bad wins and good losses, but you can't weight them equally like that, it's the fundamental purpose of the sport. sure you can. we're talking about predicting who is better. in terms of future performance, theyre identical.

There you guys go again treating the world as wins and losses. The dumb politically correct bcs has messed you guys up. Is a 4 point win at home against Penn State more impressive than a loss by 1 point to Tennessee on the road? Not really....theyre roughly equivalent...so MSUs resume didnt jump significantly today

They'll be in a bowl game with Vandy sitting at home because they have a winning record and Vandy doesn't. The case I made is inarguable. You stated the two teams are the same. Mich State will be bowling, Vandy won't. Mich State has 7 wins, Vandy 5. That makes them clearly not the same, and that's the end of the story. You know what I think? You didn't realize Michigan State has 7 wins. You assumed they had around 5 wins because you really don't pay attention to much outside the SEC. Don't insult my intelligence. We both know my pinky's smarter than most. I knew they had seven wins. My lord. I don't just pay attention to the SEC. I bet you didn't know Vanderbilt beat South Carolina until I mentioned that. You probably thought they had 3 wins because you really don't pay attention too much outside the Big Ten. The fact that they'll be bowling does not make them a better team. If they have an easier schedule and the teams are the same wouldn't the logical conclusion be that MSU has a better record? Wins and losses are a poor way to compare teams. You know this.