But shooting for #1:
Perhaps for the first time all season, the national championship race can be explained very simply.
If No. 1 Missouri (vs. Oklahoma) and No. 2 West Virginia (vs. Pittsburgh) both win on Saturday, they will play each other for the BCS title. If one of them loses, No. 3 Ohio State will slide into the national championship game. If Missouri and West Virginia both lose, a two-loss team will probably meet the Buckeyes in New Orleans for all the marbles.
It seems unlikely that West Virginia will lose at home against Pitt, but if it happens, choosing which two-loss team belongs in the national title game will be a difficult assignment for the voters.
No. 4 Georgia is the highest-ranked twice-beaten team in the standings this week, but that might change next week if it matters who’s atop the two-loss heap. Because the Bulldogs didn’t win their division of the SEC, it’s doubtful voters would put them into a BCS championship slot, especially if another two-loss team (LSU) emerges as the conference champion.
This will be the biggest Backyard Brawl in my memory- I might go grocery shopping on Friday and lock all the doors until Monday.
David
What happens if, as seems likely after the rest of this season, the entire top 10 loses?
Zifnab
*cough* play-offs *cough*
I almost don’t even know why they have a BSC Bowl – or why it conveys some sort of coveted “champion” status to the winner – when the bowl’s players can be chosen so arbitrarily.
That said, go… uh… West Virginianers.
Dave Ruddell
Chaos, my friend. Sweet, sweet, chaos!
Rudi
Don’t be so excited. What happened to number 2:
Boston College
USF
Oregon
USC
There are others, but this is just a partial list.
Can those Mountainboys hold on and avoid an upset?
Punchy
Nothing like losing to a slightly above-ave Illy team at home and riding the coattails of an inflated rep to generate an artificially high voter’s ranking to backdoor themselves into a game they have no bidnezz even being considered for…
And yes, OSU will somehow complain no matter what when this is all over no matter where they end up…
Buck
West Virginia will play Ohio State for all of the marbles.
And West Virginia will beat them senseless.
fester
John — after the pasting WVU put on UConn this weekend, I have no clue how you can see the Backyard Brawl as the biggest one ever. Pitt has next to no chance, or at least that is how this city is (not) reacting to to the news that WVU could be on their way to a national championship. It should be slaughter
PigInZen
My father’s a Pitt alum but I really don’t think that Pitt has a chance in this one. Both of us are hoping that a Big East team gets a shot at the national championship this year – and that team would be WVU.
I’m almost sorry to admit that I would be disappointed if Pitt beat WVU this weekend. I mean we have a shared dislike for WVU, being a conference rival and all but Ohio FREAKING State? Come on now, that’s like UMich or Notre Dame. We can’t have THAT happen, can we?
RSA
“Very simply.” The intelligence of sports fans is significantly underrated.
Mike W
How ’bout them ‘eers!
Jen
Football, ugh. ACC hoops please!
PaulW
If South Florida can beat Pitt, you can beat Pitt.
NO FEAR!
P.S. here’s hoping the Bulls sneak into the Orange Bow… whadda mean, UConn is in second?! NOOOOOOOOoooooo…
Punchy
Uh…there’s no chance Pitt beats WV. RichRod could put in Slaton’s hoes in the backfield and have them run for a c-note and change. Vegas says Dub-V by 4 touches; I say by 6. Unpossible for them to lose.
I’m actually intrigued by a poss WV/Missy matchup. One team just dominating in the run, the other in the pass. 5 wideouts vs. 2 backs and a QB/back. Night vs. day. Alba vs. Ugly. Republicans vs. smart.
caleb
Penn State Sucks.
Pitt Swallows.
GO ‘EERS!
Shinobi
I was in St. Louis over the weekend and you have never seen such a serious grudge match as the Mizzou v. KU game last Saturday. It was on every TV in the city (and possibly the state.)
Much like how I imagine the WVU v. OSU game would be. Except… y’know… further west.
fuddmain
If WVU and Missouri lose this weekend they should declare the national championship game null and void. Who would deserve to play for it at that point. Would be just as fair to pick two top ten teams at random and tell them to suit up.
Dug Jay
West Virginia University has a football team? Who knew?
Buck
Until there is a playoff system the national championship game will always be null and void in my opinion. Championships need to be decided on the field. Not on computers or in the minds of sportswriters.
Missouri will lose to Oklahoma. West Virginia won’t lose to Pitt.
So there you go. West Virginia plays Ohio State and walks away with all the marbles.
When do they play the BCS championship game this year? In the middle of February?
pharniel
Buck Says:
There’s not a chance in hell of that, because I never get what i want for my birthday.
Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop
The crazy thing about it is, it’s like that every year, even when both teams are (as they often are) 3-7. The bookstores in Lawrence are about 70% Jayhawk gear and 30% Mizzou Sucks gear, and in Columbia, Tiger Paws seemingly run half-and-half with KU Blows gear. Until I acquired friends from both schools and visited both campi, I had no idea these schools hated one another with the passion of a thousand burning suns.
Ellison, Ellensburg, Ellers, and Lambchop
Until they have a playoff, there is no legit national champion in NCAA football. Just a “mythical” one.
Punchy
As a KU grad, I can attest. All last week on the radio, they were begging students not to beat the shit out of each other (“National TV”….”don’t make us look bad”).
When the sports talk hosts feel obliged to spent 10-15 minutes not breaking down the game, but instead openly imploring (praying?) for no serious riots, you know these schools absolutely detest each other times a hundred.
I’m guessing the Sooners will have about 28,000 newly-minted fans this weekend (KU student pop.– approx 28,000).
AnonE.Mouse
OSU plays that game you’re imagining every year,Shinobi-against Michigan.
Tim F.
Biggest backyard brawl in memory? Yeesh. When you’re done with Pitt’s dignity, be a dear and have someone drive it back up I-79.
4jkb4ia
This whole season is evidence for a playoff. You have to ask how often there will be two undefeated teams for the national championship in the future.
That Mizzou could play for the NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP still seems absurd. I will happily take the Big 12 championship.
The Missouri-Kansas game is the highlight of the whole year, no matter how bad the two teams are. In the days of Norm Stewart and Roy Williams the rivalry was double in intensity.
Ohio State playing in the national championship game is not to be borne.
4jkb4ia
And Pitt does not have a prayer. But I said that about the Jets last week, too.
Blue Shark
David…
…Perhaps then… Somebody East of the Mississippi will Notice there is just one unbeaten team in the nation with a quarterback who now holds about a gazillion individual and team records in the NCAA.
…care to guess?…cuz you didn’t hear it on ESPN…Hawai`i Warriors.
Tax Analyst
Well, way too late on this thread, but congrats, John…looks like your WVU boys have made the grade this year…if the “#2 jinx” doesn’t smite them.