teke184

It's wishful thinking on everybody else's part. It's not happening. Last year, the Big East held it's own against the other conferences (the Big East's top ranked team was higher than the Big Ten's and the overall BCS score was higher than the SEC's). Like you said, WVU and Louisville should win out the regular seaon and finish in the top 15. USF can finish in the top 25 with a strong showing against WVU and a bowl win. Next year, it appears that Louisville and WVU are both capable of fielding Top 10 teams. Pitt could be Top 25 with some more consistency and a few breaks that they clearly didn't get this year. I would guess USF could reach the top 25 - i don't know their schedule or whom they will return. Admittedly, the Big East is aided by the expansion of the BCS to add one more game. The Big East won't get their bid pulled this soon. However... The BCS rules allow for a conference's automatic bid to be put under review if their champion's average BCS bid over X number of years falls below a certain place (Worse than 12th place over 5 years, I think). If so, that means that the clock is running on the Big East if they can't manage to get Louisville or WVU to win the Big East title every year. Miami and Virginia Tech's high BCS finishes as Big East champs (2 runner-up finishes and a BCS title) are currently balancing out last year's Pittsburgh disappointment. (Pitt came in at #19 or so in the final pre-bowl BCS Poll, IIRC) In about 2-3 years, a few bad Big East BCS bids could end up with the conference's automatic bid under review, but they may get saved if former Big East commissioner, and currently BCS commissioner, Mike Tranghese has anything to say about it.

What about Peyton Manning at Tennessee circa 1994? Peyton came in early in the season as Heath Shuler's understudy but, due to an injury to Shuler, was thrust into the starting role and never looked back.

LSU will be another highly-rated team, although their schedule is less advantageous next year (road games at Auburn, Florida, Tennessee) and they'll be missing some players. Their main losses, personnel-wise, will be along the O-Line and D-Line, as C Rudy Niswanger, LT Andrew Whitworth, TE David Jones, DT Claude Wroten, DT Kyle Williams, and DE Melvin Olliver are all graduating. Other losses include RB Joseph Addai, CB Ronnie Prude, and WR Bennie Brazell, but those are all from well-stocked positions (RB and WR) or are players who are notorious screwups (Prude caused at least two last-second LSU losses, in last season's games against Auburn and Iowa). The big things in their favor will be the stabilization of the coaching staff (they're still working out the kinks after hastily assembling this group after Saban's departure), the return of RB Alley Broussard from a knee injury, and the increased experience of QB JaMarcus Russell.

How many of these people here are USC fans... really? You know, if you think the Big XII doesn't get respect now (a dubious claim in itself) then how do you think the media will shit all over the conference if their third-straight representation in the national title game gets smoked. Fuck Texas, I hope they Mack Brown never sees a national championship. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> After how Mack Brown cried to get into the Rose Bowl last year (Shut up Dama, you know its true that he robbed Cal of its bid) I so hope that he gets KILLED at the Rose Bowl this year. Or better yet....Let them do a Job of massive proportions, next week and wind up in the Bowl where West Virginia is playing, so they can bitch all month how the Big East is beneath them, only to get their asses kicked by the Mounaineers. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Shit, I'd love it... LSU would end up in the Rose Bowl (provided that Florida and Georgia beat Florida State and Georgia Tech, respectively, then LSU wins the SEC Title Game over Georgia). While LSU is a tough sell for the title game this year to most people, such as the BCS computer poll analysts, I'd love it just to see the elusive LSU-USC game we've been wanting to see since the split title in 2003.

You'd think the coaches would have noticed the problems when the snapcount was "Roofies on three"...

Kotz, take a serious chill-pill. It's ONE bad season as of now and part of it is due to out-of-conference scheduling and bad breaks due to injury. If they're bad next season, it could just be something that can't be turned around in the short-term via recruiting. If the slump hits 3 or more years, he's fair game. Just be careful what you wish for. LSU tried this with long-time coach Cholly Mac (Charles McLendon) back in 1979 and had a turbulent 20 years before Nick Saban made them a consistent winner again.

Barring a miracle turnover, this one is done.

Hell of a punt return by Fresno... Barring a flag, they've returned to the USC 30.

TD Fresno. 34-27, about to be 34-28.

USC is only up by 6... it is NOT over yet. If USC puts up another 14, it's over.

Spurrier is being talked up because of the vast number of players who quit after last season. Personally, I'd go with Les Miles for all the shit he's dealt with and he's still got LSU on the verge of a Rose Bowl berth.

That's right... forgot that Florida and Spurrier aren't the same thing anymore.

Welcome to my world. Out of a 12 team league, the SEC only has 5 bowl-eligible teams, although that includes #4 LSU as well as Top 15 teams Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn. (Florida is in the 20s, IIRC) They're short because Kentucky beat Vandy last week then Vandy beat Tennessee this week. If Vandy had won last week, this week's Vandy-Tennessee game would have produced a bowl team.

FG USC with seconds left in the 2nd quarter. Fresno will get a kick return but the half will likely end 21-13.

Will that last bowl be the Ex-Lax Toilet Bowl?

The current BCS has them at 17, which is based on a miniscule computer rating (.080 of Texas' total) and two middling poll ratings (16th in each, .350 and .359 of max votes). A move to about 10th in the polls would boost their two poll totals to about .600 each. Their computer rankings would be the biggest move, as they've got about squat there right now.

Does Fresno just have to bust the Top 12 of the BCS to guarantee a bid?

FG USC. Score is now 14-10 Fresno.

Texas moves to the #1 spot in the BCS and polls. LSU and Penn State likely move to the 2 and 3 spots in the poll (LSU stays ahead of Penn based on previous prescident on voting) The remaining team in the Rose Bowl is completely up in the air, as it would depend on the breakdown of the poll voting and the computers. Considering that the computers hate LSU, it works in Penn State's favor.

BCS Bowl Bid update- ACC: Winner of Florida State vs. Virginia Tech (Most likely V-Tech) Big East: West Virginia (projected) Big Ten: Penn State (clinched) Big Twelve: Winner of Texas vs. Iowa State or Colorado (Most likely Texas) Pac Ten: USC (projected) SEC: Winner of Georgia vs. LSU or Auburn (Most likely LSU, IMHO) Possible At Large bid teams: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Miami, Auburn, Oregon

Who'll be the first 'Cane to yell about how they're "A fucking soldier" this year?

This just in from Yogi Berra: "It's over."

I think it means that V-Tech is in a position to go to the ACC title game. If they beat North Carolina in their last game, they win their divsion.

INTERCEPTED ON THE 5!!!!! GT WINS!!!!!

Update: Miami has moved the ball deep into GT territory with 1:46 left. *crosses fingers and hopes for a turnover*