The Beavers' pain is Pete's joyThe early end to the regular season looks to be benefiting the Buckeyes yet again as the natural flow of upsets floats the team higher into prime bowl contention. Of course, the flip side is the rust-accumulating 50 day layoff, but as instant gratification nation, we like. WE LIKE.
The Civil War quickly became the War Against Tackling (seven senior starters on defense -- just sayin'), USC took care of Notre Dame and groupthink now has Ohio State in very good position to earn their 6th BCS bid in the last seven years1.
While the dicing of the Beavers is the key instrument in the boost, the Buckeyes also witnessed losses by the three teams ranked directly behind them in the BCS: Georgia (11), Oklahoma State (12) and Missouri (13). That never hurts.
This is what we know:
- Penn State, USC, Florida, Cincinnati, Oklahoma (most likely) and BC/VT get automatic bids for winning their conference championships.
- Utah gets the automatic bid over Boise State. The Broncos will not get an at-large bid.
- The SEC and the Big 12 will land two teams each.
- Ohioans enjoy leaving Ohio in January and those that don't or can't love them some television.
We speculated that Ohio State could be Arizona-bound again last week and here's why:
- Oklahoma leaps Texas in the BCS, beats Mizzou in the Big 12 championship game and meets Florida or Alabama in the MNC.
- Penn State and USC are in the Rose Bowl. Penn State, behold the fury that is Big Game USC.
- BC/VT is locked into the Orange bowl and with the last at-large pick, most likely playing Cincinnati. Nationally, that's a pretty shitty game, but the folks in Miami will at least get the big one a few days later.
- The Fiesta and Sugar bowls will both get replacement picks for losing their host teams (from the Big 12 and SEC respectively). Both are expected to take solid seconds from their host conferences, the Fiesta going with Texas and the Sugar going with loser of the SEC championship game.
- The order for the open selection is then: Fiesta, Sugar and, finally, the Orange Bowl. The Fiesta grabs the Buckeyes, the Sugar invites Utah (the thought of thousands of Mormons on Bourbon Street has me gripped) and then the Orange is obligated to pickup Big East champion Cincinnati.
Of course there's still some football to be played. A Missouri win in the Big 12 championship game, which is not out of the questions if the history of that game is any indication, would throw a bit of a wrench into things, but if anything that would only help Ohio State's position. It's not like the Big 12 can place three teams into the BCS, after all.
How will fans feel about yet another trip out to to the Phoenix area? The Buckeyes are 3-0 in the Fiesta bowl, but the last time the team played a January game in the 480, things didn't exactly work out. And by not work out, I mean 82 yards of total offense.
But how fitting would it be for this senior class to get one more crack at Texas, the team that factored so heavily into their national championship aspirations when they were freshmen and sophomores.
1 As crazy as six BCS bids in seven years sounds, USC is one stomping of UCLA away from earning their 7th-straight.
Comments
And to thing that Oregon State was headed to the Rose Bowl? Oklahoma wins a 61-41 defensive struggle? How about some tackling on occassion? Sorry, but the nation's love affair with the Big 12 needs to end now. Texas Tech barely squeezes by BAYLOR?? How about dropping them a few slots down like they did when we played Ohio U. before SC? Undefeated Boise and Ball St. out?
This BCS thing is a joke. Bring on the 16 team playoff
I think the Fiesta would take Utah before Ohio State. The Sugar bowl would probably do some dealing with the Fiesta to not take Ohio State since Utah would be more likely to travel to AZ then Louisiana.
Why is everyone counting PSU out? They do have a great coach when it comes to bowl games. PSU is going to send Joe Pa out with a win...
I wouldn't count PSU out, but they better bring their A game to Pasadena. USC plays well in the big ones and they own the Rose Bowl in the last 5 years.
Can anyone break down the actual bowl selection process? I thought that the Sugar and Fiesta would pick the first two at-large since their conference tie-ins are likely playing in the MNC game.
I find it interesting you think the buckeyes on on their way back to Arizona. Collegefootballnews.com Oklahoma will go to the National Championship, but thinks that the Utes will go to the Fiesta because it is closer to home and they do have a history there (2004). They also believe that Texas will then leave for AZ as a representative for the Big 12. This leaves the Sugar and Orange. The Orange has to take the ACC champ and will probably be left to grab Cincy which means the Sugar besides the Orange has the other option of at-large bids. Alabama or Florida will be there, leaving the at-large. The Sugar Bowl will not want Cincinnati and probably won't take Utah considering they took Hawaii last year and we all know how that turned out. Which would allow them to take the buckeyes. Now doesn't that sound a tad bit more interesting than us going back to the Fiesta?? Plus we could play a bona fide SEC team in Lousiana. Who knows unlike the past two years we didn't win the Big Ten title outright, notice last year, 2006 and 1984, we did and lost our bowl games. Just sayin' who wouldn't want to see us take a chance against a decent SEC team and possibly win???
Hey, congrats on the BCS bid, Bucks. That means Iowa will probably get the Outback Bowl, and Iowa always does well against the SEC. Who knows about Michigan State, though. But as bad as Georgia's run D looked yesterday...
As much as I hate your guts, Go Buckeyes! It's time to win the conference a little respect.
adf, i think the Big Ten 3rd is going to the Cap One now? Prolly vs. South Carolina. And thanks for beating PSU.
Given the history the Fiesta has picking Ohio St. thats a good bet, although they hosted the greatest farce of a game when Boise beat Okla., they may want the Utah/Okla. matchup for another upset.(Utah will beat Okla.)
You get Okla. away from Homa and they're just another team.
Florida is gonna blow Bama out.
That leaves us to finish the job of stomping out whats left of the Tide. Go Bucks!!!!
USC 44- PSU 14
I can't understand why anyone would want to vote Oklahoma into the BCS title game when they've done nothing but flop on the BCS stage since 2003!
We lose two consecutive title games and we're suddenly black-listed - yet we've won 3 other BCS games, but people are fine with OU. I don't get it.
I'm sick of all the 'style points' talk. What about these voters looking at which team is the most solid on both sides of the ball?! From the Big 12 South that would have to be Texas.
No question about it. Texas is the best right now. OK has put up a ton of points, but who hasn't in the Big 12? The Oregon St-Oregon game was just a track meet...No "D" at all.
Heard a blurb on 610 this A.M. of a couple Cin. Bearcats saying they are the big brothers in Ohio now and want a piece of the Bucks.
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...bearcats...i just saw their schedule and besides the weakness of it...the 40-16 loss to UCONN really just places the buckeyes' "nuts" on the chin of the bearcats...don't get ahead of yourselves fellas...it'll never happen
Heard the Bearcats talkin shit too. When exactly did anyone from Ohio State ever refer to Cincy as "little brother"? They are more like the distant cousin that you only see every few years when you decide to actually go to your family reunion.
Attention Gene Smith: PLEASE get Cincy on our schedule soon!
Anon, you could be right and the Buckeyes could be headed back to New Orleans. The Fiesta is only my hunch.
Ohio State travels to legendary Paul Brown Stadium in 2012 to take on the Bearcats
Get Cincy on the schedule the next available date... what the hell have they ever done in football???? Win the big least?? Big Freakin deal!!!
iball,
I think the Rose Bowl will be closer than that. I'm thinking USC by 8 in a surprisingly low scoring game. Old Man Paterno always does well in bowl games, though. I'll be cheering for him.
adf, USC in big games is a different animal. I'll be rooting for PSU, but keep your chinstraps tightened.
oklahoma - florida
alabama - cincinnati
penn st - usc
texas - utah
lame acc - ohio st
"It’s not like the Big 12 can place three teams into the BCS, after all."
Actually, the Big 12 could have technically placed 3 teams in the BCS, but it almost certainly can no longer happen. Doctor Saturday talked about that a couple weeks ago. If Mizzou wins the Big 12 title game, they go to the Fiesta Bowl. And then if two of the triumvirate of Texas/Texas Tech/Oklahoma would have managed to end up 1-2 in the final BCS poll, which would be possible if Mizzou narrowly beat the Big 12 south game and the SEC teams stunk it up against each other, then two Big 12 teams in the title game and Mizzou in the Fiesta. The limit of two teams per conference in the BCS bowl game rule does not apply when the two teams are ranked 1-2 in the final poll and the conference champ is not one of those two teams. But again, that is no longer possible. But theoretically was at one time.
Go Buckeyes, Beat the (INSERT BIG 12 TEAM HERE).
And I'm still sick of this BCS buster bullshit. Boise State and Utah played nobodies. Oklahoma really screwed the pooch by reinvigorating that discussion with their historic loss. Anyone want to watch a game like Georgia-Hawaii last year, again? Speaking of undefeateds that don't deserve the trip to the BCS, where is Ball State in that discussion, anyway?
And lest we forget:
Ohio State – Michigan 42-7
Utah – Michigan 25-23
So I was watching ND-USC and I got to thinking that ND has had some pretty good recruiting classes, etc, etc, but HOLY SHIT, USC's players are physically larger than other teams. It seriously looks like Varsit vs JV. I didn't see the difference as much as in the Ohio State - USC, but it was there.
"Boise State and Utah played nobodies."
Matt - take another look. Boise beat Oregon at Oregon. That looks like a better win than anything Ohio State had. I'm not a Boise fan, but I'd rather see them in the BCS because of the intrigue factor and just the fact that they are fun to watch. I'd watch Boise vs. Texas, but I probably wouldn't tune in for OSU vs. Texas.
"I’d watch Boise vs. Texas, but I probably wouldn’t tune in for OSU vs. Texas."
Well shit, problem solved. I guess we are going to the Capital One Bowl. No way the BCS committee would pick Ohio State over Boise State now if Jeff isn't going to watch.
Go back to MGOblog ass pirate.
Oregon is not a good team this year. I've never seen two worse defenses than Oregon and Oregon State. Penn State laying a beat down on the Beavers wasn't the fluke, the fluke was USC not showing up at all for the Oregon State game.
This is the same Oregon team that barely beat Purdue. PURDUE. Ohio State hasn't had very impressive wins this year, but there's no way that Boise State is the better team. They just played the much, much easier schedule.
It's all irrelevant anyway. Utah will get the BCS bid, and so will OSU, and Boise State will go to some weak bowl.
Of course, a weak bowl is better than no bowl. Cough Cough Michigan Cough.
If we go to a BCS instead of Boise which seems likely, we may have to play Alabama in the Sugar. We better start practicing now.
I think it will shake out to where the pollsters will put Texas v Alabama/Florida in the MNC.
Leaving Oklahoma in the fiesta, assuming they can beat Mizzou.
Alabama/Florida in the sugar
VT/BC to the orange
PSU vs. USC in the Rose Bowl.
Fiesta gets to choose first. The real options are Ohio State, Utah, and Cincinnati, everybody agrees boise and ball state are SOL. Of those teams, who's going to generate the most money? Ohio State.
which leaves the sugar bowl to pick Cinci, and Utah gets to go beat up VT/BC.
horrible bowls altogether. I think we all should keep our fingers crossed that the fiesta decides to go Utah, thinking nobody in the rest of the nation would care about the OSU/Okhahoma matchup, and figure the mormon's are loaded anyway.
Then Ohio State could play Alabama, and Cinci gets to go play VT.
Then at least we get 3 interesting matchups.
Texas/Florida
Alabama/Ohio State
and USC/Penn State.
Which again demonstrates that the Big Ten and SEC are both more important than the Big 12.
sorry, Texas will be playing in the big 12 championship for that to shake out.
Nat'Champ - Oklahoma - Florida
Orange - Alabama - Cincinnati
Rose - PSU - USC
Sugar - Texas - Utah
Fiesta - Virginia Tech - OSU
lol Kris that has to be the worst bowl guess I've seen yet. Do you understand how this works? You think both Sugar and Fiesta will pass on the SEC and Big 12 respectively, their patron conferences? I don't think so.
Here's my best guess:
National Championship Game: Florida vs. Oklahoma
Fiesta: Ohio State vs. Texas
Sugar: Alabama vs. Utah
Orange: Boston College vs. Cincinnati
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. USC
National Championship - Oklahoma and Florida
Rose Bowl - Penn State and Southern Cal
Orange - Virginia Tech and Cincinnati
Fiesta - Texas and Utah
Sugar - Alabama and Ohio State
The Fiesta Bowl gets first pick and I would have to believe that our "home away from home" would jump at the chance to get us, but I actually think the Sugar Bowl will work something out so they can pick up OSU and not have to worry about how Utah travels. Both the Fiesta and Sugar bowls would benefit given the shorter travel by Utah...
The Sugar Bowl will take the loser of the SEC Championship game with the winner moving on to the National Championship game.
i think kris just made me shit my pants
people should at least attempt to have a basic understanding of the selection rules and conference champ obligations....
Champ: Okla/Florida
Rose: USC/PSU
Fiesta: Texas/Utah
Orange: BC/Cincy
Sugar: OSU/'Bama
I personally would love to see Jenkins man up Jones...fun to watch.
Oklahoma over Texas in the new BCS rankings. Consider me converted. Computers mean more than head to head matchups? And let's not forget Texas beat BOTH Oklahoma and Mizzou this season.
The BCS is pathetic.
Everyone needs to understand that the Rose Bowl and Orange Bowl are pretty much set -
Rose: USC (if they beat UCLA) vs. Penn St.
Orange: Cincy vs. ACC Champ (BC or VT)
Side note: What a boring game the orange bowl will be.
I think we all can agree that whoever wins the SEC Champ. game will be in the National Championship Game and the loser goes to the Sugar Bowl
National Champ: Oklahoma (if they beat Mizzou) vs. SEC Champ
The rest is where a lot can happen -- The following 3 spots are most likely to be filled by Utah, Texas, and Ohio State -- another side note: I think the National Championship Game and the Fiesta or Sugar Bowl (whichever doesn't take Utah) will be some exciting football games (SEC 2nd place vs. OSU/Texas) - and the Rose Bowl could be
Fiesta: ____ vs. ____
Sugar: SEC Championship game loser vs. ____
Has anyone here thought of the nightmare possibility, however unlikely, that USC shits the bed against UCLA? Don't laugh, USC can normally be counted on to drop 1 or 2 per season that they have no business losing, and if that happens again next week, I believe Oregon State would regain the tiebreaker and get the auto berth to the Rose Bowl, putting USC in the position of vying for an at-large berth. Would bowl committees pick a two-loss Buckeye team over a two-loss Trojan team? I dunno, but the national perception of OSU over the last couple years makes me nervous should USC lose and get thrown back in the at-large shuffle.
"Has anyone here thought of the nightmare possibility, however unlikely, that USC shits the bed against UCLA?"
"Would bowl committees pick a two-loss Buckeye team over a two-loss Trojan team?"
I'd personally like to think that the old adage, "losing early is better than losing late" would apply. Plus, the issue for USC is this is a game that will guarantee a berth into the Rose Bowl. If they do the unthinkable and get beat by such a terrible opponent, I'd hope that such an unforgivable loss would leave a bad taste in any bowl committees' mouths. Their last impression would be awful; meanwhile, OSU has righted the ship for the most part since September.
Who knows? I never thought OU would be ranked ahead of Texas by this time of the year, either. Yet ANOTHER reason to start a playoff system.
When Ohio State played to its potential this year (Minnesota, Michigan State, Northwestern, Illinois, and Michigan) they absolutely slaughtered their opponent.
It is time to end this streak against the SEC. The fans are aching for it. We wanted it more than beating Michigan this year. I'm jonesing for a Sugar Bowl or a Capitol One. The Fiesta Bowl can kiss my ass. But I guess we'll get what we get.
Has anyone noticed that Oklahoma has lost their last four BCS games??
What is this love affair crap with The Sooners???
Cicero, I HEAR YOU! As much as I hate all things SEC I'm very close to cheering for Alabama to win the whole damn thing in spite of Oklahoma...maybe they'll lose to Mizzou and USC can sneak in...
any possibility of USC deliberately losing to UCLA? sounds crazy but if it is close they stay in the top 10 but escape the Rose Bowl and go to Fiesta or Sugar....
I can't see the Sugar passes OSU and their fans ($$$) up. I for one can't wait to go whip some SEC tail. A BCS bowl win over a "storied" SEC team in the heart of SEC country will do wonders for the program.
Kurt-not only have they lost their last 4 BCS games but they have been absolutely rolled up in a couple of them. They are also ranked second in the BCS right now with a defense that is ranked 66th.
Big 12 National Defense Rank: (Yet 3 of these teams are ranked in the top 10 in the BCS)
Okla: 66th
Texas: 50th
Texas Tech: 72nd
Missouri: 92nd
Kansas: 96th
Baylor: 87th
Colorado: 79th
Iowa St: 112th
Kansas St: 118th
Nebraska: 67th
Okla St: 86th
A&M: 114th
Are You Kidding Me??
After watching the games Saturday, I'm not so convinced that Florida is just going to stomp Alabama. It's a real possibility that Alabama may be playing in the National Championship. Maybe I'm crazy but I think Bama is a lot like the 2002 Buckeyes team only with a little more offense. I realize they haven't played to many great teams as Georgia and Clemson were very over rated.
What is Bama's signature win this year? Georgia? No defense. Ole Miss? Really? Clemson? LSU? C'mon.
They've benefitted from what seemed a very strong schedule preseason which actually turned out to be very average/weak.
We'll see how they do in this one game season agaisnt Florida. Florida will, by far, have the best defense Alabama has faced all year.
Tebow lives for big games too. Correct me if I'm wrong, but he hasn't had a bad showing in a big game in his career
Alabama has by far the best D Florida will have faced all season as well. Who knows the status on Harvin? That could have an affect as well
I'm not giving them a lot of love or anything but I would'nt be shocked if it's Florida playing the Buckeyes in the Sugar Bowl.
I think that is the match-up...Florida and The Bucks in the Sugar.
I wouldn't be shocked either. Mildly surprised, but not shocked.
Even the Bammers here in SEsuCk country aren't feeling very confident though.
I know Florida has been putting up huge numbers and their D has been great, but it hasn't been against the greatest competition either. I mean FSU has a solid D but other than that they played and killed the same Georgia team. I know if you compare every game they have beat teams worse than Alabama has, but I guess Bama has beaten Ole Miss too. I'm just thinking earlier on I thought Alabama was a great matchup for the Bucks, not I'm not so sure they are any more so than Florida. Maybe, playing Florida could get this team fired up and we can get a little revenge for the last time they met. I don't know, I'd rather play one of them than Georgia though. If you're going to win or lose do it by taking on one of the best not Georgia.
Agreed Brian, you cannot claim respect by beating middle of the pack teams....which Georgia CLEARLY is
That's true, Georgia is middle of the road. However, as I see it when we're talking about reclaiming respect in the media we should be evaluating Georgia as the media does, as a middle of the road SEC team which would make them a top tier team in any other conference. That is complete bullshit, but that's the media's spin. So I'd argue that we could begin to reclaim whatever it is that we've lost by beating them.
We're really not that good right now either. Our O-Line stinks, Pryor is great but is a freshman...and our Defense hasn't really stopped anyone recently. Utah in The Fiesta is our best match-up...unless Tress can get the boys ready for Alabama or Florida. I'd like another crack at Urban Meyer. He ran it up on us two years ago.
Kurt, Sorry, can not concur.....Our best bet to restoring a piss poor national image is to play and BEAT (preferably like a drum) either Bama, Florida, or maybe Texas. I want us to destroy a SEC team and make them pay for their slack-jawed arrogance. The National press/media will only take notice if we do this. If we beat a middle of the road team like Georgia it will mean nothing to them.
Urban Meyer looks like the kid everyone picked on in High School