BYU 11th in both polls

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Right. That's why we hate our conference championship game. If it weren't for that game, Missouri would have played for the national title last year.

Don't blame the game. Blame Missouri for not being able to beat OU in 2 tries last year. Who could argue that Missouri deserved to be in the title game? Even without the title game, OU was clearly the better of the 2 teams, if either should have been considered.

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by jay santos

What is easier, getting to a BCS bowl game for a non-BCS or a BCS?

Isolating just on this question, and given your team at the beginning of the year with the only delta being the schedule difference and the BCS rules, I'd say it's probably about equal but maybe a little easier for a non-BCS.

Why?

If you are top 12 in the BCS rankings as a non-BCS, you are virtually guaranteed to make it (though you might not if there is a higher ranked non-BCS. If you are 13-16, you have a small chance.

If you are top 12 in the BCS rankings, you are not guaranteed a BCS bowl, though it is likely.

Doesn't that beg the question? Sure the non-BCS team is guaranteed a bid in the top twelve, and the BCS team isn't. But is the non-BCS team as likely as the BCS team to make it to the top 12 to begin with?

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Doesn't that beg the question? Sure the non-BCS team is guaranteed a bid in the top twelve, and the BCS team isn't. But is the non-BCS team as likely as the BCS team to make it to the top 12 to begin with?

Never. No way this ever happens. The BCS powers that be won't allow it.

[MikeWaters]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Doesn't that beg the question? Sure the non-BCS team is guaranteed a bid in the top twelve, and the BCS team isn't. But is the non-BCS team as likely as the BCS team to make it to the top 12 to begin with?

Not to mention the recruiting and money and exposure advantages that a BCS team has.

What % of hardcore college football fans will even watch a BYU game this year during the reg. season? (No ABC or ESPN or CBS broadcasts)

[Coach McGuirk]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

What % of hardcore college football fans will even watch a BYU game this year during the reg. season? (No ABC or ESPN or CBS broadcasts)

hardcore fans are the most likely to watch it. I consider myself a hardcore fan. On saturday, I set my channel guide to only show college footbal. I could give a rats ass what channel it is on. If fresno st is playing boise st on channel 618 I watch.

Now the casual, or everything revolves around the SEC fans, most likely will not catch a BYU game.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Doesn't that beg the question? Sure the non-BCS team is guaranteed a bid in the top twelve, and the BCS team isn't. But is the non-BCS team as likely as the BCS team to make it to the top 12 to begin with?

An assumption is the accuracy of the computer models (and polls), so I would say yes the same exact team has the same likelihood to make it to top 12 BCS no matter if you are BCS or not.

[Cali Coug]

I am beginning to think a shot at the national title may not be totally unrealistic. Check out this comment from ESPN:

"The top of this bunch is very legit. BYU has emerged as a very scary team. We knew the offense would be terrific, but the D has come though big-time, compiling consecutive shutouts, while the Utes' defense also has been quite salty. In fact, one of the best performances of the weekend was Utah bottling up an Air Force ground attack to 53 yards, 303 BELOW the Falcons' average coming into the game. Now if TCU can upset OU, again in Norman, the MWC really makes noise and probably leapfrogs every league outside of the SEC in conference rankings."

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...=feldman_bruce

If the MWC is regarded as the 2nd best conference, the champion should have a ton of national credibility. Of course, TCU would have to beat OU, and that isn't likely to happen, but if it does, this season could become really crazy.

[Spaz]

Originally Posted by Travis Henry

The rules changed starting, I think, for the 2006 season. That's why Boise State made it in 2006 and Hawaii made it last year. Utah made it in when the rules were more stringent, I believe. If the rules were the same as they were in 2004, then, yeah it would be a once or twice in a decade thing.

Now, it only takes being in the top 12 (and no other non-BCS team being ahead of you) to make a BCS game. BYU would have possibly made it in last year ahead of Hawaii if BYU only had one loss. Did anyone want Hawaii last year? Absolutely not. But Hawaii ended up at no 11 or 12 so they were automatic qualifiers even though they played a horrid schedule.

Also, I would have to say that knucklehead Crowton was the coach for four of the seasons this decade (not that the program was going anywhere with LaVell in his old age). Bronco has obviously turned out to be a helluva coach and there's a lot more continuity in the program now. There's no reason to think that BYU can't be a one loss (or undefeated) team and in the top 12 at least every 3-4 years. I'm not sure if BYU is #2 in the Pac-1 or Big 12 that frequently.

Irrelevant to the question. Is it easier for a very good team to go an entire season playing a theoretically easier schedule and having no losses (until a team makes it to the BCS with one loss, it's unproven that it can happen) or for a very good team to go an entire season playing a BCS conference schedule with two losses?

Given the number of teams that do each every year, the answer is obvious. It's far easier to go through a BCS schedule with two losses than it is to go undefeated with a non-bcs schedule.