Florida vaults to No. 2 in BCS, will play Ohio State for national title

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"There isn't going to be a rematch.

No. 1 Ohio State will play No. 2 Florida, not Michigan, for the Bowl Championship Series national title on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz.

According to a BCS source, Florida moved from fourth to second today ahead of No. 3 Michigan in the final BCS standings.

An official announcement will come this evening in a televised unveiling on Fox."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-bcs4dec04,0,948269.story?coll=la-home-sports

[Counciltucky]

1. Huh.

I was hoping for Michigan, but Florida could very easily prove to be a worthy opponent.

[Jack from Charlotte]

28. Comments from a coach who voted Florida #1............

LOL!

Jim Walden, a former head coach at Washington State and Iowa State, was the only voter in either college football poll that matters to pick Florida No. 1 Sunday.

Why'd he do it? Let the Harris Interactive voter explain:

"No. 1, I've been eating Alka-Seltzer every hour since I did it. I spent four years coaching at Miami and if you think I like voting for that damn team to be No. 1, you're crazy. They are the least liked team out there. I can't stand them.

"But when I look at it and when you look at who should be No. 1, look at their schedule they are the best team. Hell, I don't care about the No. 2 team. Everybody is talking about Michigan and Florida as the No. 2. I looked at it and then looked at Ohio State and said, 'Wait a minute, Florida is the best team. How can we even be debating Florida and Michigan? Michigan was the No. 2 team in a three-team conference.'

"Even though the SEC is full of people with inflated egos and they constantly think they are getting screwed over, Florida deserves to be the No. 1 team. Ohio State is one of the weakest No. 1 teams in 25 years. Look at who they played. They played one of the softest schedules of any No. 1 team in memory. They had all summer to get ready for Texas. Then they had 11 weeks to get ready for Michigan.

"I'll give you nine reasons why Florida is No. 1 – Georgia, LSU, Tennessee, Auburn, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, Southern Mississippi . Then you add Florida State to that and 11 out of 13 weeks you had to play as a good as you could play.

"When I signed on for this poll, the instructions were to vote for the team that is the best team that week. I'm supposed to say Ohio State is better than Florida? Forget it. Those schedules don't compare.

[Counciltucky]

30. SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI?!

Nothing against the Golden Eagles, but beating Southern Mississippi hardly qualifies a team for the #1 spot.

[Jack from Charlotte]

33. Well they finished 8-5 and........

played in The Conference USA Conference Champ game. But combined with LSU, Aub, Tennessee, UGA, Arkansas, etc......... they all add up to the toughest schedule in the country.

[LisaM]

52. Walden's record against the Big Ten was 0-17

That little gem was in the Seattle paper today, buried in one of Art Thiel's utterly unreadable pieces.

[Jack from Charlotte]

53. OSU's record vs SEC last 30 years..... 1-8-1. Haven't beaten an SEC team......

since 1988.

Meatchicken whiners need to quit worrying about #2 ranked Florida and get to work on their excuse list for the day after Southern Cal hangs a half a hundred on their ass.

Also, they should consider changing their mascot from that fat squirrel looking rodent.

[Jack from Charlotte]

55. Like I said back on Dec. 7th...............

Hey Meat-chicken, got your post USC ass kicking excuse list ready? You knew you'd need it afterall in big games......... LLLLLoyd Carr's offense couldn't score in a womens prison with a fist full of pardons.

[erpowers]

2. Michigan

I think it should have been Michingan. I do not hate Flordia, but I think they played too many close games, at times against teams they were supposed to beat. I really think there should have been a rematch.

[Bluzmann57]

3. Ohio State should blow away Florida

OSU is much more physical and can match the alleged speed that SEC teams have. Prediction-OSU 38 FLA-24. I think FLA will score a touchdown or two in garbage time, late in the second half.

[Jack from Charlotte]

35. Everyone had USC beating UCLA by double digits.........

last Saturday and USC's vaunted offense scored 9 whole points and didn't score a 2nd half point. Oklahoma was double digit underdog vs FSU in 2000 and Oky smoked 'em. In '92 Bama was a 17 point dog to unbeatable Miami in the National Champ Game. Bama beat them by............ 3 touchdowns.

OSU hasn't beaten an SEC since 1987.

They're a great team and just might win but.........

Bring it on.

[spoony]

41. God I hope so

I've grown very weary of the SEC nuts insisting that they're the only good conference and everyone else has such an easy time of it (they don't mention Florida having essentially practice sessions against West Carolina and Central FL count as real games!).

[Jack from Charlotte]

42. Got a link showing "SEC Nuts" saying........

"they're the only good conference?"

I missed those comments and await your proof thereof.

Michigan's big 8 point win, at home, over rough, tough 5-7, Ball State who was throwing the game tieing TD into the Mich end zone as time ran out............ is just about as impressive as Florida's win over Western Carolina. Except Florida beat Western Carolina 62-0 not by just 8 points.

I'm guessing the greater factor favoring Florida was them playing at Tennessee, Kentucky, LSU, at Auburn, Bama, & Georgia... back to back to back to back to back.

[spoony]

49. Why bother when your own attitude is more than sufficient proof?

[El Supremo]

4. Florida and Michigan were tied in the computer rankings.

The fact that Florida was number two in the two polls put them over the top - but barely.

I am just happy that we don't have to see a replay of the last game of the regular season. Ohio State won that one. And that should be that.

Also I'm happy that the Rose Bowl will be between the PAC 10 and the Big 10, as God ordained.

[TSIAS]

7. I'm happy not to see a rematch

As unfair as it may be to Michigan, another team probably deserved a shot. With all the hype leading up to that game, ABC and ESPN made it appear to be the game of the Century. If Michigan got a rematch, that game and the hype would have meant nothing.

[Buzz Clik]

5. National title? My achin' butt!

This is yet another chapter in the NCAA's comedic serial. The national champion will, once again, be mythical.

How many weeks will pass from Ohio State's last regular season game until the "title" game? Eight? Nine? Their performance will be no reflection of their top form. In the pros, they debate whether or not a single week's bye is a bad thing. Two effing months?

The NCAA is a collection of whores.

[TSIAS]

6. I'm happy

Florida did what they had to do to win the SEC. Unlike when Spurrier was coach, the Gators didn't run up big numbers on opponents. But with the exception of the South Carolina game, Florida wasn't in big danger of losing (except for the loss to Auburn). The SEC wasn't quite as good as many had predicted, but the strength of schedule was still among the best in the nation.

We got fortunate that a number of games that looked tough on paper, like Georgia and Florida State, weren't that difficult. Would I have liked to have seen a stronger non-conference schedule? Sure! That game late in the season against a IAA opponent was a disgrace. Still, they had a game early in the season against UCF, who was in a bowl last year.

From what I've heard so far, many in the media are going to be unhappy with the choice. ESPN and their crew were pretty adament that either USC or Michigan play for the BCS title. I could be overanalyzing, but I wonder if the fact that they have a contract with the PAC 10 and Big 10, while SEC has most of their big games on CBS, plays a role.

However, I understand how Michigan must feel. Just like two years ago when Auburn got screwed, Michigan has to feel like they're a victim of circumstance. I think had they not had the last game of their season against Ohio State, voters would have given them the #2 spot. My Gators were lucky in 1996 to get a rematch against FSU after losing their last regular season game to the 'Noles.

Florida does have a real chance. I'll bet they come in 7 + point underdogs. I can understand that. Florida's regular season wasn't as convincing as Ohio State's. But the game is so far away, both teams will have time to prepare. It almost seems unfair to make them wait so long. This year FOX has pushed the title game back to a week after New Year's.

One final note. I can't help but think Wisconsin got screwed. Their only loss was to Michigan. A Big Ten scheduling quirk allowed them to bypass Ohio State. As usual, Notre Dame gets the benefit of being a big money institution. I look forward to watching them get clobbered in a bowl game as usual against SEC #2 LSU.

[underpants]

8. Harder schedule, Conference Champs (with a Champ. Game), UM had their shot

I clearly should have been UF the whole way. I am surprised that the BCS actually got it right.

[LisaM]

9. Florida played a 1AA team

That game should NOT have counted towards their BCS ranking.

[Jack from Charlotte]

21. True enough but I don't think that counts for anything,.........

As Florida played 13 games vs 12 for Mich.

But Mich played and nearly lost to Ball State on Nov 4th. They won by 8 points and Ball was chucking it in the Mich endzone as time expired. Ball was 5-7 and lost to North Dakota State. Ball threw for 250 some yards on Mich.

[LisaM]

36. That same day Ohio State almost lost to Ilinois

Do you think Ohio State should have dropped in the rankings?

The point is, Ohio State DID win that game (as did Michigan over Ball State). Michigan's only loss was by three points, ON THE ROAD, to the number one team.

[PRETZEL]

10. was listening to Jim Rhome earlier,

if I recall correctly, I see his point that even though Michigan may be the better team, they did lose to OSU. There is no conference championship in the Big 10. Florida is the SEC conference champs.

The argument could have very well been "If Michigan beats OSU, why should they be National Champs when OSU had beaten them earlier and now both teams have one loss, to each other"

[LisaM]

11. Yes, but if the voters really consider Ohio State the number 1 team

and Michigan played them within 3 at Ohio State (where the home team always is spotted three points), then by putting Michigan down to number three, doesn't that really say that they don't consider Ohio State the best team? If there is such a thing as a "quality loss", Michigan has it.

Frankly, the voters wanted to put an SEC team in, they don't want a rematch, the SEC has more votes than the Big 10, and Urban Meyer prostituted himself lobbying for Florida to get a shot. I hope Florida gets blown out 40-0.

[PRETZEL]

12. I don't disagree,

If this game would have been played last weekend, I think we would have seen a rematch. USC losing only brings up this whole scenario.

You could also argue for USC also (although it's a weak one) as being a one loss team.

But,unfortunately, too many people believe in the SEC as being a better conference than the Big 10. I don't (but I'm biased PSU '81). I think the Big 10 is as strong as the SEC. But to have Michigan play a re-match against OSU is something I fear alot of people really didn't want.

Truthfully, I'd love to be assured of having the National Champs come from my conference.

[LisaM]

13. USC has two losses

Considering we've seen Florida play TWICE in re-match bowl games, they can just go away as far as I'm concerned!

[PRETZEL]

15. my mistake (n/t)

[BOSSHOG]

14. I'll take Florida and 40-points

Carr was whining about Florida playing two games after Michigan's season was over. No doubt Lloyd will now work to ensure the big 10 has a championship game. If BCS doesn't fix this thing that is broken, I believe all conferences should have championships games as a quasi-tourney. Why should the SEC and the Big 12 jeopardize two of their teams to BCS nonsense, while the Big 10 and PAC 10 sit back and bitch cause they ain't playing into December? Oh yeah, Meyer didn't have an argument, huh - 12-1 and champions of the best conference in the country? Who could imagine them getting in a national championship game.

The coaches should grab their pitchforks and march on BCS headquarters.

[LisaM]

16. There's no law that the other conferences have to have those fake championships

Win it during the season. Yeah, I'm old school. And I don't like the SEC, never have.

[BOSSHOG]

17. The BCS methodology is the reason we are chatting

If there were a four or eight team tourney at the end of the season we'd be talking about the pairings and who is going to the next round. Now, there is no next round; there is only one round. If the Big 10 had a conference championship next year and Michigan won it, I bet it wouldn't be a fake one. Actually tourneys are another money maker for the conference.

And members of the Old School would be happy with the Big Ten Champ playing the PAC 10(8) Champ in the Rose Bowl and leaving any mythical national champion up to the AP.

[LisaM]

18. I did like the Bowl system as it was

And I don't particulary like conference tournaments (Big Ten has a basketball one). But I don't see anywhere in the BCS system where it precludes rematches. Also, Florida's win over Arkansas wasn't that impressive. Michigan was jobbed by people who didn't want a rematch.

[BOSSHOG]

19. I might agree with you about

folks not wanting a rematch but if there were a tourney we wouldn't have to worry about that. Decisions would be made on the field not by some sports reporter in Boise. I know thats a wacky idea but I'm sticking to it. "Not wanting a rematch" is a stepchild of the BCS bufoonery. Why should anyone care about a rematch when a more national audience would be nicer? Who cares who really is the national champion? What about the tv ratings? Florida has fancier uniforms? Lloyd Carr is not photogenic? The BCS is a joke but the millions will continue to roll in.

Most wins in the SEC aren't impressive because they are hard fought. Part of the ugliness (or beauty depending on perspective) of the best conference in the country.

Love ya Dear!!

[LisaM]

20. Big Ten wins aren't usually pretty either

Love you back.

BTW, Lloyd Carr is my favorite coach ever (and, he's a Democrat!) He is very Jimmy Stewartish. I love that little twinkle in his eye.

When Washington had a heartbreaking loss on a last minute field goal in Ann Arbor a few years ago, the first stop Lloyd made after the game was to the Huskies' locker room, to tell them that he felt badly they had to lost that way. When he beat Alabama in OT in a bowl game a few years back, the first thing he said after the game was that he felt terrible for Alabama, losing the way they did (missed PAT). I was on some sports boards at the time, and the Alabama fans spoke of that for some time.

[Jack from Charlotte]

26. LLLLLoyd Carr? Isn't that the kind of Carr that..........

Jim Tressel owns?

[Jack from Charlotte]

25. Mich's schedule doesn't compare to Florida's.........

and their claim to fame seems to be they only lost by 3 to OSU. Losers celebrat losses. Even that score is somewhat deceptive. Mich got a late TD vs OSU as window dressing and never lead in the game after the beginning of the 1st quarter.

If Mich is #2 the Ball State is #3. Meat-chicken beat them by 8 as Ball was chucking it the end zone when time expired.

Besides..... it doesn't matter. Only Florida vs OSU matters.

Like to see OSU's record vs Southern teams the last 30 years?

It's real, real bad.

[Jack from Charlotte]

23. Well then why doesn't every Big Ten team play each other?

As one of the voters in the Harris Poll said.... "Michigan came in 2nd in a 3 team league." Ohio never even played the 3rd (or 2nd) team, Wisconsin. That's the reason for the playoff. It compensates for not being able to play every other team in the 12 team league.

[Jack from Charlotte]

22. What exactly did Urb say that offended your little self?

He just answered the questions he was asked the last 2 weeks about UF's chances at getting in the big game. Never said a negative thing about Meat-chicken. Said he thought UF deserved a chance with the schedule they played.

I take LLLLLoyd Carr's comments that Urb made...."inappropriate" remarks as just like those of fans after there team loses. They never want to talk about the game they always say things like..."Their fans were mean and un classy." "The stadium was bad..... etc."

LLLLoyd (Note the 5 L's in LLLLLoyd's name for the number of times Tressel has beaten his ass)needs to try and beat Ohio State and maybe beat Ball State by more than 8 points rather than worry about Urb's comments about his own team.

[LisaM]

24. What is this LLLLoyd thing?

I see it all over the place (and used to see it for basketball player Loy Vaught as well). I presume it means something.

[Jack from Charlotte]

27. 5 L's. One for each loss he has vs Jim Tressel. ( NFM)

*

[LisaM]

29. Geeze, what did you call Cooper?

LOLOL. I can't stand Jim Tressel. Friggin' Jesus freak, prays RIGHT ON THE FIELD like a dork. I know there is a judgement coming to him, and I'll be happy when it does.

[Jack from Charlotte]

37. Gators called Copper and told him, "Thanks!"..........

His OSU team beat Arizona St in The Rose Bowl and that win combined with Texas' upset win over Nebraska earlier in the day meant #4 Florida would be playing FSU in The Sugar Bowl for the National Championship. The Gators beat FSU 52-20 (That is the biggest margin of victory over a #1 ranked bowl team in the history of Th AP Poll going back to the 30's.)

Otherwise.... we don't call him anything. He does work for ESPNU, which is HQ'ed here in Charlotte, however. I like and respect his opinions, BTW.

No one down here really cares a wit about either LLLLLoyd or Tressel or Cooper. It's just when LLLLLoyd mouths off about our ball coach we take it personally.

[Jack from Charlotte]

43. You Michiganders smear of Urban Meyer is outrageous......

He didn't lobby at all. ONLY after he was asked the last several weeks if his team belonged in the Big Game, did he give his opinion. Never, ever even mentioned Meat-chicken. Said he thought his team deserved a shot after playing the schedule they played. Yet to Mich people that's "prostituting" ones self. Then LLLLoyd-fer-brains shows how classy he is an calls Tressell "slick" for abstaining to vote in the last coaches poll. Classy. Call other coaches names because they didn't vote for your team.

Something I noticed over the last 10 years of internet comments by fans of sports teams. The LOSER never wants to talk about the game. Always brings up some non-game related complaint. "Tennessee... The Gators beat us but their fans dress poorly." "LSU... the Gators beat us but the parking near Florida field isn't good like parking in Baton Rouge."

LLLLLoy's whine is just the same. Can't make a cogent case for his team so resorts to smears and name calling.

And 2 more things.......... LLLLLoyd DID lobby for his team on Dec 2nd according to ESPN he said this.. "Michigan Head Coach LLoyd Carr also spoke via telephone with ESPN last night (Dec. 2nd), and would only say a team should not be penalized for finishing its season 2 weeks ago."

What a whore!

And lastly..... who said this......... right before he died.....

"Once you beat a team, it’s over. If you’re a loser, of course you want to play those guys again. But I would not be in favor of that under any circumstances.”

Right. That was Bo during the last interview of his life.

[LisaM]

47. Urban Meyer DID lobby (don't know why you would say otherwise)

Plus he's going to get paid bonuses for doing so!

http://marketpower.typepad.com/market_power/2006/12/urban_meyer.html

[UrbScotty]

31. First Gore, then Obrador, and now Michigan gets cheated out. (nt)

[LisaM]

32. Michigan always gets jobbed. I expected this.

Remember when they had a team that, over 3 years, went 30-1-1 and NEVER WENT TO A BOWL GAME?

[Jack from Charlotte]

34. Nobody cheated them out of anything..... They lost their last game...

didn't win their conference championship and finished 2nd in a 3 team conference. All they had to do was beat OSU. They had their chance. Now it's time for The SEC Champ to play The Big 10 Champ.

[1gobluedem]

38. If the BCS championship is SUPPOSED to be Big Ten vs SEC, sure

But it isn't. It's supposed to be #1 vs #2. Period. The computers had Michigan and Florida in a statistical tie. It was human beings who voted Florida in because -- and many of them have admitted it -- they didn't want to see a rematch.

If Ohio State had lost by 3 to Michigan and it was Michigan that was in the championship game would Florida still be #2? Or would the team that had been #1 all season and lost a close game in their last game of the season be ranked #2 and given a chance for a rematch?

This isn't about Michigan. It's not about the Big Ten vs. the SEC. It's about the BCS and their flawed system.

[Jack from Charlotte]

39. Don't know if the system is flawed..............

When people complain that we don't have a playoff, I say we do have one. We just don't include enough teams. If 4 teams were included this year would everyone be happy? OSU and UF are 1 and 2 Mich is #3 and I think LSU is #4 even though Wisconsin only has one loss.... (and no wins over any highly ranked teams, to speak of either.)

But wouldn't that 4 do it? Would for me even though, IMO it would really be unfair to OSU being the only Div 1-A team to go without a loss. Why should they have to play one loss teams?

The 3 other things I'd change:

1)I'd have a panel of judges use the polls and computers as tools to make the selections like they do for NCAA basketball. Make them go on TV every Sunday and defend their positions.

2) I would not have the first ranking come out until about Oct. 1st or 7th. No preseason ranking to influence rankings.

3) Have some set criteria that the ranking panel is to use.... for example..... Do losses that occur early weigh less than losses that come later in the season....


Of course this still leaves the main problem in college football......... unlike pro sports.... you get to choose your own schedule. That ain't fair to the tougher conferences like The SEC and Big Ten.

[BOSSHOG]

40. The BCS is incredibly flawed

but an SEC Team in the championship game? Your talking baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet. The best conference in the country would most likely have at least one team in the championship game eight years out of ten if there were a playoff in place. Only insane Notre Dame fans would disagree with that sound logic.

"The computer had." BCS garbage. DO IT on the field just like the "little" Colleges do. Fuck the bowl hierarchy. A playoff system will make millions each year especially when at least 3 SEC teams would be involved.

By the way, the Big Ten needs a conference championship game to reduce the rabidity of said conferences fans.

[1gobluedem]

44. Maybe Big Ten fans are rabid because they're always having to defend the conference

For being unglamorous, slow, not flashy. Maybe not, but the conference always has top ranked teams, plays in some of the worst weather conditions -- from stifling hot and humid to freezing, windy, and snowy -- and represents some very fine academic institutions.

I think this guy sums up the BCS stuff best:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=wojciechowski_gene&id=2685195

[BOSSHOG]

45. I'm a big fan of College Football

With the exception of Notre Dame there is not one team in this country I have strong negative feelings towards. The Big Ten is an awesome conference with great fans as is the Big 12 and Pac 10 and SEC and anyone I else I may have forgotten and those fans deserve more then BCS buffoonery at the end of the season.

Imagine BCS controlling College Basketball. At the end of the season number one plays number two - period. No March Madness, no sweet 16, no final four. Now imagine College Football with "January Jocularity." An eight team rock em sock slug fest after finals are over and done with. Three freaking weekends for just two teams. Awesome Baby. Now that would guarantee some bragging rights.

[LisaM]

46. If they had a playoff and they played the games up North

the SEC wouldn't stand a chance. They are all speed teams, warm weather teams. But football is supposed to be played in the mud, in the cold, in the snow! It's a northern game.

[LisaM]

48. Gator fans have short memories......

Are they going to turn in their 1996 title because they lost their last game, didn't win their conference, AND played in a rematch?


http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061206/SPORTS06/612060303/1054

[Jack from Charlotte]

50. In '96 Florida DID win the SEC and DID win it's last game.........

prior to playing for The National Championship.


Florida beat Alabama 45-30 on Dec. 7th 1996 for The SEC Championship. Earlier that day Texas upset #2 Nebraska 37-27. That set up #3 Florida vs #1 FSU in The Sugar Bowl on Jan 2nd, 1997. And on the day prior #2 Arizona State was beaten by Ohio State leaving only the winner of the Sugar Bowl as NC.

Florida then put the worst beating on an AP #1 team in a bowl game in the history of the AP Poll, which goes back to the 1930's and was voted become unanimous #1.

Your Detroit paper sounds like a Republican talking point. They can't even get the facts right.

They even said that Florida was..."granted a rematch." What a bunch of dumb asses. Back then prior to The BCS deal, The SEC Champ ALWAYS played in The Sugar Bowl. Just like Arizona State and OSU playing in The Rose. Big 10 ALWAYS played The Pac Ten..... CHAMP.... in The Rose.

Nice try, though.

Look Meat-chicken is so.......... yesterday. You and LLLLLoyd need to start working on your excuse list for the day after The Rose Bowl, when, I expect Southern Cal will knock snot bubbles out of the wolverine's noses.

[LisaM]

51. Lost their last regular season game

I guess the Free Press didn't count the SEC championship as a regular season game.

Was Wuerffel (sp) the QB that used to point at the sky when his team got a touchdown? That is so incredibly annoying. Michigan had a kicker one year who came out wearing a wrist band that he'd printed "Jesus" on. Fans noticed it, and the next week it was gone!

Nevertheless, they DID get a re-match with a team they'd lost to. Bo wouldn't have liked it! Hey, they "had their shot". They "lost it".

[TroubleMan]

54. Florida is a better team and played a harder schedule...they should be there.

Well....this BCS system finally worked against a high profile team. Nobody complained when they did this to Auburn and they were undefeated. Now maybe they'll make an 8 or 16 team playoff.

[SteveM]

56. My saurian mind savors this fresh and rotting corpse.

Where have all the flowers gone? UFClass'o 70