Oregon, Boise State, Cincy, TCU and Ga Tech are much more deserving teams to get BCS consideration than LSU, Miami and USC. Alabama, Florida and Texas are virtual locks if they win out.
There will be eight teams playing in four BCS games plus the national champ game pitting either Alabama-Florida winner vs Texas or TCU, Cincy, Boise State or a one loss Tech team if Texas stumbles given Texas would probably lose out if they lost to either Texas A&M or Nebraska. That’s if the BCS is fair and I don’t think they are. They lack integrity; instead they go for the bucks. Alabama and Florida can’t overlook their final games against Auburn and FSU respectively, but they should both win setting up a playoff game for a shot at the national title.
The Alabama-Florida loser goes to the Sugar Bowl to play one of those teams listed above hopefully or maybe an Iowa or Penn State. The Rose Bowl pits Ohio State and probably Oregon. That leaves the Fiesta and the Orange with Boise State, TCU, Tech, Cincy, Iowa and Penn State as the should be contenders. If the first four win out, they should be in the BCS bowls; there should be no doubt about it. One of the other two could fill out the fifth spot in the Sugar or wherever.
But USC, Miami and LSU are still in the picture according to cnnsi.com. How is that possible? Here are their respective resumes:
USC (7-3): losses to Washington, Oregon and Stanford. The Oregon and Stanford losses were blow outs and the Washington loss was a major upset to a team that was good at the time, but has struggled since. USC always chokes in one game during the season for sure; they get their Southern California cocky big heads and pay for it. Their key wins are over Oregon State (a good team), Notre Dame (almost a terrible team) and Ohio State, a pretty good team. The win was in Columbus, so you have to give them credit for that. Still not strong enough for the BCS.
Same for Miami and LSU.
Miami (8-3): losses to Va Tech (31-7), Clemson (40-37 at home) and UNC. Good teams all three, but still that’s three losses. Key wins: FSU (not that impressive), Ga Tech (at home but impressive) and Oklahoma (without Sam Bradford and a down OU team). Not enough in my opinion for BCS status.
LSU(8-3) is the biggest joke. Losses to Florida (expected), Alabama (expected) and Ole Miss. Terrible loss to Ole Miss where the coaching should have dropped them from BCS bowl consideration in itself. Key wins: Auburn (at home) and Georgia (on the road aided by a terrible call). Unimpressive and deserves no consideration.
Those other four teams belong in the Orange and Fiesta and the other Sugar Bowl spot. Throw in Iowa and Penn State, too. LSU, USC and Miami don’t measure up.