BCS Rankings Cluttered by Big Ten Teams in Second Tier: A Fan’s Analysis
By Robert Dougherty, Yahoo! Contributor NetworkOct 31, 8:57 am EDT
.
..
.
The BCS rankings after Week 10 aren't filled with Big Ten teams on top. In fact, the conference has only one top 10 team left in the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and there is still reason to doubt them after they were slaughtered by the Wisconsin Badgers a month ago. At the least, Penn State Nittany Lions fans like myself hope that the Cornhuskers are still vulnerable when they visit Happy Valley on Nov. 12.
But while Big Ten teams aren't threatening the top of the BCS rankings, they are cluttering up the middle of them. Following Week 10, there are five teams in the conference between the No. 10 and No. 20 rankings, with the Badgers actually in the lowest slot.
AdChoices
Two weeks ago, Wisconsin was the Big Ten's only true national championship contender. Now thanks to two bad final minutes against the Michigan State Spartans and Ohio State Buckeyes, the Badgers are down all the way to No. 20 in the BCS. In fact, they have been overtaken by the Nittany Lions for the first time, which kind of makes sense since Penn State is 2 1/2 games ahead of Wisconsin in the Leaders Division.
The Nittany Lions are going in the opposite direction by moving up, even though it took some luck to hold off the Illinois Fighting Illini on Oct. 29. Penn State is now up to No. 16 and probably has a chance to move into the top 15 of the BCS rankings during its bye week. But although the Nittany Lions are the only Big Ten team without a conference loss, they are still ranked below the Cornhuskers and the No. 15 Michigan Wolverines.
Now that Penn State faces the harsh portion of its schedule, the time will soon come to prove if it is for real and as good as its record and ranking. A win over Nebraska could position Penn State to threaten the top 10 of the BCS - and if that isn't enough, beating suddenly surging Ohio State and Wisconsin afterwards should do the job.
For now, Nebraska, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin are closely grouped together in the rankings and the Big Ten itself. Once November unfolds, there should finally be some separation that leaves at least one team in the top 10 - albeit below the programs that actually have national championship hopes.
The BCS rankings show that the only teams left with title hopes now are the LSU Tigers, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma State Cowboys, Stanford Cardinal, Boise State Broncos, Oklahoma Sooners and maybe the Arkansas Razorbacks and Oregon Ducks. But one school has to be the best of the rest, and perhaps the Big Ten champion - whether it is the Nittany Lions, Cornhuskers, Wolverines, Spartans or Badgers - will break from the pack to hold that status.
10-25-2011
October 25, 2011
Dallas Jackson
Senior Analyst
2 0Email0SOCIAL: Follow on Twitter | Friend on Facebook
Dallas Jackson is the Senior Analyst for RivalsHigh. Email him your question, comment or story ideas to DallasJ@Yahoo-Inc.com and follow him on Twitter.
After scheduling three out-of-state games between them to start the season, Cocoa (Fla.) High and West Monroe (La.) High figured their matchup against each other this Saturday night would be an exclamation point to their regular seasons - a meeting worthy of being the national game of the week.
Both teams, after all, entered the 2011 season inside the RivalsHigh 100. And with plenty of talent, both were expected to make noise in the rankings.
Each did: a thud.
Cocoa began its season with consecutive losses to Cincinnati (Ohio) Colerain, Dallas (Texas) Skyline and Miami (Fla.) Central.
West Monroe lost two of its first three games: its opener to Shreveport (La.) Byrd and two weeks later to Madison (Miss.) Central.
The results put a damper on this week's game, turning it from a 'can't-miss' to seemingly an afterthought on the national landscape.
Cocoa got off to a slow start to the season.
There's no argument that out-of-state games have been great for high school football, both spurring its growth and settling age-old disputes. But while early wins can be the impetus for a great season, losses can hurt it before it starts.
Cocoa coach John Wilkinson tried to find the positive.
"Other than the final results we were pleased," he said. "This team needed those games. I would have liked to win, our kids and fans would have too, but we have taken away positives."
He has also taken away an appreciation for the process and what it takes to get ready for these marquee matchups as well as a local schedule that he then had to get teenagers prepared for.
"I think we had a little bit of a letdown after the Miami Central game," he said. "We had a week off so the kids - which until this season hadn't experienced a loss - had to sit with no football to play and hear about it. That was tough."
Wilkinson is not alone in his struggles with getting kids back up for games they are expected to win after playing on national television.
Jeff Herron, the head coach of Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County, said his team never got over an out-of-state loss a year ago.
"After the [Ft. Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas] Aquinas game last year, we went into a lull and never got better," he said. "That cost us in the playoffs, no question."
Herron learned from his mistakes and addressed his concerns with his team before it accepted the opportunity to play Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville to open this season.
"We talked as a team and told them that the game couldn't be the highlight of our season," he said. "If they were solely focused on winning that game and not the state title we wouldn't have taken the game. It makes coaching a little more difficult when those games are on the schedule."
Camden County won its opener and has made a steady climb up the national rankings. It currently is ranked as the No. 8 team in the RivalsHigh 100 and a favorite to win an amazingly difficult Georgia Class AAAAA title.
Another Georgia coach, Rush Propst of No. 28-ranked Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County, saw first hand with his team those same effects.
"Last year we were so focused on [Batesville (Miss.)] South Panola it cost us the opener (against Adel (Ga.) Cook)," he said. "Then when we lost to South Panola we didn't recover in time and lost our next game, too.
"That one game cost us three."
Probst said he had to adjust his coaching style this year when the team took on Madison (Fla.) Madison County in the second week of the season.
"We knew that they would be tough," he said. "But we didn't want to put as much emphasis on the importance of that game. One game at a time was our approach this time. I think that is how you have to keep the kids level."
All three acknowledged the importance of out-of-state competition but each needs it for different reasons.
Wilkinson and Cocoa want to eliminate the perception of being a small school.
[Analysis: Is Georgia playing the best football of 2011?]
"We fight the stigma of being the little brother," he said. "Last year we won the out-of-state games and this year we lost them, and that is going to happen, but what bothers me about both situations are the people at schools who just talk a good game but won't play us."
Colquitt County, which plays in one of the tougher regions in Georgia, looks to continue to challenge its kids.
"We want to put together the best schedule we can," Probst said. "That is the only way we will be ready for the state playoffs.
"We can't just have four tough region games and think that will be enough to win the state title."
Herron looks at the climate of high school football and wants to make a run at a national title. He knows out-of-state games are a key to that.
"I can't tell you I don't pay attention to the national polls. Most coaches do," he said. "We talk about the state title being most important because that is what we can control. If we win a state title we are No. 1 in the state but most all of us want to finish No. 1 in the nation.
"Our mentality has been to play out of state games to challenge ourselves more. But we had to get out-of-state games because there are teams in the state that just get to see better competition during the season than we do, too."
The advancement of national rankings and out-of-state games will continue to push teams to schedule the high-profile games.
Aquinas' ability to reload impresses Cocoa coaches.
Wilkinson said that teams are already calling him for next year.
"We aren't going to be [Ramsey (N.J.)] Don Bosco, [Concord (Calif.)] De La Salle, or Aquinas," he said. "Those teams don't have off years; they can take on any challenger any year. We have to get the right teams on the schedule for the right seasons."
He doesn't regret his picks this season, pointing out none of the defeats were 'bad' losses.
"It isn't like we lost 56-0," he said. "We were down 10-7 to Colerain in the fourth, 22-20 to Skyline in the third, and missed a field goal and fumbled away a touchdown to Central that could have helped us early. We were competitive and all of those games were tight."
All three of those teams are currently ranked in the RivalsHigh 100.
Cocoa has recovered from its 0-3 start and now sits at 4-3. Ironically, a win against West Monroe could give the school a push back towards the national rankings.
"For us to win a state title we will still see [Jacksonville (Fla.)] Bolles and [Miami (Fla.)] Booker T. Washington," Wilkinson said. "If we beat West Monroe and those two teams to win a state title I think it will show that we belong in the national rankings and that we really improved since those first few games."
10-15-2011
AP source: Big East to invite Boise St, 3 others
By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer 12 hours, 22 minutes ago
.
tweet9
Email
Print
..
.
NEW YORK (AP)—The Big East’s plan to save the conference involves heading West.
The embattled league’s leaders have agreed on a plan to invite Boise State, Air Force and Navy as football-only members, and Central Florida to compete in all sports, after they double the exit fee for current members to $10 million.
Houston and SMU are likely next in line as full members as the Big East tries to get to 12 schools.
An official in the Big East, speaking on condition of anonymity because the conference had not authorized anyone to speak publicly about its plans, told The Associated Press invitations could go out as soon as next week.
The official also said Commissioner John Marinatto was in Cincinnati on Friday meeting with UCF’s president and athletic director.
Conferences do not publicly invite new members unless they are confident those invitations will be accepted. But until the invites go out, nothing is a done deal.
CBSSports.com first reported the Big East would invite Boise State, Air Force, Navy and UCF.
With 12 football schools, the Big East would split into two divisions and could play a championship game.
Boise State and Air Force, which is located in Colorado Springs, along with UCF’s Conference USA rivals SMU and Houston, would give the Big East—a league that started as a northeastern basketball conference—four football schools West of the Mississippi River.
Houston athletic director Mack Rhoades said the school would have no comment on the Big East.
Temple, which plays football in the Mid-American Conference and is located in Philadelphia, also has been under consideration.
Big East officials made protecting the league’s automatic bid to the Bowl Championship Series their expansion priority. That pushed Boise State, which is in its first season in the Mountain West Conference after a decade in the Western Athletic Conference, to the top of the Big East’s most wanted list, along with the service academies.
The Broncos are 71-5 since 2006, finished 10th in the final BCS standings last season and at 5-0 seem on their way to a top-10 finish. Big East officials believe putting Boise State’s record on the Big East’s ledger when the BCS reviews which leagues should have automatic bids beyond 2013 should allow the conference to make the cut.
The Mountain West Conference does not have an automatic bid to the BCS. Nor does Conference USA.
Later Friday, those two leagues announced they would “consolidate” their football programs by 2013. Right now their are 22 teams in those leagues, 10 in the MWC and 12 in CUSA, but maybe not for long.
MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson said during a conference call Friday he has been notified by the leaders of Boise State and Air Force that they had been in contact with the Big East, but the presidents of those schools also participated in the league’s unanimous vote to approve the merger with CUSA.
He said the merged conference creates stability and is a “viable option” for Boise State and Air Force, but he would not speculate on what those schools would do.
Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said the president of UCF took part in his conference’s vote and that he and Marinatto have been in contact about Central Florida.
“I hope UCF will stay,” he said. “But if a school feels like it’s in a better situation somewhere else that’s OK.”
Both commissioners said they are having internal discussions with their members about possibly adding other schools.
Right now, the Big East has only six schools committed to play football in the league beyond this season.
Pittsburgh and Syracuse have announced they will move to the Atlantic Coast Conference, though Big East rules require them to stay in the league for the next two seasons and Marinatto has said he will hold the Panthers and Orange to that. However, that’s unlikely if the league can grow to 12 teams for next season without them.
TCU was slated to join the Big East in 2012, but the Horned Frogs reneged on that commitment and accepted an invite to the Big 12 last week.
Trying to recruit new members has been tricky for the Big East because its remaining members might also be looking for new conference homes.
Louisville and West Virginia are possible targets for the Big 12 if it needs to replace Missouri, which is pondering a move to the Southeastern Conference, or decides to expand back to 12 teams.
Connecticut has interest in joining the ACC if it expands again, and there has been speculation about Rutgers moving, too.
By raising the exit fee, the Big East is trying to show the schools it has been recruiting that the conference will be stable in the long run. Boise State, Air Force, and Navy, an independent in football, all had reservations about the Big East’s long-term health.
SMU and Houston would replace the Texas presence the Big East thought it was going to have with TCU, and help make the move to the Big East more palatable to Boise State.
Boise, Idaho, is nearly 1,900 miles from the closest current Big East member, Louisville. Though the trip to Houston is about as far, having a presence in Texas is alluring to Boise State.
Boise State and Air Force would have to find conferences to house their other sports. A return to the WAC is possible for both, though WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said Friday that he has only had hypothetical conversations with Boise State and Air Force officials about those schools joining as non-football members.
The Big East also has eight members that do not compete in football: Villanova, Georgetown, St. John’s, Providence, Seton Hall, Marquette, DePaul and Notre Dame.
Notre Dame’s goal is to remain a football independent, but if the Big East crumbles the Fighting Irish could end up with no place for their basketball, baseball and Olympic sports to compete. That could force Notre Dame to finally give up football independence and put its storied program in a conference, because it’s unlikely another league will give the Irish the same deal they have in the Big East.
10-12-2011
.
.
Neinas says Big 12 set for 10 teams in 2012
By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer Oct 11, 1:26 pm EDT
.
tweet11
Email
Print
..
.
Interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas said Tuesday that the league is set with 10 teams for 2012 with the addition of TCU, even though Missouri is exploring a possible departure to the Southeastern Conference.
“If Missouri was going to change horses, it wouldn’t be for 2012 anyway,” Neinas said.
The Big 12 has given no deadline for a decision from Missouri, though Neinas said there would need to be some determination by the end of the current academic year. The school has not ruled out remaining part of the Big 12.
Neinas said the Big 12 needs to know what Missouri plans to do before the league can fully evaluate whether to stay at 10 members or expand back to 12.
“We can’t address the 10 vs. 12 until we determine that Missouri is going to be one of the 10,” he said. “There’s no consensus at the present time between the conference members as to 10 or 12.”
TCU accepted an invitation Monday to join the Big 12. The Horned Frogs will replace Texas A&M, keeping the league at 10 members when the Aggies leave for the SEC next July.
[Related: Video: Predicting the first BCS standings]
While TCU will be the first new member since the Big 12 started play in 1996, Texas A&M will be the third school to leave. Nebraska (Big Ten) and Colorado (Pac-12) left this year.
There were some indications after Big 12 athletic directors met last month that some might be in favor of staying at nine members. That has apparently changed.
“I don’t think anyone is holding that position now. I think the idea would be 10 or 12,” Neinas said, adding: “It won’t be 16.”
A 45-page document presented to Missouri curators earlier this month suggests the school would hope to get as much as $12 million more each year in additional revenue with a move to the SEC if TV deals are renegotiated. The document, which was obtained by The Associated Press, was shown to the curators after they gave Chancellor Brady Deaton authority to explore a departure from the Big 12.
[Check in, pick winners, talk smack and more with the free Yahoo! Sportacular app for iPhone and Android]
Asked about the report and the financial projection, Neinas responded, “I don’t think that’s accurate.” Such projections would suggest the SEC would have to redo current deals and increase its annual TV income by $168 million based on a 14-team league, he said.
Big 12 leaders recently agreed to switch to equal revenue sharing after years in which the schools that made the most television appearances received the most money. The proposal, which would require schools to give their top TV rights to the Big 12 for six years, requires approval from the governing boards of Big 12 schools.
With equal sharing and a 13-year TV deal with Fox Sports worth more than $1 billion, Neinas indicated that the potential money per team could be similar in the Big 12 and SEC.
“We’ll give Missouri time to evaluate its situation, and have an opportunity to look at the Big 12 Conference and perhaps get a better understanding of where we’re going,” Neinas said. “I think we’re on the verge of making some good progress.
“We’re in process of solidifying the conference, and I think that’s already been proven,” he said. “There are a lot of positives the curators of Missouri have a chance to listen to.”
Neinas said he recently had a cordial conversation about Missouri with SEC Commissioner Mike Slive, who he has known for a long time.
“I said basically, if you’re going to extend an invitation to Missouri, let me know,” Neinas said.
According to Neinas, Slive said no invitation had been extended to Missouri and that the SEC commissioner “didn’t indicate one way or another” if that would happen. SEC leaders met Monday for their regularly scheduled fall meeting but took no action on expansion.
10-11-2011
With 13 unbeaten teams left, the countdown begins
By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP College Football Writer Oct 9, 8:02 pm EDT
.
Printable View
Return to Original
tweet2
Email
Print
..
.
Time to start counting down the undefeated teams and sorting through which ones have the best chance to reach the national championship game.
With eight weeks left in the regular season, and a week before the first BCS standings are released, there are 13 teams in major college football that have not lost. No more than seven of those teams can finish the regular season (including conference title games) that way. It’s a safe bet that participants in the BCS title game Jan. 9 in New Orleans will come from that baker’s dozen.
While a bunch of undefeated teams entering the postseason would be a good thing at just about any other level of football, at the highest college level it’s a problem because only two teams get to play for the national championship in the Bowl Championship Series.
There’s plenty of time left for this to sort itself out. Or not.
With that, let’s take a look at the field of national championship contenders with their Harris poll and coaches’ poll rankings in parentheses.
SEC
LSU (1 and 2) and Alabama (2 and 3). The Tigers and Crimson Tide meet in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 5 and fans are already crossing the days off the calendar. The SEC has won the last five national championships, so if either of these two get through undefeated, there’s no question a spot in the title game awaits. The only question is could either get there with one loss.
BIG 12
Oklahoma (3 and 1), Oklahoma State (6 and 7), Kansas State (17 and 18)
The Sooners are the other team that probably doesn’t have to do much scoreboard watching. If Oklahoma can run the table, beating Oklahoma State and Kansas State along the way, a fifth BCS championship game appearance is very likely.
Though the Sooners might want to at least take a peek at what Wisconsin is doing.
As for the Cowboys, the Bedlam game against the Sooners is in Stillwater and their offense, with All-America receiver Justin Blackmon, is potent. Running the table is possible, but it won’t guarantee a trip to New Orleans.
If the Wildcats can go 12-0, it’ll be the greatest miracle in Manhattan coach Bill Snyder has ever conjured up.
BIG TEN
Wisconsin (4 and 4), Michigan (10 and 10), Illinois (14 and 15).
The Badgers are probably in the most intriguing position of all the undefeated teams. They look like the class of the Big Ten, by far. But the Big Ten in general has not been overly impressive. Russell Wilson and the Badgers need to continue to win big and for the rest of the conference to provide opportunities for impressive victories.
It would be especially helpful if Illinois, which hosts Wisconsin on Nov. 19, and Michigan, a possible Big Ten championship game opponent, stay unbeaten as long as possible.
The Wolverines and Illini look like long shots to remain perfect, but if either does and hands the Badgers their only loss, they would have to be in the national championship conversation.
PAC-12
Stanford (7 and 5)
Andrew Luck and the Cardinal are going to be a bit under the radar for a while, but their schedule is back loaded with Oregon and Notre Dame in November.
If the Cardinal can get past the Ducks and into the first Pac-12 title game undefeated, it would help their strength of schedule to have a 10- or 11-win Arizona State team there waiting for them.
Though in a beauty contest, which this system often is, having the best player in the country can’t hurt.
ACC
Clemson (8 and 8), Georgia Tech (12 and 12)
The Tigers’ immediate concern is the health of starting quarterback Taj Boyd, who left Saturday’s win against Boston College with a hip injury.
Beyond that the Tigers and Yellow Jackets meet in Atlanta on Oct. 29. The ACC doesn’t get much respect, especially with Miami and Florida State still playing the role of former superpowers, so an undefeated ACC team probably doesn’t stand much chance of nudging past perfect teams from the other BCS automatic qualifying leagues.
MWC
Boise State (5 and 6)
This is the part of the season when the Broncos become virtually invisible. With no big games left, Kellen Moore and crew have to keep rolling up lopsided wins against inferior competition and hope that they are one of two teams without a loss come Dec. 4.
CUSA
Houston (24 and 22)
Think Boise State has a soft schedule? Take a look at the Cougars’ opponents. No shot.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Lost in the shuffle of LSU’s 41-11 rout of Florida on Saturday was the touchdown the Tigers had taken off the board by the new excessive celebration rule.
This year, if a player starts to celebrate before he gets into the end zone, the officials can throw a flag and take the points off the board.
LSU punter Brad Wing took off on a fake from around midfield and went untouched down the sideline for a touchdown. The play wasn’t called by the coaches, but Wing saw the Gators peel off, leaving him with nothing but empty space, and took off.
But Wing raised his arms to a little above waist level for maybe 2 seconds at around the 5 and drew a penalty.
QUICK HITS
— Air Force Athletic Director Hans Mueh told The Denver Post that the Falcons’ interest in joining the Big East is high and he sees it as a much better fit than the Big 12. The Big East could hand out invites to Air Force and Navy as soon as this week. The Boston Globe and the Star Ledger of Newark, N.J., also reported Sunday, citing unidentified sources, that the Big East is considering inviting Boise State.
— With his new team 6-0 and his old team a disappointing 3-2, Michigan coach Brady Hoke is looking like a genius right now.
— After beating Ohio State 34-27, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini chastised a reporter who he believes wrote an overly critical article about Taylor Martinez. And by choosing to become confrontational during his postgame news conference, Pelini did a fine job of deflecting attention away from the greatest comeback in school history.
LOOKING AHEAD
No. 18 Arizona State goes to No. 9 Oregon. The Ducks don’t know if Heisman finalist LaMichael James will be ready to play.
James’ dislocated his elbow during the Ducks’ victory Thursday night against California. The injury looked gruesome, but the running back said it was not season-ending.
No. 22 Texas tries to bounce back from the 55-17 beating it took from Oklahoma at home against No. 6 Oklahoma State. Could be another long day for the Longhorns secondary.
09-02-2011
San Fernando 46, Sun Valley 8: Running back Will Settle finished with 173 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries when Daemon Thompson went down with an ankle injury on the second carry.
Junior quarterback Javier Aguilar completed 7 for 11 passes for 129 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Christian Solano in the third quarter.
San Fernando coach Tom Hernandez held Thompson out for precautionary reasons but said Thompson should be able to return to action next Friday when the Tigers travel to Locke HS.
Sun Valley didn't score until midway through the fourth quarter when Arturo Ruiz tallied on a 4-yard run after San Fernando botched a snap on a punt.
One highlight for the Wilcats was Irbin Hernandez, who returned eight kickoffs for a total of 170 yards.
— Patrick Hamblin
