Why I'm Against an LSU-Alabama Rematch in the BCS Title Game

1. The current system may stink, but it pits the two best teams against each other. The two best teams (currently) are Bama and LSU, with Arky sniffing at a close third. If the two best teams are from the same conference, so be it.

2. South Carolina makes more money if two teams play in the NC game, and Arkie (or Bama or LSU) plays in a BCS bowl. If money is a good enough reason to expand to 14, then money is a good enough reason for the SEC to have both sides of the NC game.

team on the road. Don’t know how Penn. St. will finish up but they may very well end up in the Big 10 Championship.

But the bottom line is no school in the SEC can really play a tough out of conference schedule because they need home games and bills must be paid. Nevertheless the SEC’s record in the NCG (when not playing SEC schools) and their overall bowl record speaks fro itself. If Bama finishes 11-1 in the SEC West having only lost in overtime to the #1 team I think they probably are the #2 team. The BCSCG is supposed to match 1 v. 2. If Bama and LSU win out they are 1 & 2 even if you don’t like it.

By the way, ask the NFL which teams they think have the most talent?

First, I’m an Alabama fan (in case my moniker is not noticed).
But I hope to be responding more as a CFB fan, than a homer.

I agree that the regular season is a ‘kind of’ playoff. That doesn’t mean that it has to be a single-elimination playoff. That would be the same as saying that the loser of the LSU/Oregon game was destined to only play spoiler in their own conference. The FBS regular season playoff is setup to be considered as a season. Alabama played LSU closer than any other opponent before ultimately failing in OT. That doesn’t mean that Alabama is undeserving of playing in the BCSNCG if it retains the 2nd best standing in the rankings. Both LSU and Alabama have played marquee programs from other conferences and have demonstrated dominance over most of their competition far beyond what any other programs have been able to do.
The SEC has consistently maintained top recruitment and coaching, which has translated into developing 4 different teams as recent national champions. To say that the SEC can’t develop two programs that could be the best in the nation rings hollow.
Now, in order for this from becoming the norm the poll voters should be critical of the on field performance and quality of scheduling for all programs in contention. How can you compare the loss to Iowa St. or Baylor or TCU to the loss to #1LSU (in OT by a FG)? No one else is playing the game at the this high of a level against quality opponents like the SEC West leaders have been doing this year. Statistically, this seems like it should be possible.
I agree that it doesn’t appear to be as grandiose than having similar conference champions in a national title bout, but in 2011, maybe there isn’t anyone from another conference close enough. I’d rather see two similar teams battle it out again, than see two bowl games (one of which…the BCSNCG) that are less competitive (though there is no guarantee that a rematch won’t be a blowout one way or the other).

I guess the only thing holding me back is my personal belief that Alabama and LSU are the two best teams in the country. This is tempered by them being 1 and 2 in the AP poll and my familiarity with the SEC. That’s it really. I want to see the two teams that I feel are the best or have the resume that makes them most appealing to me as a BCSNCG contestant. While reading your argument, I do agree that it isn’t fair to force LSU to earn a spot in the National Championship by winning in the SECCG when Alabama gets to sit at home and rest. They don’t have to risk losing to a fired up UGA team or risk losing players to injury. Also, I like your philosophy of having SEC teams play against other conferences so we can really see where we stack up. I think that is extremely valuable.

And, even so, the LSU fans aren’t afraid of Bama and I believe that many LSU fans are clamoring for the opportunity to beat Bama a second time on an even bigger stage, as impossible as that seems. They don’t have a problem with the idea, they are a talented team with a lot of positive energy. They are going to come out and play whoever is in front of them and try to win. I look forward to watching LSU’s remaining games. Truthfully, I am glad that LSU-Arkansas is on Friday, because there is a big part of me that is more interested in that game than the USC-Clemson game the following day.

I really appreciate this post and your thoughts. So, I will have more to say on this subject after we know the result of this Arkansas game. Because that could really throw a wrench in the works.

That one thing is the limit on the number of SEC teams that can play in the BCS games.

Should the stars align and the final BCS ranking be topped by the Western 3 (PLEASE BE TRUE! – sorry , homerism.) I would LOVE for those three teams to play in 3 separate BCS bowls against the highest ranked non-SEC teams. But the BCS rules forbid that occurrence. The only way for three teams – three teams who have certainly earned their proper place in the BCS bowls – from a single conference to make the BCS is for two of them to meet in the MNC title game.

Change the rule (Add a very sarcastic “Yeah. Right.” here.) and I will happily support your proposal. The BCS alliance made the rule and made them to specifically protect against the domination any single conference. I’ll let you decide if their reasons were altruistic or motivated by fiscal concerns.

In the end, I say to those who want no rematch: “You made the rules, friend. We’re just following them.”

Arkansas will beat LSU.
Auburn will beat Alabama.

Then we’ll have college football armageddon.

It’s not fair to LSU. (Again, assuming LSU wins out.) LSU went to ’Bama’s house and came out with a win. IMO, there’s nothing that ’Bama can do in the BCS Title Game to negate that fact. For that reason, it would be unfair to hand ’Bama the national title if they won the Title Game.

that he had heard a rumor that the BCS was considering having only 1 game a year (1 vs 2) at rotating sites (think superbowl style stadium selection method) and letting all of the bowls go back to their traditional selection methods.

Things doesn’t really solve the rematch problem, but I like it – and I like it a whole lot more than the idea of a playoff, at least at first blush.

Anyone heard this rumor? It certainly solves my problem with the two-team limit rule.

If two SEC teams are #1 and #2 after the smoke of the regular season has settled then so be it. Is it ideal? Probably not. Is it fair? Absolutely. If this is the beginning of the end of the current BCS format then so be it. The way this has all shaken out is weird to say the least. A “perfect storm” if you will. At the end of the day #1 has to play #2 and you’d have to be out of your mind to argue against LSU and Bama holding those respective rankings.

Perhaps this is the “typical SEC football snob” in me, but from everything I’ve seen this year (and I’ve watched a shit load of football) no other team deserves a shot assuming LSU and Bama win out.

None. I don’t Even like seeing a re-match SEC title game. Face it, ‘Bama, you had your chance and you blew it. It was a good game. Nothing to be ashamed of. Let’s move on. In football you get one shot. One game with your rival, one bowl game, one National Title game. It’s not baseball.

assuming, or course, they beat Oklahoma. While they would have a loss to an unranked team, An OK win would give them 4 wins over currently ranked teams. Alabama would only have 2.