The Big Three: Texas beat Oklahoma. Texas Tech beat Texas. Oklahoma puréed Texas Tech. It’s a BCS nightmare: Three one-loss teams in one pivotal conference division, all vying for the basically arbitrary nod that will likely decide both the Fiesta Bowl and the BCS Championship.
Yet three teams in college football have a right to complain about something worse: a dream deferred. As the Washington Post reports today, each of Utah, Boise State, and Ball State has played a perfect season, with no losses (and big victories). And while the BCS notionally recognizes their achievements — with Utah ranked #7, Boise State #9, and Ball State #17 — there is simply nothing the teams can do to get the only recognition that matters: a berth in a BCS bowl. With another game to go, Boise State’s exceeding last year’s statistics in several offensive categories. But Utah’s lock on the non-BCS slot leaves no room for a perfect-season Western Athletic Conference team (much less a team from the Mid-American Conference).
Much like the BCS, though, I don’t care about any of these teams. Granted, yesterday’s matchup between #2 Texas Tech and #5 Oklahoma made even Insignificant Conference football look respectable. Texas Tech — whose offensive line Kirk Herbstreit described as a “Sunday crew playing on Saturday” — couldn’t stand up to an Oklahoma defense that has struggled this season. They proved themselves on Saturday, bringing a near constant blitz threat against Tech quarterback (and former Heisman contender) Graham Harrell. Harrell had only taken five sacks all season before yesterday. Oklahoma added another four — this, after Harrell said he couldn’t be sacked. It was like watching Michelle Rhee locked in a room full of District public school teachers.
Though the AP and USA Today polls both give Oklahoma the nod over Texas (who beat Oklahoma), the computers are bound to be more logical and give the Longhorns the #2 or #3 slot. (No one in the commentariot seems to be questioning that Florida deserves the #3 ranking, but after their classless thrashing of Citadel, they don’t deserve the good will.)
A question for the readership: If Texas (or Oklahoma) wins the Big 12 championship and winds up going to the BCS Championship game, who takes the Big 12’s automatic berth in the Fiesta Bowl? Also: you all agree that a promotion and relegation is the only solution to the mess that is the BCS, right?
