There has been a lot of disputing over the Big 12 South and BCS games over the last couple of weeks, and if OU and Texas Tech win there games on Saturday there will likely be even more.
First of all, with the three teams involved there are arguments for each team on why they should be where they are ranked and who should go to Kansas City to play the Big 12 Championship and also possibly the National Championship. We all know Texas beat OU on a neutral field, Tech beat Texas at Lubbock, and OU crushed Tech in Norman. All three will be tied at 7-1 in the conference. The majority of Texas fans will argue that they should get the nod because of beating OU head to head on a neutral field. Why is it they do not figure Tech into the equation? OU fans say they slaughtered the team that beat Texas and they are playing the best football right now. I have yet to hear any comments on why Tech should get in the game. I know, I know, they got crushed by OU so they are out of the argument. Some will say being they are out of the argument then you have to talk head to head. You cannot rationalize this theory because of three teams being tied with identical records and they all beat each other. If a fan says Tech is out of the equation because of there huge loss to OU, Texas may have won the head to head with OU, but the team that Texas lost to was beaten soundly by OU. Sounds like to me the huge win OU had over Tech actually hurt OU because fans and pollsters eliminate Tech from the equation?
Now a few points to remember about the three games. The Texas-OU game was a very good and closer game than most will admit being the score was 45-35. The Texas- Tech game was pretty much one sided up until the last quarter, although most only remember Tech winning the game with one second left. Remember that Texas only had the lead for a little more than a minute in that game. The OU-Tech game was a total domination by the Sooners from beginning until the end.
Couple of other points to consider. If Texas would have lost to A&M yesterday, do you rank OU ahead of Tech being OU beat Tech? Yes because of the head to head. If Tech was to lose to Baylor on Saturday, do you rank Texas ahead of OU? Yes because of the head to head. If OU was to lose to Oklahoma State on Saturday, do you rank Tech ahead of Texas. Yes because of the head to head, yet that will more than likely not be the case because of where they are ranked right now. Tech might get close if they were to beat Missouri in the Big 12 Championship game. The opponents they have faced will be the same. But will voters remember they beat Texas?
So as you can see what you can argue for one you can argue for another. I have yet to hear an argument for any of the teams that solidifies who should be ranked where. Head to head cannot be a part of the equation when there are three teams involved. My last question is if Tech is out of the equation because of there lopsided loss to OU, would this not make OU a frontrunner instead of trying to spin it to head to head with Texas? Lets see what shakes out with the OU-OSU and Tech- Baylor games and then we can make an argument. Also if Florida and/or Alabama were to lose this weekend and/or the loser beat the winner in the SEC Championship, who knows you may see a rematch from that game in Dallas to be in Miami.
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Hey Allen,
I do think it is a shame that the pollsters and fans have now completely pushed Texas Tech aside. All I heard was, "See, told you Tech would crap out". They've lost 1 game to a top 5 team and beaten another top 5 team and that constitutes "crapping out"?
I am picking Okie State to win in Bedlam, but you know me well enough to know that I went to extreme lengths to explain why I did.
The Big 12 teams in the BCS, there is some difference that I was noticing last week in the schedules.
The difference is that Texas beat Missouri, while Oklahoma and Tech missed Missouri this year. Texas has the 3 impressive big wins, Oklahoma, Okie State and Missouri. Of those big 5 teams in the big 12. Texas is 3-1. Tech is 2-1. Oklahoma is 1-1.
The other difference is in the OOC schedule. Instead of trying to compare the 3 one loss Big 12 teams OOC schedules, look at the 12 OOC opponents and how they would most likely rank. Team initial out from.
Cincinnati - O
TCU - O
Arkansas - TX
Rice - TX
Nevada - TT
UTEP - TX
UMass - TT
Florida Atlantic - TX
Eastern Washington - TT
Washington - O
SMU - TT
Chattanooga - O
Oklahoma's top 2 are both ranked, but those bottom two are way down. Washington from the computer polls has been averaging around 150th and Chattanooga might be the worst I-AA team this year. In Sagarin they are 212th. Texas is getting help from Rice having a very good year and UTEP being okay, with a strong end run by Arkansas and their worst is Florida Atlantic, ranked around 110-120 in most of the polls. Tech actually is getting a break with UMass having a good I-AA season this year, but SMU is below Washington and Eastern Washington is about equal with Washington.
So, I am guessing that the combination of the added Missouri win and a little better OOC overall is helping Texas. But the BCS disagrees with Oklahoma higher. At least that is my logical answer! Talk to you later.
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