The BCS Got it Right (For This Week)
Imagine, if you will, an alternative universe in which Oklahoma State beat Oklahoma last weekend. No amount of dastardly in-game phone calls and gnashing of teeth would be able to change this reality: Texas Tech would be playing Missouri Saturday night in Kansas City for the Big 12 championship. The Red Raiders would be there by virtue of a head-to-head win against Texas.
Assuming this alternate reality's BCS standings were similar to what we have in real life, the Longhorns would probably be ranked second in the BCS standings this week and looking forward to a date with the SEC champ for the national title. Texas Tech, sitting at six, would have no shot at playing for the national championship, win or lose versus Mizzou. Would Mack Brown be stumping on behalf of Mike Leach to take UT's place in the championship game? Or, would he quietly back his way into the title game?
Thankfully, though, we live in this world, one where OU traveled to Stillwater last weekend and beat the Cowboys by almost three touchdowns. Why is that supposed to make the comparison between Texas and Texas Tech any different now? Why should Tech be removed from the discussion simply because OU beat OSU, creating a three-way tie? By the same head-to-head rationale that Texas supporters are using, I don't understand how Oklahoma's presence among the division's co-winners is supposed to make Texas suddenly superior to Tech. No, the contention that Tech should be irrelevant to this discussion is about as intellectually dishonest as they come. Essentially, isn't it just penalizing OU for dominating the Red Raiders?
Texas may have a leg to stand on when it comes to the fact that the 'Horns beat OU on a neutral field, whereas OU and Tech's wins came at home. However, if we're going to go down that road, it still doesn't change the head-to-head argument between Texas and Tech.
In that sense, it's not unreasonable to throw out the head-to-head criteria and rely on a team's body of work. Again, Texas fans may see room for debate on this point, but OU's wins over TCU and Cincinnati trump anything the 'Horns did this year in Homerism's opinion. Let this be a lesson
A note about Utah: Homerism has lauded the Utes as championship game-worthy up to this point. While coach Kyle Whittingham should be congratulated for guiding his team to a great season, Utah simply didn't face enough good competition this year to merit consideration. Sorry, but that's the breaks.
1. Alabama
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. USC
5. Florida
6. Utah
7. Texas Tech
8. Penn State
10. Ball State