Computer Rankings
Four of the six BCS computer polls are out and USC is No. 1 in two of them: Sagarin and Bllingsley.
In Colley Matrix, the Trojans are ranked at No. 17. Colley's top five are Nebraska, East Carolina, Wisconsin, Auburn, and Vanderbilt. Ohio State is No. 62, just two spots above No. 64 UCLA.
USC actually tumbled 16 spots in Massey, to No. 20. USC trails one-loss UNLV (16), Virginia Tech (10), and West Virginia (8). Massey's top five are East Carolina, Wisconsin, Uah, Nebraska, and Wake Forest.
Billingsley's computer apparently was not put off by Ohio State's loss; the Buckeye's actually climbed to No. 5 from No. 7 in Billingsley, leapfrogging LSU in the process. UCLA also went up in defeat, rising to No. 23 from No. 26 despite the loss to BYU. Part of this is no doubt due to the fact that Billingsley, and the other computers, are not allowed to take into account margin of victory in their BCS calculations.
This shows why we need a playoff.
Agreed completely TROJANZ...That's what THIS poll (which currently shows SC tied for #2) is all about:
http://www.ripbcs.com
We also need world peace, but that and a playoff ain't gonna happen in our lifetimes.
And, unfortunately, nothing lies like statistics, but that is the system we have to live with. On the bright side, there usually are only 3 or 4 teams each year with a legitimate beef to play in the "championship" game, so the problem is not that acute.
Some of these computer rankings make SW's AP poll look respectable.
Lawyer John......agreed. But maybe a plus-one will happen. What if SC, Oklahoma, and Florida or Georgia ends up undefeated?
Totally agree with Trojanaz.
We need a playoff system...period! Computers shouldn't be part of the system, especially those that have Vandy ranked above the Trojans...please!
Enough with the B(C)S system...it seems to work well in the D-IAA. 16 teams - 8 games the weekend before New Years - 4 games on New Years (Rose Bowl, Orange, Fiesta and Sugar) - 2 games weekend after - Title game following weekend. It's that easy!
As for school starting, etc....they seem to work fine with the D-IAA playoffs and also in basketball. Why is college football (D-IA) the only non-playoff system? Lacrosse, crew, field hockey, ice hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball, and even fencing all seem to have some sort of playoffs...why can't we?
I disagree we have to live with any system. Public opinion has always had power to create change.
Obviously one computer system is so out of reality it needs to replace. The press has to start shouting and people complaining.
TROJANANZ:
I agree. The "Plus-One" formula would absolve most of the controversy most years. And I believe there is a real chance of this coming to fruition. But not until after the BCS contract runs out in 2012.
And those who stubbornly are borne to a playoff only alienate the powers-that-be i.e. the college presidents.
In negotiations, start small, giving oneself a real chance at compromise, and work your way up.
Does nobody recognize that the computer rankings are literally meaningless after only 3 weeks? The only data the computers have is "Team A beat Team B beat Team C." Imagine if you lived in a dark cave and someone gave you 120 identical marbles and each week told you that this one beat this one, this one beat that one, and you had to rank them after 3 weeks?
There's a reason the BCS formula isn't calculated until 8 or 9 weeks into the season...the computer data is irrelevant until it gets enough statistical data to mean something.
If John McCain wins, he will push to enact bi-partisan legislation to amend current TV contracts to allow for an NCAA-sponsored playoff solution to satisfy the needs of the people. Obama will move the BCS voting power to Congress and increase the government's revenue cut of the current BCS TV contracts.