Who cares what the AP thinks is National Champ?

[AmericanErrorist]

The Associated Press is not a sanctioned sports body. It has about as much power to declare a national champion as a Quizno's Deli. This is an exmaple of media perception vs. reality.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

1. The BCS seems to lack credibilty, too. Maybe Coke could do

a better job? The BCS blew it.

[Rainbowreflect]

3. I don't understand the "BSC blew it" crap.

I think the way they figure the BSC is stupid, but it's what people agreed to. Now everyone whines when they feel left out.
Change the rules, go to a play off system, but don't whine when the agreed upon rules don't work the way you want them to.

[Brotherjohn]

2. Boy, that's flame-bait for USC fans if I ever saw it!

Put yer asbestos on!

Being an LSU fan myself, I'd say I care. I think USC has a legitimate case for No. 1. I think LSU and USC should be playing in the Sugar Bowl. Then again, I also think OU has a case, and I think there should be a 4-team playoff (but's that's for another thread).

That being said, I think, historically, a LOT of people care who the AP says is No. 1. Having no playoff, college football has always had to rely on the polls (until the BCS). Yes, the "Coaches" poll (which is now also the USA Today / ESPN poll, may be viewed more as a "sanctioned" sports body in that coaches vote (but hey, there's no bias there, right?). The fact is both AP and Coaches polls have historically been given equal weight, thus the "split" national championship problem we have often have (and may have again this year, BCS or not).

A split National Championship wouldn't be so bad though. It's as good a solution as any when more than one team can make a claim that it is the "best".

[RedEarth]

15. OU does have a case....here is the schedule for USC

Auburn (7-5)
BYU (4-8)
Hawaii (8-5)
Cal (7-6)
Arizona St (5-7)
Stanford (4-7)
Notre Dame (5-7) (noteworthy beat Pitt)
Washington (6-6)
Washington State (9-3)
Arizona (2-10)
UCLA (6-6)
Oregon State (7-5)

USC played 7 teams that were 500 or below only two teams were significantly above 500, Washington State and Hawaii. The rest were 1 game away from a nonwinning season (Oregon State, Arizona State) or a losing record (Cal - the same Cal team that apparently should have lost and should not count agains the Trojans).

OU on the other hand played Texas (BCS #5), Oklahoma State (9-3), Missouri (8-4), Texas Tech (7-5), Fresno State (8-5)(beat Oregon State one of USC's best opponents) and North Texas (9-3), Kansas State (11-3). OU's weak nonconference teams were Alabama and UCLA (remember UCLA was one of the better teams USC played).

[democracyindanger]

4. AP most respectable of all

No, the AP is not a sanctioned sports body. Neither is the Coaches' Poll. Or Zogby.

But the AP voters are sports journalists, who for the most part are able to pay attention to college football in the entire country. And they cast their own vote.

The 'Coaches' Poll'? Feh. They should call it the 'Athletic Director's Secretaries Poll.'

Sooners choked when they should've been firing on all cylinders. Ergo, they are this year's Nebraska. End of story.

[Braden]

5. yeah, they've only been doing it for 85 years what do they know?

I care. U$C got screwed. Someone was going to get screwed but seriously, the Number one team in B-O-T-H polls is not playing for the title. Thats a major F-Up. If OU wins watch the coaches might not "vote" for Oklahoma as a slap at the ridiculous BCS.

[11 Bravo]

6. The AP has been around one Hell of a lot longer

than the BCS.

[Brotherjohn]

7. Just WHO IS the BCS, anyway?

Is it the NCAA? Is it an independent organization?

My impression is it's an agreement bewteen 6 conferences that has made an agreement with the Coaches poll (or the Coaches' organization) that their newfangled system will determine the winner of the Coaches trophy.

In that case, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the AP, and the Coaches have elected to relegate their poll merely to a portion of the BCS formula, with no bearing on the final No. 1 (since they have to vote the winner of the 1-2 game as No. 1). If that's the case, why do the Coaches even vote a final poll anymore? If that's the case, too, then the BCS does NOTHING whatsoever to prevent a split National Championship, because they have no control whatsoever over the AP poll. The only way their system would prevent a split NC is if their 1-2 results at the end of the regular season ALWAYS mirrored the AP's, which of course is a ridiculous assumption.

ON EDIT:
People have really given the BCS too much weight. It really hasn't changed things all that much. The BCS is really just a new way to determine the Coaches' championship (making it's final result not really a poll at all, but a playoff of the top 2 teams in a new ratings system that uses its results, along with other polls and components).

The AP is still an equal and separate championship. I say this being an LSU fan who would like to have the undisputed championship. But the way the system is set up now, that very possibly will not happen. So we're just back to the old system. Both polls can and will assign different national championships. This is very possible this year, and has been possible 2 or 3 times in the other BCS years (lucky for them, the right team won to avoid it).

This proves that the BCS is a complete failure in its main goal... to avoid a split NC. But the obvious question is: How can you avoid a split National Championship if you only control one poll?!

[Braden]

8. I'll take it one further

the coaches poll is published by ESPN, who along with ABC has broadcast rights to the games. They have no business publishing a poll that will sway who gets to play in their game. The big conferences are squeezing out the little guys who have little shot of winning as is, but no chance at the big dance.

Does ABC want Northern Illinois or TCU on New Years Day? Or would they prefer a Big Ten, Pac-10, SEC whatever conference you want team?

[AmericanErrorist]

9. Actually,

the BCS is run entierly by the conferences and have very little to do with the coaches poll, go to http://www.bcsfootball.org for more

[Brotherjohn]

14. BUT the Coaches' have agreed by contract to vote their No. 1...

... as the winner of the BCS 1 vs. 2 game. They may not be the same organization, but that agreement makes them have very much to do with the BCS. In making that agreement, they did indeed relegate their poll to merely a determinant in a bigger formula of who gets to play for No. 1. They also agreed to award their trophy according to the results of the BCS system.

Regradless of who runs it, they have agreed to be a part of it.

[Braden]

16. originally the coaches poll was one of four factors

now its up to about 11. Which does make it a decent evaluator of teams. But it should never be used to make the decision itself. Its just plain dumb.

[AmericanErrorist]

10. All apologies to USC fans

I did not mean to slight your team in any way, just the system it lives in

[HuckleB]

11. Sanctioned schmanctioned.

It's as accurate as the BCS any day.

[Blade]

12. Damn...

why base everything on facts and statistics anyways? The team in third place can beat the shit out of the first place team, even if their scores/stats are much lower. It comes down to luck and talent, not 11 freaking computers.

[AmericanErrorist]

13. I did not realize

that the Coashes poll made the BSC winner their Nat. Champ in the post above Your points are all kinda vaild. Sorry.

[sasquatch]

17. BCS, AP Poll and Coaches poll have all one thing in common

They all have no credibility. The NCAA should grow a pair and step in and fix the system. Don't be affraid to tell the univerity presidents how it is.

[Awsi Dooger]

18. People forget that the AP would have voted for Miami in 2000

As national champion, if Florida St had disposed of Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, as expected. Miami had defeated Florida easily in the Sugar Bowl, and was ranked #2 in both polls going into the bowl games, significant points ahead of #3 FSU. Only a screwed up BCS system elevated FSU over Miami into the title game, despite Miami's win over the Seminoles in the regular season. An FSU victory over OU would have produced a split national champ, a distinct possibility this year.