SWC75
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As of 11/06/11, these are the undefeated teams left in Division 1A/FBS college football. (The BCS standings are out now and since they, not the writer‘s or coach’s poll determine who gets into the national championship game, I‘ll just quote the BCS ranking from here on in.)
Teams in BCS automatic qualifying conferences:
LOUISIANA STATE 9-0 (323-98) is ranked #1
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Western Kentucky (5-4)
11/19 at Mississippi (2-7)
11/25 Arkansas #8 (8-1)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team and two against teams with winning records. They play a one loss team. Their league has a championship game.
OKLAHOMA STATE 9-0 (451-257) ranked #2
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 at Texas Tech (5-4)
11/18 at Iowa State (5-4)
12/3 Oklahoma #6 (8-1)
They have one remaining game a ranked team and three against teams with winning records. None of their opponents has a losing record. They play a one loss team. Their league does not have a championship game.
STANFORD 9-0 (434-149) ranked #4
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Oregon #7 (8-1)
11/19 California (5-4)
11/26 Notre Dame (6-3)
They have only one remaining game against a ranked team but three against teams with winning records. They play a one loss team. Their league has a championship game.
At this time I’m going to include one-loss teams from BCS (AQ) conferences because Alabama is still considered a contender for a spot in the national title game and we need to keep track of them. I thought I’d include the other one-loss teams as well as this could become a mad scramble if we have a few upsets left in the Halloween bag.
ALABAMA 8-1 (321-64) ranked #3
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 at Mississippi State (5-4)
11/19 Georgia Southern (8-1)
11/26 at Auburn #20 (6-3)
They have one remaining game against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. One is with a one-loss team but it’s with an FCS team. Their league has a championship game.
CLEMSON 8-1 (342-231) ranked #9
11/12 Wake Forest (5-4)
11/19 at North Carolina State (5-4)
11/26 at South Carolina #13 (7-2)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
VIRGINIA TECH 8-1 (262-139) ranked #10
11/10 at Georgia Tech #21 (7-2)
11/17 North Carolina (6-4)
11/26 at Virginia (6-3)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
OKLAHOMA 8-1 (409-178) ranked #6
11/19 at Baylor (5-3)
11/26 Iowa State (5-4)
12/3 at Oklahoma State #2 (9-0)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. One is against an undefeated team. Their league does not have a championship game.
CINCINNATI 7-1 (313-156) ranked #23
11/12 West Virginia (6-3)
11/19 at Rutgers (6-3)
11/26 at Syracuse (5-4)
12/3 Connecticut (4-5)
They have no remaining games against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league does not have a championship game.
PENN STATE 8-1 (196-112) ranked #12
11/12 Nebraska #19 (7-2)
11/19 at Ohio State (6-3)
11/26 at Wisconsin #18 (7-2)
They have two remaining games against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
OREGON 8-1 (414-187) ranked #7
11/12 at Stanford #4 (9-0)
11/19 Southern California (7-2)
11/26 Oregon State (2-7)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team, (I’m surprised USC isn’t in the top 25). They have two games remaining against teams with winning records. One is an undefeated team. Their league has a championship game.
ARKANSAS 8-1 (339-208) ranked #8
11/12 Tennessee (4-5)
11/19 Mississippi State (5-4)
11/25 at Louisiana State #1 (9-0)
They have two games remaining against teams with winning records. One is an undefeated team. Their league has a championship game.
Teams in non-automatic qualifying conferences
BOISE STATE 8-0 (351-134) ranked #5
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Texas Christian (7-2)
11/19 at San Diego State (5-3)
11/26 Wyoming (5-3)
12/3 New Mexico (0-9)
They have no remaining games against ranked teams but three games against teams with winning records. Their league does not have a championship game.
HOUSTON 9-0 (474-211) ranked #11
11/10 at Tulane (2-8)
11/19 Southern Methodist (6-3)
11/26 at Tulsa (6-3)
They have no games against ranked teams. Two are against a team with a winning record. Their league has a championship game.
There are no remaining games between undefeated teams. Here are the games between undefeated teams and those dangerous-looking one loss teams or between one loss teams, (BCS AQ only):
11/12 Oregon (8-1) at Stanford (9-0)
11/25 Arkansas (8-1) at LSU (9-0)
12/3 Oklahoma (8-1) at Oklahoma State (9-0)
Comment: People are saying that LSU and Alabama were not the two best teams in the country because they couldn’t score against each other. But those are the two best defenses in the country. These teams have scored on their other opponents, (both teams came in averaging 39 points per game). And we’ve seen high scoring teams from other conferences become a bug on the windshield of an SEC defense in recent national title games. Ohio State averaged 38 a game in 2006 before getting 14, (7 on the opening kick-off) vs. Florida. The next year they did better, averaging 32 and then getting 24 vs. LSU. Oklahoma was averaging 54 a game and had scored 60+ in five straight games before getting 14 vs. Florida in the 2008, (played in 2009, of course), title game. Texas was averaging 41 before getting 21 vs. Alabama two years ago. Oregon was averaging 49 and got 19 vs. Auburn last year. They lost to LSU 27-40 to start this season and have averaged 48 points per game since. Just looking at the title games, the opposition has scored an average of 25 points per game less vs. the SEC team than they have averaged against everybody else. I could see LSU scoring 45 against Oklahoma State as Kansas State did but I guarantee you the Cowboys wouldn’t come close to putting up 52 on the Tigers.
Defense doesn’t win games- you still have to score. But it keeps you in games and keeps you in control of them and I don’t think you are a really good team unless you are a really good defensive team. I have little doubt that the best two teams in the country were playing in that game last night. And I didn’t think the game was dull because it lacked scoring. In the old days, (yes, I was there in the old days), the top teams in the country were always difficult to score on and when they played each other, the result was a low scoring game where the big play that decided the game could come at any time, not just at the end. A great defensive duel in football is like a great pitcher’s duel in baseball. It reminded me of the 1959 LSU Mississippi game where Billy Cannon won it with a fantastic four quarter punt return of 89 yards and a great goal line stand in the final minute. LSU and Mississippi were the top powers in the south back in 1959, (Bear Bryant was rebuilding Alabama) and the Tigers and Rebels had consecutive games of 12-14, 14-0, 7-3, 6-6, 10-7, and 7-15. That’s what games between top teams used to be like.
These days we expect them to be 41-38 games but it was fun seeing a good old-fashioned 9-6 game.
If the national championship game, (in this lousy system) is supposed to be between the top two teams in the country and there are no major upsets, then it should between LSU and Alabama. On the other hand, Alabama has already their shot at LSU. They were at home. They were favored and they lost. If, as we are constantly told, “The regular season is a single elimination tournament leading to the national championship game”, then hasn’t Alabama been eliminated, regardless of whether they might still be better than all the other teams? Shouldn’t someone else be given a shot? If LSU and Oklahoma State, Stanford or Boise State are still unbeaten at the end of the season I’d rather see the Cowboys, Cardinals or Broncos get a shot rather than see LSU have to beat Alabama a second time for it to count. If we give the other slot to the Tide, how do we explain to O-State, Stanford and Boise that Alabama wasn’t eliminated by their loss but they were, despite beating every team they played all year. (Interestingly Alabama only fell to #3 in the BCS rankings, putting them in a spot to get the bid to the title game over Stanford and Boise if Oklahoma can beat Oklahoma State.)
But we aren’t there yet. Every team faces serious challenges. Arkansas looms large as a spoiler for LSU. Alabama has to go to Auburn. Then there’s the SEC title game. Oklahoma State plays Oklahoma. Stanford has Oregon, a rivalry game with California and Notre Dame. Boise plays TCU this week. They are in the Mountain West this year, not the WAC. (And they got whacked by Nevada last year). The deck will be shuffled a few more times before things are decided.
Teams in BCS automatic qualifying conferences:
LOUISIANA STATE 9-0 (323-98) is ranked #1
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Western Kentucky (5-4)
11/19 at Mississippi (2-7)
11/25 Arkansas #8 (8-1)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team and two against teams with winning records. They play a one loss team. Their league has a championship game.
OKLAHOMA STATE 9-0 (451-257) ranked #2
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 at Texas Tech (5-4)
11/18 at Iowa State (5-4)
12/3 Oklahoma #6 (8-1)
They have one remaining game a ranked team and three against teams with winning records. None of their opponents has a losing record. They play a one loss team. Their league does not have a championship game.
STANFORD 9-0 (434-149) ranked #4
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Oregon #7 (8-1)
11/19 California (5-4)
11/26 Notre Dame (6-3)
They have only one remaining game against a ranked team but three against teams with winning records. They play a one loss team. Their league has a championship game.
At this time I’m going to include one-loss teams from BCS (AQ) conferences because Alabama is still considered a contender for a spot in the national title game and we need to keep track of them. I thought I’d include the other one-loss teams as well as this could become a mad scramble if we have a few upsets left in the Halloween bag.
ALABAMA 8-1 (321-64) ranked #3
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 at Mississippi State (5-4)
11/19 Georgia Southern (8-1)
11/26 at Auburn #20 (6-3)
They have one remaining game against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. One is with a one-loss team but it’s with an FCS team. Their league has a championship game.
CLEMSON 8-1 (342-231) ranked #9
11/12 Wake Forest (5-4)
11/19 at North Carolina State (5-4)
11/26 at South Carolina #13 (7-2)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
VIRGINIA TECH 8-1 (262-139) ranked #10
11/10 at Georgia Tech #21 (7-2)
11/17 North Carolina (6-4)
11/26 at Virginia (6-3)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
OKLAHOMA 8-1 (409-178) ranked #6
11/19 at Baylor (5-3)
11/26 Iowa State (5-4)
12/3 at Oklahoma State #2 (9-0)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. One is against an undefeated team. Their league does not have a championship game.
CINCINNATI 7-1 (313-156) ranked #23
11/12 West Virginia (6-3)
11/19 at Rutgers (6-3)
11/26 at Syracuse (5-4)
12/3 Connecticut (4-5)
They have no remaining games against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league does not have a championship game.
PENN STATE 8-1 (196-112) ranked #12
11/12 Nebraska #19 (7-2)
11/19 at Ohio State (6-3)
11/26 at Wisconsin #18 (7-2)
They have two remaining games against ranked teams. They have three games remaining against teams with winning records. Their league has a championship game.
OREGON 8-1 (414-187) ranked #7
11/12 at Stanford #4 (9-0)
11/19 Southern California (7-2)
11/26 Oregon State (2-7)
They have one remaining game against a ranked team, (I’m surprised USC isn’t in the top 25). They have two games remaining against teams with winning records. One is an undefeated team. Their league has a championship game.
ARKANSAS 8-1 (339-208) ranked #8
11/12 Tennessee (4-5)
11/19 Mississippi State (5-4)
11/25 at Louisiana State #1 (9-0)
They have two games remaining against teams with winning records. One is an undefeated team. Their league has a championship game.
Teams in non-automatic qualifying conferences
BOISE STATE 8-0 (351-134) ranked #5
Their remaining opponents:
11/12 Texas Christian (7-2)
11/19 at San Diego State (5-3)
11/26 Wyoming (5-3)
12/3 New Mexico (0-9)
They have no remaining games against ranked teams but three games against teams with winning records. Their league does not have a championship game.
HOUSTON 9-0 (474-211) ranked #11
11/10 at Tulane (2-8)
11/19 Southern Methodist (6-3)
11/26 at Tulsa (6-3)
They have no games against ranked teams. Two are against a team with a winning record. Their league has a championship game.
There are no remaining games between undefeated teams. Here are the games between undefeated teams and those dangerous-looking one loss teams or between one loss teams, (BCS AQ only):
11/12 Oregon (8-1) at Stanford (9-0)
11/25 Arkansas (8-1) at LSU (9-0)
12/3 Oklahoma (8-1) at Oklahoma State (9-0)
Comment: People are saying that LSU and Alabama were not the two best teams in the country because they couldn’t score against each other. But those are the two best defenses in the country. These teams have scored on their other opponents, (both teams came in averaging 39 points per game). And we’ve seen high scoring teams from other conferences become a bug on the windshield of an SEC defense in recent national title games. Ohio State averaged 38 a game in 2006 before getting 14, (7 on the opening kick-off) vs. Florida. The next year they did better, averaging 32 and then getting 24 vs. LSU. Oklahoma was averaging 54 a game and had scored 60+ in five straight games before getting 14 vs. Florida in the 2008, (played in 2009, of course), title game. Texas was averaging 41 before getting 21 vs. Alabama two years ago. Oregon was averaging 49 and got 19 vs. Auburn last year. They lost to LSU 27-40 to start this season and have averaged 48 points per game since. Just looking at the title games, the opposition has scored an average of 25 points per game less vs. the SEC team than they have averaged against everybody else. I could see LSU scoring 45 against Oklahoma State as Kansas State did but I guarantee you the Cowboys wouldn’t come close to putting up 52 on the Tigers.
Defense doesn’t win games- you still have to score. But it keeps you in games and keeps you in control of them and I don’t think you are a really good team unless you are a really good defensive team. I have little doubt that the best two teams in the country were playing in that game last night. And I didn’t think the game was dull because it lacked scoring. In the old days, (yes, I was there in the old days), the top teams in the country were always difficult to score on and when they played each other, the result was a low scoring game where the big play that decided the game could come at any time, not just at the end. A great defensive duel in football is like a great pitcher’s duel in baseball. It reminded me of the 1959 LSU Mississippi game where Billy Cannon won it with a fantastic four quarter punt return of 89 yards and a great goal line stand in the final minute. LSU and Mississippi were the top powers in the south back in 1959, (Bear Bryant was rebuilding Alabama) and the Tigers and Rebels had consecutive games of 12-14, 14-0, 7-3, 6-6, 10-7, and 7-15. That’s what games between top teams used to be like.
These days we expect them to be 41-38 games but it was fun seeing a good old-fashioned 9-6 game.
If the national championship game, (in this lousy system) is supposed to be between the top two teams in the country and there are no major upsets, then it should between LSU and Alabama. On the other hand, Alabama has already their shot at LSU. They were at home. They were favored and they lost. If, as we are constantly told, “The regular season is a single elimination tournament leading to the national championship game”, then hasn’t Alabama been eliminated, regardless of whether they might still be better than all the other teams? Shouldn’t someone else be given a shot? If LSU and Oklahoma State, Stanford or Boise State are still unbeaten at the end of the season I’d rather see the Cowboys, Cardinals or Broncos get a shot rather than see LSU have to beat Alabama a second time for it to count. If we give the other slot to the Tide, how do we explain to O-State, Stanford and Boise that Alabama wasn’t eliminated by their loss but they were, despite beating every team they played all year. (Interestingly Alabama only fell to #3 in the BCS rankings, putting them in a spot to get the bid to the title game over Stanford and Boise if Oklahoma can beat Oklahoma State.)
But we aren’t there yet. Every team faces serious challenges. Arkansas looms large as a spoiler for LSU. Alabama has to go to Auburn. Then there’s the SEC title game. Oklahoma State plays Oklahoma. Stanford has Oregon, a rivalry game with California and Notre Dame. Boise plays TCU this week. They are in the Mountain West this year, not the WAC. (And they got whacked by Nevada last year). The deck will be shuffled a few more times before things are decided.
