Mouth of the South - Rankings Suck
By Gary Lloyd
Love of Sports Correspondent
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again ... I don’t like preseason rankings.
However, they give us something to yap about in anticipation of the upcoming season. But I’d be willing to give up that yapping for some type of playoff system, maybe the plus-one system.
Because the current system causes too many hissy fits among fans and schools to remain in place. Simply, the BCS needs to either fish or cut bait.
Just look as recently as last season.
USC and LSU were ranked #1 and #2 heading into the season, respectively. West Virginia was #6, Ohio State 10th, Georgia 13th and Hawai’i 24th. Missouri and Kansas began the 2007 campaign unranked.
Here’s how these eight aforementioned teams finished last season:
1. LSU (12-2): National champions; two regular season triple-OT losses; SEC champs
2. USC (11-2): No Pac-10 Championship, two regular season losses and a Rose Bowl win
3. Georgia (11-2): Two regular season losses; didn’t make SEC Championship Game; won Sugar Bowl
4. Ohio State (11-2): One regular season loss; lost to LSU in BCS Championship Game
5. Missouri (12-2): One regular season loss; lost to Oklahoma in Big 12 title game; won Cotton Bowl over Arkansas
6. West Virginia (11-2): Two regular season losses; beat Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl
7. Kansas (12-1): One regular season loss to Missouri; beat Virginia Tech in Orange Bowl
17. Hawai’i (12-1): Undefeated regular season; lost to Georgia in Sugar Bowl
The top two teams heading into the season finished the season 1-2, just flip-flopped. Georgia, Ohio State and West Virginia remained in and around the Top 10 all season, while Hawai’i remained mostly on the outside because of its schedule. Missouri and Kansas, as you see, finished #5 and #7, but could only reach that high due to the fact both schools started the 2007 season outside the Top 25.
Similarly to Auburn in 2004, both the Tigers and Jayhawks had too big a mountain to climb. Both lost just one regular season game, Missouri to Oklahoma and Kansas to Missouri. LSU had two regular season losses, but made it to the title game because it won the SEC Title Game over Tennessee. Missouri lost the Big 12 Title Game (to Oklahoma), while Kansas was left out.
Quite simply, the preseason rankings were off because neither Missouri nor Kansas was included. That’s credibility lost, in my estimation. Sure, it’s fun for me to make my Top 25 or some beat writer make his or her’s. However, when these fun-to-talk-about rankings affect a team’s bowl destination, it becomes a problem. I mean, Mizzou and KU hadn’t even taken the field and their fates were already set – no shot at the title game.
The BCS is counting its chickens before they hatch. They can’t know for sure which school will end up where until the season is played out. Look at some of the top teams heading into this season.
Georgia is #1 and obviously has a shot at the title game despite a strenuous schedule, as does #2 Ohio State, #3 USC, #4 Oklahoma, #5 Florida, #6 Missouri, #7 LSU, #8 West Virginia and #9 Clemson. Just think, some team not even ranked will ultimately become college football’s 2008 Cinderella. It’s inevitable.
The current system’s a dog that has entirely too many fleas. The plus-one system is the most popular option fans, coaches and media are pulling for. I, personally, am in favor of an eight-team playoff, but I know it’s not the most feasible option.
But the current system has to go. The BCS has ruffled too many feathers in college football circles.
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