Some AP Voters Laying Groundwork for Split National Title
by Year2 on Jan 5, 2012 12:21 PM EST
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PrintWhichever team wins the BCS National Championship Game will win the BCS championship and the crystal football that goes with it. The winner technically is receiving the Coaches' Trophy, which goes along with finishing first in the Coaches' Poll. While individual coach voters have bucked the rule on a couple of occasions (2008 and 2010), they are required by the BCS and Coaches' Poll guidelines to vote for the BCSNCG winner as their No. 1 team. Not enough will rebel to make the winner of that game not win the BCS/Coaches' national championship.
However, the AP Poll voters are not bound by any such rules. You, of course, remember 2003 when LSU won the BCS title but USC won the AP title. That season, to date, is the BCS's greatest failure. The BCS was designed to end the era of split national titles, and yet a split national title happened on its watch.
If LSU beats Alabama for a second time, there will be no split title. The Tigers won the tougher of the two SEC divisions, won what was no worse than the second-toughest conference, and they beat Pac-12 and Rose Bowl champ Oregon along with Big East and Orange Bowl champ West Virginia in non-conference play. It will also own two wins over one hell of an Alabama squad, and oh yeah, it will be the only undefeated team in the country. An LSU win will lead to a unified LSU title.
If Alabama wins, the Crimson Tide will own the BCS title. However, the AP title will be completely up in the air.
A compilation of opinions from AP voters shows that three different teams will likely have first place votes in the poll. Some said they'll vote for Alabama, case closed. A couple have said they're voting for LSU almost no matter what happens next Monday. One voter, Kyle Ringo of the Boulder Daily Camera, said he would strongly consider voting for Oklahoma State, depending on how exactly the game turns out.
Most said that anything is possible, which is probably the right way to look at it. Part of that anything is a chance to have three national champions, which would happen if Alabama beats LSU and then LSU and Oklahoma State tie for the most number of first place votes in the AP Poll.
In a season that brought us the first national title game rematch, some kind of chaos just feels like it is lurking around the corner. If you don't have a horse in next Monday's race (like me), it's almost enough to don a houndstooth hat and affix toilet paper to a laundry detergent box just to see if we can get that three-team national title to actually happen.
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Just curious...
But which conference gave the SEC a run for it’s money as the toughest one this year?
Great topic. I totally see all three sides in the choice AP voters will have to make.
Shreveport isn't so bad this time of year...
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jan 5, 2012 6:39 PM EST reply actions
Big 12
The Big 12 was very deep, and if I interpreted the computer rankings correctly through the second half of the season, the BCS computers thought it was the best (followed by the SEC).
Team Speed Kills -- SBNation's SEC Blog
If you're so inclined, follow me @Year2
This is exactly why the AP was taken out of the BCS equation.
They vote one way just to make a statement all too often.
that being said
They’re still a better, less biased, and more informed chooser than the coaches or the Harris.
by Mark Mandingo on Jan 5, 2012 6:49 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
No it's not
The AP was never officially associated with the BCS. The BCS used it without permission, and the AP essentially sent it a cease-and-desist order in 2004 because a lot of its members were concerned about reporters making the news. Plus, the AP didn’t like that BCS detractors also directed their hate to the AP as well.
Basically, the AP told the BCS to stop using its poll so that it would no longer be associated in any way with the BCS.
Team Speed Kills -- SBNation's SEC Blog
If you're so inclined, follow me @Year2
This is all stupid.
IMHO, this is all nonsense. Even if it wasn’t Bama and it was some other one loss team, people would still be pitching a fit. This is all rediculous. As they stated on an ESPN program earlier, “If you are a true champion, you will play and beat whoever is in front of you.” I won’t argue about who is the right choice to play LSU, because obviously I am biased. I just don’t wanna hear those lame ass fans anymore saying that we fell backwards into this game and don’t deserve to be there. First, if it was your team, you WOULD be as excited as I am. Two, LSU fans, strike 2003 from the record and you have a valid argument. Nice write up though.
Yes, we have thirteen....
All I know is this
No matter how this game goes, Bama will claim 2011 as their 58th championship.
by danmarcel on Jan 5, 2012 8:53 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Should Alabama win...
those AP voters that cast their first place vote for Oklahoma State are just Bitter-Enders. After the OSU performance in the Fiesta, following their in-season loss to sub .500 Iowa State, there is no logical defense for OSU as #1.
If the game is field goal close, those that vote LSU #1 have a case that can be made. But beyond such a close result on the scoreboard theirs will be more a ‘Statement Vote’ than one of true interpretation and conviction based on on-field results.
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