I’m going to be speculating a bit here, at the risk of becoming a little dreamy. I opened up the bowl projections on espn.com and I've had several recent conversations on the topic, and it’s really got me thinking about the end of the season. I realize this is dangerous for the players and coaches to be thinking about, but as a fan I think it’s my job to theorize about bowl possibilities.BYU is currently the highest of the five non-BCS ranked teams in both the AP and USA Today Polls, followed by Utah, Boise St., TCU, and Fresno St. in that order. Let’s just assume that BYU wins out the regular season, hanging losses on Utah and TCU. Although the BCS computers could throw some twists on the rankings, I cannot imagine Boise St. being able to make up enough ground to overtake us. BYU would likely be in the top 12 of the BCS rankings and thus automatically qualify for a BCS bowl.
Who might we be playing? If I had to pick the six BCS conference champions right now, before most teams have played more than a single conference game, they would be USC, Oklahoma, Florida, Penn St.,… Wake Forest and South Florida? That would leave three more spots for, let’s say, Missouri, LSU, and Wisconsin. To betray my bias, I’m little scared of playing USC or Oklahoma, but if they ended up playing each other in the National Championship matchup, I would gladly face any of the others. I didn’t expect to be saying this a month or so ago, but I really like our chances of winning a BCS bowl game this year.
Now, it is not completely out of the realm of possibility that we could somehow land in the National Championship game, but it would take a lot of things happening beyond BYU’s control. USC would have to lose at least one game late in the season, Oklahoma and Missouri both would need to lose to other teams in the Big 12, and there would have to be at most one SEC team with less than two losses. It's possible, but about as likely as the Utes showing consistency.
Even then I don’t know if it would happen, and to be honest, I don’t know if I want it to happen. Going to a BCS game and losing would be disappointing and embarrassing (*cough* Hawaii), but going to the NC game and losing would give Mark May and Kirk Herbstreit enough material to last through the decade. Let’s bust the BCS this year, and come back again next year for all the marbles.
Here’s my prediction: BYU vs. Missouri in the Fiesta Bowl. Chase Daniel is one of the most prolific quarterbacks I’ve seen, but the Tigers have a holey defense. It could be an entertaining shootout, in the tradition of the 2006 Fiesta Bowl (which I secretly suspect was scripted).So there it is, and, as we all know, it is what it is. What are your thoughts on the bowl possibilities for the Cougs?
14 comments:
If things ended up like they did last year, where everyone and their mom had at least two losses, an undefeated BYU would have an argument for the NC.
What we really need is for TCU or Utah to be ranked when we play them. If we finish the regular season without beating a ranked team the media will be calling us Hawaii left and right.
I'm with Quinn Gooch in saying that I don't want to face Mizzou. High-powered spread offenses make me nervous with our defense still.
I'd really like to see someone from the SEC. Georgia, LSU, Auburn, etc. I think we have a realistic shot at beating any of those teams and it would shut the media up about the dominance of the SEC. I'm so sick of that.
I don't see us in the NC game, but I think we'd hang with USC. I really do. Win? Maybe not. But I don't see us getting blown out either.
I agree with the thought that we should just break the BCS this year, not make a fuss about not being in the NC, then begin next season ranked in the top ten.
And I also want an SEC team. Georgia and LSU have big running games that the Cougs could definitely snuff.
I don't know guys. When I hear the words National Champion thrown around I start to think that people have been drinking to much of the kool-aid (the one spiked with a whole bunch of honor code breakers). I don't think we have a shot to get the because of the system and I think we would get mopped. I'm happy with where the cougars are. I don't want us to over shoot our talent though.
1. I'm still holding out hope for the Rose Bowl.
2. There's no way--NO WAY--we make the National Championship this year.
3. If we go to a BCS game it will most likely be the Orange Bowl. Why? The Orange Bowl has the last selection among BCS Bowls (like the Fiesta Bowl in 2006, and the Sugar Bowl in 2007). Since they have the last selection, they will be forced to take the non-BCS team (BYU), and put them up against the ACC champion. And I have a word of warning for the future ACC champion: If you do end up playing BYU, we will crush you.
4. If that doesn't happen, and if we don't play in the Orange Bowl, I want to play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. All the Irish have to do is win 9 games and they're in. And I would love to lay the iron on Chuck and Jimmy.
Notre Shame isn't going to a BCS bowl this year.
That's a great pic of Les Miles.
I have my doubts about being able to hang with a #1 like USC, though I would love to see it. I don't think the BCS will let us be considered for the NC yet. Would one more year even be enough for them?
If we can beat two good teams like TCU and Utah, I hope we're still not compared to Hawaii, regardless of the bowl game's outcome.
I don't think we'll be compared to Hawaii either, and frankly I think we're much, much better than they were.
And like I said, it would take some extreme circumstances for a national championship this year for BYU.
Mike Wilbon on PTI yesterday predicted that the BCS Championship game will be USC v. BYU. Who can trust the ESPN talking heads to know what they're talking about, but at least he's been among the first in the media to hop on the bandwagon.
Not a chance at the NC this year, next year yeah if we keep intact the winning streak but not this year.
We would get beat by USC by 17. Our best bet is someone with a suspect offense so our defense could hang around and get a turnover or two. One of the things that continue to go unmentioned about the Y's D is that they let Wyoming put up almost 300 yards. Shutout yes buy 300 yards by a crapy offense where you have to rely on them making mistakes to dominate, NEVER good.
I would love to play LSU or Auburn. Georgia is another one I think we could hang with, the only one in the SEC that would give the Y fits is Florida. Outside of that, the big 12 teams we would have a chance but not much of one and USC much like Florida I don't see it happening on either side of the ball.
One last thing, my prediction is definately the fiesta bowl. They already had a rep. here watching BYU on opening day and they realize the following BYU has in AZ and that people would come from Utah too. It would be a guaranteed sellout, and you would have good ol mormon folk nation wide glued to the tv!!!
JINX! Just had to get it out there.
The stars would have to align just right for a national championship. The MWC would have to continue to be very impressive and everyone ahead of us would have to lose late in the season. BYU would have to win big every game from here on out--no more close ones like Washington. The likelihood of all of that happening is very low, but of course my hopes are very high.
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