BCS Tournament Bracket

The folks at Playoff PAC don't need a crystal ball to see into the future. In the spirit of March Madness and bracketology, they have created the 2011 BCS Tournament Bracket. Not bad and probably accurate.

AEAAE Top 25 (Final)

We know Nick Saban has picked up all of the National Title hardware, but if he'd like the trophy that comes with winning the final AEAAE poll he should let us know in the comment section and we'll set up a meeting place.

Team (LW) Record

1. Alabama (1) 14-0
2. Texas (2) 13-1
3. Florida (6) 13-1
4. Boise State (5) 14-0
5. Ohio State (7) 11-2
6. Iowa (9) 11-2
7. TCU (3) 12-1
8. Penn State (11) 11-2
9. Cincinnati (4) 12-1
10. Virginia Tech (14) 10-3
11. Oregon (8) 10-3
12. BYU (17) 11-2
13. Nebraska (15) 10-4
14. Georgia Tech (10) 11-3
15. LSU (13) 9-4
16. Pittsburgh (18) 10-3
17. Wisconsin (23) 10-3
18. Utah (24) 10-3
19. Miami (12) 9-4
20. Central Michigan (22) 12-2
21. USC (NR) 9-4
22. Mississippi (NR) 9-4
23. West Virginia (16) 9-4
24. Clemson (NR) 9-5
25. Texas Tech (NR) 9-4

Others receiving votes: Rutgers, Navy.

McCoy handles disappointment with class

Colt McCoy deserved much better than this. Anyone questioning his toughness after he left the BCS Championship game last night with an arm injury doesn't understand football. Not to say the Longhorns would have won last night if McCoy had remained at QB. But the game would have been much more interesting.

But McCoy didn't pout or make excuses. He was first class when interviewed after the disappointing end to an amazing career.



McCoy wanted nothing more than to give Texas another championship and cement his name and reputation right along Vince Young. Despite finishing second on the biggest stage, McCoy has nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, his performance last night may have been his best ever.

Bowl Preview: BCS Super Duper National Championship Game for all the Marbles in the Whole Wide World

BCS National Championship
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Ca.
Alabama vs. Texas
Date: Jan. 7
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: ABC
Line: Alabama -4

About Alabama (13-0): The Tide got here the old-fashioned Tide way - defense, boring offense and deal with Satan. RB Mark Ingram won the Heisman by being the dreaded most important player on the best team. This does not bode well for winning national titles. The big news of the week was that starting LB Rolando McClain ate a "bad taco" which in college football parlance usually means he spent a night getting shitfaced with his friends and hasn't recovered.

Intangibles:
First Heisman trophy winner: -2
Mike Shula (or was it David?): -2
Major Ogilvie: +2

About Texas (13-0): Colt McCoy. Jordan Shipley. Other guys. Texas is generally regarded as the team that lucked into getting to the title game thanks to their weak conference, downfall of a dreaded rival (Oklahoma) and some league officials determined to have the 'Horns play for another title. Good passing game. Running game? Eh. Defense? Eh.

Intangibles:
History of great college football players who suck in the pros: -1
This is college football who gives a crap: +4
Austin: +2
Rest of Texas: -4

Impact player: McCoy. Colt, that is. Great name. Better have a great game.

Bowl slogan: "We're not really a bowl. We're not really a playoff championship. We're just here and you can't do a damn thing about it."

Little Known fact: The aforementioned Satan, lord of darkness, watches Nick Saban and says "That guy is kind of an ass."

Watchability (1-5): 5

The Pick: Texas 23, Alabama 22

Podcast update

To all of our loyal podcast listeners, we will not have our customary Wednesday show. Instead, Phil and Tom are getting together Friday so we can break down the National Championship game as well as other important college football news. So come back Friday for your weekly update from An 'Eye and an 'Eer.

Unflattering BCS ad to air this week

We are the last place you'll find support for a playoff, but we would like to offer some suggestions on how to make the BCS system work better. But we have to give it to the group who did this 30-second spot, that according to Sports By Brooks will air in select cities before the BCS Championship game between Alabama and Texas. This reminds us of a political campaign, and if the folks at the BCS don't want this to snowball they should consider a response ad.

BCS welcomes back 'Old Reliable'

With a late-season glut of undefeated teams and two non-BCS programs staking a claim to the championship game, it's nice to see the organization who controls the fate of all these teams has someone "reliable" to help make sure the system runs smooth.

Great prediction Lou

Like we needed any more proof that Lou Holtz is senile, but it's fun to go back and watch his stellar prediction that Notre Dame will play Florida in the BCS Championship Game. Now let's see how he figures out a way to still keep the Irish in the talk for a BCS Bowl Game.

Podcast: Episode 37

With the countdown to the start of college football down to single-digit days, An 'Eye and an 'Eer podcast is back to doing a weekly show. This week we have our first guest, Ryan Zundell from the podcast Brothers in 3-Z. Ryan brings to the table tons of knowledge about the Big East and WVU. So go check out his podcast, which takes a look at all sports.

After we let Ryan get back to his life, Phil and Tom lambast Lou Holtz for picking Notre Dame to play in the BCS Championship Game (what a dope). We also pick our sleeper teams for each conference, as well as consider Steve Spurrier's options if South Carolina gets off to a slow start this season.

Podcast: Episode 36

It's time to give the Big Ten and Big East a little more credit than each has been getting lately. Seriously, does anyone who knows anything about college football really think Utah, Boise State, BYU or TCU would be any better than the third best team in any BCS conference? I didn't think so. Stop the complaining and let's get the season started.

We also give you who we think is the best player on a bad team (can you say Jake Locker?). We also give our picks for who will be this year's Clemson and fall quickly from the rankings into oblivion. Enjoy another podcast from Phil and Tom.

Coaches poll farce

We have continuously defended the BCS and the bowl system. But this news doesn't help.

Any and all credibility that we would like to heave upon the coaches' USA Today Top 25 football poll has quickly vaporized. Starting in the 2010 season, the final regular-season ballots in the poll will no longer be made public.

The alleged voting by the coaches has been highly scrutinized in the past. Too often the coaches vote with their heart and not logically. And let's face it, how much does Urban Meyer really know about Oregon State? This also leads them to vote in favor of conference opponents, and not who is best.

This decision to hide the ballots and keep them from the public means all of the coaches who vote can be even more devious. Don't think for a second that Rich Rodriguez won't manipulate his ballot in a way that benefits him the most.

Why does all this matter? The coaches' poll is part of the BCS equation. So this adds fuel to the fire for all the BCS haters, and makes it harder for us to keep defending the system.

The Ol' Ball Coach gets it.

"I thought we would stay public on that last vote, I sort of think we ought to stay public, you know. It keeps everybody pretty honest so I don't know, that was surprising," said South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier.

Quick reads

As I finish up lunch and wait for the next event to begin at a national track meet, here are some interesting reads I found that might interest you.

* Who has done the worst coaching job in the last decade? According to the Bleacher Report it is clearly Ty Willingham.

* Our Boy, Lane Kiffin, is in the news again. Seems he and the strength coach don't see eye to eye. Good thing for Lane, his AD still thinks he's the right man for the job.

* Pete Carroll is now using Twitter to bolster jersey sales at the USC bookstore.

* Mike Hlas from the Cedar Rapids Gazette presents two sides of the BCS argument. One of them being President Obama.

* Michael Rand of the Minneapolis Star Tribune documents the downfall of Ryan Leaf (how many times do we have to do this?).

* Shaq scores a big scoop by getting an interview with Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus. Watch an interview of Shaq at Syracuse's Sportscaster U.

Anti-BCS? Here's a site for you

For all of the anti-BCS and pro-playoff folks out there it seems there is an online movement, which includes College Football Hall of Famer Anthony Davis, that should make you very happy.

There's even a nice breakdown of who would have made the 16-team playoff from 1998 through 2008.

The site is actually pretty crappy looking and makes a weak attempt to leverage political power and opinions to add legitimacy. But the playoff system is not going to gain any real footing unless ESPN demands it. Even then I'd be surprised to see it happen.

Give me my bowls. I still believe it's a better system and wouldn't change a thing.

Nothing better to do links

Hope this saves you some time and gives you some recent college football news.

* At first glance, Nick Saban's snatching of Auburn coach James Willis seemed like a stomach punch to new coach Gene Chizik. On second glance, Saban may have been suckered.

* I've never thought too highly of South Florida's Jim Leavitt. Now he's proving even more what a paranoid, gutless coach he is.

* Finally, another "intelligent college football fan" who doesn't think a playoff is a better option for Division I.

* Good for Chris Smelley, the former South Carolina quarterback who was treated like a piece of meat by Steve Spurrier. Now he'll be playing baseball for the Crimson Tide.

* Maybe the Florida Gators miss former assistant coach Doc Holliday, who is now at WVU, more than anyone expected.

* Syracuse's biggest recruit may actually be at the University of North Carolina right now. Hey Butch, any restrictions on your transfers?

* Now this criticism of the BCS is one I can support.

* Piling on Rich Rodriguez continues. He, he, he he.

Playoff? Not with TV ratings like this

It seems any "fan" of college football is clamoring for a playoff following the BCS Championship game. Here is more proof that the bowl system is very popular (and that Phil and I are right). Thanks to Jon Solomon at the Birmingham (Ala.) News for the ratings.

Bowl TV Ratings (with increase/decrease from last year)
BCS Title Game, 15.8 (+10%)
Rose, 11.7 (+5%)
Fiesta, 10.4 (+35%)
Sugar, 7.8 (+11%)
Capital One, 6.4 (-30%)
Orange, 5.4 (-27%)
Champs Sports, 4.5 (+41%)
Cotton, 4.4 (+26%)
Gator, 4.1 (+58%)
Emerald, 4.0 (+29%)
Meineke Car Care, 3.9 (+22%)
Alamo, 3.9 (+70%)
Holiday, 3.9 (+5%)
Chick-fil-A, 3.4 (-23%)
Poinsettia, 3.2 (+88%)
Outback, 2.7 (-7%)
Hawaii, 2.6 (+100%)
Music City, 2.4 (-29%)
Liberty, 2.3 (-34%)
Sun, 2.2 (-4%)
New Mexico, 2.2 (+29%)
Las Vegas, 2.2 (+5%)
Motor City, 2.1 (-9%)
Humanitarian, 2.1 (+200%)
EagleBank, 1.9 (New Bowl)
International, 1.8 (+29%)
Papajohns.com, 1.7 (-12%)
GMAC, 1.7 (+70%)
Armed Forces, 1.4 (-18%)
St. Petersburg, 1.1 (New Bowl)
Independence, 0.8 (-50%)
New Orleans, 0.7 (-50%)
Insight, 0.4 (0%)
Texas, 0.1 (-67%)

Average Bowl TV Rating By Conference
Big 12, 6.13 (7 games)
Big Ten, 5.70 (7 games)
SEC, 5.65 (8 games)
Pac-10, 4.80 (5 games)
Mountain West, 3.36 (5 games)
ACC, 3.34 (10 games)
Big East, 2.68 (6 games)
WAC, 2.18 (5 games)
Sun Belt, 1.40 (2 games)
MAC, 1.30 (5 games)
Conference USA, 1.22 (6 games)

Podcast: Episode 21

Really, the College Football season is over? Where did it go?

Well the Florida Gators are National Champs and it's time to go into the off season. Phil and Tom won't spend too much time talking about recruiting, but in this episode we will discuss a future that includes a playoff, make some stupid predictions for 2009, decide if Tim Tebow is about to become the most hated player in College Football history and what underclassmen have made the worst decision to come out early for the NFL Draft.

Oh yea, and we'll talk about that BCS Championship game a little. We will continue to do the podcast, but now we are going to every other week until late summer.

Live From New York ... It's a BCS parody

In an attempt to display some level of fair play or equal time, here is a pretty funny clip from Will Forte on Saturday Night Live where he pledges his love for the Bowl Championship Series. Not saying the BCS is perfect, but give me my bowls.

Little more Sooner bashing

Thought I was done beating up on the Oklahoma Sooners, but some last-minute perusing before bed led me to two pretty funny developments. First, someone has registered the website www.chokelahoma.com and then redirected it to www.soonersports.com. The second is the latest video/song from Ryan Parker at ryanparkersongs.com.

Enjoy.

OU ... Sooner or later the new Ohio State

Here's a solution:

Next year, let Oklahoma and Ohio State play in a BCS bowl game. At least then one of them would win (someone would win right?).

For all those Big Ten and Ohio State haters, it's time to clear something up. Oklahoma is way more over-rated than the Buckeyes. In my eyes, the Sooners are now the nation's most over-rated program ... even ahead of Penn State, Virginia Tech and Georgia.

For some reason The Choke and the Sooners have been given a pass on their BCS futility and will probably be ranked in the Top 5 for 2009. The only group who really calls OU out is, of course, Texas Longhorns fans.

In my opinion, and I think the facts prove me right, Oklahoma has been more feeble in big games than the Buckeyes (don't tell me playing Texas Tech at home was a big game).

We all know Ohio State has lost three consecutive BCS games, including the title game in 2007 and 2008, and the disastrous trip out west to play USC earlier this season. How about the teflon Sooners? The Choke's boys have muffed their past five BCS contests:

2004: Lost to LSU, 21-14, in the BCS National Championship
2005: Lost to USC, 55-19, in the BCS National Championship
2007: Lost to Boise State, 43-42, in the Fiesta Bowl
2008: Lost to West Virginia, 48-28, in the Fiesta Bowl
2009: Lost to Florida, 24-14, in the BCS National Championship

It's moratorium time here. Even if Oklahoma is the lone undefeated team at the end of the 2009 regular season the Sooners are banned from the title game. Let's just say it's Florida and USC now so we can stop all of the playoff talk.

Sooners National Champions?

Maybe Bob Stoops should be the first caller. Might even be funnier to see Tim Tebow throwing these around during spring practice. (Tip of the cap to Awful Announcing for this video).