Upsets Could Complicate Coaching Changes
15 comments so far
December 1, 2007 by
Pittsburgh’s upset of West Virginia coupled with Missouri’s loss to OU could allow LSU to sneak into the BCS championship game. It would likely require a change of heart by a number of voters, who up to now have rated both Ohio State and Georgia ahead of the Tigers. But it’s certainly not impossible.
In all likelihood, Ohio State will be a lock to appear in the national championship game. As the only champion of a BCS conference with one loss, the Buckeyes seem a shoe-in for the title game. Georgia’s situation isn’t nearly as comfortable. The Bulldogs lost at Tennessee back in early October by three touchdowns. That’s the same Tennessee team that LSU just beat by 7 on a neutral field and without the benefit of their starting quarterback. Of greater concern to Georgia is the fact that the Tigers are now the SEC champions. There are sure to be voters that take issue with a national champion game participant that didn’t win its own conference, as was the case for Oklahoma in 2003 and Nebraska in 2001.
There’s other competition for a spot in the championship game. Both Kansas and Virginia Tech sat ahead of LSU in the BCS standings prior to this Saturday’s games. It’s possible one of those teams could edge out the Tigers. Virginia Tech is both the ACC champion and something of a sentimental favorite after the tragedy that took place earlier this year. Kansas has the same trouble as Georgia (i.e. they did not win their conference) yet the do have an 11-1 record, which is better than LSU’s (11-2).
It’s even conceivable that a team behind LSU in the BCS standings could leapfrog the Tigers. Oklahoma just beat the #1 team in the country, and boasts the same record as LSU. USC just closed out their season with a nice win over UCLA and also has only two losses (10-2). Technically, even Arizona State could have a shot with their 10-2 record. Hawaii could be 13-0 (their game’s in progress) and yet appears to be the least likely team of all to have a shot at the national championship.
So it’s no slam dunk that LSU will play for the title. But if they did, things could get tricky for Bo Pelini, Les Miles, or anyone considering a job change. It also could put Nebraska in the unenviable position of weighting until well into January to have their new coach. Hopefully, fortune will smile on Nebraska and send Georgia, Kansas, Virginia Tech, or Oklahoma to play the Buckeyes. But if that doesn’t happen, then things could get ugly.
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ze bop Dec 01 07
Well, I just remarked about the Sooner 'W' on the other thread.
Can't believe WV lost, but I guess White got hurt again.
U Dub killing the 'Bows'. Yippeeee!
Forever Red! Dec 01 07
I don't think he has a choice. If his quote was true to his players, "Head coach at Nebraska is a dream come true for me". I think he has to pass on the bowl game. I understand that T.O. is a good recruiter, but we can't afford to waste away the month of December without a head coach again. I your dream is to be a head coach, that should be more important then being a D.C. for a possible championship. If you beleive in yourself as a coach then you should beleive that you will have more chances to get a ring.
BmaxBuffalo Dec 01 07
LSU gets in . Hey Thanks for Choosing Pelini...Now Turner can stay and takes us to a Bowl Game next year....LSU should be a early 7 point favorite .. My bet is The Tigers will miss BO coaching in the BCS title game...He will be very Busy recruiting for BIG RED....sO HE WILL MISS OUT COACHING IN A TITLE GAME AGAINST HIS Old school,, But Miles gets to coach against the Buckeyes...WOW...A Michigan Guy ...Gets a chance to stick it to the Buckeyes...
BuckeyeGal Dec 02 07
Go Buckeyes! Beat !
This was a perfect ending to a crazy year!
Forever Red! Dec 02 07
@Bmax,
I saw how you guy's honored Turner at your B-ball game the other night. That was pretty cool. I think Turner, being the humble guy he is, would have a hard time leaving. It's pretty obvious you guy's love him up there. If he stays I hope you guys do get to a bowl game next year.
Forever Red! Dec 02 07
Until the big 10 has a conference championship game, the Buckeyes are not relevant. Let the yelling begin!!!
Andrew Dec 02 07
So who is going to watch the National Chapmpionship game? Really.
ze bop Dec 02 07
'zE bOp SPORTS' PROUDLY PRESENTS: Hottest Chic On-Field Reporter Award For 2007!!!
...and the winner IS(as per unanimous poll of ONE 'zE bOp'): Tracy Wolfson(CBS/SEC games)!!!
Can you say, 'Dah-reeeam Girl'?! OUCH!
O.k. now that that is decided, let's turn our attention to the Pitt/WV game...
UN-FREAKING-BUH-LEEEV-A-BUHL!
There are virtually no words in the Lexicon' de Ingles to describe such a horrific meltdown!
But let us give it a shot. First, do Rich Rodriguez and Gary Pinkel have anything--uh, just one small thing--in common? Could it be they share a common genome? Are they 'brah-thas of a different fah-tha', pray tell--somehow consanguinially related?!
CHOOOOOOOOOOOKE!!!
O.k., I wouldn't call Miz-who's(?) loss to the Sooners a result of the Pinkel Factoid; I'll cut Pinkel some slack here. They just got whooped by a clearly superior team, plain and simple. Pinkel, Daniels, 'Miz-who Nacione', I hope you enjoyed your 15 minutes of fame, but I think your run is 'one & dun'. I doubt you'll stear your way to the North championship next year, plus, Sooners will be even BETTER in '08.
But I digress.
"...West Virgin'y...Blue Ridge Mountains.....la, la, la...Shenandoah Ri-i-verrrr...la, la..."
Try to wrap your brain around this, kind Cfb Fan; you come into the game rated #2 after putting up 66 pts vs UConn the previous week; you're a 4 td fav, AT HOME, vs your most hated rival, who comes in at 4-7 and who's HC is 'The Master of Murphy's Law' in disquise(Wanny, recipient of new contract extension care of the embattled 'Darth Pedey')--ON CRUTCHES!; the refs clearly 'got yo' back' in this one and despite a good D showing and a very good rb in DeSean McCoy your hated rival makes nearly every bonehead mistake in the book(less TOs) trying to hand you the game (but you just politely try to hand it right back); you've got some of the cutest student chic fans; your QB injures his RIGHT thumb, but he's LEFT HANDED, for god's sake!
For the love of all that is TRUE, GOOD, and HOLY--you LOSE the FREAKING Game!
OM--f'ing--G!
No, Pinkel, in all his glorious choke jobs, NEVER has achieved such a ZENITH of a choke job in all his born days!
--note to Ducks and 'Neers: get a BACK UP QB that's ready to play. EVEN the Huskers know that one(Berringer, Ganz...)
(p.s., I, for one, do not want to see the Buckeyes in the NC game. LSU should be there--with BOP--and I'd like to see them play the Sooners or Romans...PRETENDERS BE GONE!)
p.s.s.,Kind CFB Fan, I apologize for the post length, but had to get it off my chest.
cvldfg Dec 02 07
Steve,
There have been plenty of coaches, especially coordinaters, that have left before there bowl games to take new positions. Now that Les is staying, I think it will be much easier for Bo to leave early.
What a load of crap the championship game will be this year. There are too many teams that will have a claim to play for the title.
We could have a team back in to the game, Ohio State. And a team that didn't even play in a conference title game, Georgia-Kansas.
I don't think LSU being in the title game will be a factor for Bo leaving early.
ze bop Dec 02 07
Upsets, the moral of the story:
When a team is given absolutely NO chance in a game--Appy St., CU, Stanford, Pitt....
Go with THAT team!
ze bop Dec 02 07
Upsets, the moral of the story:
When a team is given absolutely NO chance in a game--Boise('o6 vs OU), Appy St., CU('07 vs OU), Stanford, Pitt....
Go woth THAT team!
rangerhusker Dec 02 07
my stance on everything this season...
so no sh*t there i was in afghanistan in 2006 watching the nu/tx game. we were in a remote area, but had the locals set up sat. all tx fans around me and nu had the game won. until you know what happened. so i make a comment about this yr. boy was i way off the mark. this year has been an all time low. my buddy and myself(the only other husker fan around) have determined(sp?) that with the new 85 or 86 or however many scolarships teams are aloud to have now, college football will change forever. heres what i think most ppl want. we want to see NU,miami,flst,pennst,(maybe michagin) be in the running for top contenders as well. who cares about hawaii,uconn?,k-state etc...
I HATE seeing substandard schools beating once great teams. I HATE it because there is tradition in the ncaa, if you name some of the greatest games ever, do you hear of it being uconn? h@ll no. its not right,but it still happens. No team this season deserves a nc. not one. now to wrap up my dibocle(sp?)
i will leave on this note. to be a true powerhouse school,and be a consistent high caliber team,you MUST have a strong defense and be able to run the ball effectively(NOT PASS ALL THE TIME), i dont care what the trend is now. football is football. RUNNING the ball,strong defense, and being able to control murphy is what NU was about before callahan. and what no team has showed this yr.
I apologize for spelling(im just a grunt)and for how long this blog is
a husker pulling my short hairs out
rangerhusker Dec 02 07
my stance on everything this season...
so no sh*t there i was in afghanistan in 2006 watching the nu/tx game. we were in a remote area, but had the locals set up sat. all tx fans around me and nu had the game won. until you know what happened. so i make a comment about this yr. boy was i way off the mark. this year has been an all time low. my buddy and myself(the only other husker fan around) have determined(sp?) that with the new 85 or 86 or however many scolarships teams are aloud to have now, college football will change forever. heres what i think most ppl want. we want to see NU,miami,flst,pennst,(maybe michagin) be in the running for top contenders as well. who cares about hawaii,uconn?,k-state etc...
I HATE seeing substandard schools beating once great teams. I HATE it because there is tradition in the ncaa, if you name some of the greatest games ever, do you hear of it being uconn? h@ll no. its not right,but it still happens. No team this season deserves a nc. not one. now to wrap up my dibocle(sp?)
i will leave on this note. to be a true powerhouse school,and be a consistent high caliber team,you MUST have a strong defense and be able to run the ball effectively(NOT PASS ALL THE TIME), i dont care what the trend is now. football is football. RUNNING the ball,strong defense, and being able to control murphy is what NU was about before callahan. and what no team has showed this yr.
I apologize for spelling(im just a grunt)and for how long this blog is
a husker pulling my short hairs out
TRN Dec 02 07
Breaking News
TO has scheduled a press confrence at 4:00 today. Husker insider Sean Callahan has confirmed the Bo Pelini arrived in lincoln early this morning and is currently at memorial stadum
ze bop Dec 02 07
'Bogasm Central', wooohoooo!