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This is posted in my blog (http://woysword.blogspot.com) but I'm hoping it will spark some discussion on here as well. As a Penn State fan, I am not in favor of this team going to a BCS bowl as we don't deserve it.
The BCS is a business.
And that business might get Penn State into the Orange Bowl.
No, I'm joking one bit. Penn State has a legitimate chance at a BCS Bowl and in fact, will most likely be an at-large if they beat Michigan State next weekend.
It's hard to comprehend with their on-the-field success. The Nittany Lions have lost to the two best teams they've played all season and don't really have a statement win like a lot of other at-large candidates do. However, there is something they do have...more than a lot of other schools have.
Money. Penn State generates more revenue than most teams in the nation. This is a huge factor with the Orange Bowl selection committee, who has reportedly not been making enough money lately. And with the direction the college football season has been taking this year, there isn't really any other legit at-large bids out there. Hell, two mid-majors could possibly make the big bowls!
The BCS requires you to be in the top 14 of the rankings in order to be eligible for a BCS bowl. The conferences can not have more than two bids, which would leave out LSU, who would be the 3rd team after Florida and Alabama. After the weekend's games, Penn State will most likely move into the top 14.
Now the question is this: is there any team that could jump them as an at-large? Let's say Cincinnati wins the Big East, Oregon wins the Pac-10, Texas wins the Big 12, Georgia Tech wins the ACC, and Florida wins the SEC. Add mid-majors TCU and Boise State who will most likely go undefeated.
National Championship: Florida/Texas
Rose Bowl: Ohio State/Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Alabama/TCU
Fiesta Bowl: Cincinnati/Boise State
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech/?
The only conference that doesn't have an automatic slot in a certain BCS Bowl is the Big East. For example, the Rose Bowl takes the Big Ten and Pac-10 teams, Sugar Bowl takes a SEC team, Fiesta Bowl takes a Big 12, and the Orange Bowl takes an ACC team. The Big East is the "first at-large" team technically. With Texas in the national title game, Cincinnati would most likely take the Big 12's slot in the Fiesta Bowl.
So let's look deeper into this. Who could the Orange Bowl possibly take? LSU is out because of the two teams per conference rule. The Big 12 has been sub-par this year with Texas being the only legitimate team out of that conference. Therefore they will not get a second bid.
Same way with the ACC, since there is no way they will take two teams unless Georgia Tech loses in the conference championship game. Even then, they would have to compete with Penn State as an at-large and although they would have a better resume, it's that money factor that kicks in. Penn State would get the slot.
That also is the Big East's dilemma. Would they take two teams from that conference? Hell no. Cincinnati would be a possibly if Pitt would win over them, but even then as a (for the most part) start-up BCS school, the revenue factor would bump the Nittany Lions over the Bearcats.
Remember that Boise State is in my projections as a BCS team. They are a toss-up however because of a weak conference schedule and only one big win over the Oregon Ducks. Penn State brings in more fans and money than the Broncos so they would also get the nod if it came to those two.
It might not be fair, it might make the BCS look worse, but face the facts - if Penn State beats Michigan State, it's going to happen. Like I said, the BCS isn't just a ranking system but it's also a business.
And this just in: Phil Grosz of BWI (Blue & White Illustrated) reports if PSU beats MSU and is in the top 14 of the BCS (which they should be) then there's a 95% chance they will be playing in the Orange Bowl.
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