BCS Dilemma.

[Senser81]

Good read, but I don't really care if Penn State makes the Orange Bowl or not. I won't be watching the Orange Bowl either way. Adding the National Championship basically made all the other bowls meaningless. Its like having a tournament which only consists of one game. One of the polls has to automatically select the winner of the National Championship game as its champion...the ultimate sign of guilt.

[Woy]

Will never happen. The NCAA won't allow a 7 team conference. It's more likely that the Big East and Big Ten combine to form two separate conferences than Rutgers leaving the Big East.

And just because a guy from a Penn State site reports that Penn State makes the Orange Bowl doesn't make it true. There's still a lot of football to be played. Far from a 95% chance.

Also Penn State may not even be in the Top 14, Two wins from Stanford (who plays #25 Cal and Notre Dame) will certainly leapfrog PSU with two wins. If Iowa can beat Minnesota they too will still hold an edge over PSU as playing Minn and MSU is essentially a wash.

You make a good point with Stanford. However there are a few teams in the top 14 now that can fall. Oregon still has Arizona and their rival Arizona State. Pitt still has Cincinnati. Oklahoma State has Oklahoma. And Iowa already lost to Northwestern, so I wouldn't put it past them if they lost to Minnesota.

Grosz didn't just pull that 95% out of his ass, you know? He has been speaking to officials of the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta Bowl and that's what he got out of it.

And you don't think if Rutgers left the Big East, they would just find a team from the MAC or C-USA to replace them? How did they get all the new teams when Miami, VT, and BC left?

Once again, I am not saying that Penn State should be in a BCS bowl. But if they beat MSU, they're more than likely going to play in the Orange Bowl.

[Pitty]

I understand the point about the Big East, but the conference won't let another team, especially one that has bee consistently good for the past 5 years just slip away. It's the only reason they haven't left yet. Schiano wants to be in the Big Ten but the BE officials aren't going to allow another poaching to take place, especially after the backlash for the 2004 deal. It is more likely that a major two conference overhaul would take place.

Also, a factor that you have overlooked is equally as important in the financial aspect. Although PSU fans do travel well, television revenue for the bowl games generate much more income than ticket sales. If PSU does get picked at #13-14 in the BCS, the backlash from ESPN and other sports outlets may prove too costly for the comittee to create a matchup that no one will be interested in.

[Woy]

All good points.

Penn State needs to beat Michigan State first before all of this shit gets really tossed around, though.

[Sportsbuck]

Will never happen. The NCAA won't allow a 7 team conference. It's more likely that the Big East and Big Ten combine to form two separate conferences than Rutgers leaving the Big East.

The NCAA doesn't have a say in the matter... Rutgers would join ithe Big Ten and the Big East would try to find someone to take thier place like they did when BC, Miami, and VT left.

And it really doesn't matter how pissed the Big East office would be at Rutgers.. they are free to make whatever decision they want to.

[nflman2033]

yeah i would say it would come down to a big 10 or a pac 10 to get that last spot

[chazmaniandevil]

id love to see stanford get in there

[Woy]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/10378268/Weekend-wrap:-TCU,-Boise-State-both-look-good

...

2. If the Orange and Fiesta Bowl selection committees have the choice between a two-loss Penn State team, a two-loss Wisconsin team and a two-loss Iowa team, who are they taking?

As you know, only two teams from any one BCS conference can play in BCS bowls. With Ohio State locked and loaded for the Rose Bowl, that leaves quite a decision from either the Orange or Fiesta Bowl selection committee on which two-loss Big Ten team they'd rather invite.

There's a very strong chance Wisconsin, Iowa and Penn State all finish the season with just two losses on the year. Only one of the three can play BCS football.

Though it may seem like a no-brainer to give the nod to Iowa of the three, it's not that easy. Yes, Iowa beat both Wisconsin and Penn State head-to-head this season. And sure, few would argue that the Hawkeyes have one of college football's best traveling fan bases. But when it comes down to it, I think Joe Pa and the more nationally recognized Nittany Lions would get the nod.

Could Joe Paterno find himself coaching his last BCS bowl game? (Hunter Martin / Getty Images)

This, of course, would leave thousands of fans from Iowa City to Des Moines outraged. Having been burned three years ago by a similar "odd men out" situation, it would cause great distress in Madison, too. But this is college football, and in college football, things like logic, head-to-head matchups and what's "fair" don't always come into play. In fact, they rarely do.

With Iowa coming off back-to-back losses, banged up at various positions and without the big name star attraction of a Ricky Stanzi, Penn State becomes the far more appealing — and likely more lucrative — at-large option for the Orange and Fiesta. Iowa fans have a fantastic track record and will travel to any bowl host city in hordes, but Penn State's fan base can hold its own, too.

Though Iowa has the larger alumni fan base in the Southwest, Penn State could likely fill both the Fiesta and Orange Bowl, too. Furthermore, Joe Pa and the Nittany Lions are the bigger television draw. Fans will tune in to see the legendary coach on what might be his last BCS bowl sidelines. Merchandise will be sold.

Wisconsin is looming, but is the likely third choice of the three. With a big win over Michigan State in East Lansing on Saturday, Penn State can make the statement it needs to leapfrog Iowa in both the BCS standings and the hearts and minds of bowl selection committees in Arizona and Florida

It'll cause a lot of confusion a bit of outrage, but I think two-loss Penn State would likely get the nod over two-loss Iowa. And to the great dismay of many, that's regardless of what happened when the two teams took the field in September or how the two teams looked comparatively against Ohio State.

Absurd? Senseless? Unjust?

There have been a lot worse words used to describe the BCS.

[Goober]

Go Michigan St! :D

[Woy]

Go Michigan St! :D

You better root for the Spartans and the Golden Gophers. Iowa would get the bid over Wisconsin if Penn State lost.

[St. Francisco]

Iowa is getting the at large bid no matter what.. Its as simple as that. Fuck Penn St.

My Dad has become a diehard Hawkeyes fan since he moved to Iowa, and he thinks the same thing.

It's cute how delusional you guys are. You need to re-read that article that Woy just posted.

"This, of course, would leave thousands of fans from Iowa City to Des Moines outraged. Having been burned three years ago by a similar "odd men out" situation, it would cause great distress in Madison, too. But this is college football, and in college football, things like logic, head-to-head matchups and what's "fair" don't always come into play. In fact, they rarely do."

Truer words have never been spoken. If it comes down to Penn St. and Iowa, the Nittany Lions are going. It's not right, and it's not fair, but that's how it will shake down.

[Sportsbuck]

LMAO at Ricky Stanzi being a big name star attraction

[Woy]

My Dad has become a diehard Hawkeyes fan since he moved to Iowa, and he thinks the same thing.

It's cute how delusional you guys are. You need to re-read that article that Woy just posted.

"This, of course, would leave thousands of fans from Iowa City to Des Moines outraged. Having been burned three years ago by a similar "odd men out" situation, it would cause great distress in Madison, too. But this is college football, and in college football, things like logic, head-to-head matchups and what's "fair" don't always come into play. In fact, they rarely do."

Truer words have never been spoken. If it comes down to Penn St. and Iowa, the Nittany Lions are going. It's not right, and it's not fair, but that's how it will shake down.

Thank you SF.

[Dez]

1 more win and a few losses from the teams ranked above us and Okie State may sneak into the BCS!!!!! Just got to go to Norman next week and beat the Sooners

[Archer]

1 more win and a few losses from the teams ranked above us and Okie State may sneak into the BCS!!!!! Just got to go to Norman next week and beat the Sooners

If Okie st get in ahead of Boise , TCU or Cincy (if they are all undefeated) I may just lose all hope with the BCS