Comments on The Only Game That Matters: What to do With a Loss

My biggest problem, and the point I concur most wi...

2008-09-30T16:58:00.000-04:00

My biggest problem, and the point I concur most with Beauford on, is that USC simply did not fall far enough.

Keeping them in the Top 10 immediately after a loss to an unranked football team is a point I'd love to see argued, anyone who's going to support that point and then not have Georgia ranked ahead of the Trojans is likely contradicting their own logic.

The tough part is that in my own opinion, the whole transitive property simply does not apply. I can't sit here and say that Penn State should get an artificial boost because a team they waxed at home one week went out and beat USC another week.

I don't think anyone should argue that OSU should be ranked ahead of USC at this point, seeing as how USC thoroughly proved that they were a better football team in direct competition. What gets me is that anyone would drop Georgia below USC. Georgia has a victory on the road against a Top 15 opponent and lost to a team now ranked in the Top 5. USC beat a Top 5 team at home and lost to an unranked opponent. Without getting out the microscope, USC lost to a far inferior opponent, and the quality of their "big win" is not so much greater than Georgia's to make up that difference.

I agree that it's still early, but if USC manages to beat out several other one loss teams due to them playing exactly nobody the rest of the year, it's going to be mighty frustrating.

Chaddogg - I love it! We'll have a Northwestern v...

2008-09-30T09:49:00.000-04:00

Chaddogg - I love it! We'll have a Northwestern vs. Penn State National Title game.

@beauford -- good point, but teams with similar re...

2008-09-30T07:41:00.000-04:00

@beauford -- good point, but teams with similar records routinely jump over other teams with the same record due to particularly impressive wins or losses. I think if Georgia gets thru the rest of its schedule unscathed and USC does the same, Georgia will be ahead of USC (and an undefeated BYU) due to who he plays....

That being said, I still think we see two unbeatens in the national title game. And while my brain says NU is not one of those teams, I do note that NU and Penn State don't play this season.....how about two Big Ten unbeatens as a scenario to piss off the entire SEC?

While quality of loss does have an effect on ranki...

2008-09-29T19:50:00.000-04:00

While quality of loss does have an effect on ranking, quality of wins (i.e. resume) is important as well.

Ohio state has exactly 0 quality wins, and one complete spanking by USC.

USC, on the other hand, waxed the #2 team in the country (and, perhaps not quite as relevant for a ranking such as this, they have a decisive head-to-head win).

When it comes down to it, there is only one conclu...

2008-09-29T16:53:00.000-04:00

When it comes down to it, there is only one conclusion that can be drawn: the BCS is a load of crap and should be replaced with a playoff system, but never will because people like sponsors' money too much.

True story Chad - and should probably have been me...

2008-09-29T15:38:00.000-04:00

True story Chad - and should probably have been mentioned in the actual post had I, you know, been thinking about anything other than "my point rulz!"

This whole thing goes to remote regions of irrelevant if two teams remain undefeated.

However, I would still postulate (you're a NW grad, right?) that a one loss USC team - at this point in the rankings - would get the nod over an undefeated BYU team. Shouldn't that be Georgia sitting at 9 instead of USC?

Relax....plenty of time for two unbeatens to remai...

2008-09-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

Relax....plenty of time for two unbeatens to remain at season's end. I mean, the Big Ten already has Penn State and...gulp...Northwestern.

(Throwing purple salt over my shoulder, avoiding ladders, hoping and praying NU can keep up their excellent play so far....)