The 5-0 Pac-10

[j-6]

Cal beat Miami, Emerald Bowl.

Arizona beat BYU, Vegas Bowl.

Oregon beat Okie State, Holiday Bowl.

Oregon State beat Pitt, Sun Bowl.

SC beat Penn State, Rose Bowl.

Before we proclaim the dominance of the greatest grouping of football juggernauts in recorded history, I ask you this. What's more impressive - going undefeated with only five schools qualifying for bowl bids (meaning your league is top heavy), having ten schools in bowls (the ACC, see below), or being in a BCS league that sends seven or eight, including the national championship teams (SEC, Big 12)?

To be fair, the almighty Pac 10 beat five schools from five different conferences, four BCS: ACC, MWC, Big 12, Big East, and Big 10. The ACC sent everyone except Duke and UVA, but went a very pedestrian 4-6. The SEC is 5-2 with Florida still up, and the Big 12 is 3-2 with Texas and OU waiting. You can call Bama's loss to Utah a colossal upset but Ole Miss and UK weren't supposed to win either. LSU throttled Georgia Tech and even Vandy got one.

The point is that it doesn't matter. Sure, nobody beat a Pac-10 team in the postseason. But other leagues got more invites and their weaker teams lost while the Pac-10's lesser schools watched them play on TV.

[JamStone]

Who was favored in each of those bowl games? Not sarcasm. Serious question.

[tlongII]

We're just beating the conferences we're supposed to beat. Nothing special about that.

[IronMexican]

I am sure the only one who wasn't favored were the Ducks.

[j-6]

Who was favored in each of those bowl games? Not sarcasm. Serious question.

Oregon was the only dog in the Pac-10.


We're just beating the conferences we're supposed to beat. Nothing special about that.

So yeah, there's some truth to that.

[johngateswhiteley]

the Pac-10 was great in bowls...there is no way around that. and the conference was better than people thought. though, i don't think any of us are saying it was the best conference...it wasn't.

as for the lines, i'm thinking ok state was favored and maybe byu and pitt. not sure though, and the lines may have moved quite a bit before the game.

the Oregon, Oregon State and Arizona wins were very nice.

[Girasuck]

the Pac-10 was great in bowls...there is no way around that. and the conference was better than people thought. though, i don't think any of us are saying it was the best conference...it wasn't.


The MWC went 6-1 (6-2 if you count the Vegas Bowl) against the Pac-10 this year. Would you put the Pac-10 ahead of the Mountain West this season? After all, the top team in the Mountain West will probably finish the season ranked ahead of the top team in the Pac-10.

[j-6]

The MWC went 6-1 (6-2 if you count the Vegas Bowl) against the Pac-10 this year. Would you put the Pac-10 ahead of the Mountain West this season? After all, the top team in the Mountain West will probably finish the season ranked ahead of the top team in the Pac-10.

I live and work amongst a ton of TCU fans so I've been listening in for a while on that discussion. I agree that their top three (Utah, TCU, and BYU) can ball with just about anyone, as Utah showed in New Orleans. Keep in mind Brigham Young just lost to a mid-pack Pac 10 school though, even though they pounded two of the non-eligible Pac teams in the regular season.

I dunno. If we have to keep the BCS system I'd like for the top MWC and WAC teams to get a shot, though the Boise show may grow stale.

[tlongII]

I am so sick of the BCS. A playoff system is long overdue and the MWC should definitely be represented.

[j-6]

I am so sick of the BCS. A playoff system is long overdue and the MWC should definitely be represented.

My problem with a playoff is twofold. One, I love how every week counts for the top teams, especially with how many schools close their regular season with a grudge match rivalry. If it's to be decided on the field, I want 100% of it to be. That means every single conference needs to have a title game and the polls and computers go away. But once you do that, there's no incentive for name programs to schedule each other pre-conference.

Two, there's still going to have teams left out, just like March Madness but more along the lines of how pissed off us Texas fans are. Every year. And it's not going to be fair to leave Tech or Texas at home when Buffalo, East Carolina, and Troy get to go dancing. I have no idea how you would handle at-large bids.

Before someone brings it up, fans bitch at the FCS/I-AA level too.

[johngateswhiteley]

its easy. the Pac-10 is a good conference but like Herbstreit said, there is a prejudice against them and has been for a long time. whether its b/c they play on the west coast, games are too late at night, or USC has been so dominant the last 7 years...i'm not sure. but its getting old. few things mentioned by kirk and a couple others:

1. nobody, is going to be ranked ahead of an undefeated USC team...not an undefeated Big 12 team or an undefeated SEC team...nobody
2. nobody plays tougher non-conference schedules with greater success
3. USC has consistently been the best team at the end of the year and under the spotlight
4. the only conference with any real success against USC...the Pac-10
5. USC isn't losing to boise state, west virginia and michigan unlike oklahoma and florida or getting blown out in bowl games, for that matter
6. most talent in CFB


...something to be said for that.

[johngateswhiteley]

lastly, you can say what you want about USC, you can say they aren't the best team in the country...but there is something to be said for those points. its gotta count for something...

[2centsworth]

Big 12 North is the best!!!

[lebomb]

Noone is the best.........there isnt a playoff. End of discussion. /dumbass thread

[JamStone]

lastly, you can say what you want about USC, you can say they aren't the best team in the country...but there is something to be said for those points. its gotta count for something...

Thing is, no they don't. They don't got to count for anything. Whether those points are accurate or not, they don't have to count for anything. And, under the system as it is now, they don't count for anything.

[johngateswhiteley]

Thing is, no they don't. They don't got to count for anything. Whether those points are accurate or not, they don't have to count for anything. And, under the system as it is now, they don't count for anything.

to you they may mean nothing. but i'm pretty sure history remembers...conference championships are remembered, final finishes are remembered, bowl victories are remembered, the quality of the bowl is remembered...moments are remembered.

...it all matters.

EDIT: further, its much easier to win the title from the top than the bottom. many variables here...of which recruiting isn't the least.

[johngateswhiteley]

per Tirico and Van Pelt Radio Show...go Corso! sing it buddy!

...thats a smart man right there.

[tlongII]

Oregon was the only dog in the Pac-10.



So yeah, there's some truth to that.

Actually Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona were all underdogs in their bowl games. But nice try! :tu

[2centsworth]

Big 12 versus the Pac 10, make it happen.

[j-6]

Actually Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona were all underdogs in their bowl games. But nice try! :tu

Wrong. Don't bullshit a gambler.

Las Vegas Bowl - Sam Boyd Stadium - Las Vegas NV
12/20/08
BYU +2.5 Over 62
Arizona -2.5 Under 62

Sun Bowl - Sun Bowl Stadium - El Paso TX
12/31/08
Pittsburgh +2.5 Over 53
Oregon State -2.5 Under 53

[samikeyp]

I am so sick of the BCS. A playoff system is long overdue and the MWC should definitely be represented.

Agreed.

[Beaverfuzz]

Pac-10 is the only league where everyone plays everyone...so five teams will have one more win each, and five teams will have one less win. ACC plays what 6-7 in conference games? Line up those weak OOC schedules where you lose one game and then you only have to win 1-2 conference games to make a bowl game.

WEAK SAUCE!

[DMX7]

Cal beat Miami, Emerald Bowl.
or being in a BCS league that sends seven or eight, including the national championship teams (SEC, Big 12)?


Sending a team to the National Championship game to get ass raped again doesn't mean shit.

[chode_regulator]

Noone is the best.........there isnt a playoff. End of discussion. /dumbass thread

Ehhh...all a playoff system does is allow a lower team a CHANCE at going against a better team and a CHANCE at beating them. Doesn't make them the best.