Ohio State's season will be completely defined and determined by the outcome of their long-awaited game versus USC.
Not only is this game an early season clash of the titans between two of college football's most storied programs, but the game in Los Angeles on September 13th will show the nation as to how good (or possibly bad) Ohio State is, thus determining Ohio State's probable postseason destination.
Defeat USC, and Ohio State is still in the BCS title game chase, possibly for a rematch with USC (how boring would that be, but that's a subject for another day).
Lose to USC, and the best Ohio State can do will be the Rose Bowl. Lose to USC by one point, three points, seven points, (and as an Ohio State fan, hopefully not more), while bludgeoning the rest of the teams on the schedule and they will still only get the Rose Bowl.
Before firing off all of the examples of last season, when seven ranked teams all lost after Ohio State lost to Illinois, thus enabling Ohio State to climb back up into the BCS top two rankings...realize that that was last year.
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While I was as excited as any Ohio State fan for another BCS title shot, the bitter reality is the national media, as well as the other coaches around the country, will ensure that Ohio State does not get a title shot unless they are undefeated.
Let me provide you examples of both the media's and coaches' utter disdain for Ohio State and the BCS...
- "Because next year's BCS National Championship Game will be played in Miami, and the Ohio State Buckeyes aren't invited. Especially if the Southeastern Conference champion is invited..." Pat Forde, ESPN columnist, following Ohio State's loss to LSU in 2007 (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3186010&sportCat=ncf)
- "Ohio State would have finished fifth in our league and they're ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll..." Tommy Tuberville, Auburn head coach (http://mrsec.com/story.php?id=630)
And those are just two quick examples—try going on any sport blog for Ohio State, and you will find the vast majority of college football fans believe Ohio State is completely overrated and undeserving of any national championship opportunities.
Ohio State cannot, and will not, get a title shot at 11-1. Any other team, even USC who may lose to Ohio State on September 13th, will get the invitation before Ohio State.
It is not completely beyond the scope of discussion that a SEC team with two losses would get a title shot before an Ohio State team with one loss.
Is that fair? Highly debatable, but that's how all of college football is every year.
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2 months ago
With a postseason playoff, this game would be much less meaningful.
about 1 month ago
Under the present system, you are correct. I am a proponent of a playoff system (I will submit an article about it down the road), but I believe with a good strength of schedule component, a game such as Ohio State/USC would still have meaning in a playoff system.
Thank you for your comment.
about 1 month ago
Good article, and while I can see where Pat Forde's coming from, I hate that article. A playoff system would be a better indicator of who's the real national championship, but winning out in the current system is teh best we can hope for. Apparently Ohio State is the only representative of the Big Ten (nevermind that Michigan BEAT Florida in the Capitol One Bowl...), which isn't exactly fair to the other Big Ten teams that can beat SEC opponents.
Then again, had Mizzou and West Virginia won their last games of the regular season, we probably wouldn't even be having this discussion.
from about 1 month ago
Thank you for your comments. I agree about the dislike of Pat Forde's article - to say that Ohio State has suddenly become the pariah of college football, by both fans and the media, is a tremendous understatement.
You are right that if Missouri and West Virginia had won last December that we would not be having this discussion. I have a playoff system in mind for a future article - there is no way anyone can truly know who the best team(s) are in the present system by having it based upon a vote.
Thanks again for your comments.
about 1 month ago
That comment by Tuberville is disgusting. I USED to have respect for him; sounds like another whiny attention whore SEC coach to me. Anyways, good article!
from about 1 month ago
Thank you for your comments. I believe Coach Tuberville is still angered by the 2004 season, when Auburn was left out of the BCS title mix. Who's to say how good those SEC teams would be if they came up north of the Mason-Dixon line in October or November?
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