Bowl Projections 2012: Top Teams Who Will Get Snubbed from BCS Bids

It's that time of year again: BCS argument season.   

Three teams that deserve premiere bowl games are going to get left out. Who are they? First, let's make some assumptions: 

1: Alabama and Oregon will play for the BCS National Title.

2: Nebraska will face Oregon State in the Rose Bowl.

3: Florida will meet Louisville in the Sugar Bowl.

4: Florida State will play Boise State in the Orange Bowl.

5: Kansas State and Notre Dame will meet in the Fiesta Bowl.

Those aren't chosen as the nation's ten best teams. Those teams are a mix of conference champions, contractual replacements and marketing strategies. So who is getting shorted?

Georgia

The Bulldogs beat Florida convincingly, but they were spanked by South Carolina. The SEC can only have so many BCS bids. I understand the idea, but contract language seems a poor reason to deny us a great game.

Georgia is one of the most balanced teams in the country. The defense answered the critics against Florida, and no questions remain. But fair or unfair (I vote unfair) Georgia's out. A shame. We'd like to see that Georgia team on a bigger stage.

LSU

If the Tigers lose to Alabama—remember, that's a team that Steve Spurrier insanely suggested could beat an NFL team—they will be unjustly left out of the BCS. If the Tide is half as good as Spurrier implies, the inability to beat them seems an unreasonable benchmark.

If the Tigers can stay within two scores of the Tide, they deserve better than they will get. That defense—9th in points allowed—is tremendous. We shouldn't be denied a chance to see it against a good team that isn't being half-seriously discussed as a competitive opponent for the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Ohio State

I know, I know. But Ohio State is really good, and Braxton Miller didn't do anything. And if you'd care to try and tell us all that you couldn't uncover similar practices to the ones that got the Buckeyes sanctioned by the NCAA at every Division I school in the country, you can, but you might get drowned out by laughter.

The Big Ten needs a morale boost. Let them play.