11-07-2010, 08:18 PM
Folks cry that Stanford fans were just not there on Saturday. Â To me it is frustrating that crowd size somehow equates to team quality in the eyes of the media. Â So crazy, so annoying.
Thankfully, the computer formulas do not use attendance. Â Massey\'s review of all rankings places Stanford at #5, and most of those polls and rankings do not care about crowd size.
Either way, in prior years the fans of the team at #5 or #6 in the BCS in early November usually entertain the big dreams.
For example, LSU has no chance of winning the SEC or even entering the SEC championship game. Â And yet, LSU fans are dreaming of a BCS Championship game invite tonight.
So, as the team just behind LSU here is the official dream list. Â Now that Stanford has a virtual 2 game lead over Arizona only Alamo and better need to be entertained. Â Yes I know politics and dollars may force Stanford to the Holiday, but that would be a doomsday scenario. Â Obviously Stanford could lose two or three games, and end up in Las Vegas. Â Yet that\'s not how the crazed SEC types think, so off to the dream list.
Alamo - Auburn and Oregon win out, BCS formula or a Stanford loss leaves Stanford outside the top 4 in the BCS standings, and a non-AQ gets to go to the Rose Bowl. Â FWIW - this outcome would have looked good to me at the start of the season.
Fiesta, Sugar, Orange - Stanford finishes 11-1 and in the top 4 in the BCS. Â Therefore Stanford EARNS an automatic at-large BCS invite. Â The non-AQ takes the Rose, but Stanford automatically goes somewhere.
But that is just the start of the dream.
Rose Bowl - Stanford finishes 11-1, a non-AQ is in the BCS game with Oregon (highly likely) or Oregon loses twice (highly unlikely).
But time to play the SEC style dream game....
BCS Championship game. Â You KNOW!!! Â Why? Because the formula does not exclude the possibility.
The Path? - Stanford gets to 11-1. Â That is clearly required for all non-Alamo paths so that is not unique to the dream. Â Oregon falls very late and very ugly at Oregon State. Â The media then questions Oregon\'s spotty road play and concludes the show was only great in Eugene. Â Better to lose in October than lose in November or December. Â It is so unfair, but history is rich with examples. Â Obviously, other things need to happen, but oddly none are impossible or even improbable.
Auburn loses against Alabama. Â Bama will be favored
LSU loses at Arkansas. Â The razorbacks will be favored
And no other AQ team jumps Stanford, so style starts to matter. Â Luck and JH help a lot.
That leaves TCU and Boise State. Â All that needs to happen is for one of the two of them to lose just one game. Â That would leave Stanford against a non-AQ in the BCS Championship game.
OK, I know, I know, that was very SEC-like.
But if Stanford wins out 11-1 is beginning to look like a record that will get Stanford AUTOMATICALLY into a BCS bowl.
Thankfully, the computer formulas do not use attendance. Â Massey\'s review of all rankings places Stanford at #5, and most of those polls and rankings do not care about crowd size.
Either way, in prior years the fans of the team at #5 or #6 in the BCS in early November usually entertain the big dreams.
For example, LSU has no chance of winning the SEC or even entering the SEC championship game. Â And yet, LSU fans are dreaming of a BCS Championship game invite tonight.
So, as the team just behind LSU here is the official dream list. Â Now that Stanford has a virtual 2 game lead over Arizona only Alamo and better need to be entertained. Â Yes I know politics and dollars may force Stanford to the Holiday, but that would be a doomsday scenario. Â Obviously Stanford could lose two or three games, and end up in Las Vegas. Â Yet that\'s not how the crazed SEC types think, so off to the dream list.
Alamo - Auburn and Oregon win out, BCS formula or a Stanford loss leaves Stanford outside the top 4 in the BCS standings, and a non-AQ gets to go to the Rose Bowl. Â FWIW - this outcome would have looked good to me at the start of the season.
Fiesta, Sugar, Orange - Stanford finishes 11-1 and in the top 4 in the BCS. Â Therefore Stanford EARNS an automatic at-large BCS invite. Â The non-AQ takes the Rose, but Stanford automatically goes somewhere.
But that is just the start of the dream.
Rose Bowl - Stanford finishes 11-1, a non-AQ is in the BCS game with Oregon (highly likely) or Oregon loses twice (highly unlikely).
But time to play the SEC style dream game....
BCS Championship game. Â You KNOW!!! Â Why? Because the formula does not exclude the possibility.
The Path? - Stanford gets to 11-1. Â That is clearly required for all non-Alamo paths so that is not unique to the dream. Â Oregon falls very late and very ugly at Oregon State. Â The media then questions Oregon\'s spotty road play and concludes the show was only great in Eugene. Â Better to lose in October than lose in November or December. Â It is so unfair, but history is rich with examples. Â Obviously, other things need to happen, but oddly none are impossible or even improbable.
Auburn loses against Alabama. Â Bama will be favored
LSU loses at Arkansas. Â The razorbacks will be favored
And no other AQ team jumps Stanford, so style starts to matter. Â Luck and JH help a lot.
That leaves TCU and Boise State. Â All that needs to happen is for one of the two of them to lose just one game. Â That would leave Stanford against a non-AQ in the BCS Championship game.
OK, I know, I know, that was very SEC-like.
But if Stanford wins out 11-1 is beginning to look like a record that will get Stanford AUTOMATICALLY into a BCS bowl.