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| For the second consecutive year, the Bowl Championship Series has rewarded Florida State with a shot at the national title. |
In other words, the Bowl Championship Series -- that computer-generated system of setting the title game matchup -- works.
We critics predicted doom. We rooted for doom. We envisioned a glut of teams with identical records at the top, and a computer system incapable of giving order to chaos. We said the architect of the BCS -- Roy Kramer, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference -- was lucky rather than good last season. We said the deeply flawed system worked -- giving us Tennessee vs. Florida State in the Fiesta Bowl -- only because Kansas State and UCLA conveniently, and shockingly, lost their first games on the last day of the regular season. We said, "Wait 'til this year." But this year has come and gone, and without the tumult and turmoil we predicted. The BCS gave us Florida State and Virginia Tech for all the beignets Jan. 4 in New Orleans's Sugar Bowl. As it should be. The BCS, blast it, has done it again. Oh, it seems easy enough -- these two are undefeated, and ranked 1-2 in both the media and coaches polls. True, but the beauty of this year's BCS rankings is in the details. Florida State, 11-0 against the sixth-toughest schedule in the country, is first by a bunch. Virginia Tech built the same record against the 54th-toughest schedule. And so the Hokies became an apparent cinch for No. 2 in the BCS only after last weekend's games -- they whipped a ranked team, Boston College, while No. 3 Nebraska was forced into overtime to beat unranked Colorado. The system worked as it should: The season shakes out on the field, and the computer makes perfect sense of it. Elsewhere in the BCS rankings, we're told that Florida and Tennessee are the best two-loss teams in the country, but that Alabama is closing in -- any argument there? We're also told that Marshall, while 11-0, has the No. 93 schedule in the country and, thus, a No. 12 BCS ranking. Anyone beg to differ? Well, a few will, on a variety of fronts. Yes, the BCS forces teams to run up the score. But that's a flaw with any system this side of pulling names out of a helmet.Yes, the year may come when an undeniable championship-caliber team is denied. That wouldn't happen if we had a playoff. Or would it? With a playoff, you'd still need a computer or a committee, or both -- and not every worthy team would get in.
As it is, the regular season means something. It means everything. One stumble and your dream may die. And perfection has its rewards. OK, OK, maybe Virginia Tech is a bit suspect as a Sugar Bowl team. But the BCS rankings reflect that doubt: The Hokies are closer to third place than first. Maybe, though, Tech is a great team being slighted for lacking tradition and a tough schedule. We'll watch and see on Jan. 4, won't we? We'll watch because it's that kind of compelling matchup -- unbeaten vs. unbeaten, traditional powerhouse vs. up-and-comer, No. 1 vs. No. 2. Oh, you may disagree. You may be too rankled by the whole BCS system to enjoy it. But then you also may be alone on Jan. 4. If so, may I suggest a nice, calming game of solitaire.(David Williams writes for the Commercial Appeal in Memphis, Tenn.)
