[ronnielee54]

Quote:

If the records are identical both in conference and OOC (which for two undefeated teams it would be), I have no idea what the tiebreaker is.

Sounds like this could be interesting.

 

[NapalmK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronnielee54 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I think the Big 10 and Big 12 have the best shot at having undefeated teams at the end of the season.  IMO the SEC will not have an undefeated team.  I think LSU will squeak by Auburn and Arkansas will beat LSU (home game for Arkansas this year).
 
If Ohio State and MSU both are undefeated who would be the Big 10 Champion?  What is the tiebreaker plan.  Hope it is better than the one the Big 12 used.

I agree. The SEC west is just way too tough this season to have an undefeated team come out of it though I hope I'm wrong. Ohio State really doesn't have much left in the way of schedule (with mainly Iowa and Wisconsin left to derail their chances and maybe Michigan though that seems doubtful) as is the same for several of the top teams. I honestly don't see this ending cleanly at the end of the year.

 

[virometal]

Skylab:

History has shown it doesn't usually work out that way - people tend to lose one.  But it could!

To me, this is most valid point. Usually it shakes out for the BCS conference schools. As you know in the BCS era, it has only happened one where more than two finished undefeated iirc. At this point the various scenarios are intoxicating of course. I like the prospect of an all Big Ten MNCG the best! That would be cool, since neither would have actually played each other. 

 

[grokit]

It's a little early in the year for all this speculation about undefeated teams IMO.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

If the records are identical both in conference and OOC (which for two undefeated teams it would be), I have no idea what the tiebreaker is.

They are tied for conference champions in this case.  But there are a bunch of tiebreaker rules for the automatic BCS slot - the next of which is that the team that has highest BCS ranking is given the slot - so OSU would be the automatic bid and because they'd still be #1 (or #2 at worst) they would automatically be in the NC game.
 
In that case, MSU would almost certainly still get one of the at-large bids - or there will be riots in East Lansing.
 
Until last year, the tiebreaker rules used to be quite different - and MSU may have gotten the bid under those rules.  I'd have to look to be sure, but one of them states that the team that more recently had the automatic BCS bid was eliminated, and another was that the team that played more FCS teams was eliminated.  I'm just not sure of the order.
 
But I looked at everyone's schedules again - I think MSU has the easiest remaining schedule out of all the undefeated teams.  We still have Iowa to go - and the NW and Illinois games will probably be a test as well...  Who knows, we could collapse like MSU seems to do every year.  Then again, they keep saying that this year we aren't the "Same Old Spartans" from the past...
 
Still, unless Iowa (or Wisconsin or Michigan) wins out except for the MSU & OSU games and no other team is undefeated, there's no way the BCS committee would ever let two Big Ten teams into the NC game.  Even then I have my doubts, despite the number and quality of the good teams we'll have beaten in such a scenario.  There's far more money to be had with OSU in the NC game and MSU in the Rose Bowl.
 
But I'd like to think it was still possible.

 

[J W]

Honestly, and I realize this may not be a popular viewpoint in this thread, I think Iowa may be the team to beat in the big 10. They play at Michigan and at Northwestern, but obviously get MSU and tOSU at home.
 
Also, every team in CFB looks beatable. Even Oregon. I wouldn't be even a little surprised to see Alabama back at the top by the end.

 

[Maxvla]

BCS preview is out (not official) and Boise State is #1.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Honestly, and I realize this may not be a popular viewpoint in this thread, I think Iowa may be the team to beat in the big 10. They play at Michigan and at Northwestern, but obviously get MSU and tOSU at home.
 
Also, every team in CFB looks beatable. Even Oregon. I wouldn't be even a little surprised to see Alabama back at the top by the end.

Iowa may very well be what assures no undefeated teams in the Big Ten.  Quite possible.
 
And I agree - no one looks unbeatable.  
 
Also agree with Virometal - the crazy scenarios are fun to think about at this stage!

 

[virometal]

JW is a wise Sooner. First, I still love Alabama and would pick them over anyone on a neutral field. Teams lose. It happens especially when No. 1 with a big target on their back. Second and related to that, I saw a lot to like about Iowa against Arizona. That was a funky game where the Wildcats made some good breaks.. Iowa plays a real disciplined D, just might be the recipe to contain a "fire in bottle" player like Pryer. 
 
Still I'll echo that I don't think any team is unbeatable this year. Well, I'm holding out for another real good look at the Bucks. Jury is out on that for me. 
 
 BlackbeardBen:

 there's no way the BCS committee would ever let two Big Ten teams into the NC game. 

Sure there is, should the BCS formula dictate it. Now the pollsters? Who knows? They might step in like they like to. But if MSU and tOSU were the only two undefeated BCS teams, they might not have a choice. Anyway, there is no rule that two teams from the same conference can't play each other. What has made that scenario so interesting, is that the two teams might actually be undefeated. The possibility of two conference teams has been discussed before . But by the nature of the other conference schedules, one team would have a defeat. The lossless (heh lossless) aspect is what so fascinating. 

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

 BlackbeardBen:

Sure there is, should the BCS formula dictate it. Now the pollsters? Who knows? They might step in like they like to. But if MSU and tOSU were the only two undefeated BCS teams, they might not have a choice. Anyway, there is no rule that two teams from the same conference can't play each other. What has made that scenario so interesting, is that the two teams might actually be undefeated. The possibility of two conference teams has been discussed before . But by the nature of the other conference schedules, one team would have a defeat. The lossless (heh lossless) aspect is what so fascinating. 

Yeah, if they are ranked #1 and #2, it does have to happen...  This is the last year that it's possible for this (more than one undefeated team) to happen in the Big Ten.  I just don't think the pollsters will ever vote MSU in as #2 even if they go undefeated.  (Making the assumption that MSU and OSU beat Iowa) - Maybe if Iowa had beaten AZ and AZ does end up doing well, or ND finishes the season strong (especially beating USC).
 
Well, only the BCS ranking matters...  And it's looking like the computers are going to like us thanks to our schedule.
 
I do agree that Iowa looks great - I just haven't watch anything beyond the Arizona game highlights so I can't really comment on them.

 

[Skylab]

A few years back Ohio State and Michigan were ranked #1 and #2 going into their final-game match-up - but of course everyone knew they were playing each other, and that they would not end up 1 and 2.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Quote:

A few years back Ohio State and Michigan were ranked #1 and #2 going into their final-game match-up - but of course everyone knew they were playing each other, and that they would not end up 1 and 2.

Actually, they were still ranked #1 and #2 even after Ohio State beat Michigan!  But the rankings changed after the conference championship games...
 
That was the year that both got decimated - OSU by LSU in the NC game and UM by Florida, if I remember correctly.
 
I have to admit, even after that game I still thought they were the best two teams in the nation...  A lot of people did.  That year (2007, I believe) is the source of most of the recent "the Big Ten sucks" sentiment.

 

[dmac03]

That year definitely was a major contributor the thought that the SEC rules and B10 sucks.
 
As a B10 fan, I would like to see a matchup between Nebraska and tOSU in the big game. It would be quite the welcoming for Nebraska.

 

[ronnielee54]

Well we go down to Alabama to play Auburn Saturday.  That could shake out to be a really tough road game.  I think it will be our toughest test yet.

 

[Skylab]

That should be a GREAT game.  Really looking forward to that, and to Ohio State - Wisconsin.  A little surprisingly, those are the only two games that feature two ranked teams this weekend.  Texas - Nebraska and MSU - Illinois are also interesting games, though.