They post 'em, I post 'em here: Jason (Philadelphia): Is it possible for LSU to pass USC without USC losing a game? Brad Edwards: (6:07 PM ET ) Absolutely! USC is not in nearly as much danger as it was last week with Ohio State on its heels, but getting jumped by LSU is still a possibility. It all comes down to how many computers will rank the Tigers ahead of the Trojans. And if Tennessee loses to Kentucky on Saturday, LSU might be able to maintain its quality-win points for beating Georgia, which would make this scenario much more likely. Rachel (Los Angeles, CA): Every week we're told, if so and so loses, USC will get the nod...and every week it is a new so and so! When will USC finally be in the drivers seat? Brad Edwards: (6:11 PM ET ) Sorry, Rachel. I made that mistake myself a few weeks ago, when I thought only Ohio State was a threat to your Trojans. Yesterday, while doing my projection, I thought USC still had about a 90% chance of finishing ahead of LSU, but after looking at the margins within the computers more closely, I'd say it's more like 60%. USC won't be officially in the driver's seat unless LSU loses. For that, you can blame your many opponents that had disappointing seasons. (COMMENTARY: Not bad: Edwards sees us as having a 40% chance, Jerry Palm a 50%. Hey, it's a start.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Juan (baton Rouge): Is Jayson Blair in charge of the NY times computer poll? What gives with LSU being ranked 9th? Brad Edwards: (6:17 PM ET ) Juan, that seems to be the most popular conspiracy theory out there. I know I'm supposed to be the expert, but I can't make any sense of the NY Times computer. I do know this, however. Arkansas is 15th in those ratings, and the SEC East representative will be top 10, so don't be surprised if the Tigers jump from 9th to 2nd by winning out. Actually, don't be surprised by anything that computer does! (NOTE: Currently, SEVEN SEC teams are in the NYT's top 28. SEVEN! Obviously, they have respect for the SEC.)
Why is it that LSU played a "weak schedule" but USC's "opponents had disappointing seasons". Their scheduling Notre Dame is no different then our scheduling Arizona. Who knew they would suck this year? USC scheduled Hawaii, who Jim Rome termed a "perennial top 25" team. Give me a break. Rome also said BYU can be "a pesky opponent". Granted, ULM was a cupcake but La Tech can be just as "pesky" as BYU. And we all know why W. Ill. was on the schedule.
Follow-up: if we go to 2nd in the NYT, and the projections I saw earlier of final computer rankings hold true, we have a decent to good chance of gettting to 2nd in 6 of the 7 computer polls...which, accoring to Jerry Palm, should do the trick by a measly .15 points!)
I like Rome, but his "I'm not being a homer for USC" smak is insulting to the intelligence, truth be told.
Very, very good news from Edwards RE: computer polls: Jim (LA): How close are the margins in the computer polls between USC and LSU? Can you see 5 of the polls putting LSU on top of USC? Brad Edwards: (6:54 PM ET ) This discussion is for the real hardcore BCS followers. LSU is already ahead of USC in both Massey and Anderson & Hester. In my estimation, they will also jump them in Sagarin, and I believe Billingsley and Colley are also distinct possibilities. If LSU is able to preserve its .4 quality-win bonus, five computers is all it will take to get the Tigers over USC. If LSU loses that bonus, they will need at least 6 computers, if not 7. Right now, though, I don't see a computer in which USC seems to be untouchable.
Okay, cat out of the bag here: it was/is Jerry Palm who predicts, at this time, LSU catches USC in all computer polls but Colley, and he doesn't rule that one out, either. Either way, if we're #3 in Colley and #2 in the rest, that should be good enough since Colley gets tossed, leaving us a solid #2 and USC a solid #3. (Edward's "...if not seven" comment confuses me, unless he means we might need to be a full point ahead of USC in computer average. I don't see how we can go from 9 to 2 in NYT but not from 4 to 2 in Colley.)
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=4374 The link, and the short of it is this ... Georgia cuts our balls off by going to the SECCG and cutting LSU out of .4 points. Tennessee kills Kentucky and it's over. GUYS, IT'S GONNA HAPPEN. Florida will win ... but probably won't get past Tennesse ... too much. We'll have to eviscerate Arkansas, go to Atlanta and BURN THAT FRIGGIN TOWN ... TO THE GROUND. IF WE LOSE THAT 1/2 POINT, WE BETTER MAKE IT UP IN THE AP POLL ... AS I STATED EARLIER IT'LL TAKE A 35 POINT WIN OVER GEORGIA IN ATLANTA ... SUGAR Maybe the Computer polls (miraculously now helping LSU) fall our way ... maybe they don't. TOO DAMN CLOSE ... THAT AP POLL (MOST RESPECTED IN AMERICA SINCE 1936) IS WHAT I WANNA SEE LSU GET TO #2. THEN THEY CAN "SUCK ON IT" AND CRY ALL THEY WANT TO, IT WON'T HELP 'EM A BIT. Do the math ... and listen to Edwards Jim (LA): How close are the margins in the computer polls between USC and LSU? Can you see 5 of the polls putting LSU on top of USC? Brad Edwards: (6:54 PM ET ) If LSU is able to preserve its .4 quality-win bonus, five computers is all it will take to get the Tigers over USC. If LSU loses that bonus, they will need at least 6 http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/abcsports/BCSRankings Okla 1 1 1 - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1.00 ---10 0.40 - 0 - 2.40 -0.5---->1.90 USC 2 2 2 - 3 2 2 3 3 2 2 2.33 ---39 1.56 -1 - 6.89 - 000--->6.89 LSU 3 3 3 - 2 3 4 2 9 3 4 3.00 ---61 2.44 -1 - 9.44 -0.4---->9.04 AP/ESPN Polls to stand up and call Louisiana State #2 is still the key. Again, for the CHEAP seats ... had we put a real whipping on Ole Miss ... not a gentle whippin' like the one we gave Ned before (Gene Hackman in the movie Unforgiven) ... we'd be closer to turning the AP vote our way. Say what you want ... 63 voters in AP hold LSU's fate in their hands ... Can LSU WHIP THE LIVING HELL OUTTA ARK & GA & TAKE #2 AP? Define "WHIP THE LIVING HELL OUTTA ARK & GA"? LSU 49-63 points, Ark 7-10 points LSU 35-49 points, GA 7-10 points Just my spin on it. We'll see!
