From ESPN: 9. LSU Tigers Freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson's performance in LSU's 38-3 win over Georgia Tech in the Chick-fil-A Bowl gives the Tigers plenty of hope for 2009. Inconsistent quarterback play and a surprisingly porous defense were LSU's biggest deficiencies in 2008. Former Tennessee defensive coordinator John Chavis should shore up the defense, which must replace its entire defensive line and middle linebacker Darry Beckwith.
Ohio State plays USC in '09. If they're in the title game USC won't have an argument as they'll already have lost a game to the Buckeyes. That's the thing about big OOC games. It gives a team credibility outside of their conference. It's similar to what LSU had last year with the Virginia Tech win. It cements your position. Florida and Oklahoma had no such games to hang their hats on this year.
Everyone keeps mentioning USC's loss to Oregon State. Refresh my memory please, but didn't Oregon State finish #18 in the final AP, whereas Florida's lost to Ole Miss, a team who didn't even show up in the polls?
It's just a hypothetical guys, and it doesn't cast LSU in a bad light. Not sure I understand the desire to diminish USC here. I laughed as loudly as anyone when they lost this year, as I do every year they stumble. But how can you watch them play year after year, with the greatest concentration of talent, and say they can't be the best in the country? The only team I have seen them get beaten by is themselves. When they have the mental side going(which they almost always do), who beats them?? I can only hope that they get to play LSU or Florida soon so we can really put that question behind us. And I hope it's an answer we can all live with. All that aside, I think USC/Fla would have been a different game, but watching Tebow/Harvin last night, I think the gators still would have won.
nevermind. i think i got my answer by most everyone's inability to put aside their biases to even understand a simple question. well when you play in the best conference, something accepted by even the national media once again, you're already tested. its the big10 smaller conferences who have that problem of having to prove themselves. florida didnt play anyone ranked outside the conference yet still ended up with a stronger schedule than USC and more quality wins. oh wait they beat Miami too. that bowl team cal beat. Ole Miss ended up ranked #14. Oregon St #18.
My top 4: 1. Florida 2. Texas 3. USC 4. Utah I think Texas vs Florida would have been a replay of the '05 classic in terms of excitement. USC's offense was not consistently good enough to warrant them ahead of Texas.
Florida beat #5, 6 and 13. USC beat #8,9 and 10. Final rankings. The rest are just a bunch of unranked teams they beat. Doesn't look like a much stronger schedule to me. BTW, you never addressed the question about the BCS "getting it right". USC 3-0 versus the final top 10. Oklahoma 0-2 versus the final top 10. Now which team should have played Florida for the title? Glasses off please.
USC scored 28 on Ohio State in the first half and won easily. Texas scored 3 on Ohio State in the first half and was fortunate to win. Now who's offense was not consistently good enough against a GOOD defense?
