The Sports Informant

The story’s been told a hundred times. The BCS screws up the national title in college football every year, and with three legitimate teams vying for it this week in Texas, Oklahoma and Florida, this year is no different.

At least this year, unlike others, there is a simple solution to a complex problem: Texas losing. If the Longhorns fall tonight to Ohio State, their claim at an unfair third place instead of first will no longer be legitimate. If they can’t beat a Ohio State team who got creamed by USC earlier this year, and USC isn’t even in the top three in the nation, then Texas obviously doesn’t deserve a national title. Argument over, winner of Florida vs. Oklahoma is the national champion.

But what if Texas wins? Shoot, then we’ve got controversy.

Texas is currently No. 3 in the nation, and if Oklahoma wins, can claim it has even beaten the national champion this season. Oklahoma, who would be crowned champ with a win, can’t possibly be the best team with a loss to the team finishing right behind them, right? Why, because they beat Texas Tech, who needed a miracle catch and run by superstar Michael Crabtree to beat Texas in the final seconds?

It’s like a six degrees of Kevin Bacon situation. Someone starred in a movie with him at some point in their career, right? The only unblemished team in the top 25 to remain undefeated even after a bowl game is Utah, who sits at No. 6 in the polls with no shot at the national title. USC at No. 5 had their season marred by a fluke loss to Oregon State, only to cream everyone else with ease, including Penn State in the Rose Bowl. Yes, the Trojans will move up a slot with Alabama’s loss in its bowl game, but is it really enough?

Honestly, the Trojans look like the best team in the nation every year, and somehow, they seem to blow their entire seasons by losing a Pac-10 game in one of the weaker conferences in the nation (last year to Stanford of all teams!). You could argue it’s USC’s own fault, as its destiny was once again in its own hands, but the three teams that will finish ahead of them each have a loss, too, so what gives? Can you really be punished for being located on the West Coast? Apparently.

There’s no point in arguing for a playoff system. Like a strict father who makes you eat your peas before you get dessert, we have to swallow many more years of green vegetable championship controversies before “the man” decides to change. Until then, every year will be the same… go undefeated or go home, unless you’re in the Mountain West Conference (like Utah, who had they beaten Alabama before Florida did instead of after, may have been crying for a shot at the national championship, too).

If you don’t go undefeated, or maybe even if you do, prepare to be judged by a computer, one who doesn’t care what fans think, but decides what they’ll have to root for at the end of every year. It’s a sham, and we’re buying into it. And it’s not going away any time soon.

It’s times like this I have to remind myself, “Let’s just watch the NFL instead.” At least there you have to get beat to lose.