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BCS Title Game: They're Back

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2007

Last month, the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes lost at home and their top-ranked status disappeared. Two weeks later, the same thing happened to No. 1 LSU.

"I guess it would be natural to think your [national-title] hopes might be over," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. "But this hasn't been a natural season. Some very unusual things happened."

"We were just hoping that somehow, some way, we could get back up there at the top," LSU coach Les Miles said.

Against all odds, the improbable has happened.

The Big Ten champion Buckeyes (11-1) and the SEC champion Tigers (11-2) emerged as the top two teams Sunday night when the final Bowl Championship Series standings were revealed. Ohio State and LSU will meet Jan. 7 in New Orleans for the national title.

The door opened when No. 1 Missouri fell to Oklahoma 38-17 at the Big 12 Championship Game, then No. 2 West Virginia was stunned at home by 28-point underdog Pittsburgh, 13-9.

When the BCS numbers were tabulated - the USA Today coaches poll, the Harris Interactive poll and six independent computer ratings - the results were clear.

Ohio State had been elevated two spots to No. 1. LSU moved from No. 7 to No. 2 - leaping past SEC peer Georgia (10-2), Kansas (11-1) and ACC champion Virginia Tech (11-2) - becoming the first two-loss team to play in a BCS title game.

For the Buckeyes and Tigers, the BCS ending was a thrill.

For nearly everyone else, it was a disappointment.

"There are issues with the BCS every year, and they come in different shapes and sizes," said USC coach Pete Carroll, whose 10-2 Trojans, the preseason No. 1 and arguably the nation's hottest team, will face Illinois (9-3) and Coach Ron Zook at the Jan. 1 Rose Bowl. "I don't know the solution. I don't know how to work it out. That's not my job.

"We'd just like to keep playing and see how it ends up. Today, we waited for a vote. That's just not the way competitors would like to do things."

Georgia coach Mark Richt, whose Bulldogs (10-2) will face Hawaii (12-0) at the Jan. 1 Sugar Bowl, was hopeful of making the BCS title game. The Bulldogs, despite failing to even win the SEC East Division, were No. 4 last week and the top two teams lost Saturday night.

"The [BCS] rules don't state that you have to win a conference title," Richt said. "If you need to do that, put it in the rules. I think the media had us out before the votes were even taken. Maybe there were others [more deserving], but we shouldn't have been disqualified before the event even started."

There was also controversy at the Orange Bowl, which selected Kansas to face Virginia Tech. The previously undefeated Jayhawks were beaten by Missouri 36-28 for the Big 12 North Division title. But still, the Orange Bowl picked Kansas (No. 8 in the BCS) over Missouri (No. 6), which was relegated to the Cotton Bowl after losing to Oklahoma.

In the other BCS game, the Fiesta Bowl will match Big 12 champion Oklahoma (11-2) against Big East champion West Virginia (10-2). The Fiesta Bowl briefly considered selecting hometown Pac-10 co-champion Arizona State (10-2), but instead opted for the Mountaineers.

"We have a system that was agreed upon by all [conferences]," said SEC commissioner Mike Slive, the BCS coordinator. "The purpose is to match up the top two teams, then create a pool of other teams that can be selected by the other bowls.

"It's up to the bowls to make that choice between teams. The BCS, really, is an extension of the bowl system. Kansas had a phenomenal year. So did Missouri. The Orange Bowl made its choice. Certainly, it can be argued."

Slive said he's aware that this season's BCS controversy will renew the talk of a playoff system. Or it might ignite the possibility of a system that Slive would like to explore, the Plus-One (top four teams in semifinals, winners playing in a championship game).

"The question I often ask, 'Is No. 1 vs. No. 2 enough?' " Slive said. "Maybe this season, and this [BCS title game] result, may give us the answer to that question.

"I think one of the things that made this a fascinating season was this: The brass ring was there for a lot of different people to grab. Sometimes, they did. Sometimes, they didn't. We had two teams [Ohio State, LSU] who managed to find their way back when some teams just couldn't grab the brass ring when they needed to."

In the end, the voters spoke clearly, including the coaches.

Tressel's ballot: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 LSU.

Miles' ballot: No. 1 LSU, No. 2 Ohio State.

"I think it's only fitting that we play each other," Tressel said.

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353 or jjohnston@tampatrib.com.

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