The BCS has caused controversy through the sports nation, and with good reason. Two sides have pleaded their case, the automatic qualifiers vs. the non-automatic qualifiers, and proper attention has yet to be applied to the situation. The six BCS conferences continue to hold firm to their automatic bowl selections, while the likes of Boise State, TCU, Utah, BYU, and other top tier non-AQ's attempt to claw their way into the big bowls. Sometimes they've made it, sometimes they haven't. These teams have been required to produce unblemished records, and sometimes that hasn't even been enough. However, should these non-AQ teams have the chance to compete for a national championship, or are they simply inferior teams? Let's look at some key seasons to see if these questions can be answered justifiably.
Season #1 - In 2001, the Brigham Young Cougars entered into their last regular season game with a perfect record. Their next opponent was a hungry Hawaii team, always pumped to beat their old conference team. The Fiesta Bowl had been scouting the Cougars as potential material for their bowl game. This would have been the first time a non-AQ had broken the BCS bubble, yet, it was not to be. Before the BYU vs. Hawaii game had even started, it was announced that BYU would not be accepted to the Fiesta Bowl. BYU was thereafter crushed by the Rainbow Warriors so badly that no one questioned the Fiesta Bowl committee's decision, and maybe rightfully so. However, it is important to note that Luke Staley, BYU's main offensive weapon and that year's Doak Walker award winner had broken his ankle, taking him out of the last two final games of the year. Had Luke Staley remained uninjured, it is possible that BYU would have remained undefeated.
Conclusion: Non-AQ teams have been flirting the BCS bowl games since 2001. BYU may have even been improperly denied their rightful chance to play in the Fiesta Bowl, and considering they were rejected before ever having lost a game simply shows the BCS simply didn't respect their victories. They however had no marquee wins.
Season #2 - In 2004, Urban Meyer led the Utah Utes to a perfect season with Alex Smith at the helm. They beat Texas A&M, Arizona, and Pittsburgh, all of which were members of BCS conferences. Texas A&M would end up winning seven games, beating three ranked opponents on the way. Arizona only won three games but were little challenge for the Utes anyway. Pittsburgh was an eight win team beating the likes of Notre Dame and West Virginia before being humiliated by the Utes 35-7 in the Fiesta Bowl. Come NFL draft time, Alex Smith was the number one pick and Urban Meyer would pack up and head to coach the Florida Gators.
Conclusion: This was the first time a non-AQ team cracked into the BCS picture. However, the Utes were still shunned by being pitted against a Pittsburgh team that was obviously inferior. It was a step in the right direction though, and started to awaken the nation's eyes about the BCS system. Other points worthy of mention is that great coaches and players can indeed be products of non-AQ conferences. Urban Meyer is thought by many to be the best college football coach currently coaching in the entire nation. Alex Smith is also slowly making his mark in the NFL.
Season #3 - Boise State cruised its way to a perfect season in 2006, though it's only BCS victory came against an Oregon State team. However, that Oregon State team won ten games, including a bowl victory against Missouri, and the Beavers were also hammered by the Broncos 42-14. Boise State was then pitted against the mighty Oklahoma Sooners in what was supposed to be a slaughter. But the Broncos stuck with the Sooners the entire contest, and what has been deemed one of the greatest football games of all-time had the underdogs winning 43-42. David had slain Goliath, and the Non-AQ's were 2-0 in BCS bowl games.
Conclusion: Utah's perfect performance was quickly duplicated only two years later by the Broncos. Boise State showed the nation that it would not be a rare occurrence for Non-AQ teams to pitch perfect seasons. They also showed that with the proper preparation, Non-AQ teams can play with the big boys on the big stage.
Season #4 - The Hawaii Warriors fought their way into a BCS bowl game in 2007. Their marquee win was ironically from a non-AQ team, Boise State. They were pitted against a high-octane Georgia team in the Sugar Bowl and were annihilated 42-10.
Conclusion: This was originally thought to be a huge setback for the non-AQ teams. The Warriors were utterly humiliated and the questions arose once more whether or not these non-BCS teams were worthy to play in the big bowls. Non-AQ's dropped to being 2-1 in BCS bowl games.
Season #5 - The setback wouldn't last, as Utah produced another perfect season in 2008, beating the likes of Michigan, Oregon State, #12 TCU, and #14 BYU. Utah was ranked so high they were assured a bid to the Sugar Bowl. However, they were challenged by a very capable and talented Alabama team. The nation was braced for an easy game for the #4 Crimson Tide. But as per usual, the predictions were of little value, and Utah brushed Alabama aside with surprising ease. The final score, 31-17, was actually deceptive as the Utes creamed Alabama both on the offensive and defensive side of the football. Utah ended the season ranked #2 in the nation.
Conclusion: This was the 3rd season straight that non-AQ teams landed a BCS Bowl game. Utah rose questions as to whether a non-AQ team truly can be the best team in the nation as they received 16 first place votes in the AP poll. Non-AQ's now stood at 3-1 against their BCS foes.
Season #6 - In 2010, Boise State and the Mountain Western Conference made a big splash. BYU opened up their season beating #3 ranked Oklahoma, Boise State crushed a very powerful Oregon team, and TCU's defense smothered every offense that confronted them. Utah also played quite well, only losing a close battle to Oregon followed by defeats to TCU and BYU. At the end of the season, TCU, BYU, Boise State, and Utah were all ranked in the top 25. Both TCU and Boise State scored BCS bowl games. The problem was, however, that they were pitted against each other. The BCS, most likely scared their system would once again be exposed as heavily flawed, found a solution by ensuring that neither TCU or Boise State had a chance of beating one of the BCS powerhouses. Boise State won in a close contest.
Conclusion: The BCS is now frightened of the powerful non-AQ teams. Imagine the scenario had TCU beat Florida and Boise State beat Cincinatti. There would had been such an uproar that the BCS would have had no choice but to make some serious changes to their system. Easier to not give the non-AQ's the chance to prove themselves at all.
There you have it. The overall record for the non-AQ's vs. the AQ's in BCS bowl games is 3-1. The non-AQ's continue to question the legitimacy of the current college football system. The Mountain Western Conference has shown itself to be mightier than some of the BCS conferences, with win after win against BCS opponents. Why are non-AQ's continually spurned the chance to prove themselves as the #1 team in the nation?
The non-AQ's received the largest sum of money they've ever received from the BCS after the 2009-2010 season, at a total of 24 million dollars. Four of the BCS conferences received 17.7 million dollars...each. The other two? Even more, at 22.2 million dollars each. That means that eleven conferences are getting roughly the same amount as one BCS conference. Texas Republican Joe Barton probably said it best when he said, "What is the BCS theoretically about? I thought it was about the best teams playing the best teams. This simply acknowledges the reality that's it's not about that, but about revenue sharing. It's an economic cartel." The BCS is obviously not for college players' benefits, but for the benefits of a few selective organizations. It's time the walls came down, and that all schools, no matter what conference, should be given a chance to be #1.
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