To Cheer for the Orange or Not......

This was written by Tony Barnhart of the AJC last night. We all knew it already, but reading it put things into perspective....ESPECIALLY if you are like me and would love to see the NC game featuring us this year.


The final Saturday of the 2007 college football season begins with Georgia fans dreaming the impossible dream.

The Bulldog Nation looks at the BCS Standings and they do the math: If No. 1 Missouri (11-1), which plays Oklahoma (10-2) in the Big 12 championship game, and No. 2 West Virginia (10-1), which hosts Pittsburgh (4-7), both lose tonight, then No. 3 Ohio State (11-1) and No. 4 Georgia (10-2), who have completed their seasons, should move up and play for the BCS championship on Jan. 7 in New Orleans.



Right?

Not so fast, my friend. This is the BCS where things are not always as they seem.

Georgia fans may think they can get into the BCS through the back door, but LSU may be blocking the entrance.

A number of people involved in both the computer polls and the human polls that make up the BCS Standings have told the AJC that if both Missouri and West Virginia lose, No. 7 LSU (10-2) could leap over Georgia and play for the BCS title if the Tigers beat Tennessee in Saturday's SEC championship game.

\"If those three things happen, I expect LSU to jump over Georgia,\" said Brad Edwards, the BCS expert at ESPN.com.

\"LSU will move slightly ahead of Georgia in the computer polls. Then I think it will come down to the human polls, especially the coaches poll,\" said Richard Billingsley, who manages one of the six computer polls used in the BCS formula.

The Harris Interactive poll, which is comprised of 114 media members, former coaches and administrators, currently has Georgia at No. 4 and LSU at No. 5. A convincing win over Tennessee could easily put LSU ahead of Georgia.

\"Yes, LSU could jump over Georgia if they beat Tennessee,\" said Joe Biddle, a Harris Poll voter and columnist for The Tennessean newspaper of Nashville. \"Remember Tennessee cleaned the Neyland Stadium floor with Georgia (35-14) when (Tennessee coach Phillip) Fulmer was fighting for his job. I always reward a team that wins its conference championship over one that doesn't even make it to the (championship) game.\"

Remember that on this day one year ago, Michigan was ranked No. 3 and Florida No. 4 when the SEC championship game began. When No. 2 Southern Cal lost to UCLA, about 65 voters changed their ballots in the final polls and put Florida into the BCS title game by the slimmest of margins.

The USA Today Coaches poll has LSU at No. 7 and Georgia at No. 4 but coaches, as a rule, place a high premium on conference championships. Last year about 25 coaches changed their minds and moved Florida ahead of Michigan in the final poll.

\"Georgia's playing well right now but our conference championship means something,\" Mississippi State's Sylvester Croom said. \"If LSU wins it's going to be really close.\"

\"Coaches know how hard it is to win the SEC,\" Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said. \"If LSU beats Tennessee, I wouldn't be surprised to see them jump up there.\"

\"I love the way Georgia plays and Mark Richt is a great coach,\" Illinois coach Ron Zook said. \"But winning the SEC championship is a really big deal.\"

Here are the four games that will basically determine the entire landscape for the college football bowl season:

ACC Championship: No. 6 Virginia Tech (10-2) vs. Boston College (10-2) in Jacksonville. This is a rematch of an Oct. 25 game in Blacksburg won by Boston College (14-10). The winner goes to the Orange Bowl.

Big 12 Championship: No. 1 Missouri (11-1) vs. No. 9 Oklahoma (10-2). If Missouri wins, the Tigers will play for the BCS national championship and will have their first conference title of any kind in 38 years. If Oklahoma wins, the Sooners go to the Fiesta Bowl.

SEC Championship: No. 7 LSU (10-2) vs. No. 14 Tennessee (9-3). LSU was No. 1 twice this season but the Tigers can still win the SEC championship. Tennessee is in the championship game for the fifth time, but has not won an SEC title since 1998.

Pittsburgh (4-7) at No. 2 West Virginia (11-1): This game should not be close because West Virginia is a 28-point favorite at home. But remember that on Oct. 6 Southern Cal was No. 1 and a 41-point favorite over Stanford. Stanford won 24-23.

It's been that kind of season.

That SUX!!!!!!!I still don't get this BCS mess. Ohio St. does not play a game in 3 weeks and they move up the polls, we don't play in one game and we get leap frogged.

As always, no respct for the dawgs!!!!

I agree with not allowing the Dawgs to play for the National Championship.

I love the Dawgs but I would hate to see us play when we are undeserving. First we have 2 losses. Second we got drilled by UT in Knoxville. Third we lost to a 6-6 SC team at home.

Personally I believe the Dawgs are getting too much respect. Heck we are ranked 4th in the country.

I do believe however right now we are playing some of the best football in the country, but I don't think that warrants a national title shot. I believe giving the Dawgs a shot at the title will reward a team for mailing in performances in 2 games they were capable of winning.

I'm rooting for LSU mainly because I hate them less than UT.

Getdown11, I understand where you are coming from, but as the saying goes, it's Any Given Saturday. Just because we lost two, doesn't mean that we are undeserving. The way I see it is there is no ONE deserving team to play. It's been an interesting year to say the least. Being spanked by TN doesn't make them better than us. Nor does it make SC better than us. I believe we can beat anyone in ANY conference at this point. I'm sure many of you would disagree with me right now about that comment. The point is, I love my Dawgs and regardless of 2 losses, would LOVE to play for the National Title. Doesn't mean it will happen. It's a LONG shot, but my personal vendetta against UT doesn't make me want the BCS title any less. I personally will be completely happy with a great bowl game, but won't frown if we get to play for the number one spot!

miss_uga I totally understand your sentiment. I just don't want to hear about how the Dawgs got lucky and don't deserve to be in the game. I know the media will play that angle up forever if it happens. God forbid should we make it to the game and get hammered. I can only imagine the fallout.

You really think the Dawgs could possibly get hammered by THE Ohio State University?

Here's what I want. I want WVU and Missouri to both lose. LSU wins the SEC Championship, beating Tennessee by a score of 28-27 and moves up to #2 in the BCS. Ohio State goes to #1 in the BCS, with Georgia at #3. LSU is #2 in the coaches' poll, but Georgia moves to #2 in the AP poll. LSU beats the back end off of OSU, and we win our bowl game convincingly. LSU wins the BCS National Championship along with the coaches' poll. Georgia moves up to #1 in the AP and wins the AP National Championship. Two national champions, and both are from the GREATEST CONFERENCE IN THE LAND!!!


GOOOOOO DAWGS!!!!