OSU deserves shot at BCS title game
By Bill Reiter - FOX Sports
STILLWATER, Okla. — This is why a system with no flexibility should not be allowed to determine the national champion. This underscores how computers can't see past the data to the facts behind them. This is why Alabama should be, if not eliminated from the national championship race, at a minimum given no better chance than Oklahoma State.
That's because, in No. 3 Oklahoma State's 44-10 destruction of rival and No. 10 Oklahoma on Saturday night, there was more at play than a big win.
There was a bright-lights, big-stage reminder that the world is a wildly complicated place — a place where the Cowboys lost their only game on a day in which the entire university for which they compete was in deep mourning, a place where, despite that loss to Iowa State, they still have beaten more than twice as many current BCS top 25 teams as Alabama.
It was the best performance of the year by a college football team not named LSU.
"They had their shot," Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy said afterward. "Give us ours."
Is it fair that Oklahoma State should be deprived a shot at LSU, the undefeated powerhouse and the only route through which anyone else can crown themselves champions? Not in the least. Is it fair, then, that Alabama should surrender that right, having lost its only game of the season to LSU by a mere three points, in overtime no less? Nope, that's not fair, either.
Perhaps this is the only way in which the BCS accurately reflects the world we live in: Sometimes the world is a very unfair place.
And so a choice must be made. And that choice should be a national championship game featuring LSU's frighteningly stifling defense against Oklahoma State's high-tempo offense.
"I don't know what will happen," Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops said afterward, "but I know I'll vote LSU No. 1 and Oklahoma State No. 2."
Oklahoma State won its conference outright. Alabama did not. Alabama had its shot against LSU and lost, despite having home-field advantage. Oklahoma State hasn't had that chance yet. Including Saturday's victory, Oklahoma State has beaten five current BCS top 25 teams: Oklahoma (10), Kansas State (11), Baylor (17), Texas (22) and Missouri (25). Alabama has defeated just two: Arkansas (8) and Penn State (22).
Sorry, 'Bama, the short stick should be yours. Gundy and Stoops are right. You had your shot at LSU and you lost. You should be out. It's as unfair as anything out there — other than not letting Oklahoma State have a crack at the Tigers too.
An important element of the argument for letting Gundy and his Cowboys leapfrog Nick Saban's Crimson Tide is a human element worthy of reflection even if, based on how they assess these things, few computers or voting sports writers have taken note.
On Thursday, Nov. 17, a plane carrying Oklahoma State women's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant Miranda Serna crashed in Arkansas, killing them and two others. This for a school that almost 11 years earlier had lost players and coaches from the men's basketball team in a plane crash in Colorado.
Human beings mourn. They sap emotional energy when they do so, and they confront and process tragedy — whether tragedy inflicted on friends or on their community — in ways that are hard for those to see who focus only on the numbers or the field.
One night after the crash, the Cowboys football team raced to a 24-7 lead on the road against Iowa State and then … fizzled.
Iowa State won in double overtime.
There is no way to measure the impact of something like what happened, but we know this: When a close-knit community, like a university, experiences death on a scale so personal and so unfair, it can strike home in unexpected ways.
There were other factors, too, those much less important but still relevant in a conversation bout football. Gundy pointed out Saturday that his team (ah-hem, Alabama) "didn't lose at home." The Cowboys' loss was a Friday game and thus a short week to prepare.
These aren't excuses. They're facts. They don't erase the loss, or provide an excuse that makes Oklahoma State's national-title claims rock solid. But they put that loss in context. That defeat was a question mark, not a verdict. What happened Saturday against Oklahoma cleared up things.
Let this team take on LSU.
The Cowboys displayed a balance Saturday critics said did not exist, rushing for more yards (278) than they had in the air (217). They displayed a defense critics said didn't exist, too, holding Oklahoma to just 10 points and 3.3 rushing yards per carry.
"Our defense was better than what people said," Gundy noted. "But there wasn't anything statistically that backed it up. I mentioned to them tonight was the night. I don't think there's any question that they showed up in a big way."
There's a lot here beyond the stats. Past the rankings, past the obsession with SEC football, past a loss to Iowa State, past ESPN's way-too-obvious craving to televise LSU-Alabama.
Past, even, the fact Gundy said last week that he would put Alabama ahead of his own team if forced to choose.
"People told me at the coffee shop, they were giving me a hard time for talking about the other schools last week," he said. "Oklahoma State hadn't earned the right to talk about a game past the conference championship game because we hadn't won a conference championship game. But after what they accomplished tonight, the way they did it against the No. 10 team in the country, I don't think there's a question they deserve an opportunity to play for it all."
He's right.
Let's finally say no to the knee-jerk reaction. To the pack mentality. To what we think we're supposed to proclaim. To what we know is the safe answer that'll make those of us not emotionally invested feel safe from criticism.
Let's say no to an SEC rematch and yes to one conference champion playing another conference champion for a national — note national, rather than SEC — championship.
Given the stupidity of the system under which we must work, Oklahoma State belongs in that game instead Alabama. If you don't like it, SEC or Alabama fans, help overthrow the system.
Until then, things as they stand remain wildly unfair, and that means your shot at winning it all should wait until next season.
Originally Posted by DemonGeminiX
I guess all we can do is hope for OK State to really slaughter Oklahoma and that will leapfrog them up over Alabama
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