BC is not in the National Championship hunt. We know that. The team knows that. Anyone who can look at the ACC standings knows that. Yet we will become a focal point of the Playoff Selection Committee next week. Regardless of how we perform against Florida State, just playing BC will be used against the Seminoles' candidacy.
I believe we will win this weekend. That win alone will be used to oust Florida State from College Football's Top Four. Even if they beat Florida and win the ACC Championship, the media and committee narrative will be that "but that loss to BC..." Losing to BC will be seen as a worse loss than any of the one-loss SEC teams, one-loss Oregon and one-loss Big XII teams. It will probably be viewed as a worse loss than Ohio State's loss to Virginia Tech...a team BC beat! Part of it is perception. We are a nice team, but not a traditional power. Our little engine that could is not respectable compared to the big bad SEC. There is also a bit of Florida State bias. The Committee will be glad to get Winston and Co. out of the picture for a while.
I don't think an undefeated Florida State team would be leftout, but God help them if they barely beat us. "How is this team in the Top 4?" You'll hear. "They barely beat BC at home!" It is coming. Even a Florida State romp would receive qualifiers. "They remained undefeated, but they were facing BC while Team X was facing..."
I think the Playoff is a step in the right direction, but the format and limit to four teams only enhances old biases and the Old Boy Network. The Committee is going to reward the SEC and teams that lost early because they are part of the establishment. They were the type of people who created this narrative nonsense. Just look at how they are all twisting their logic around to correct the TCU-Baylor mess.
Ultimately this thing needs to be eight teams made up of mostly automatic qualifiers. Florida State needs to be in because they won the ACC -- even with a loss. Yet I don't think that will happen. And it will be because the 'Noles lost to the wrong team -- BC.
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Is there a respectable ACC loss for FSU?
Because the ACC stinks?
In order to be The Man, you gotta beat The Man. FSU is in if they don't lose.
There is an inherent conflict of interest at ESPN, but that's a longer post for another time. The omsbudman on ESPN.com had a good article about that a few weeks ago.
Brady Heslip on nytimes.com front page. Wonder how they prioritized that.
Love the optimism about the game. Hope you're right.
Don't you think you are putting the cart before the horse here?
I don't think FSU's problem is the ACC, it's the N.Y. Times.
The 4 team p/o is a start. I can see it going to 8 w/ all big 5 champs getting in automatically. Then it can go to 16 w/ the big 5 title games, by then Big 12 will have one, being part of the first round along w/ 6 at large teams to play against each other to get to the round of 8.
Even w/ the obvious problems w/ only 4, it's still much better than the BCS.
Let's go, BC - pull out all the stops.
Let's pull off a "1993" against the team that benefited the most as a result of our win over ND.
On the other hand, if we win, it's a huge win for BC, b/c we're seen as the david vs. the goliaths and set the table for us being more respected as we improve in coming years.
Atl you are right on point. CBS and EsecPN are trumpeting how strong Alabama is. They are 9-3 their last 12 games. Losses to Auburn, Oklahoma and Ole Miss. They have a one point win over Arkansas, an overtime win over LSU and a close win over WVU. Most of what one gets from the media is hype and spin. 2. Many on that committee have an anti ACC bias. Willingham lost his job at ND because he lost to BC. Long was at Pitt and blamed the ACC for ESPN's creation, the BE demise. Tranghese is in the same boat as Long. Most of them are doing what they are told by the networks. 3. An unlikely but ironic scenario could occur. Baylor, Oregon, OSU and FSU win out. Georgia loses to GT and then beats Bama. Does a two loss non champion get in or a three loss champion. Or is the SEC left out?
The most interesting part of this post: You genuinely believe BC beats FSU?
This has been the longest bye week! I've been waiting for this game since last season. I hope the boys are focused and ready to go.
Realistically, it's going to take an "out of this world effort" to get these guys. They are just so loaded on offense. With Winston, Greene, Cook, Williams, O'Leary and Lane - I just don't even know where you start.
But, I'm fired up that we are talking about meaningful BC football games again! I can't wait for this weekend. Let's turn the college football play-offs on it's head.
This week can be revenge for 2007. Let's do this boys!
Spot on, Bill.
One positive is that Winston is "playing hurt". He has a "bad wheel". Can you believe that he weighs at least 240? Give the "devil his due". If you cover his receivers, he can't run. Thank God for at least one small favor. I believe that once again, BC will dominate the first half. That is the scenario for the entire year for State. If BC can make adjustments at half time without blowing the final second of the first, then they will win.
My gut feeling is that this is a very close game that BC loses because the kicker can't make a kick, whether it be an XP or a late FG.
Of course, David Gordon wasn't exactly a paragon of accuracy before he made the kick in '93 so I suppose there's hope. Then again, at least Gordon made most of his XPs.
People need to stop with the ESPN bias. ESPN controls ALL of the ACC media rights. It is the only major conference in which they control all of the rights. SEC (CBS), Pac 12 (Pac 12 Network and FOX, Big Ten (Big Ten Network), and Big 12 (FOX) all have other media partners that take some games each week. ESPN would LOVE for the ACC to be top dawg because they would not lose the top game to CBS (in the case of the SEC) every week. They are chasing ratings and an audience, and like it or not, the SEC delivers that. FSU does as well, they have been in three of the highest rated games this season, and that is why they have been prevalent on Saturday Night Football on ABC.
While ESPN owns priority rights in broadcasting the ACC, they own the SEC Network in it's entirety.
That is not the whole picture. Think of it as game rights. ABC/ESPN own every single ACC game. They sub-license some out to Raycom/RSNs, but they still own the inventory, so it is in their financial interest for it all to do well. And when that sublicense is up, depending on their other deals, they might take that inventory back to air on ESPN Networks or start an ACC Network. But the main drivers are the first few selections. ESPN does NOT own all the SEC rights. CBS has the first tier game and SEC title game. That game is almost always the #1 rated CFB telecast of the wee. Obviously, ESPN makes a lot of money on the SEC through the rights they do have, including the SEC Network, but if the ACC were the top conference, it would be enormous for ESPN since they could control all the top match ups. The top matchups are what drives the needle week after week.
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