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It’s always an either/or thing as there is no autobid for the #2 team in any conference. The only way to guard against it is to win all your regular season games (e.g., LSU).</p>
<p>Isn’t it interesting that no one in Madison is whining about how unfair it was that they had to play in the Championship Game and that Michigan gets to go to a BCS Bowl? And to think that it is unfair that the Michigan players got to sit on the couch.</p>
<p>There isn’t a player on the Michigan team who would have given up a chance to play in the championship game even if losing meant losing the opportunity to play in a BCS bowl. You don’t play in a game like that thinking about the worst case scenario. The commentary from Dantonio and Cousins is that of sore losers and I definitely believe that it matters to them that it is MICHIGAN who received the invitation to the Sugar Bowl. None of this would have been an issue if State had won the game. It should have won the game and probably would have except for a very questionable call by Mark Dantonio.</p>
<p>The loser of the conference championship does not automatically forfeit its opportunity to play in a BCS bowl. I believe Nebraska once lost the Big 12 title and still played for the BCS championship. Rumor had it that LSU would have still played for the BCS title if it had lost to Georgia on Saturday. The problem for State is that it had big losses to ND and Nebraska, had the third loss to Wisconsin and did not have a strength of schedule (Youngstown St., Fla. Atlantic, CMU, Minnesota, Indiana) to get a high enough BCS ranking. State had a good season but it just wasn’t good enough. Michigan played against 10 bowl eligble teams (EMU was within a few points of being the 11th) and won games against 8 of them.</p>
<p>Another day of so of this is fun for in-state bragging rights but then we will head to bowl season where a strong showing for the B1G is good for all of this.</p>
<p>Romani - I always look forward to your posts on this board. I suspect I know whose post Alexandre deleted and it was probably for the good of the thread and the board.</p>
<p>All of those calls were completely fair, all of the major analysts say so and it is blatantly obvious if you look closely.</p>
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<p>Can you say with complete conviction that he caught that out of bounds? (He had complete control of the ball btw up until the very end where he didn’t have complete possession).</p>
<p>I agree this bcs system is flawed, and should be changed, however I really think the University of Michigan is deserving of a bowl game over Michigan State. </p>
<p>Comparing it to the NCAA basketball tournament illustrates this point. A team can come as a first seed and be top ranked in the nation, lose in the sweet 16, and nobody will care or make irritating cries of unfairness. It is the success of the team at the end of the season which matters most. This is fair. This is what it should be.</p>
<p>True, Michigan State beat the University of Michigan. Later in the season Michigan State lost to Nebraska 24-3. After that, the University of Michigan beat Nebraska 45-17. As a whole, the University of Michigan improved significantly over the season, and this is reflected in the big win over Nebraska near the end of the season. This improvement should matter most in the bowl selection. Just like the performance in the NCAA basketball tournament is what matters. Michigan State is clearly a good team, but the loss to Wisconsin at the end of the season should be taken seriously in the rankings. </p>
<p>What bothers me about the bcs system is that it is inviting these comments about pedigree allowing the University of Michigan to get a bcs bowl game over Michigan State. These comments are inherently unfair considering the University of Michigan’s performance at the end of the season.</p>
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<p>Can you say with complete conviction that MSU crossed the plane of the goaline on that Hail Mary play during the regular season against Wisconsin? Especially considering the fact that the call was overturned.</p>
<p>@kobudnik</p>
<p>Nice job dodging the question. And yes he did, there was no proof indicating otherwise.</p>
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<p><a href=“http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MSU1.jpg[/url]”>http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MSU1.jpg</a></p>
![http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MSU1.jpg[/url]](http://blacksportsonline.com/home/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MSU1.jpg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>romanigypsyeyes, we know all about questionable calls, trust me. Our game at Iowa game was filled with questionable calls as was our game against OSU. Thankfully, the latter did not cost us the game, but the former may have. </p>
<p>I always welcome different points of views, yours included, so long as the poster is not a trash-talking low life. You are always welcome here.</p>
<p>Is that picture of a foot inbounds supposed to convince anybody? If you wanted to make the picture relevant, try showing the ball in his hands or having a video showing that he had complete control of the ball. Not saying what did or didn’t happen, but all that picture proves is that at one point his foot was in bounds.</p>
<p>For anyone interested, this article IMO is pretty close to why so many Spartans are upset. [Michigan</a> State Is Bowled Over Again By The BCS - Forbes](<a href=“http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/12/05/michigan-state-is-bowled-over-again-by-the-bcs/]Michigan”>Michigan State Is Bowled Over Again By The BCS)</p>
<p>romanigypsyeyes, the frustration felt by Spartans is natural and understandable, but not rational. MSU lost 3 games, two of them by approximately 20 points each. As a result of those three losses, MSU found itself out of the top 14 and was therefore automatically disqualified from consideration. Just because MSU beat Michigan does not mean it had a better season or is a better team. Texas Tech, which went 5-7 this season, beat Oklahoma in Norman this year. Not only did Texas Tech win, they gained more first downs, more yards and won the ball-possession. That does not make it a better team. A season is more than one game, although it does not always seem that way when playing in a rivalry game.</p>
<p>Many teams got shafted by the BCS this year. Chief among them are Big 12 teams, as I feel Oklahoma State deserved a shot at the title and Kansas State should have been chosen over Virginia Tech. However, 3-loss teams such as Michigan State and Oklahoma are not supposed to get BCS at-large invitations.</p>
<p>He hit both the white and inbounds at the same time, which means out. EVEN if he was in, he clearly lost posession as he hit the ground anyway, that was 100% the right call, you are in a bitter, biased disagreement with every major sports analyst.</p>
<p>What it comes down to is that Moo U is a regional school with a regional football program with limited supporters that have limited wealth. Had the situation been reversed (Michigan and Wisconsin play in the BTCG and Michigan State sitting out and ending up being in the top 14), Moo U still wouldn’t be picked for a BCS Bowl. In fact, you would end up in the gator bowl. Michigan and Nebraska will get capital one/outback ahead of Moo U for being Michigan and Nebraska. It’s funny to see Moo U fans say things like “I wish we bypassed the championship game, then we would get the at large bid.” No, you wont. You are not Michigan or even Virginia Tech. Stop acting like it’s a parallel situation.</p>
<p>In fact, Moo U fans should be thankful that Michigan got the BCS berth, otherwise, Michigan would be going to Capital One and Nebraska would be going to Outback, leaving Gator for Moo U. </p>
<p>Moo U just isn’t a big time name brand program. Truth hurts. This is exactly why Moo U always has an inferior complex. This system is awesome. A true Michigan fan should never complain about it because it will always work in our favor. And to the Moo U fans who wants real changes to the system? In your dreams. The power that be in college football (the Michigan, Texas, Ohio State, Notre Dame etc) would not allow it. You may get some changes here and there but you won’t change the “big name team plays in big bowl game” reality. You can go occupy something though.</p>
<p>MSU would have been in the Insight Bowl bearcats, not the Gator Bowl.</p>
<p>Good point Bearcats. Had MSU not played in the conference championship game and ended their season 10-2 and in the top 14 of the BCS poll, chances are, Kansas State would have been chosen over MSU.</p>
<p>I agree with most of the Bearcats analysis but I highly doubt K-State would have been chosen over Sparty. As low as Bearcats makes Sparty out to be, K-State is even lower on the scale. They have actually had to game some of the BCS rules to make it more likely for K-State to have a chance. Hence the mandatory 3/4 rule. Also, the B1G offices make a b1g stink when the BCS overlooks a B1G school for the at large booth because there are b1g bucks involved.</p>
<p>Oklahoma would definitely go before Moo U. Did you see the empty seats in the BTCG? There were 9000 ticket going for as low as $9 on stubhub at one point. This is for a stadium that seats only 65000. In addition, it’s the inaugural game which drew a lot of randos and these 2 schools still can’t sell out the stadium. A big name like Michigan, ohio and Penn State could fill the stadium with just their fans. Any BCS bowl would have taken note of that lackluster attendance.</p>
<p>bearcats, I think three-loss teams are automatically out of consideration. It would have been either MSU or KSU.</p>
<p>As lowly as MSU is in the football world, KSU is not even on the map. Sparty would have been chosen over KSU or Baylor. Va Tech is a legitimate top 15 football with a rabid fan base to match Michigan’s so there’s no way the BCS would have given the Wildcats the nod over the Hokies either.</p>