Slurred Speech
Even though I’ve never literally stood around a water cooler to talk to coworkers, the “water cooler” opinion with every die-hard Buckeye I work with was that OSU is going to have to go undefeated again if the Bucks want to get into the National Championship.
What I mean by that statement is that a one-loss season is not going to cut it anymore. After losing two straight BCS Championship games, OSU just won’t get invited to the party unless they’ve pitched a perfect season.
Granted, the BCS loves OSU. The fans travel like crazy people, they buy tickets to anything involving OSU, and they watch anything they can. So OSU will have no problem getting into a BCS game; it’s the big one that’s going to be difficult.
If Georgia somehow makes it out of their conference undefeated, and OSU is one of a handful of others with one loss, there’s no way the BCS is selecting them for the Championship.
Forget the traveling OSU does, forget the money and ratings OSU brings in. If the BCS has any other option, and I mean any, they’re taking it. Let’s even say that in December OSU, Georgia, and USC are all undefeated. OSU is going to be out.
Two National Championship losses in a row, and last year they were selected amid controversy. There’s no way the BCS is going to let that happen again, and reignite all of that clamor for a playoff system.
I’m not saying that OSU has lost any respect around college football; far from it. It’s just that after losing two straight, there’s only a very small opportunity for a third. And it’ll have to be earned.
Just don’t expect any breaks to go OSU’s way, and definitely don’t expect the BCS to do them any favors. This season OSU will have the toughest road to hoe to return to a National Championship, and they will need some help from other teams.
So get ready for what should shape up to be a great football season, but be prepared for the journey. If the Bucks want to sit at the Big Table one more time, they’re going to have to overcome everything to get there.
Originally Published: Issue 647 - May 7, 2008
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