OT: Junk teams

Submitted by Topher on

This season appears rife with what I refer to as "junk" teams or garbage teams. Akin "junk science" or "junk food," junk teams are those which are not really that good, but for whatever reason of accident or happenstance are highly ranked or seeking conference championships.

I'm thinking of the following:

-The obvious, obligatory Ohio State: lost at home to a since-exposed USC team, lost to Purdue, turned it around when they started getting hammered by every sports blog in America, were lucky enough to get Iowa the week after the Hawkeyes' starting QB got hurt, and clinched a Rose Bowl bid even before the annual Michigan rollover. They are already an odds-on favorite to get blasted in the Rose Bowl.
-Clemson - this perennially overrated, underachieving outfit is now rematching Georgia Tech for the ACC title. They have finished their ACC season beating three teams with a combined 15 losses. And they lost to Maryland, for chrissakes,
-LSU has been doggin' it most of the season; they were "saved" by the fact they lost to two top-ranked opponents and one bad ref's call, so the media pretends they are really good.
-Notre Dame is an obvious addition, although their record is bad enough now that they are just a lame team.
-It is almost certain that at least one of the six unbeaten teams is a junk team, although going unbeaten to this point in the season is a major accomplishment no matter who you play (I am betting on Boise State or Texas).

It just pains me to see lame-o teams on the brink of BCS bowls and big stages.