Final AP Poll is Out

Alabama on the strength of a returned missed field goal attempt, and having beaten two conference opponents in the waning seconds on fluke plays, while giving up an 18-point lead to FSU, and a winning score in the closing seconds, what does that say about their ability to finish? Why should it be rewarded with a No. 2 ranking? 

The Tigers deserved to lose because of their undisciplined play. In fact, they looked like they hoped to win. 

Auburn was 3-9 last year. Sparty beat Stanford, which won the Rose Bowl a year ago. Sparty has won 10 or more games the past three years. I believe Sparty has the best defense in the country. They never would have given up a TD in the final minute. They never would have allowed a long TD return. And they never would have given up 31 points. 

I was impressed by FSU's quickness and speed on defense. If there is a gap in conference play, it only exists in the trenches and the speed of defensive and offensive linemen. 

One reason why Sparty is a better defensive team is because it is more experienced than either FSU and Auburn, which may have some nice players, but don't play as a team as well as Sparty. No question in my mind about that. 

One other thing, Winston is a great player, but he is not a great runner. I think our quarterback and Braxton Miller are far better scramblers and runners than he is. He has an excellent group of talent around him, which makes him very effective. And he did a magnificent job leading his team to victory. But I don't think that Gardner or Miller would be any less effective. 

then I think it's time that the format not become a reflection of bowl games. 

Obviously, if you move to a tournament setup, you move game sites to regional locations outside traditional bowl contests. Not sure why for instance if a Midwestern team has the best record in the country, it has to travel and play in southern or West Coast stadiums against competition from those areas especially given the cost of tickets and trave expenses. 

The NFL is far more democratic in the way it has its playoff system set up and probably somewhat unfairly, even though Wild Card weekend results yielded victories by two of three road teams with superior records than their hosts. 

With the end of the BCS, we will now be bombarded with stories about the unchartered nature of the new college playoff system, and the way it impacts both regular season interest and end of season rivalry contests and conference championship matchups. 

There might be a reason next year, why the Big Ten schedule is such a plain Jane affair leaguewide with few if any marquee contests in the nonconference. 

If it makes OP or anyone else feel better to vent here, no harm to anyone, there are all manner of reactions and no "right" answer, in my opinion.  I will acknowledge the obvious in that MSU had the better program this year, and I'm sincerely glad that a friend of mine who relocated to Miami last year, takes such pride in his Rose Bowl victory.  He is a decent person and never once has said anything hateful about my team.  Other side of the coin, having met several MSU fans who harbor that deep hatred/obsession with U-M...it almost scares me a little to hear someone like that recount with savage relish, some U-M loss from years ago that most normal people don't remember..... well, that is enough to keep me from joining any Sparty appreciation threads.  I will never contribute to feeding that obsession.  

coaching can make a huge difference.

I detest Sparty as much as anyone here, but they have a legitimate claim to #2 this year.  Worse yet, if the four team playoff had been in effect, less-deserving Alabama would have gotten their spot.  The playoff needs to stipulate "champions only" so that conference politics don't keep deserving teams out of the playoff.

Hopefully, the myth of SEC superiority has been put to rest and they will have to earn their rankings next year.  The SEC is a very good conference, but a team that can't even win its division does not deserve to be in a championship playoff when there are major conference champions with the same record.