If SC wins is it possible to be BCS eligable?

[Oliver]

No, they aren't required to take the best available.  They get the first pick after the BCS.  They can't take a team with 2 fewer losses than Arkansas, but they can take one with 1 fewer loss.   In other words Bama could be picked, but MSU couldn't.

The BCS rankings are only used for BCS bowls.  Non BCS Bowls don't care what you are ranked. This is why the Cotton just took A&M instead of taking the OU-Nebraska loser who will have a better record and possibly higher BCS ranking than A&M.

When have they ever passed up on the best non-BCS SEC team to select another?  Not saying they can't do it, but when have they.

[John Futrall]

BCS  South Carolina is #19.... Dont you have to be #14 or better to be BCS eligable? What kind of win would it take for them to move up 5 spots?

Big East.

[WMHawgfan]

They are dead set because they are confident AU wins, as am I. However a SC win pushes everyone down a spot. Therefore, we would go Cap 1. They are the real winner in SC pulling the upset becasue they get to have a matchup of top 10 teams. Very lucrative for ratings,advertising $$$....To think they would pass on that to take a team ranked ten spots lower is a long shot. Its not against the rules, its against common sense tho. This is the same kind of talk that people were full of last week that the Sugar bowl would take LSU over us even if we won. They could but they certainly won't. Its bad business

I hope we don't have to find out the answer to this question. What you are saying is logical but the Cap One committee knows bama will fill the stadium and as much as it irks me having them in the game will generate high ratings. aTm has already accepted a cotton bowl invite so if they go with Bama we are going to get screwed. The point is they are not obligated to give us the invite and they very well may not.

[jimmur74]

It is "possible." We only have to be in the top 14 to be considered for an at large, which we will be, regardless to the SECCG.

The at large spot will likely go to Auburn. Of course, if USC absolutely demolishes them, exposes them, and Cam Newton dies during the game, then they could drop below us.

However, even if they don't drop below us, it is still "possible" that another BCS bowl could pick us as an at-large over Auburn just because the SEC doesn't want to see a repeat of the Utah-Bama game of 2009, and we all know the SEC holds the ultimate power over the NCAA and the BCS.

In 2007, #8 Kansas went to the Orange Bowl over #6 Missouri after #1 Missouri lost the Big 12 CG the last week of the season.

sorry this would never happen

[Hog Fan n Tx]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhetorical_question

Pay particular attention to the "Negative Assertion" section.

Simple question but you run around the bush and never answer.

[The Great Hambino]

sorry this would never happen

You must not understand the concept of putting things in quotes.

[Hogs12]

Capital One bowl has no say in who they get.  They are contractually required to take the best non-BCS SEC team available.  If USC wins, that would be us.

That is 50% true. The Cap One Bowl has to take the team with the best record or one game of it. That means that Alabama will most likely get the Cap One Bowl. The story lines: former Saban assistant( Dantonio), great team who got passed up vs two former Michigan State coaches( Saban and Williams), Ingram( both parents went to Michigan State, was his 2nd choice etc) and a very good team.

Arkansas is either going to the Sugar Bowl or Outback Bowl most likely.

[SwinerBock]

Incidentally, upon perusing the BCS selection rules the other day, I noticed that it IS possible for one conference to have 3 members in BCS games.  If #1 and #2 in the BCS rankings are from the same conference, but a 3rd member of that conference won the conference championship, then all three are in.

[jep_hog_fan]

The bowls choose who they want do they not? Would Arkansas be ranked ahead of Auburn should they lose? If so then we would be the SEC2, just as losing the SECCG always worked against us. What comes around always comes back around.

[RAF]

Correct. I think they have like 19 of their athletic programs currently on probation. Hasn't seemed to hurt them or the conference very much.

Also bammer. Didn't Julio and Mark receive an all expense paid fishing trip over the summer? I seem to remember they had to pay that back before being eligible this season.

What part of "pay-for-play" don't you understand?  Go ask Cecil, if you need clarification.

[RAF]

So Cecil took the money from MSU and Newton really plays there. Gotcha.

See?  You're not so dumb, Mike.

[Dumb ole famrboy]

I may be off base but Missouri @ 10-2 is BCS #12 and Oklahoma State @ 10-2 is BCS #14. At their currently ranking both are BCS at-large eligible.

[tigerinhogtown]

I may be off base but Missouri @ 10-2 is BCS #12 and Oklahoma State @ 10-2 is BCS #14. At their currently ranking both are BCS at-large eligible.

Eligible means nothing, neither will go unless there turns out to be a BIG backlash against the SEC because of the treatment of Cam.  Appeas the B 10 & Pack 10 are both pissed about the NCAA ruling and it could effect their voting in the polls.  SHOULD Auburn lose Sat, look for a BIG drop.

[Exit Pursued by a Boar]

Yes, we would be eligible since we'd be ranked in the top 14. No, we would not be picked because there can only be two schools per conference. USC would have the Sugar and Auburn would be picked before us, most likely for the orange. That said, in theory, we could be picked before Auburn if they're not ranked in the top 4, but I assume they would not be.

EFBAB

[PoormansRobbyHampton]

You guys really are between a rock and a hard place, having to rely on AU winning to get into the BCS. The system is messed up when a 2 loss SEC team can possibly get left out.

If Auburn loses, I think we'd have to drop past #8 in the human polls in order to NOT still play in the NCG. We're #1 in the computer polls and even a loss in the SECCG won't change that (because they don't count playing the same team twice). With our lead over TCU, Stanford ect. in the BCS rankings, it will still be too much to overcome if we only drop down 5 spots after losing.

With Arkansas sitting at #7 in the BCS, should AU lose, I can't see us dropping below that spot.

Regardless, I'd much rather win this weekend and see the deserving team play in the Sugar. Arkansas is playing the best ball right now in the league. It'd be a real shame to see you guys not in a BCS game.

Some sense from the Auburn hugger for the first time ever. I wish we could y'all play for the title tomorrow.

[HogFanInBryant]

It is "possible." We only have to be in the top 14 to be considered for an at large, which we will be, regardless to the SECCG.

The at large spot will likely go to Auburn. Of course, if USC absolutely demolishes them, exposes them, and Cam Newton dies during the game, then they could drop below us.
lmao @ "if Cam Newton dies during the game"....not that is some funny shiznit!  thanks for the laugh!

However, even if they don't drop below us, it is still "possible" that another BCS bowl could pick us as an at-large over Auburn just because the SEC doesn't want to see a repeat of the Utah-Bama game of 2009, and we all know the SEC holds the ultimate power over the NCAA and the BCS.

In 2007, #8 Kansas went to the Orange Bowl over #6 Missouri after #1 Missouri lost the Big 12 CG the last week of the season.

[Dumb ole famrboy]

Just something to consider
Nebraska beats Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship game and moves ahead of Arkansas in the BCS standings. Michigan State gains a few votes here and there and @ 11-1 moves ahead of Arkansas in the BCS standings. Boise State wins and is now 12-1 and moves up a couple of spots.

So the question is does a BCS 9/10 Arkansas get an at-large bid over a BCS 12/14 Missouri or Ok State ( all with 10-2 records) when the Big 12 BCS representative, Nebraska, is a defacto representative of the Big Ten?

[Iwastherein1969]

in summation, if South Carolina beats Auburn today, USC-e goes to the Sugar Bowl, Auburn to the Orange Bowl and Arkansas suddenly becomes ineligible for a bowl....correct ?

[TNRazorbacker]

I hope we don't have to find out the answer to this question. What you are saying is logical but the Cap One committee knows bama will fill the stadium and as much as it irks me having them in the game will generate high ratings. aTm has already accepted a cotton bowl invite so if they go with Bama we are going to get screwed. The point is they are not obligated to give us the invite and they very well may not.

This, the bowl games are about money. Filling up the stadium and generating ad revenue for TV. Bama will be better for them on both counts.

That said the Capital One has traditionally taken the next best team after the BCS regardless of who it is. I think the SEC has a lot of influence as well and tries to keep the picking somewhat fair.

[12247]

NO

[hog_fan]

BCS  South Carolina is #19.... Dont you have to be #14 or better to be BCS eligable? What kind of win would it take for them to move up 5 spots?

I swear. Winning your conference you go 100% no matter where you are ranked. Auburn would then get an At Large Spot

[GuvHog]

This, the bowl games are about money. Filling up the stadium and generating ad revenue for TV. Bama will be better for them on both counts.

That said the Capital One has traditionally taken the next best team after the BCS regardless of who it is. I think the SEC has a lot of influence as well and tries to keep the picking somewhat fair.

Thank you! Someone finally got it right! If SC beats Auburn the SEC home office will not allow the Capital One Bowl to choose 9-3 Bama over 10-2 Arkansas. The SEC has a huge amount of say as to which SEC team a bowl can pick. The Cotton Bowl wanted to invite Arkansas last year but the SEC home office wouldn't allow it so they HAD to take Ole Miss.

[bugo]

If USC wins it will look like this

Sugar- USC
Orange- Auburn
Cap One- Bama
Cotton- LSU
Outback-Arkansas
Chick Fil A- MSU
Music City- Tenn
Liberty- Georgia
Birmingham Bowl- UK

Capital One wants Bama and the Cotton won't take an Arkansas-A&M rematch.  Hogs get dumped down to the Outback.

Why would the Citrus Bowl (I refuse to call it by its corporate name,) the most prestigious non-BCS game, take a 3 loss Alabama over a 2 loss Arkansas?