Reader poll: Who is going to the Rose Bowl?
The best team in the Pac-10 conference won another big football game today. They racked up 55 points against USC, after putting 51 on the board against the Eugene Undertakers.
I doubt they'll make it to the Rose Bowl, though. That honor is going to these guys. Don't you think?
In case you need to consult them, here are the standings. And here are the rules for breaking ties:
Pacific-10 Conference -- Rose Bowl Selection ProceduresIf a Conference team is ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) ranking system it shall participate in the National Championship Game designated by the BCS. If that is not the case, the following procedures will determine the Pacific-10 Rose Bowl Representative. The Pacific-10 Rose Bowl representative shall be that member's team with the best won-lost percentage record in Conference games. If, however, the records in Conference games of two or more members are identical, determination of the Rose Bowl representative shall be as follows:
a. Two-Team Tie.
The winner of the game between the two teams shall be the representative.b. Multiple-Team Ties.
(1) When three or more teams are tied in Conference play, if one has defeated all others, it shall be the Rose Bowl representative. If that is not the case, a comparison of the tied teams' records against the other tied teams shall be made and the team having the best record against the other tied teams shall be the Rose Bowl representative. If two or more teams are still tied after this comparison, the appropriate two-team or multiple-team tie-breaking procedures shall be repeated among those teams still under consideration.(2) If more than two teams are still tied after the process above is completed, each remaining tied team's record against the team occupying the highest position in the final regular season standings shall be compared, with the procedure continuing down through the standings until one team gains an advantage.
When arriving at another group of tied teams while comparing records, each team's collective record against the tied teams as a group shall be used.
If at any point in the process the multiple-team tie is reduced to two teams, the two-team tie-breaking procedure shall be applied.
If more than two teams are still tied after comparing their records all the way through the Conference standings, the team among the tied teams with the highest ranking in the final BCS standings shall be the Rose Bowl representative.
If a tie remains, the teams most recently earning Rose Bowl or Bowl Championship Series automatic selection shall be eliminated.
Comments (11)
Stanford's path to the Rose Bowl:
Nov. 21: Stanford beats Cal, Arizona beats Oregon.
Dec. 3: Oregon beats Oregon State.
Dec. 5: USC beats Arizona.
That's a lot of if's.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 15, 2009 1:01 AM
If Oregon State beats Oregon and Wash. State, and Arizona loses either game, does Oregon State go?
Posted by Jack Bog | November 15, 2009 1:06 AM
There's a lot of talk of Oregon "controlling its own destiny." I think that's also true of Arizona, although they have three more conference games to play, not two. Arizona has already beaten Oregon State and Stanford. They have the Ducks, USC, and Arizona State left to go.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 15, 2009 2:30 AM
Last night on "Talkin' Ball", Dwight Jaynes discussed the possibility of an Oregon-Oregon State Civil War game with the winner going for the Roses. That would be cool. Oregon has to beat Arizona.
Of course he also pronounced Travis Outlaw "out for the year" before the doctors even got a glimpse so the Maestro of Misery rolls on.
Meanwhile I'd take whatever the Pac 10 throws at Ohio State. It would be fun to watch Toby Gerhart of Stanford wear down the Ohio State defense. It sure was fun hearing about USC getting beat down....again.
If we had a Ducks-Beavers game with the winner going to the Rose Bowl that would be huge for the state. I have to hope that happens.
Posted by Bill McDonald | November 15, 2009 6:51 AM
Meanwhile I'd take whatever the Pac 10 throws at Ohio State.
This is a HUGE reason to pull for the Ducks. Terrelle Pryor chose the Buckeyes over the Ducks two seasons ago. He'd be a Heisman front-runner had he come to Eugene, instead they're talking bust in Columbus.
That said, I've been a Beaver Believer as long as I can remember. It would be cool to see them go, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Posted by Chris Snethen | November 15, 2009 8:38 AM
As a loyal Coug, I ask "What is this Rose Bowl of which you speak?"
Posted by Al in SE PDX | November 15, 2009 8:42 AM
I voted for Cal because I think this is Cal's path to the Rose Bowl:
* Cal beats Stanford and UW, and Cal and Stanford finish 6-3.
* Oregon has to lose to UofA and OSU and end up 6-3.
* OSU has to lose to the Cougars(!) to be 6-3.
* Arizona beats the Ducks but loses to ASU and USC to fall to 5-4.
* USC loses to UCLA to finish 5-4.
That seems pretty likely! Even then, when comparing the 6-3 teams, Oregon State would win (OSU having beaten Cal, Stanford and UO). So the next step is for Oregon State to be embroiled in some kind of mixup or scandal and be unable to go (without forfeiting games to other teams). For example, maybe they already bought non-refundable tickets to El Paso.
Looking pretty good for Cal so far! But still, it would come down to who among Stanford, Oregon and Cal has the highest BCS standing, because their records against each other and the other Pac-10 foes are the same. So in the end, are the Cal kids better than the Stanford kids at hacking into the BCS computers? (Oregon being an also-ran in that department, with all due respect.)
Posted by Doug | November 15, 2009 9:58 AM
Oregon wins out they go-best record
Arizona wins out they go- 3-0 against all 2 loss teams
Oregon State wins out -they need Arizona to lose 1 of 3
Stanford wins out --they need a two-way tie with Oregon (Arizona & Oregon state must lose)
Posted by pdxmick | November 15, 2009 11:27 AM
Jack ... As far as I can figure, given your scenario, if Oregon beats Arizona there would be a three-way tie between UO, OSU, and Stanford at 7-2 (this assumes that Stanford beats Cal). Oregon would be eliminated first, having lost to both OSU and Stanford. OSU would go to Pasadena, since it wins the tiebreaker with Stanford, having won the game between them.
If Arizona beats Oregon, and wins its other TWO remaining games (ASU, USC), there would be a three-way tie between Arizona, OSU, and Stanford. Arizona would go to the Rose Bowl since Stanford would be eliminated first, then OSU as it lost to Arizona.
Should Arizona lose one of those other two games, OSU would again win the two-way tiebreaker with Stanford. They would then be the only 7-2 teams.
Posted by rural resident | November 15, 2009 7:12 PM
Rural, if Oregon beats Arizona then the Ducks would be in the lead with only one loss, not tied with the others.
Pac-10 is a real head-ache inducer this year. Fingers crossed for Beavers, but there's a lot to wait and see, plus the biggest Civil War we've seen in a long time. Whoever wins it should be something to see.
Posted by Snards | November 16, 2009 10:33 AM
Rural, if Oregon beats Arizona then the Ducks would be in the lead with only one loss, not tied with the others.
But if they lost to Oregon State, they would be tied, and lose the tiebreaker.
Posted by Jack Bog | November 16, 2009 5:07 PM