• Follow us on Twitter @buckeyeplanet and @bp_recruiting, like us on Facebook! Enjoy a post or article, recommend it to others! BP is only as strong as its community, and we only promote by word of mouth, so share away!
  • Consider registering! Fewer and higher quality ads, no emails you don't want, access to all the forums, download game torrents, private messages, polls, Sportsbook, etc. Even if you just want to lurk, there are a lot of good reasons to register!

BCS Title Contenders (Can tOSU get there?)

BB73

Loves Buckeye History
Staff member
Bookie
'16 & '17 Upset Contest Winner
Note - This post will be updated each week as long as tOSU has only 1 loss. Post #2 will be retain the original information in this post.

This analysis assumes that the SEC and Big 12 Champions will need 2 losses in order to finish behind tOSU. The ACC teams all have a loss already, so they're not listed. Only undefeated Big Ten teams are shown, since tOSU will play them. Other BCS teams whose only loss is to another BCS team, and all undefeated teams are listed.

Teams that need to lose twice for tOSU to end up above them:

Team (Losses, tough games left, games won are gray)
Alabama (at Tenn, at LSU, Auburn, SEC CCG)
LSU (at Fla, at S. Car, Georgia, Bama, SEC CCG)
Georgia ('Bama, Tenn, Vandy, at LSU, Fla, at Auburn, Ga Tech, SEC CCG)
Florida (Ole Miss, LSU, 'at' Ga(Jax), at Vandy, at FSU, SEC CCG)

Texas (at Colo, at Okla(Dallas), Mizzou, Okie St, at TTech, at Kansas, B12 CCG)
Texas Tech (at K St, Neb, at Kan, Tex, Okie St, at Okla, B12 CCG)
Oklahoma State (at Mizzou, at Tex, at TTech, at Colo, Okla, B12 CCG)
Oklahoma (Tex(Dallas), Kansas, at K St, Neb, TTEch, at Okie St, B12 CCG)

USC (at Oregon St, Oregon, Ariz St, at Ariz, Cal)

Teams that may need to lose once more for tOSU to end up above them:
Penn St. (plays at tOSU, other games don't really matter for tOSU)

Utah (Oreg St, at New Mex, TCU, BYU)

Cincinnati (Okla, at UConn, at WV, at L'ville)

Other undefeated teams that probably have no chance at the Title Game:
Tulsa (at Ark, at Houston)
Boise St.(at Nevada, Fresno St)
Ball St (at Toledo, at Miami Oh, at Cent Mich)

These teams have been dropped here since they're no longer a concern:
Auburn (LSU, at Vandy, Ark, at WV, at Ole Miss, Ga, at 'Bama, SEC CCG)
Kentucky (at 'Bama, S. Car., at Fla, Ga, Vandy, at Tenn, SEC CCG) Vanderbilt (Auburn, at Miss St. at Georgia, Fla, Tenn, at Wake, SEC CCG))

Missouri (at Neb, Okie St. at Tex, Colo, K St, Kansas, B12 CCG)
Kansas (at USF, Colo, at Okla, TTech, K St, at Neb, Tex. at Mizzou, B12 CCG)
Colorado (at FSU, Texas, at Kan, K St, at Mizzou, Okis St, Neb, B12 CCG)
Kansas State (at L'ville, TTech, at Colo, Okla, at Kan, at Mizzou, Neb, B12 CCG)
Nebraska (Va Tech, Mizzou, at TTech, at Okla, Kan, at K St, Colo, B12 CCG)

BYU (at TCU, at Air Force, at Utah)

Oregon (Boise St, at USC, at Ariz St, at Cal, at Oreg St)
Cal (at Md, Ariz St, at Ariz, Oregon, at USC, at Oreg St)

USF (Pitt, at L'ville, at Cincy, UConn, at WV)
UConn (at N Car, at Rutgers, Cincy, WV, at USF)

Notre Dame (at Mich St, at N Car, at BC, at USC)

NW'ern (MSU, hosts tOSU, other games don't matter for tOSU)
 
Last edited:
Post #1 will be updated each week as long as tOSU has only 1 loss. This post retains the original information for this thread.

This analysis assumes that the SEC and Big 12 Champions will need 2 losses in order to finish behind tOSU. The ACC teams all have a loss already, so they're not listed. Only undefeated Big Ten teams are shown, since tOSU will play them. Other BCS teams whose only loss is to another BCS team, and all undefeated teams are listed.

Teams that need to lose twice for tOSU to end up above them:

Team (Losses, tough games left)
Alabama (at Tenn, at LSU, Auburn, SEC CCG)
LSU (at Fla, at S. Car, Georgia, Bama, SEC CCG)
Vanderbilt (Auburn, at Georgia, Fla, Tenn, at Wake, SEC CCG))
Georgia ('Bama, Tenn, Vandy, at LSU, Fla, at Auburn, Ga Tech, SEC CCG)
Florida (Ole Miss, LSU, 'at' Ga(Jax), at Vandy, at FSU, SEC CCG)
Auburn (LSU, at Vandy, at WV, at Ole Miss, Ga, at 'Bama, SEC CCG)
Kentucky (at 'Bama, at Fla, Ga, Vandy, at Tenn, SEC CCG)

Texas (at Colo, at Okla(Dallas), Mizzou, Okie St, at TTech, at Kansas, B12 CCG)
Oklahoma (Tex(Dallas), Kansas, at K St, Neb, TTEch, at Okie St, B12 CCG)
Missouri (at Neb, Okie St. at Tex, Colo, K St, Kansas, B12 CCG)
Texas Tech (at K St, Neb, at Kan, Tex, Okie St, at Okla, B12 CCG)
Oklahoma State (at Mizzou, at Tex, at TTech, at Colo, Okla, B12 CCG)
Nebraska (Va Tech, Mizzou, at TTech, at Okla, Kan, at K St, Colo, B12 CCG)
Kansas (at USF, Colo, at Okla, TTech, K St, at Neb, Tex. at Mizzou, B12 CCG)
Colorado (at FSU, at Kan, K St, at Mizzou, Okis St, Neb, B12 CCG)
Kansas State (at L'ville, TTech, at Colo, Okla, at Kan, at Mizzou, Neb, B12 CCG)

USC (at Oregon St, Oregon, Ariz St, at Ariz, Cal)
Oregon (Boise St, at USC, at Ariz St, at Cal, at Oreg St)
Cal (at Md, Ariz St, at Ariz, Oregon, at USC, at Oreg St)

Teams that may need to lose once more for tOSU to end up above them:
Penn St. (plays at tOSU, other games don't really matter for tOSU)
NW'ern (hosts tOSU, other games don't matter for tOSU)
USF (at L'ville, at Cincy, UConn, at WV)
UConn (at N Car, Cincy, WV, at USF)
BYU (at TCU, at Air Force, at Utah)
Utah (Oreg St, at New Mex, TCU, BYU)
Notre Dame (at Mich St, at N Car, at BC, at USC)
Cincinnati (Okla, at UConn, at WV, at L'ville)

Other undefeated teams that probably have no chance at the Title Game:
Tulsa (at Ark, at Houston)
Boise St.(at Nevada, Fresno St)
Ball St (at Toledo, at Miami Oh, at Cent Mich)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
The hardest ones will be the ones in the SEC, that will take some meat grinding to saddle all of them with 2 losses. There's a couple that will have to suffer a loss to a middle roader in order to lose two.
I haven't seen one that can't be beat though.
I can see Alabama and LSU as being the two that would be the toughest. After last night Ga. will lose again IMO,
and the rest will be bottom dwellers for the most part.
Oklahoma looks like the winner in the B12. and USC will contend for the Pac 10 , even though I think they will lose again.
The biggest question is can we win out?
 
Upvote 0
Tresselbeliever;1274751; said:
Let's just win out, beat Michigan, and beat SC in the Rose Bowl and finish #3 in the polls. Next year we'll make a run for it.

The thing is we lose quite a bit of talent and we have the talent this year to compete with anyone in the country at the end of the year...

With Pryor and Wells in the backfield together that is very dangerous and that is a totally different look from what we played with against USC...
 
Upvote 0
crazybuckfan40;1274765; said:
The thing is we lose quite a bit of talent and we have the talent this year to compete with anyone in the country at the end of the year...

With Pryor and Wells in the backfield together that is very dangerous and that is a totally different look from what we played with against USC...

Should've told that to the coaches before the SC game. Even with Pryor and Wells, I'm just not convinced that our defense is NC caliber. No major personnel changes have occurred, although Heyward have been moved inside and a couple of true freshmen are getting more time. But unless we show that we have totally revamped our defense, I don't think we deserve a third shot and possibly give up a ton of points again.
 
Upvote 0
I personally believe whoever win the SEC gets into the National Championship.

Now, with one spot gone, these teams will battle for it. Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Penn State, Ohio State and USC.

If one of those Big 12 teams goes undefeated they get in over everyone. If Penn State goes undefeated and a Big 12 team loses one game Penn gets in. USC and Ohio States only real chances are for a Big 12 team to lose one of their games, possibly two each, and have Penn State lose a game or two.
 
Upvote 0
If we somehow made it to the championship game, I think that it would almost have to be against an SEC team.....I just don't see us being chosen over even a 2 loss SEC team, which there is almost sure to be at least one.

Although a longshot, I see a lot greater chance of us being selected over 1 or 2 loss Big 12 and Pac 10 teams.
 
Upvote 0
Tresselbeliever;1274789; said:
Should've told that to the coaches before the SC game. Even with Pryor and Wells, I'm just not convinced that our defense is NC caliber. No major personnel changes have occurred, although Heyward have been moved inside and a couple of true freshmen are getting more time. But unless we show that we have totally revamped our defense, I don't think we deserve a third shot and possibly give up a ton of points again.

What did you want the coaches todo start Pryor? Play Wells on a hurt foot?

We played them pound for pound in the first half...You couldn't show me any difference...The second half was totally different and yeah a game is two halfs, But USC is not a team you want to play from Behind and we are not a team that is great at playing from behind...Remember we also lost a 4 year starter on the o-line for the second half of that game as well...

I am still on the fence with the defense...USC had great field position, even Minny yesterday was killing us with the field position battle...I think that is due to an inconsistent offense, which is the thing that I think we can improve the most on with an improved Pryor and Wells in the backfield...Also an improved Line...

We are seeing two sophomores on the d-line improving all the time, especially Thad Gibson, and now Heyward inside...We didn't have Doug Worthington at full strength for that game in terms of playing, due to the DUI...

Not saying that our D is a world stopper, but I think that we will continue to improve by the end of the season...

And the O could be our best imrpovement to the defense if they continue to get better, because it is much easier to play D when you are on top and you are putting the other team in bad field position...
 
Upvote 0
crazybuckfan40;1274805; said:
What did you want the coaches todo start Pryor? Play Wells on a hurt foot?

We played them pound for pound in the first half...You couldn't show me any difference...The second half was totally different and yeah a game is two halfs, But USC is not a team you want to play from Behind and we are not a team that is great at playing from behind...Remember we also lost a 4 year starter on the o-line for the second half of that game as well...

I am still on the fence with the defense...USC had great field position, even Minny yesterday was killing us with the field position battle...I think that is due to an inconsistent offense, which is the thing that I think we can improve the most on with an improved Pryor and Wells in the backfield...Also an improved Line...

We are seeing two sophomores on the d-line improving all the time, especially Thad Gibson, and now Heyward inside...We didn't have Doug Worthington at full strength for that game in terms of playing, due to the DUI...

Not saying that our D is a world stopper, but I think that we will continue to improve by the end of the season...

And the O could be our best imrpovement to the defense if they continue to get better, because it is much easier to play D when you are on top and you are putting the other team in bad field position...

Not to harp on this because I have stated this a million times already, but I would like to have seen Pryor run the ball like Krenzel did against a much better Miami defense. And if we had done that, at the very least, we would not have had the pick six and the fumble that killed our drive.

The problem with the defense continues to be the tackling ability against good opponents. We had mcknight numerous times for TFLs or short gains but the dude slipped from our defenders like he was made out of butter. That is something that we have all seen for the past three seasons and really haven't changed a whole lot. The adjustments on the DL is helping a little, but we really haven't seen enough to make a judgment here. I mean, when it's time to play against a top opponent in the BCS bowl, are you sure you want Nathan Williams to be matched with an All American LT whom will be taken in the first half of the first round?
 
Upvote 0
All I know is: if Ole Miss can beat FL at FL, and Georgia can get outscored by 31 pts in a single half at home, and USC can lose to the 3rd or 4th worst team in the Pac 10, then OKie, ETAL can lose to anyone too.

Anything can, and usually does, happen in CFB once league play begins.

The tOSU team that takes the field against scUM and in the bowl game will in almost no way resemble the tOSU team that played on 9/13
 
Upvote 0
Take Georgia out of the picture.
They're playing for a New Years day game from here on out.

Some shithead New England voter won't forget the 31 points given up in a single half - even if we run the table.
 
Upvote 0
Tresselbeliever;1274751; said:
Let's just win out, beat Michigan, and beat SC in the Rose Bowl and finish #3 in the polls. Next year we'll make a run for it.

I gotta agree...I would be more than content with that and I don't really know if we should go even if every team in the country has at least 2 losses and we only have 1. However, with Pryor and Beanie we are a completely different team and certainly explosive, so that could bode well if they continue to tear it up.
 
Upvote 0
Wisconsin losing hurt us. Had they won yesterday, and we beaten them, they likely would have been #6. So beating #6 on the road, and then maybe beating a Top 5 team in Penn State later this month could have put us right back in contention as far as the national media is concerend. Especially with having a new QB and our best player back. Makes us a much more dangerous team.

I think this season will end up much like 2005...and I kind of like it. We won't go to the NC game...but maybe we will win a BCS bowl (hopefully the Rose) and be able to say we finished the season as an elite team.

The Big Ten is better than people think this year. While the SEC is overrated, both their elite teams looked bad against bad teams. Had this happened to the Big Ten, they would have said we were overrated...so I will say it about them, whether it is fair or not. Big 12 should be the first conference to get a 1 loss team in.

Frankly, I'm not worried about going to the NC game. Some Buckeye fans seem spoiled. Some think it is NC game or bust...like we should be there every year, and if we aren't it's a bad season. That's BS thinking. Fuck the NG game quite honestly. Winning the Big Ten, going to the Rose Bowl...and especially beating Michigan. That's what is important. Up until '98, we couldn't even go to the national championship game. Now all of a sudden, it's all that CFB is about. I look at the NC game as a bonus. If we get it, fine, let's go see if we can win it...but if we don't, who freaking cares. It's all about winning the conference and beating Michigan. And for those of you who that don't think so, then go be a fan of a fucking SEC team or something...since they already think that their Conference championship is the NCG. I'm sick and tired of hearing about the NCG. If you can't feel the bliss I do out of winning the Big Ten and beating Michigan...then I feel sorry for you...cuz it has felt great the past three years!!!! And I am hoping for a fourth. Quite frankly, I could give a flying fuck with what Florida or Georiga or Oklahoma or whoever is "hyped" by the media does. That is unless they are playing the Big Ten.
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top