Why isn't VT playing for the title?

Question

I know OSU is going to be in the BCS title game, but why in the hell is LSU there and not VT? Both teams won their respective confrences but VT was ranked higher in the BCS, played a higher ranked team(BC was 11th, Tenn. was 14th), and matched LSU's record(both were 11-2). Yes, VT lost 48-7 to LSU in week 2, but with the way the current BCS system seems to work they reward play closer to the end of the season. So someone please explain to me why LSU is playing for the title even after losing to an unranked Arkansas team, when the 2 games VT lost both teams were ranked 2nd in the nation.

Oh yeah I almost forgot. Does Kansas have a right to be in the Orange Bowl when Mizzou was not only ranked higher, they beat Kansas last week....


God I LOVE the BCS....dont you?

Answer 1

TO JGLOW TECH SCHEDULE WAS ACTUALLY RANKED HIGHER THAN LSU!!!
Now to answer the question at hand. There was favortism towards LSU and the SEC. Why drop LSU so far if you planned on bringing them back up so far and not look at the Tech loss to LSU a week ago and pay it much attention this week. People bring that game up everytime this argument arise about "LSU beat Virginia Tech 48-7". THAT WAS WEEK 2. These are not the same teams from week 2. Lets see some early season games that would be different. Do you think the outcome of these games would be same:
Tennessee/Cal
West Va/S. Florida
Georgia/S. Carolina
Virginia/Wyoming
USC/Stanford
This is just to name a few. But everyone hold that game against Virginia Tech like it just happened yesterday. But Virginia Tech is one of the teams playing their best football right now that people is not noticing except for the computer polls. They have scored no less than 30 points since the loss to BC. They scored 40+ points on Florida State, Clemson, and Miami and 30+ on Virginia and BC. FSU beat Alabama, who LSU struggled with. I thought the BCS was all about now along with winning conference championships. Virginia Techs only 2 losses came to teams ranked #2 at the time and they beat everybody else on their schedule. Virginia Tech is ranked #1 in the computer polls and LSU #2. But they came up short in the human polls. Although I do feel that LSU has been a title contender from day one, VT should feel a lil bit snubbed.

Answer 2

The answer would be that two-thirds of the BCS is based on human polls. When the human pollsters were comparing LSU to Virginia Tech, they noted that LSU beat Virginia Tech and that LSU's two losses were in triple overtime. My understanding of the final BCS numbers is that Virginia Tech got the best numbers from the computers but was only sixth in the polls.

As to Kansas and Illinois getting bids before Arizona State and Missouri, the rules for the BCS allow the other 4 bowls to select any non-champion in the top 14 that they desire (but no more than two total teams from the same conference). The Rose Bowl wanted a team from the Big 10 more than it wanted a quality team so it went with Illinois. For whatever reason, the Orange Bowl committee opted for Kansas over Missouri or Arizona State.

Answer 3

Look, while it's true you should give more weight to how teams are playing now... they lost by 41 points. I'm sure V. Tech has improved, but dude, 41 points. Do you honestly think they've improved that much? No team that loses by 6 TD's can play for a national title, least of all when it's in place of the team that laid the beatdown. In good conscience, you can't do that to LSU. I, for one, applaud the pollsters for not being slaves to last weeks rankings and doing what was right. If they'd gone all the way with that we would have seen OU or SC playing LSU instead of Ohio St., and we wouldn't have seen Mizzou left out in the cold instead of the team they beat 2 wks. ago, Kansas. One out of 3 is better than nothing.

Answer 4

They were completely destroyed by LSU is why. If the loss was to Florida, rather than LSU, I'm sure they would have won out, especially considering VT came back and beat one of the teams they lost to. But this really isn't even arguable. It sucks for VT (of which I am also a fan when they are not playing LSU) but that's college football.

Just think how bad it sucks for teams that go undefeated and cannot play. Auburn has twice gone undefeated IN THE SEC and not received the national championship: first on a probation year and second when OU and USC played instead.

Answer 5

LSU is going over Virginia Tech because the BCS system takes STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE into consideration and thank the lord for that otherwise we might have Hawaii playing in New Orleans. Though Va Tech had a good team, their overall schedule can not compare to LSU's. They beat teams, at the time ranked, 9, 12, 9, 17, 17, and 14 including a 48-7 walloping of the Hookies. This is why the Tigers will be playing for the title. And for the record, if you think you have a right to complain, ask a Georgia Fan. I mean, i HATE the Dawgs because they blow, but they got shafted pretty badly.

Answer 6

I found myself asking last week, "how can VT be ranked ahead of LSU when they are both 2-loss teams and LSU beat them in a head-to-head match-up by 41 points?" The answer to my question has something to do with a crack-pipe. The answer to yours is that a) the coaches had a change of heart or got off the crack-pipe (LSU was ahead in the Harris poll last week)--and b) the polling system certainly doesn't consistently reflect the reallity of who is really the best team...for instance...as an LSU fan, I'm glad as hell that Tennessee managed to pull the game out against Vandy. Otherwise, we may be in the Capital One Bowl instead of the BCS NC game. I personally think Georgia is unbeatable and that it is a travesty that they will play Hawaii. I think a Ohio State, LSU match-up is not bad (in that a healthy LSU will totally destroy them) but overlooks Oklahoma and USC (who I hate, but they look good lately). VT---they lost to LSU by 41 points...41...41...41. I don't think the pollsters were willing to overlook that. VT is a good team, but the pollsters were looking not just at losses but how the losses occured. The computers look at wins...not losses and VT and LSU were 1 and 2 (ahead of Ohio State who was #3). The pollsters looked at the two losses of each team and given there was a head-to-head matchup that was not even close, they put down their crack-pipes. Thank God.

Answer 7

the vt thing makes no sence. the reason i say that is they were ranked ahead of lsu last week, beat a higher ranked team this week and got jumped by lsu. why were they ahead of lsu at all?

to answer your question though, the best explenation i've heard is that the voters don't pay much attention to their polls until the final poll. then they just arrange the teams as they see it. so, i guess we are just idiots to follow it.....

i wish they would go back to playing the bowls for fun and just vote a national champ if we cant have a playoff....to heck with this stuff. don't dare try and tell me the winner of bcs big game is a champion of anything.

Answer 8

because of that one reason LSU beat them but i still agree with you and truthfully dont think LSU should be in their they lost 2 games to unranked teams and truthfully the SEC is not the best conference to many 4 loss and better teams cant be to good with so many lossess like that georgia is better than them not only did they beat them they schooled them bad louisiana tech scored more points then virginia tech and the guy who siad VT should have jumped ohio he is on glue VT like LSU played crappy teams LSU only beat 2 ranked teams the other teams are not even ranked in the top 25 just florida and auburn but both those teams suck and well their is viriginia tech who the smashed hard could just as well played appalachian state with the performance they had in that game pretty sure they would have scored moe then wait what was that score oh yea 48-7 pretty sure appalachian would have made it a better game and be honest LSU sucks so how sucky do you think virginia tech is and LSU lost like i siad 2 games against unranked teamsnot even ranked in the top 25 and 9-3 florida they suck even worst only thing going for them is the quarterback and the other team auburn whatever ranked 22 8-4 record 4 losses they are not good so where is the tuff shedule lsu had they had noneand LSU sure is not a solid team if being beat by 2 unranked teams is solid the BCS is the biggest joke like i siad georgia is better than LSU and be honest Hawaii is going to slap georgia around and since georgia is better than LSU after thaty loss ha ha ha SEC IS A WEAK CONFERANCE ADD IT UP AFTER THE BOWLS ARE OVER BIG TEN ALL THE WAY

Answer 9

LSU is still the best team in the country to many who watch the sport objectively. LSU trounced VT in their meeting this season and you better believe that had an impact on the voting. VT isn't in the title game because they are NOT the best or second best team in the country. OSU is in there based on conference and LSU is there because they are the most solid team this year.

Answer 10

i agree mizzou got screwwed they beat kansas and kansas gets the orange? its not as if kansas and mizzou played in week 3. they played 2 weeks ago and mizzou beat them soundly. i think if you follow the logic of lsu jumping georgia because georgia did not even win their division in the same conference. mizzou should go over kansas who didnt win their div.

Georgia didnt get screwwed lsu beat tenn in the conf title. tenn beat uga and won the division that should matter you should at least get to play for your conf title before you cry at all about the national title

I would not have argued if va tech jumped over ohio st. va tech played a much better schedule. but i dont think the voters wanted a rematch of week 2 when lsu crushed tech.

LSU's 2 losses came in OT games. dont forget UGA lost to South Carolina an unranked team 6-6