Tuesday, October 28, 2008

ESPN Digging PSU's Grave

Don't get too comfortable during the bye week Nittany Lion Fans. ESPN is already digging a grave to ditch the Lions in and give a potential one loss SEC or Big XII team a shot at the title over an undefeated Nittany Lion team.

Of course, for all this to happen PSU will have to win out. So, for the rest of the post, let's just assume the Lions have done so.

The real question is: what if the Lions win out and either Texas or Alabama remain unbeaten?

One would initially think that this would be great news and that PSU would get a shot at the title. However, ESPN is really starting to push the story that an undefeated Penn State team could be hurdled by a one loss SEC or Big XII champ. I heard this position posited on College Football Live as well as on the College Football Podcast. This is sort of unnerving as College football is so Poll sensitive that the World Wide Leader could drive this story and bury Penn State's chances at a National Title. This. Is. Terrifying. ESPN is already laying the ground work for a controversy which should not exist. They are preconditioning not only the fans but also the voters with the idea that putting a one-loss team into the title game would be acceptable! What the fuck is that about!?!?!?

This is, of course, pointless to worry about until the end of the regular season. But still....I might be worrying anyway!

GO STATE

6 comments:

TheFolkist said...

I don't know if we need to be worried yet. This is ramping up because it's a novel idea, but the truth is I don't think there will be enough voters to make it happen. Besides that, an undefeated PSU will blow a one loss SEC team out of the water in the computers. Especially a team like Florida, who has to get over such a bad loss.

Anonymous said...

Your concern is understandable given ESPN's non-sensical agenda and PSU's undefeated teams' history, but don't waste energy worrying about that scenario. Right now your team does need to win out, and win big too.

Texas and/or Alabama do need to lose a game and the odds of that happening are pretty good, although it helps Penn State's case if they lose to a lesser opponent rather than in their respective conference title games.

As I am an alum of another Big Ten university (not Iowa, Indiana or MSU), I would love to see you guys take care of business in a big way and be crowned national champs; for now, just go to Iowa and KICK THE SHIT OUT OF THEM!

Anonymous said...

Would never happen. IF so, it would be the first time in the history of the BCS that an undefeated BCS conference team got left out by a one-loss BCS conference team. For the Florida's and USC's and Georgia's and Oklahoma's or even a potential one-loss Longhorn's, if you want a shot at the national title, you can't lose and then expect to jump ahead of another BCS conference team that hasn't lost yet. Especially when your loss comes to Ole Miss, or OrSU, whom PSU destroyed. IF they did that to my lions this year, they're entering a world of pain...and yes, that is a threat. GO STATE!!!

Anonymous said...

i have heard a little of that, but most of the guys on ESPN have actually been asked the question, but responded with a "No Way" (Herbie, Rece Davis to name 2, Beno Cook also). So they putting the idea out there, but as someone who reads all the espn chats (work is slow these days) the sentiment is that there is no way they will be jumped. we take care of business, alabama loses, and we're in. thing is, if texas tech beats ut, and then wins out, they will probably be #1.

JB said...

What troubles me is that ESPN is bringing up the possibility of PSU being left out.

All we are going to hear over the next month as Texas plays Tex. Tech and then a tile game, Alabama plays LSU and then a title game, is how much stronger the SEC and Big XII are than the Big Ten.

I think ESPN is starting the condition viewers and, more importantly, voters to the idea that PSU could be hurdled. Later, we will start to hear the cries that they should be hurdled.

Anonymous said...

well the ap ballot doesn't count, and the coaches and harris polls are made up of current coaches and ex-coaches/ADs respectively. that being said, i don't think we have to worry about it. enough of the members of those 2 polls have enough respect for joe not to do that. and with the computers only counting as 1/3 of the bcs formula, we are in a much better position than before that change was made.