Final Top 5 if ...

[James Beam]

Will one of these be right as the final rankings after the LSU-Ohio State game?

If Ohio State wins:

1) Ohio State
2) Georgia
3) USC
4) Kansas
5) West Virginia

If LSU wins:

1) LSU
2) Georgia
3) USC
4) Kansas
5) Ohio State

The question is whether Ohio State stays in the top five if it loses.

Surely a three-loss LSU falls from the top five.

The polls likely will credit Kansas with its win over Virginia Tech and its 12-1 record and move it ahead of most two-loss teams. Heck, Kansas could go even higher. That should be interesting to watch, given all the criticism the Jayhawks received over their OOC schedule.

Does West Virginia get in the top five at all?

[CJHawkeyes]

What has USC accomplished on the field to merit third? Being the "best team" or the popular pick to win a hypothetical playoff does not mean the Trojans had the third most valuable season.

[Scarlet Hayes]

What has USC accomplished on the field to merit third? Being the "best team" or the popular pick to win a hypothetical playoff does not mean the Trojans had the third most valuable season.

I don't get it either. I'm not saying they're definitely not a sweet team, but why all the love for them? really, what makes them any more worthy than LSU or OSU? I mean, if ya listen to the media there's no doubt about USC. Again, what is it based on? Beating an ASU team that got humilated by Texas. Or beating one of the worst Nebraska teams of the last 40-50 years.

If we learned anything this year it's that nothing is out of the realm. Just a few nights ago I was ready to sing the praises of OU. Ya just never know anymore. USC will be replaying that loss to Stanford, in their collective mind, until the start of next year. Oh what might have been.

[ZOOMBAG]

I'm interested where KU ends up. LSU is out of the top five if they lose for sure. Ohio St will drop below KU and the two loss teams who won. KU should at the very least get a #2 ranking but if there is a split title it would go to USC, not KU, though KU should get it.

[CJHawkeyes]

USC will only finish sixth among bowl winners and nineth overall under my point system. Of course, my system isn't the final say on the issue and the circumstances that determine the results aren't perfectly equitable. However, given that 31 of 35 mythical champs have finished 1st or 2nd and the four others finished no worse than fourth, USC gaining a share would represent a significant statistical abberation. Clearly, USC is getting credit for just wearing the Trojan uniform. Who else would would get this much love for the same resume especially after a loss to Stanford? As much grief as Ohio State has received for its schedule, its opponents have more I-A wins despite playing 13 fewer games.

[James Beam]

Agreed that USC may be overrated, but the Trojans are sixth in the USA Today and AP polls. Three teams ahead of them will have lost.

Does anyone seriously believe that anyone jumps over them?

Kansas? I cannot imagine that happening.

[JamesHowell]

I think the better question is what has Georgia done? Their best win was over a four-loss, bowl-losing Florida team. They didn't even play a decent opponent in their own bowl.

[Tyler Durden]

I don't get it either. I'm not saying they're definitely not a sweet team, but why all the love for them? really, what makes them any more worthy than LSU or OSU? I mean, if ya listen to the media there's no doubt about USC. Again, what is it based on? Beating an ASU team that got humilated by Texas. Or beating one of the worst Nebraska teams of the last 40-50 years.

If we learned anything this year it's that nothing is out of the realm. Just a few nights ago I was ready to sing the praises of OU. Ya just never know anymore. USC will be replaying that loss to Stanford, in their collective mind, until the start of next year. Oh what might have been.

It'll be even worse when ESPN moves to Los Angeles (from Bristol. CT) in 2009. They will be slurping these guys every chance they get. I've never seen anything like it. USC is one of the best programs in the country, no doubt, but this "Best team at the end of the year" garbage has to stop!

[treyinathens]

I think the better question is what has Georgia done? Their best win was over a four-loss, bowl-losing Florida team. They didn't even play a decent opponent in their own bowl.

Well, what has anyone done? Kansas beat a 3 loss team in their bowl, so did West Virginia, USC beat a 4 loss team.

Yet overall, Georgia has the most difficult schedule of any of those.

Georgia is the ONLY team to beat a 1 loss team in their bowl. Funny how everyone who picked Hawaii to beat the Dawgs is now just dismissing them as nothing.

Are they nothing because they were really nothing, or did Georgia just make them nothing?

[Blue Hen]

Make a list, guys, of the teams you would prefer to draw in an office pool , in order of confidence, to win a national playoff if such an event were to start next week. That will tell you what your brain's perceptions of strongest team(s) are....not your heart's. USC would top most of these 'honest' lists, imo, not to mention being the slight Vegas odds favorite to win it all if FBS was a championship sport.

[Scarlet Hayes]

Make a list, guys, of the teams you would prefer to draw in an office pool , in order of confidence, to win a national playoff if such an event were to start next week. That will tell you what your brain's perceptions of strongest team(s) are....not your heart's. USC would top most of these 'honest' lists, imo, not to mention being the slight Vegas odds favorite to win it all if FBS was a championship sport.

before tonight's title game, this would be my list (keep in mind, this is how I see a PLAYOFF being seeded. NOT a "who deserves to be number 1" list):

1. WV (how on Earth did they lose to Pitt????????????????????????) I was stunned by their team speed. Just floored.

2. LSU.

3. USC

4. OSU

5. OU/Mizzou/KU Out of those 3 I'd probably take OU as I feel that got caught with their pants down. Still a tough choice to pick from those 3.

[Hubbs]

1.) LSU - Only 2 loses in overtime to teams who made bowl games. USC lost at home to Stanford a 3-9 team???

2.) USC - If they dont have the most talent in the nation then all the recruiting reports have been wrong for 5 years. Question is if every player you have is a a 5 star how do you lose to a 3-9 Stanford team...AT Home HEN?

3.) Ohio State - Bennie Wells is made for playing on Sunday. Best defense in the nation. Could be the best team in the nation just in a conference that is currently down a little.

4.) NOBODY ELSE THIS YEAR.

[Blue Hen]

Good lists. I'll give you mine after the BCS INVITATIONAL

[Bucs90]

Wow. Georgia not even mentioned on either of you lists?

Mine:

1. Georgia- I'm sold. They are the real deal. 2008 BCS National Champs.
2. tie: Southern Cal/West Virginia - toss up. Let em play it on the field.
4. Ohio State- I think they are coached better than LSU. Thats the difference.
5. OU- They had a bad night. Not the real Sooners. In a playoff, they'd be trouble.
6. LSU- Maybe a bit overhyped this year, but still a legit top 6 team.
7. Michigan- The current Michigan, not the App St opponent, would be tough in a playoff.
8. Missouri- Despite KU's win, Mizzou should've been in the Orange Bowl
9. Virginia Tech- Defense and special teams win in playoffs. They'd be tough.
10. Kansas- I believe!!!

[Lumpy Rutherford]

Scarlet- how do you forget USC wiped out Illinois, a team that beat OSU in C'Bus.
I can't imagine anyone this time of year arguing that OSU is better then USC.
Yes I know its been a screwed up season but c'mon if those 2 played USC would win by at LEAST 2-3 TD's if not more.

[Scarlet Hayes]

Scarlet- how do you forget USC wiped out Illinois, a team that beat OSU in C'Bus.
I can't imagine anyone this time of year arguing that OSU is better then USC.
Yes I know its been a screwed up season but c'mon if those 2 played USC would win by at LEAST 2-3 TD's if not more.

If you noticed, I seeded them ahead of OSU, and that was before the title game was even played.

If OSU and USC played a straight up clean game, no way is USC 2 or 3 TDs better. LSU just beat us by 2 TDs and we played an extemely sloppy game. BTW, I seeded LSU higher than USC.

WV is the team that really impressed the crap out of me. I heard all about their speed, and then I saw them play Pitt and couldn't stop laughing. To say that they redeemed themselves in their bowl game would be a tad of an understatement. That Devine kid freaked me out. Sweet acceleration! I think if WV brought their A game they could outscore just about anyone.