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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

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The Associated Press is wary of how its football poll is used.
By Jorge Milian

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

The Bowl Championship Series' ever-changing formula will need a major overhaul after this season.

The Associated Press informed BCS officials on Tuesday that it must stop using its college football poll to determine which teams play in the national championship game and other BCS bowls.

The AP poll of 65 writers and broadcasters has been used as one component in the BCS standings since the system was created in 1998.

But the AP, which sent BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg a cease-and-desist order Tuesday, said it never sanctioned the use of its poll for BCS purposes and indicated that its voters were not comfortable helping to determine which schools and conferences received the eight-figure payout.

BCS berths are worth more than $14 million this season.

"We respect the decision of The Associated Press to no longer have its poll included in the BCS standings," Weiberg said in a statement. "Since the inception of the BCS, the AP poll has been a part of our standings. We appreciate the cooperation we have received from the organization in providing its rankings on a weekly basis. We will discuss alternatives to The Associated Press poll at upcoming BCS meetings and plan to conclude our evaluation of the BCS standings formula, including an other possible changes, by our April meeting."

Among the options that have been previously expressed is establishment of a blue-ribbon panel that would name the teams that play in the national championship and other BCS games. Basketball and baseball post-season tournaments, for example, are determined by such committees.

The BCS formula has been tweaked several times during its existence. The latest change occurred this year when commissioners of the BCS conferences changed the formula to rely more heavily on the AP and USA Today/ESPN polls. The USA Today/ESPN poll is voted on by coaches.

The new formula didn't lessen the controversy surrounding the system this season because Southern California, Oklahoma and Auburn each finished undefeated. Southern California and Oklahoma were selected to play for the national title in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 4 with Auburn settling for a spot in the Sugar Bowl.

Just as controversial was the decision by three Texas-based AP voters to move Texas past California in the final poll. That helped the Longhorns qualify for a BCS berth in the Rose Bowl, whose payout is $14.5 million, while California was banished to the Holiday Bowl, where the payout is $2 million.

The results prompted calls for coaches to reveal their ballots, with suggestions of a conspiracy among some coaches as conferences could profit if one of their teams went to a higher-paying game.

The AP poll also came under more scrutiny, with writers who vote in it becoming part of the news rather than covering the news. The Charlotte Observer said it no longer would vote in the poll, and others considered it.

The AP poll always had been a factor in the BCS standings but it became more prominent this year when the system was changed.

"This unauthorized use of the AP poll has harmed AP's reputation and interfered with AP's agreements with AP poll voters," the organization said in a statement. "To preserve its reputation for honesty and integrity, the AP is asking the BCS to discontinue its unauthorized use of the AP poll as a component of BCS rankings."

With the absence of the AP poll, the BCS must regroup once again and come up with a plan to make things work.

"This makes it clear we in the BCS have some work to do and some hard decisions to make," said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive.

Another idea that has been pushed the past two years by Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, who would like to see the formation of a selection committee similar to that used in college basketball, where the polls are only tools of information rather than part of the selection process.

The Boston Globe contributed to this story.


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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

The BCS system has been a hot topic lately, I know ESPN has been all over it.

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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

Pulled form the article above:

Just as controversial was the decision by three Texas-based AP voters to move Texas past California in the final poll. That helped the Longhorns qualify for a BCS berth in the Rose Bowl, whose payout is $14.5 million, while California was banished to the Holiday Bowl, where the payout is $2 million.

The results prompted calls for coaches to reveal their ballots, with suggestions of a conspiracy among some coaches as conferences could profit if one of their teams went to a higher-paying game.


Did they just figure this one out!! I swear, the dumbest people run some of the most visible programs in the nation! Or is it that they just turn a blind-eye to what they want to see?
You can run a model test of this system in middle school. I'll bet the kids will have figured that out by mid day before recess.
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

It is a good and proper move by the AP. Although I never had paid much attention to the NCAA playoff system for all divisions except I-A until the Owls became a factor, I now have a great deal of respect for it. What's wrong with extending it to I-A? It is the rule, rather than the exception, in sports for games to determine championships (at pro, college and other amateur levels). The stranglehold of the powerful schools (and bowls) would be broken, but the best team – the one left standing at the end would be a true champion.
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

They can get a playoff system in place without any major revamping of the current system. But this BCS will be around a long time. Why? Most top teir schools LOVE it and……..It's all about the benjamins..$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

Looks like the BCS might be dying a slow and painful death. The bowl system will remain intact for quite a while but the loss of the AP really diminishes the credibility of an already highly suspect BCS system. Expect some major overhauls within the next few years.


A four team system would be a happy medium between BCS and playoffs. At least that way last years situation would have been resolved by having USC and LSU play one final game. This year we could have the same with the winner of USC and Oklahoma playing the winner of the Auburn game. It isn't perfect but it is better than what we have in place now.

2017 and 2019 Conference USA Champions
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

They could make a playoff system work and like O.G. said, the top schools love the BCS system and will do about anything to protect it. I remember when the talk was that it was to bad that Texas would be shut-out of the BCS picture and look what happen.

A playoff systems makes sense and the teams that play the tougher schedules won't be penalized by being shut-out of the National championship picture if they happen to have one or two losses. Plus you would eliminate that long lay-off between the end of the season and a major bowl game.



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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

You keyed in on the sticking point. Strength of schedule.The late season potential BCS teams are now into point spreads!
The teams who have the tougher schedules should in all probability have more losses than a team who plays a weaker schedule. Does that mean Utah's schedule can hang with UM's or even a 5 loss team? We will never know.

There'll be a new player in the poll game by next month.

Settle it on the field.
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

Hopefully by the time we're good enough to gripe over the BCS there will be a 1-A playoff system.
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AP says Bye, Bye to the BCS

There will always be discussions about strenght of schedules & conferences - which one is the toughest.

And how does a Utah really fit in. If you are the new kid on the block, you tend to get overlooked, but should Utah be penalized for having a great season, just because they are not part of the BCS system. Look at JMU, the 1-AA National Champions this year, they would never have had a shot with the current 1-A BCS system, yet they went all the way.

Some of the top teams are there because of their past success, which does cary some weight, but in the same token does it reflect the actual present state of that team. Let them play, if a team doesn't belong then they will be ousted. At least it's decided on the field and teams are given a chance to prove themselves.

I would love to see at least an 8-team playoff system, that could be expanded to 16 teams.
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