Jon, Good for AQ At-Larges & Bad for Boise State

B

bhawk326

Well-Known Member
I don't normally pull posts from other websites, but I thought this guy did his homework when he posted on BCS Guru's "Boise to Humanitarian Bowl" article.

"From ESPN's BCS website:
If any of the 10 slots remain open after application of provisions 1 through 5, and if no team qualifies under paragraph No. 5 and an at-large team from a conference with an annual automatic berth for its champion is ranked No. 4 in the final BCS Standings, that team will become an automatic qualifier provided that no at-large team from the same conference qualifies for the national championship game.

Basically, the two provisions are designed to ensure that the #3 and #4 teams make it in (in practice, it's usually the top 5)... EXCEPT if one of those teams is non-AQ (which I guess would be part of the definition of "auto-qualifying"). Would this be the first time that a #4 team is left out? I'm actually pretty impressed the the BCS business arrangement had the foresight to make the provisions that specific! It's not an outcome I would have guessed at 10 years ago."

So Boise State would not be guaranteed a BCS spot even if they finish 4th since they do not come from an annual automatic berth conference. This bodes well for all Automatic Qualified At-Large teams including our Iowa Hawkeyes. Also the media and the two senators from Idaho are going to have an absolute field day that this rule only applies to AQ conference teams.
 


Kansas St got left out at #3 or #4 in 1998. They were relegated to th Alamo Bowl. That is what prompted the top 4 rule. Iowa was in a similar position in 2002. Even though Iowa was #4 in the BCS we were in trouble, because OSU was in the title game and USC was #3. USC did not win the Pac 10 though (WSU did), so USC was guaranteed a BCS berth, but not Iowa. It was conceivable Iowa could have got left out, although it was very unlikely. I remember being very worried about being left by some terrible fluke. Thankfully the Orange Bowl came through that year.
 


yes I stumbled across this provision last night looking at the BCS rules as I was putting together my Big Ten bowl projections...hadn't seen last week's article from the BCSGuru on it, but arrived at the same conclusion. The #3 & #4 auto bids are only for teams from the 6 BCS leagues...non-AQ's are guaranteed ONLY ONE auto bid if one of them is in the final Top 12. BUT....as of right now, having gone through and projected all the BCS bowls, I think one of Boise/TCU goes to the Rose for the automatic, and the Orange would be left choosing between Boise/TCU or Stanford for their other team opposite Virginia Tech..Deace and I talked about this around midnight last night...and both felt Boise/TCU would get the nod
 




Is there a provision that would allow for them to drag the Big East out back and go "Old Yeller" on it? It would kill 2 birds with one stone...
 






bud2380 said:
Kansas St got left out at #3 or #4 in 1998. They were relegated to th Alamo Bowl. That is what prompted the top 4 rule. Iowa was in a similar position in 2002. Even though Iowa was #4 in the BCS we were in trouble, because OSU was in the title game and USC was #3. USC did not win the Pac 10 though (WSU did), so USC was guaranteed a BCS berth, but not Iowa. It was conceivable Iowa could have got left out, although it was very unlikely. I remember being very worried about being left by some terrible fluke. Thankfully the Orange Bowl came through that year.
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Iowa got to #5, that is why they were in danger of being left out, the top 4 rule was in place in 2002.
 


In 2002, I believe the rule was the top ranked team to not win its conference so USC was that team at #4 since Washington State won the PAC-10 that year.
 


Also, part of that fear was Notre Dame. They were on the verge of being an at-large, which would have superceded us, but thankfully they got obliterated by USC in the final game of the year


hawkeyescott said:
Iowa got to #5, that is why they were in danger of being left out, the top 4 rule was in place in 2002.
Click to expand...
 


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