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If OSU and Michigan rematch in the "championship game" then it will just add more fuel to the fire that the BCS is a joke.

give the gators a shot if we take down arkansas! or usc can come play in the sec for a season or 2 and see how easy it is to come out with one loss, including the additional conference championship game.

if i was being impartial though, i might say michigan deserves a rematch. the home team automatically gets 3-3.5 points in the spread so considering it was a 3pt game, a neutral site championship might be a better gauge. but screw that,

go gators!

I'll play the devil's advocate here. If it is Ohio State and Michigan again this game could be HUGE and potentially go down as one of the best games in College Football history. Ever since the BCS we haven't really seen two huge rivals face eachother in the Championship Game. I'd rather see this than Ohio State vs Florida, USC, or anyone else.

WIth USC losing to one of the other OSU's, Michigan thumping ND, and Arkansas getting thumped by USC, the only other viable team I see in the National Title game is Florida. Which would be neat, but not as cool as UM OSU pt. 2

The BCS Championship is supposed to be the two best teams in the country. Michigan losing to OSU by three points in Columbus is not enough to say that Michigan isn't as good as the other one loss teams.

The BCS is a joke.

The winner of the arky Fl game should be in there. Either that or southern cal. Michigan lost. they should be out of it.

The best team in the country resides in the SEC not the Big 10 give the winner of the SEC championship game the shot at the title. (im a big 12 fan by the way so there is 0 bias in this statement actually im still ***** wondering where OU would be ranked if they didnt get screwed at Oregon cause they would be a 1 loss team now and easily ranked in the top 7)

I agree with tolbs. I think the ratings and the game would be better with a rematch. The Vegas line for a rematch would probably be 3 points. But with USC or the SEC winner going, the line will be at least 10.

I agree that the SEC is the toughest conference top to bottom but think that overall they are overrated right now. They no longer have a monopoly on the speed players and their out of conference schedules are a joke. Western Carolina? Who did the SEC beat out of conference this year of note? Arkansas was crushed by USC at home.

If they are "all that" then they should start scheduling some home and home series against mid western teams.....in the second half of the year....when its cold. But they refuse.

Southern teams suddenly don't look so fast.

As an OSU fan, I sort of buy into the whole "Michigan had their chance at the title and lost.". But Michigan will be a 10 point favorite against any southern team they are matched up against in the Rose Bowl. If USC wins out, I would love to see a Florida - Michigan match up.

My question is what if Michigan barely wins, or wins from a bad call? You could argue that Ohio State and Michigan should share the title or that Ohio state is still #1.

The big argument against a playoff is that the regular season would become "meaningless" and the past weekend's matchup wouldn't have been so good. I call BS because BCS or playoff berth on the line, that game means something to everyone on the field.

Since we're probably not going to see any playoff system soon they might as well go ahead with the +1 scenario in which the winner of 1-vs-2 plays the winner of 3-vs-4 for the title. That's the only way you're going to get a relatively clear #1 at the end of the year.

As a Miami fan (woe is me!) I can remember similar problems in 2000. We lost our first game on the road at Washington and won out (including FSU) - but the BCS put FSU in the title game against Oklahoma and they got spanked. We beat UF and if FSU had pulled off a victory there probably would have been a split title. Washington also finished with one loss and were behind UM in the BCS.

A rematch is silly and I kinda hope it doesn't happen. I think that both the USC/ND (despite their loss to Michigan) winner and the SEC champ (assuming the SEC winner finishes with one loss) have legitimate claims to #2. If OSU loses the title game then there's a good shot at us having a split title once again - the exact thing that the BCS was supposed to fix.

They need to overhaul the system completely. Each year they patch it up to make it better and nothing has really been fixed. Stupid BCS!

National Champions are not made by your losses....but by your victories. Dude, who did the Sooners beat this year to earn consideration with those guys?

Florida will have gone with one loss from the SEC. Same with Arkansas.
USC will have beaten Cal, Notre Dame and the SEC West Champion.
Michigan has beaten Notre Dame, Wisconsin (11-1) and narrowly lost the best team in the land on the road.
Ohio State has beaten the #2 team twice in the same season.

Who has Oklahoma beaten? Washington? Come on.

The BCS is nothing but pure BS. Why the hell is USC even still in the top 5? They lost to an unranked team. It's based upon nothing but pure lobbying power and the BCS's desire to draw high ratings. It will never be fair until there is a playoff system like every other division of NCAA football. Some teams can't help it that they may not have the toughest conference or the hardest schedule, there are only so many games. It is simply not fair that the National Title basically only goes between a dozen or so teams, therefore making it where smaller Division I schools can't get the top recruits because no matter if they go undefeated and have a great season they will never have a shot at a national title and the money that goes along with it.

Football: American's second religion

I don't care how you look at this, the game was close, 3 points apart. It was clear that both teams were correctly rank. At the same time, why shouldn't there be a rematch? Just because Michigan lost shows that they are not #1, but the game speaks for itself that Michigan shouldn't be anything but #2. Somebody's gotta win, you can't have 2 winners in a game, and the best team one. It's clear.

On rankings I thing the rankings are correct. Michigan and OSU finished their schedule, 12 games. OSU 12-0, Michigan 11-1. USC, right behind Michigan is 9-1. Michigan has already won 11 games, USC still has 2 games left, 2 big games. If USC wins both of them, no doubt should USC be ahead of Michigan, if not we'll be seeing a deja vu on January 8th.

The BCS is a sham! A power grab by the big conferences to try and shut the other division I conferences out of a potential national championship.

There is no college football national champion. Never has been! All we've had are Miss America pageants. The most popular kid gets "declared" the winner.

Prove it in a 16 team playoff or shut the hell up.

Here's a novel idea: how about a playoff? Just like divisions 1-AA and 1-AAA have.

If Michigan is truly the 2nd best team, they should get a rematch regardless of last Saturday's outcome. If a playoff system were in place, presumably there would be many post-season rematches, yet no one would say the rematches are "unfair." The BCS championship game is what it is: a two team playoff.

Here's a challenge to all you SEC backers... Give the best non-conference win this season for an SEC team. Seriously. Find a good one. I'll wait.

The SEC looks great every year because they play cupcakes and each other. Don't get me wrong: there are a lot of good SEC teams, but they're not as good as everybody thinks. They all kill schools that should probably be D-III in their non-conference schedules, then the good teams beat the few really bad teams in the SEC. Finally, all the decent teams in the SEC beat each other up, and they all end up ranked accordingly: a lot of SEC schools in the top 25 and top 50, but none at the very top because they're simply not that good.

Please... Find that good non-conference win...

It's great to read people talking about Arkansas when in-breeding and religious nut jobs aren't mentioned.

Go Hogs!

I think if USC loses then Mich and Ohio State will and should be the teams in the national championship. I know they are a won lost team but they lost to the number 1 team in the nation. USC lost to a unranked team, FL lost to Auburn who was ranked 11 at the time of the lose, and Arkansas lost to USCG. So no matter what if the system works by strength of schedule and loses U of M and SOU will be in the title game and is fair.

This ranking system is so ***** stupid. Just have a playoff system, like the NFL, at the end of the year, geeez.

The BCS is about nothing but ratings and money. BUT look at the NCAA tourney, talk about ratings, imagine if some small D-I school made it to the playoffs, then you would have the same Cinderella story team that everyone gets behind and even non-fans watch play simply because they are the underdog. It would draw HUGE ratings.

Touchdown Arkansas

ok, here's the deal. the only poll you have to look at is the bcs rankings; nothing else matters. that's who goes to the championship game. usc is only .007 points behind michigan, and they still have 2 more games to play. if usc can win the next two games (vs. #5 ND and ucla) then there is almost no doubt that they will overtake michigan. michigan is done, so they just have to sit and wait.

@ rahmza

"They played two ranked teams, Texas and Ohio State."

You forgot to mention that they destroyed (read: obliterated) the #2 (at the time) ranked Fighting Irish.

@ everyone saying the game wasn't as close as it looked

Your logic is flawed, how can a game not be as close as it looked? Its the score! It is exactly as close as it looked. Hence the reason we have scores. To determine a winner, the closer the score the closer the game.

If you don't play a conference championship game, you should absolutely not have a chance at a BCS game, period. No wonder the SEC gets screwed every year.

A rematch would not be good, OSU beat UM, why play them again. So if UM squeeks out a 1pt win int he rematch, should they be the national champions? I would rather see an OSU/FL and UM/USC matchup, Then the #1 can be determined by the games, It give 4 teams shots at the title. if OSU/UM rematch, every other game is meaningless for rankings.

Likely OSU will stomp FL, and there will be no doubt on #1.

This is just a prime example why the top 5 teams should have a play off with the BCS #1 team given a by. Just so that there is no fuss at the end of the year. It's worked in Division II for years.

The ABC / ESPN favoritism poll (BCS) is a joke, everyone knows it.

There is nothing greater in college football for a Buckeyes fan than the potential to beat Michigan twice in one season.

"give the gators a shot if we take down arkansas! or usc can come play in the sec for a season or 2 and see how easy it is to come out with one loss, including the additional conference championship game."

The best team in the SEC could be Arkansas and USC beat them by 30! If USC wins the last 2 games, they will have beaten Arkansas, Cal, Notre Dame, UCLA, Nebraska, and Oregon. They lost by a 2 pt conversion. They deserve to be in the championship if they win out!

The Gators are lucky to only have one loss! They had to block 3 kicks to beat South Carolina and they didn't look very good against Georgia. You shouldn't schedule games against teams like West Carolina at the end of the year if you are serious about playing for the championship!

USC deserves to go if they win out. Michigan otherwise.

Arkansas is playing well right now, but USC stomped the crap out of them in Fayetteville. Plus they played two sorry ass OOC schools. Ditto Florida.

USC meanwhile played a one-loss Arkansas team (SEC West champ), three-loss Nebraska (Big 12 North champ, should've beaten Texas too), one-loss Notre Dame, and a brutal Pac-10 slate.

Their loss is to the weakest opponent of the one-loss teams, but it was close and on the road. Besides, it's not the quality of loss that's important--that reasoning is for losers. It's the quality of wins.

Here’s what’s messed up with this situation.

Let’s say OSU and Michigan end up in the BCS title game, and Michigan wins. They are national champions, even tho they both have 1 loss and Michigan already lost to OSU? How stupid is that?

Playoffs please. Football is a mans game, let the men prove it on the field. If Rutgers and Boise State are so damn good let’s see how far they get. And if Michigan thinks they deserve it, let them win 4 games in a row in a 16 team playoff like every other division of collegiate football.

Sorry, I came from a 1-AA football powerhouse. Playoff season was a great time of year...better and more exciting than the BCS fiacso.

"If you don't play a conference championship game, you should absolutely not have a chance at a BCS game, period. No wonder the SEC gets screwed every year."

Are you kidding! Each conference does this mainly to generate more money! It's a trade off.. do you want the money or a better chance at having a team from your conference win the championship?

With that logic you are saying Notre Dame, OSU, Michigan, USC, etc shouldn't have a chance to win. Last time I checked it was about being the best team, not whether you play a conference championship game or not.

@ Ascus

"Very easy why the game was not as close as it looked, Michigan was two scores down much of the game, only narrowed the points when it was quite obvious they did not have time to make the second score."

Just listen to yourself for a second... What was the score of the game? I don't care what happened in the game, thats all irrelevant. All that matters in a football game is the score at the end. If it was a lower caliber team that played against Ohio State you wouldn't be saying it was closer than it looked you would all be wondering why it was so close.

@ LilGator

"Bull ... there wasn't a moment in this game where anyone thought Michigan had it. OSU was in complete control the whole time..."

If you honestly believe that I feel sorry for you. Thats like saying Stanford had complete control of the game versus Cal back on November 20th in 1982. Or that Northwestern had complete control of their game earlier this season against Michigan State up 27 points. Simple fact is there is no sure thing in football. If Michigan had won would it still be closer than it looked? Of course not.

Simple fact is, change a few things on both sides of the ball and its different game. If that ticky tack personal foul wasn't called who knows what would have happened. Or if OSU hadn't of turned the ball over so much what would have happened. It was a great close game and the fact that you think its even possible for a situation to come about where any game was "closer than it looked" is preposterous. It looked close because it was close there is no such thing as a game "looking" close. Think about it.

I'm thrilled to see Arkansas up there in the top 5! GO HOGS

"If that ticky tack personal foul wasn't called..."

You want ticky-tack, look at the calls the officials had to call to keep Michigan in the game. Two of Michigan's TD's were on drives that were 3rd and long or 4th and long that Michigan couldn't complete, so officials called VERY ticky-tack pass interference calls on Ohio State just to keep Michigan in the game. Heck the biggest instance of pass interference in the game was on the interception that Troy Smith threw. The officials did exactly what ABC wanted, kept the game close. If you think Ohio State benefited from it, THINK AGAIN!

Florida vs Western Carolina is new this year. That week has always been a bye week before (what used to be) a tough game against out of conference rival Florida State.

The 1996 rematch between Florida and FSU was before the BCS, and was also much more involved than Michigan losing and not dropping a spot. I don't remember the exacts of it, but I do know it took several teams losing and Florida winning the SEC title game.

This is about the only part of the NFL that is superior to the NCAA. At the end of the year, the #1 team is much less debatable.

Lets see OSU versus either Arkansas, Florida or USC. Those three deserve a shot. Michigan is a "been there done that" situation and the only people who would be honestly interested in a rematch are Michigan fans who want revenge. If Michigan wins, they can repudiate their loss last Saturday and claim ownage (inaccurately) over OSU. If OSU wins (which WE would, natch) it would just be kicking the dog after you put it down... kind of sad to see, really.

Playoffs would be the best arrangement but that will probably never happen.

If Michigan plays Ohio State in the National Championship, and wins; the two teams will just be 1-1. Who wants to see that? I don't.

Here's the thing... Maybe I come off as an SEC basher, but that's not entirely my point. I think the SEC merits consideration as the best conference in the country. I don't know that they are, but I don't know that they aren't.

My problem with the SEC are the fans. They bitch about having to play a conference title game. Okay... don't split your conference into two divisions, and don't play a damn title game. Whose fault is this? The SEC.

The fans claim that the SEC is hands down the best conference, and that the winner automatically deserves to play for the national title... *****. Nobody deserves an automatic bid to a BCS game or the title game. You could make the argument that no ACC teams deserve to play in a BCS game this year, but they have an automatic bid. You could argue that no Big 12 teams deserve a BCS game (although your argument isn't as strong), but they have an automatic bid, too. We need fewer automatic bids, not more.

SEC fans are the most vociferous when arguing for a playoff. Everybody knows we need a playoff, but it's not going to happen. You'll never convince the NCAA that it's worth giving up almost 50 bowl games to have a 15-game, 16-team playoff. Yes the games would be bigger, but the overall impact would be smaller. Most of the fans cite the Auburn team that went undefeated a few years ago, but didn't get to play for the title. I feel bad for that team, and the SEC may have lost a national title that year. However, they may have gained on the year before when USC was locked out of the title game.

I'm conflicted on the whole idea of a rematch, for the same reason I don't want a playoff system. Takes away from the regular season. Michigan and OSU played a great game, with Michigan losing by three. (I'm a Michigan fan) Fantastic game that could have swung the other way just with a few bounces. If Crable doesn't make that bonehead hit, you tell me Michigan doesn't drive and score. Yeah, it could also have swung the other way for a OSU blowout but it didn't. Point is the #1 vs. #2 game was played and Michigan barely lost. So you could make the argument that, Michigan had its chance and they didn't win. Rose Bowl. (still a great year)

On the other hand you can say that about any team in the hunt:

1 USC: Top contenders for the spot. Barely lost to unranked Oregon State but did it in valiant fashion almost coming back from 23 points down in the bottom of the third quarter. Since then are playing a great schedule of Oregon (W), Cal(W), ND(?) and UCLA(?). The last three being rivalry matchups. Deserve a shot if they win out based on quality of wins lately.

2 Michigan: Second in line if Trojans slip up. Dominated Notre Dame on the road. Beat Penn State in Happy Valley in a night rivalry game. Beat Wisconsin soundly at home. Businesslike wins throughout their weak parts of their schedule including rivals MSU and Minnesota. Unimpressive against Ball State, but they did bring in backups too early. Only loss came at Ohio State. Lost by three in hostile crowd. Bad field condition caused slipping. Troy Smith played fantastically stretching the defense wide causing them to give up those big runs up the middle. Deserves to be in if USC loses and the bottom teams do not dazzle.

3 (tie) Florida: Big wins in the SEC using a decent defense and a dynamic offense. Only loss came at Auburn but they were beaten soundly. Also came incredibly close to losing to South Carolina. Needed blocked field goal for the win. Unimpressive against Vandy and Tennessee. Scheduled a 1AA at the end of the season. Deserves to jump Michigan with USC loss and strong (7+ pts.) wins against rival FSU and Arakansas.

3 (tie) Arkansas: Crushed early by USC. Drubbed completely at home in a huge nonconference game. Unimpressive wins against Vandy and Alabama. Huge wins against Tennessee and Auburn. Likewis deserves to jump Michigan with USC loss and strong (7+ pts.) wins against strong LSU and Florida.

5: Notre Dame: Doesn't deserve in. Crushed by Michigan early. Haven't been tested at all. Rivalry game with USC only real game on the bottom half the schedule. Needed miracle wins against very mediocre MSU and UCLA.

6. Boise State: Doesn't deserve in. Another pretender. Unlike ND doesn't play anyone period. Will get exposed if they are let into a BCS bowl game. Need to schedule at least a few quality opponents to start conversation.

And that's every team that is in the conversation. Like I said, USC if they win out regardless of scores. Arkansas or Florida if either wins out AND wins solidly in both games. By a touchdown that was scored early in the fourth quarter with no controversy. Finally my boys in blue if neither scenario happens. Remember the championship game isn't supposed to be what's fair or what matchup you want to see. It should be the best team in the country playing the second best team in the country. Period

So if OSU and Big Blue play for the championship and Big Blue wins they should be National Champs. So all of you who actually think they should play in the Championship game can't complain after its over that OSU should be #1 because they split the 2 games. The fact is if Michigan wins the tile game they would be the uncontested champions and no Ohio State Buckeyes could complain about it!!! If USC or Notre Dame were to win out I would much rather see them play Ohio State or even Michigan in the Rose bowl than sit through a rematch of OSU - Michigan. Actually I wouldn't even watch that game.

What the hell is a Buckeye anyway????

Michigan lost to the #1 team in the nation, on the road, with brutal field conditions -- field conditions that Ohio State had a chance to prepare for. The OSU players knew how hard they were able to make without making a comical banana peel inducing dive into the turf. Michigan defenders frequently looked like they were trying to turn on a greased-up slip-and-slide.

Michigan was incredibly close to winning this game. If Crable doesn't make that bone-headed marginally helmet-to-helmet hit, or the refs leave their whistles in their pockets, Michigan wins by 4 points. Ohio State scored four touchdowns on their five possessions in the first half - due in large part to the aforementioned turf. By the time the Michigan defense had a chance to regroup and settle down at the half - they had to dig themselves out of a fourteen point deficit.

Sure - Michigan benefited from a couple fortunate turnovers - but they battled hard, and almost won the game in the second half. Anybody who says that this game was not close is not being honest. The game was in doubt until Pittman rushed for six yards to get a first down on the final play of the game.

Ranking the #2s

#2 Michigan
Quality Victories:
at #5 Notre Dame (47-21); vs #8 Wisconsin (27-13); at #25 Penn State (17-10)
Losses: at #1 Ohio State (42-39)
Ugly Wins: unranked Ball State (34-26)

#3 USC
Quality Wins:
at #6 Arkansas (50-14), vs #23 Nebraska (28-10), vs #22 Cal (23-9)
Losses: at unranked Oregon State (33-31)
Ugly Wins: unranked Washington State (28-22), unranked Washington (26-20), unranked Arizona State (28-21)

#4 Florida
Quality Wins:
at #19 Tennessee (21-20), vs #9 LSU (23-10),
Losses: at #14 Auburn 27-17
Ugly Wins: at unranked Vanberbilt 25-19, unranked S Carolina 17-16

#5 Arkansas
Quality Wins:
#19 Tennessee (31-14), at #14 Auburn (27-10)
Losses: vs #3 USC (50-14)
Ugly Wins: at unranked Vanberbilt 21-19; vs unranked Alabama 24-23; at unranked S Carolina 26-20

Breakdown:

Michigan 3 Quality Wins, 1 loss (very close; vs #1 team in the country), 1 ugly win
USC 3 Quality Wins, 1 loss (vs an unranked opponent), 3 Ugly Wins
Florida 2 Quality Wins, 1 loss (vs #14 team in country), 2 Ugly Wins
Arkansas 2 Quality Wins, 1 loss (blowout at home vs #3 team in the country) 3 ugly wins

Given the above, I don't see how you justify moving any team above Michigan. The only argument I hear is that Michigan had there chance. Michigan's chance was on the road, on a horrible playing field. Michigan and OSU are the two best teams in the nation, and if they play on a neutral playing field, Michigan wins. A Michigan win does not mean a split championship. A Michigan win on neutral ground outweighs a 3 point loss in Columbus.

I like the Onion article's take on this. http://www.theonion.com. Basically, this game between Ohio State and Michigan was so good, and the rivalry is so good, that it would be unfortunate if they had to redo it and diminish "the game".

I think USC is probably the only team that can catch Michigan...Florida State is way too far behind right now. And they've looked very poor the past few games. Additionally, USC lost a game they were playing on their heels. Games that mattered.. Cal, Oregon, Arkansas, Nebraska and now Notre Dame and UCLA. their strength of schedule is uncomparable to anything else in the country. Additionally they don't schedule Div 1AA teams like Florida and Military Acadamies.

http://wearesc.blogspot.com

How about the importance of a national championship game on a neutral field anyone? That could be a 3 point difference

I dont know what all of you guys who aren't wishing for a rematch are smoking on?! are you serious. If this had not happened to be THE biggest rivalry game, it probably wouldn't be a discussion for #1 and #2. if the top two teams are 1 and 2, that is what many people expect anyway. BCS for once might deliver what the people want to see. Also, If a team hasn't proven throught the whole season they are worth the one and two spot then they dont deserve to play in the champioinship.. PERIOD. and for the record I AM a michigan fan, but I have only been so since attending college the last 3 years. and i'm not all into, but fully respect the rivalry. So i'm as neutral as you can get as far as being a fan. I think Troy, of course, deserves the heismann... but IF OHIO was as good as everyone claimed, then there was no way UofM should have been able to make those come backs-- to Y2JCrisis...

I agree with MARKH100, those conditions were brutal.. you dont think rain was the only reason for changing that field 3 weeks before the match up do you.. duh.. but i wont get into that.. the field alone without the mistakes on BOTH side was enough for a reamatch, there were 2 plays where Hart and Breaston were wide open charging for touch downs.. and the field GAVE out on them..ARE you kidding me?! TRoy even slipped a few and got sacked because of it.

And for those who doubt MI, they did fight hard... the defense was down form its normal swagger, but so was ohio's!! those teams were/ ARE the two closest matched teams, and the rivalry, the fans, and the fight for the NAtional Championship deserves a rematch between the two-- on neutral growns.