2012 McMNC: The Ohio State University Buckeyes

AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results

1. Alabama (11-1): Won BCS Bowl, 42-14
2. Oregon (12-1): Won Fiesta Bowl, 35-17
3. Ohio State (12-0): No bowl
4. Notre Dame (12-1): Lost BCS Bowl, 14-42
5t. Georgia (12-2): Won CapitalOne Bowl, 45-31
5t. Texas A&M (11-2): Won Cotton Bowl, 41-13
7. Stanford (12-2): Won Rose Bowl, 20-14
8. South Carolina (11-2): Won Outback Bowl, 33-28
9. Florida (11-2): Lost Sugar Bowl, 23-33
10. Florida State (12-2): Won Orange Bowl, 31-10

Another season in the books, and another fraud on our hands. And only the hicks in the South -- you know, the peeps who lost the Civil War almost 150 years ago -- buy it. Which is why they keep "winning" whatever it is the BCS claims they win.

Obvious logic and bias aside, there are only two teams under consideration, because unlike the BCS, I am consistent -- since teams that didn't win their conference can't win the title, Oregon isn't eligible for consideration this year.

That leaves us with Ohio State and and Alabama. The Buckeyes were "ineligible" for the "title game", because some kids got free tattoos a few years ago -- and the then-coach lied about it to the NCAA. That has nothing to do with the current kids, of course, which has always been my contention in discussion teams on probation. This current team was not put together in violation of NCAA rules (see Clemson, 1981) -- they are merely paying the price for previous rosters' infractions.

So, the simple question is this: was Alabama's schedule good enough to overcome the loss they suffered? 

On the surface, The Crimson Tide seem to have played a better schedule: they beat six teams that were ranked at the time of the games. The Buckeyes only played three teams that met that requirement. And I don't think anyone could really argue that Ohio State played a "better" schedule, overall.

But here are the raw numbers we've always used here:

Alabama's SOS: .547
Ohio State's SOS: .489

And being consistent again, since Alabama didn't have an SOS rating advantage of more than .100, they cannot overcome their loss to surpass Ohio State in this evaluation. Simple is simple: you win what's put in front of you, within reason, and no one with a loss can surpass you through subterfuge, lies and a media blitz.

Congratulations, The Ohio State University.

McMNC Revision:

1. Ohio State
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Notre Dame
5. Florida State

RUNNING SCORECARD:
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986, +1994
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979, =2003, =2004
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951, =1998
Washington: +1960, +1991
Georgia Tech: +1952, +1990
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968, =2002, +2012
Oklahoma State: +2011
Utah: +2008
West Virginia: +2007
Boise State: +2006
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Iowa: +1956
Illinois: +1951
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
TCU: -1938, +2010
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Michigan: +1947, =1948, -1997
Nebraska: =1970, =1971, -1994, =1995, +1997
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986, =2000
Auburn: -1957, +1983, -2010
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Colorado: -1990
Florida State: -1993, =1999
Texas: =1963, -1969, =2005
Army: -1944, -1945
LSU: =1958, -2003, -2007
Florida: =1996, -2006, -2008
Miami-FL: -1983, =1987, =1989, -1991, =2001
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977, =1988, +1993
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979, =1992, =2009, -2011, -2012