Madel's Mailbag

[bigsixfive 328]

Link

You know, I had a feeling I got ripped off by those landscapers last summer. It was like they didn't even do any work. Guess I shouldn't have hired those Ohio State football players.

Auburn has one good year every decade and is always left out of the title picture. 1983: screwed (Miami leapfrogs No. 3 Auburn after the bowl games). 1993: undefeated but on probation (Auburn's own fault). 2004: about to be left out of again. The SEC champ should have an automatic berth in the national championship every year and it should be left at that.

-- Paul Crane, Auburn, Ala.

Good historical perspective, Paul, but you've got to be kidding me about the last part. I know it's engrained in Southerners at birth that the SEC is the undisputed best conference in the country, and there are certainly years where that's true, but it's hardly a given. In fact, according to both Jeff Sagarin's and Jerry Palm's computer rankings, the SEC is currently sixth, neck-and-neck with the Mountain West. If I'm an Auburn fan, I'd think twice about using "the SEC is tougher" as my argument for unseating either USC or Oklahoma. I'm sure the Trojans fans would be quick to point out that the SEC has lost six of its past eight head-to-head matchups with the Pac-10. And I'm sure the Big 12 would be happy to point out its 6-2 record against fellow BCS conferences this season compared with the SEC's illustrious 2-3 mark (its most impressive win coming against 4-5 Oregon State).

While I understand Auburn's frustration, as of right now they don't have much of an argument. Using the BCS' old strength-of-schedule ratings, as calculated by Palm, Oklahoma's schedule is currently fourth, USC's 10th and Auburn's 59th. However, as I said in Saturday's Oklahoma column, if Auburn finishes up by beating No. 8 Georgia, winning at Alabama and sweeping No. 15 Tennessee, then the pollsters would have to think long and hard about moving the Tigers into the top two.

6th?? Give me a break. Tied for 1st.

Has anyone pointed out that at the beginning of the year, you wrote that Auburn would win the national championship based on the video game NCAA Football 2005? Well, Auburn is still undefeated and ranked No. 3. Maybe next year the BCS can add a PS2 poll.

-- Chris Anello, Orland Park, Ill.

You're the first. It's pretty amazing, though, isn't it? In the column Chris is referring to, I simulated the 2004 season last summer when the game first came out, and it ended with Auburn beating USC in the Orange Bowl. Here we are four months later and the Trojans and Tigers are ranked first and third in the BCS. Keep in mind, Auburn wasn't exactly on the national-title radar coming into the season. Perhaps the programmers accounted for the Al Borges factor.

[Tigermike 3,046]

Perhaps the programmers accounted for the Al Borges factor.

Perhaps the voters haven't.

[PChamp119 96]

That's my email to Stewart

[eibua12 81]

I didn't want to open this thread because all of you are going to shoot me.

First and Foremost I think the SEC Top to Bottom is the best conference with that said ...

I have been mulling posting this for about 3 weeks...

Gang our SOS is killing us...

The SEC has not represented itself well this year and it shows. I also think the media is sick of the SEC and has put in the revenge factor.

What was the Stat Auburn's opponents this year are a combined 38-44 That should say something.

Bowling Green Dropped us for OU.. we got what Citadel in return or was it LA Monroe and who did we drop to and put La Monroe on the schedule for thinking that the SEC schedule would be enough to carry us.

LSU is ranked 17th in the AP poll (just using it as an example) and they lost to AU (3) and UGA (8) while FSU is ranked 11 and they lost to Maryland (Unranked) and Miami ranked 18th right behind LSU explain that one. VATech ranked 16th Lost to USC (1) and NCState (Not Ranked) and almost lost to Gatech (yes I was there almost and should have lost) almost lost to Wake and Almost lost to North Carolina again please explain.

Tenn is ranked 15th with a lose to us and Noter Dame (24) and a win over UGA (8) so start explaining.

If both of these team were getting their due we would be ranked at least 2.

The rest of our schedule has taken a big hit:

Vandy 2-7

UK 1-8

Ole Miss 3-5

Miss St 3-6

Arky 3-5

Citadel 2-6

Monroe 4-5

La Tech 4-5 but get this loses to AU, UT, and Miami

Auburn might miss the MNC game provided we run the table but I don't think we can complain this year as the SEC overall is down a bit but...

We will have a huge voice when SEC sweeps all their bowl games. I personally feel that at the end of the season with all the bowl games played out the the BCS system is still used to decide the winner. You take the final rankings of all the teams and come up with a final SOS in the stupid computers and break out hat stupid white Auburn accounting calculator and add up all the points and see where the chips land. If 1-4 are undefeated and play each other 2 will be undefeated and since there is no playoff for MNC then use the system to decide the overall winner not since you were lucky enough to get to the game you are deemed the King, that is a crock. USCs SOS overall computer rankings could drop since the Pac10 might get waxed in the Bowls. But since no one will do those calculations we will never know.......

Stick it to UGA and the Computers.

[WarTim 3,456]

O N E game at a time.

WAR EAGLE ! ! !

[bigsixfive 328]

I really dont think the SEC is in a down year, I think its about average. ULM, MSU, Citadel, UK, Arkansas, and LaTech are hurting our SoS. The thing is, LaTech is a decent team, but they picked a heck of a schedule to play. Arkasas is a really good team in my opinion, and could just as easily be 6-2 as they are 3-5. The ball just hasn't bounced their way this year, but considering their losses and what they've got, they've done a great job. Ole Miss has even given some good teams trouble this year. They started SCs downward slope, and they played us and UT hard.

The rest of the SEC is on par with UGA being 8-1, LSU being 6-2, Bammer with a winning record, etc. You're dead on with the SEC being slighted in the rankings. FSU should be around 24th with their pitiful performances and losses to sub par teams. Yet, they're 11th. I think Troy is whats holding LSU back, and they're ranking UT knowing Ainge is out for a while.

After seeing Texas the other night, they and UGA are the only teams I would worry about playing right now. Had Texas played like that against OU, they'd be sitting at #2 right now (and OU would probably be at 3). That is the only credible win OU has, and UT DEFINATELY wasn't playing at that level that day.

[eibua12 81]

I think you said it better the ball hasn't well for the SEC and some team should have better records case in point Arky --> Texas

Ok can everyone stop the one game at a time stuff it is getting annoying. I actually am not on the team so I can take in as many games as I want and I can do any speculation that I want.

Us talking about other items besides UGA this week will not jinx the game.

Sorry not a flame just want to be able to think about more than the fball game this week.

[mcgufcm 4,107]

two things as far as schedules: i find it a lot harder to play decent teams every week (teams scratching for bowls) and buck up to play 3 or 4 top 15 teams a year than to play a bunch of teams that'll finish with a solid 7 wins every week without the tough opponents.

i say mediocre is mediocre is mediocre. anyone really think there is a ton of difference playing a 3-5 arkansas or playing a 5-4 oregon? i certainly don't. both teams are average, but both teams COULD beat you if you play poorly. however, to the strength of schedule machines there is a HUGE difference. usc gets all this credit for playing a great schedule when they really beat an awful udub team (1-8), some average stanford, osu, and wazzou teams (all sitting 4-5), then they played a couple of fringe top 25 teams in vatech (who somehow may win the acc) and asu (who has zero good wins), two below average OOC games in byu and csu, and one quality win (cal). i know byu and csu are better than lamo and citadel, but honestly, what's the difference? auburn or usc or ou would have to play the scout teams to lose either way b/c all four teams suck. byu and csu just suck a little worse.

i just don't see how beating slightly better mediocre teams proves that you a great team. i'd rather see you handle you mediocre teams and play top competition fairly regularly (saaaaay playing a soon-to-be 9-2 lsu, 9-2 ut twice, and hopefully 9-2 uga teams over the course of the season) instead of once in a blue moon.