Great article on ESPN on UTAH

**Dave19642006** · 01-07-2009, 12:33 PM

Rick Reilly: No question, Utah is the national champion - ESPN The Magazine

**cstrunk** · 01-07-2009, 12:39 PM

If schedules are all equal, then yeah, Utah is the National Champ. But they are not. Stick Utah in the SEC or Big 12, and they are not undefeated. Still very good, absolutely. But very unlikely that they make it through perfect. Just ask Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, etc. how hard that is.

**cybsball20** · 01-07-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by cstrunk

If schedules are all equal, then yeah, Utah is the National Champ. But they are not. Stick Utah in the SEC or Big 12, and they are not undefeated. Still very good, absolutely. But very unlikely that they make it through perfect. Just ask Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, etc. how hard that is.

Utah, with our schedule in the Big 12, could have very well finsished undefeated.

**jdoggivjc** · 01-07-2009, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by cstrunk

If schedules are all equal, then yeah, Utah is the National Champ. But they are not. Stick Utah in the SEC or Big 12, and they are not undefeated. Still very good, absolutely. But very unlikely that they make it through perfect. Just ask Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, etc. how hard that is.

The thing is, we'll never know. What we do know is Utah was the #1 team in the Mountain West and beat the #2 teams from both the Pac 10 and SEC (which spent a good portion of their season rated as the best team in America).

Utah did everything it was asked of them (play a difficult non-conference schedule, go undefeated, including in a very difficult conference, etc.) and it still isn't good enough for the system - what more does Utah need to do?

**Palmer** · 01-07-2009, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

The thing is, we'll never know. What we do know is Utah was the #1 team in the Mountain West and beat the #2 teams from both the Pac 10 and SEC (which spent a good portion of their season rated as the best team in America).

Utah did everything it was asked of them (play a difficult non-conference schedule, go undefeated, including in a very difficult conference, etc.) and it still isn't good enough for the system - what more does Utah need to do?

worm their way into a power conference.

**brianhos** · 01-07-2009, 12:44 PM

Utah won the national championship, who cares about the BCS.

**intrepid27** · 01-07-2009, 12:45 PM

Even though he does not bring it up he is lobbying for a play-off system. Which is company policy at ESPN. If we start a play off system in College football you might as well take the top 25 winingest programs and put them in their own league. A play off will greatly strengthen their already lofty position by giving them additional exposure, money, recruiting advantage, ect. The other 90 teams (including us) will be looked upon as never having a chance at the national spotlight.

**Palmer** · 01-07-2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by intrepid27

Even though he does not bring it up he is lobbying for a play-off system. Which is company policy at ESPN. If we start a play off system in College football you might as well take the top 25 winningest programs and put them in their own league. A play off will greatly strengthen their already lofty position by giving them additional exposure, money, recruiting advantage, ect. The other 90 teams (including us) will be looked upon as never having a chance at the national spotlight.

agree

**SVT** · 01-07-2009, 12:48 PM

Another thought, The Pac 10 is the best conference based on bowl games (5-0), yet the Pac 10 went just 1-6 (i think?) against the Mountain West. Utah went undefeated in the MWC and as a poster said above, beat the Pac 10 and SEC #2 teams (as well as TCU and BYU).

If I had a vote, I'd give it to Utah

**Scott34** · 01-07-2009, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by cstrunk

If schedules are all equal, then yeah, Utah is the National Champ. But they are not. Stick Utah in the SEC or Big 12, and they are not undefeated. Still very good, absolutely. But very unlikely that they make it through perfect. Just ask Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, etc. how hard that is.

But they won in the conference that they are in thats they are supposed to do. You cant always say that they wouldnt win there cause they beat an SEC team. They beat Alabama in there bowl game and did it in fashion. Not some last second heroics. So in my opinion they deserve to atleast be co champs.

**tazclone** · 01-07-2009, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by cstrunk

If schedules are all equal, then yeah, Utah is the National Champ. But they are not. Stick Utah in the SEC or Big 12, and they are not undefeated. Still very good, absolutely. But very unlikely that they make it through perfect. Just ask Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Florida, USC, etc. how hard that is.

BS argument. TCU, BYU, Utah are all quality teams that could moer then play their way through any conference. A team like TCU gets better recruits then half the BCS team. Don't believe me...go look.

It could be argued that the Mountain West was every bit as good as the ACC, Big East and the Big 10 this year. And Utah beat opponents from the SEC , Pac 10, and the Big 10. they played as many quality opponents as anyone in the country.

Take any team from a BCS conference and give them the credentials Utah has and they would crown them.

**dustinal** · 01-07-2009, 12:52 PM

Even though he does not bring it up he is lobbying for a play-off system. Which is company policy at ESPN. If we start a play off system in College football you might as well take the top 25 winningest programs and put them in their own league. A play off will greatly strengthen their already lofty position by giving them additional exposure, money, recruiting advantage, ect. The other 90 teams (including us) will be looked upon as never having a chance at the national spotlight.

Isn't that pretty much what happens now? How would having a playoff make it any different, except for giving more teams a chance to play for the championship?

**cstrunk** · 01-07-2009, 12:55 PM

One thing to remember, is you can't say one team 1 is better than team 2 because team 1 beat team 3, and team 3 beat team 2. That property only works in math. Not sports.

Thus, saying Utah is better than USC because they beat Oregon State, while Oregon State beat USC should hold NO weight in any argument. We all like to use this thinking in arguing in trying to decide who is better, but unless the two teams play each other you can't say who would win.

**Clones85'** · 01-07-2009, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by tazgolfv

BS argument. TCU, BYU, Utah are all quality teams that could moer then play their way through any conference. A team like TCU gets better recruits then half the BCS team. Don't believe me...go look.

It could be argued that the Mountain West was every bit as good as the ACC, Big East and the Big 10 this year. And Utah beat opponents from the SEC and the Big 10. they played as many quality opponents as anyone in the country.

Take any team from a BCS conference and give them the credentials Utah has and they would crown them.

Haha how bout you go look? TCU does not get better recruits than half the BCS.

The Mountain West was better than the Big 10 and Big East this year, but that isn't saying a lot.

Utah SHOULD NOT BE the national champ. They are the Boise St of this year. Catch a team that thought they would be playing in a national championship game and wasn't ready to play and beat them. That is all.

If Utah was in a big conference, they would have lost 2-3 games this year at least

**4429 mcc** · 01-07-2009, 12:57 PM

I dont like the idea of a playoff. I do like the idea of a, if necessary, plus 1 championship game. I say if necessary for years like this, in my mind Utah did everything they had to do and deserve the National Championship. But say if UF or OU were undefeated and playing for a perfect record then play the plus one.

All top tier bowl games would be played on Jan 1, 2 then play the plus 1 if needed a week later just like the regular season see which team prepares the best under the pressure and who deserves the National Championship.