A Walk Through Alternate History: 2007

1998 (Florida)
1999 (Florida State)
2000 (Miami-FL)
2001 (Miami-FL)
2002 (USC)
2003 (USC)
2004 (USC)
2005 (Texas)
2006 (Florida)

2006 was the year of the Big Ten (three quarterfinalists) and SEC (both finalists).  2007 was the year of pure, unadulterated chaos.  How else can you explain a year that produces a #1 seed that has never played in the BCS National Tournament before (in such a dynastic sport, no less)?  What the hell would have happened in the season that made no sense?

(And oh by the way...the Alternate History idea is catching on.  Sweet.)

2007

I've already looked at 2007 a bit, so this time we'll avoid my own analysis and go with that of WhatIfSports.com.

Conference Champions: BYU, Central Florida, Central Michigan, Hawaii, LSU, Missouri, Ohio State, Troy, USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

At-Large Bids: Boston College, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma

Biggest Snubs: Arizona State, Tennessee

Oh, and the "No conference mates in the same quadrant" rule made me flip 7-seed USC and 8-seed OU...meaning, we don't face the prospect of OU in the quarterfinals...just USC.  Yay.

Round 1

#1 Missouri 69, #16 Troy 31 in Columbia
#8 USC 34, #9 West Virginia 20 in LA
#12 Hawaii 42, #5 Virginia Tech 28 in Blacksburg
#13 BYU 31, #4 Kansas 29 in Lawrence
#6 LSU 37, #11 Boston College 17 in Baton Rouge
#3 Georgia 44, #14 Central Florida 20 in Athens
#7 Oklahoma 45, #10 Florida 35 in Norman
#2 Ohio State 54, #15 Central Michigan 7 in Columbus

First of all, check out that BYU-Kansas game.  KU blows a 20-10 lead and, down 31-23, scores on the last play of the game...then misses the two-point conversion.

And how's THIS for Mizzou luck: Hawaii and BYU make the quarterfinals, and #1 Missouri draws...USC.  There are no bigger "Re-seed after the first round!" proponents than those in Columbia...for one week, at least.

Quarterfinals

#1 Missouri 29, #8 USC 21 in Columbia (I swear, I ran that only once!)
#12 Hawaii 52, #13 BYU 34 in Honolulu
#6 LSU 35, #3 Georgia 31 in Athens
#2 Ohio State 28, #7 Oklahoma 19 in Columbus

The biggest game ever played at Faurot Field takes place in 30-degree temperatures, with spitting rain and wind.  I guess that benefits the team that doesn't live every waking moment in 70- or 80-degree glory, huh?  Seriously, how big would this be--beating USC in front of 70,000 people at Faurot Field?  And how big would the pop have been when Mizzou blocked a punt, up 20-14, with 6 minutes left?  Wouldn't that have put the 2003 MU-NU fake FG pop to shame?

Semifinals

#1 Missouri 44, #12 Hawaii 21 in the Fiesta Bowl
#6 LSU 38, #2 Ohio State 17 in the Orange Bowl
#8 USC 29, #13 BYU 17 in the Rose Bowl
#7 Oklahoma 63, #3 Georgia 42 in the Sugar Bowl

I was going to be all sorts of ticked off if we'd lost to Hawaii after beating USC, but no.  It's a finals date with LSU in N'awlins, just like I projected in my own picks.  Does What If Sports think we had a better chance than I thought we had?

Finals

#6 LSU 43, #1 Missouri 34 in New Orleans

Guess not.  And they even spotted us 14 points...

2007 BCS National Champion: LSU