Rank	Team	Delta
1	Florida	1
2	Utah	5
3	Southern Cal	3
4	Texas	--
5	Oklahoma	4
6	Alabama	3
7	Penn State	1
8	Ohio State	3
9	TCU	5
10	Oregon	10
11	Texas Tech	6
12	Mississippi	12
13	Boise State	4
14	Georgia	1
15	Oklahoma State	5
16	Virginia Tech	3
17	Cincinnati	4
18	Missouri	3
19	Florida State	7
20	Iowa	6
21	Georgia Tech	9
22	Northwestern	4
23	West Virginia	3
24	Michigan State	7
25	California	1

Dropped Out: Brigham Young (#16), Pittsburgh (#22), Ball State (#23), Oregon State (#25).

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

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

2006 was an interesting year.  Ohio State was the team to beat from start to end, but they weren't killing teams like previous "teams to beat" (i.e. USC, Texas) did.  They defeated Michigan in the last week of the season to solidify the #1 slot, but in a tourney structure Michigan would survive to fight for the national title.  That would take a little bit off of what was a historic #1 vs #2 matchup, but...oh well.

2006

Conference Champions: Boise State, BYU, Central Michigan, Florida, Georgia Tech, Houston, Louisville, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Troy (winning the tie-break via a dramatic 1-point road win over MTSU), USC

At-Large Bids: Arkansas, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin

Biggest Snubs: Auburn, Rutgers

Rutgers' best season in eleventy billion years lands them just outside the tourney bracket, but there are a ton of big-time teams (and Big Ten love) in this wide-open tourney.

Round 1

1 Ohio State def. 16 Troy in Columbus
8 Boise State def. 9 Arkansas in Boise
5 USC def. 12 BYU in LA
4 LSU def. 13 Georgia Tech in Baton Rouge
6 Wisconsin def. 11 Oklahoma in Madison
3 Florida def. 14 Houston in Gainesville
7 Louisville def. 10 Notre Dame in Louisville
2 Michigan def. 15 Central Michigan in Ann Arbor

You know how sometimes in the NCAA basketball tourney, the first round is relatively boring (chalk, chalk, chalk) but it opens the door for a crazy second round?  Hello, crazy second round.

Quarterfinals

8 Boise State def. 1 Ohio State in Columbus
4 LSU def. 5 USC in Baton Rouge
3 Florida def. 6 Wisconsin in Gainesville
7 Louisville def. 2 Michigan in Ann Arbor

In a postseason where Ohio State lost Teddy Ginn and laid a big, fat egg in the national title game, while Boise State pulled the biggest BCS upset ever in the Fiesta Bowl, you knew I'd have Boise winning this game.  Granted, Ian Johnson probably doesn't propose to his cheerleader girlfriend on the sidelines at The Horseshoe after the game, but all the other dramatics apply.  The #1 seed is gone, and Boise is two games from the national title.

Oh yeah, and #2 Michigan bows out as well, meaning all three Big Ten teams bow out before the semis...and two of them will have to play each other in the BCS consolations.  Ohio State and Wiscy didn't play each other in '06, so it would make sense for them to play each other, but with USC sitting out there ready for a big-time, old-school Rose Bowl matchup, it's USC-tOSU there.

Semifinals

4 LSU def. 8 Boise State in the Sugar Bowl
3 Florida def. 7 Louisville in the Orange Bowl
5 USC def. 1 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl
6 Wisconsin def. 2 Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl

I reeeeally wanted to pick Boise over LSU here but couldn't.  This LSU team finished the season with seven straight wins (including back-to-back wins over 10-win teams--Arkansas and Notre Dame), and I think Boise's bag of tricks would be empty after the epic win in Columbus.  LSU advances to the finals...against fellow SEC-er Florida.

Finals

3 Florida def. 4 LSU in Glendale, AZ

The way Florida played for real in Glendale, I don't think they'd be denied.  In nine BCS Tourney seasons, we've officially had five different champions.

2006 BCS National Champion: Florida

1998 (National Champion: Florida)
1999 (Florida State)
2000 (Miami-FL)
2001 (Miami-FL)
2002 (USC)
2003 (USC)
2004 (USC)

So we enter 2005 with the team preventing a Miami three-peat going for a four-peat of their own.  USC had already established themselves as a dynasty, but now they got their first severe challenge in the form of an "It's all clicked in the junior year" Vince Young and Texas.

2005

Conference Champions: Arkansas State, Boise State, Central Florida, LSU, Northern Illinois, Penn State, Texas, TCU, USC, Virginia Tech, West Virginia

At-Large Bids: Auburn, Miami-FL, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon

Biggest snubs: UCLA, Georgia

Penn State wasted its best year in a long time this year, as everybody was a step behind USC and Texas.  That said, the biggest challengers outside of LA and Austin are PSU, LSU, and a damn solid Virginia Tech team.

Round 1

1 USC murders 16 Arkansas State in LA
8 Notre Dame def. 9 Miami-FL in South Bend
5 Virginia Tech def. 12 TCU in Blacksburg
4 LSU def. 13 Central Florida in Baton Rouge
11 West Virginia def. 6 Oregon in Eugene
3 Penn State def. 14 Boise State in State College
7 Ohio State def. 10 Auburn in Columbus
2 Texas murders 15 Northern Illinois in Austin

In a year with a clearly-defined top tier of teams (and really, a clearly-defined second tier as well), it's not surprising that we've got only one Round 1 upset--that being freshmen Pat White and Steve Slaton blitzing Oregon in Eugene.  They looked fantastic that year in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, and they'd have done the same to the Ducks.  We've got highly entertaining games in Columbus, South Bend, and Blacksburg as well, but that's the only upset.  Meanwhile, LSU doesn't look great in against UCF, but they move on.

Quarterfinals

1 USC def. 8 Notre Dame in LA
4 LSU def. 5 Virginia Tech in Baton Rouge
11 West Virginia def. 3 Penn State in State College
2 Texas def. 7 Ohio State in Austin

Two rematches don't really live up to the hype--USC humbles Notre Dame in the "Bush Push" rematch (the only game they played all regular season that was decided by single digits), and Texas holds off Ohio State pretty easily in their own backyard.    The other two games, however, are fantastic.  An angry LSU team jumps ahead early but holds on against Beamer's Hokies, and in an awesome, old-school matchup, the Mountaineers head up to Happy Valley and upset the Nittany Lions.  Four big-time matchups in the quarters produce four big-time BCS bowls.

Semifinals

1 USC def. 4 LSU in the Rose Bowl
2 Texas def. 11 West Virginia in the Fiesta Bowl
3 Penn State def. 8 Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl
7 Ohio State def. 5 Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl

PSU must feel like this is the 1980s all over again.  First, they play West Virginia, then Notre Dame.  Anyway, in the semis...Texas gives up quite a few yards and points to the boys from Morgantown, but by the third quarter this one's comfortable for them.  They move on with a 17-point(ish) win.  Meanwhile, two of the most athletic teams in the country face off in the Rose Bowl, and in the end it comes down to playmaking ability.  The only team in the country who could beat USC is Texas...

Finals

2 Texas def. 1 USC in Pasadena

...and in the greatest tourney final of BCS Championship Tournament era, Texas does just that.

2005 BCS National Champion: Texas

UPDATE, 11:20am - Made a couple of changes, as I just couldn't stomach the thought of Brock Berlin engineering a win on Owen Field.  Just wouldn't have happened.

1998 (National Champion: Florida)
1999 (Florida State)
2000 (Miami-FL)
2001 (Miami-FL)
2002 (USC)
2003 (USC)

With as much parity that seems to exist in today's college football landscape, would a 16-team playoff have resulted in even more parity?  In this walk through alternate history, we've had repeat champs in 2000-01 in Miami, and then a team going for a three-peat in 2004...and let's face it--in the end, nobody even came close to that '04 USC team, no matter what Auburn fans want to think.

2004

Conference Champions: Auburn, Boise State, Louisville, Michigan, North Texas, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh, Toledo, USC, Utah, Virginia Tech

At-Large Bids: California, Georgia, LSU, Miami-FL, Texas

Biggest Snubs: Iowa, Tennessee

Round 1

1 USC murders 16 North Texas in LA
9 Louisville def. 8 Boise State in Boise
5 Texas def. 12 LSU in Austin
13 Michigan def. 4 California in Berkeley
6 Utah squeaks by 11 Virginia Tech in SLC
3 Auburn def. 14 Pittsburgh in Auburn
10 Miami-FL def. 7 Georgia in Athens
2 Oklahoma def. 15 Toledo in Norman

A few upsets here, but nothing major--Michigan bounces back from a disappointing '03 tourney with an upset over Aaron Rodgers and tourney newcomer Cal, while Miami takes out UGa in Athens.  Also: Louisville defeats Boise in a fantastic game that replicates that year's Liberty Bowl (a game which The Beef, The Boy's Wife, and MU 1839 attended...because why not??).

Quarterfinals

1 USC def. 9 Louisville in LA
5 Texas def. 13 Michigan in Austin
6 Utah def. 3 Auburn in Auburn
10 Miami-FL def. 2 Oklahoma in Norman
2 Oklahoma def. 10 Miami-FL in Norman

I'm making two dicey picks here.  First, I'm saying Utah over Auburn because a) Urban Meyer is simply an outstanding coach, and b) Auburn just didn't look very good against a good-not-great Virginia Tech team in the Sugar Bowl that year.  Second, I'm saying Miami over Oklahoma in Norman because OU obviously looked like crap in the Orange Bowl that year...and that's about it.  Not a lot of logic behind that one.  All it does is change who gets murdered by USC in the finals.  Yeah, Oklahoma looked like crap in the Orange Bowl, but they still have the best home-field advantage in college football, so they ride Adrian Peterson to the semis.

Semifinals

1 USC def. 5 Texas in the Rose Bowl
10 Miami-FL 2 Oklahoma def. 6 Utah in the Orange Bowl
2 Oklahoma 10 Miami-FL def. 13 Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl
3 Auburn def. 9 Louisville in the Sugar Bowl

A couple of very enjoyable consolation BCS games set up a couple of enjoyable semifinals.  The 2005 Rose Bowl was Vince Young's coming-out party, and while I think USC wins this game, it is a very fun game that offers foreshadowing for the climax of the 2005 tournament.  Meanwhile, Utah really could have possibly beaten Miami Oklahoma in '04, but we'll say that Miami Oklahoma pulls it out in the Orange Bowl.

And here's a question: if Miami makes the finals in '04, does Larry Coker get fired after '05?

Finals

1 USC def. 2 Oklahoma 10 Miami-FL in Miami

Forgone conclusion.  This USC team was unbelievable.  Three-peat.

2004 BCS National Champion: USC

1998 (National Champion: Florida)
1999 (Florida State)
2000 (Miami-FL)
2001 (Miami-FL)
2002 (USC)

While Missouri fans were focused on making to the Mecca known as Shreveport, LA, the college football landscape was changing.  Florida (8-5) was taking a step backwards, Florida State (10-3) was attempting to rebound after a couple of off-years, and Miami (11-2) was getting ready to slide.  Meanwhile, Nick Saban's LSU team was surging, and USC had made a startlingly easy transition from Carson Palmer to Matt Leinart, with obvious help from LenDale White, Reggie Bush, Mike Williams, Steve Smith, etc.  In this fanciful alternate history, they had already racked up one national title and were looking for another.  Standing in the way: LSU and undefeated Oklahoma.

2003

Conference Champions: Boise State, Florida State, LSU, Miami-FL, Miami-OH, Michigan, North Texas, Oklahoma, Southern Miss, USC, Utah

At-Large Bids: Georgia, Iowa, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas

Biggest Snubs: Purdue, Florida

That's right, one of the biggest postseason stories of '03--K-State beating OU in the Big 12 title game--doesn't happen, and K-State is relegated to the Holiday or Cotton Bowl.

Round 1

1 Oklahoma def. 16 North Texas in Norman
8 Florida State def. 9 Tennessee in Tallahassee
12 Miami-OH def. 5 Texas in Austin
13 Boise State def. 4 Michigan in Ann Arbor
6 Ohio State def. 11 Miami-FL in Columbus
3 LSU def. 14 Utah in Baton Rouge
10 Iowa def. 7 Georgia in Athens
2 USC def. 15 Southern Miss in LA

After the most chalky year in tourney history in '02, the '03 bracket implodes with Ben Roethlisberger and the Miami Redhawks taking out Texas in Austin (Why?  Why not!  And because Wazzu took them out in the Holiday Bowl that year--they were ripe for the picking.  So says me.) and a pre-Ian Johnson Boise State team winning in Ann Arbor.  So after the first round, one thing's for certain--either Miami-OH or Boise is making the semis...which also means that the loser has also clinched a BCS bid.  ESPN gets some talking heads on to ask (in high volume) whether the draw should be re-seeded after the first round.  Outcry outcry, rabble rabble.

Meanwhile, the big dogs--OU, USC, LSU--all advance with ease.

Quarterfinals

1 Oklahoma vs 8 Florida State in Norman
12 Miami-OH def. 13 Boise State in Oxford, OH
3 LSU def. 6 Ohio State in Baton Rouge
2 USC def. 10 Iowa in LA

For the second straight year, OU takes out FSU in Norman.  Owen Field is what wins this game, as Jason White's injury spree begins at some point in here.  And for the second straight year, USC takes out Iowa in the quarterfinals in SoCal.  USC is to Iowa what Kentucky was to Utah in basketball all those years.

Meanwhile, the magic of Big Ben rolls on...Miami-OH wins a home game to advance to the national semifinals.

Semifinals

1 Oklahoma def. 12 Miami-OH in Sugar Bowl
2 USC def. 3 LSU in Rose Bowl
8 Florida State def. 10 Iowa in Orange Bowl
6 Ohio State def. 13 Boise State in Fiesta Bowl

Thanks to a super-lucky draw, OU continues to advance as Big Ben Magic runs out after a dramatic run.  They will face USC who creeps by a stout, fast LSU team in the other semifinal.  LSU was outstanding in '03, but I do think USC was better.  Plus, it was in their backyard.  So we get a dream matchup in the finals...

Finals

2 USC def. 1 Oklahoma in New Orleans

...and that dream matchup ends up not-so-close, as a hobbled Jason White isn't able to lead the OU offense to too many points, and USC wins their second straight national title in comfortable fashion.

2003 BCS National Champion: USC

Should have opened this up about six hours ago, but...thoughts on today's games?

My initial thoughts...

Nebraska just beat Clemson because of two major reasons:

1) NU's D-line was better than CU's O-line.

2) For a reasonably highly-touted, veteran starter, Cullen Harper is just not a very good QB.  I realize good QBs play like crap sometimes in bowls (hello, Chase Daniel), but...his decision-making today was just wretched.  He looked a little too much like South Carolina's Stephen Garcia...which is bad considering Garcia is a RSFr and Harper is a senior (who threw his outgoing coach under the bus, no less).

But hey...the incoming "NEBRASKA IS BACK!!!!!1!!!!!!!!11!!!" cloud will allow Missouri to a) sit back and prepare for the 2009 season in silence, and b) play the "nobody respects us" card again.  So...we've got that going for us...which is nice.

Oh, and one more thought: How in the hell did South Carolina get to play in a New Year's Day bowl????