It is different for the Rose Bowl this year. Different as in better, not worse. How could it not be better?
The traditional Pac-10-versus-Big Ten rivalry in Southern Cal versus Michigan. The highly coveted New Year's Day time slot at 5pm Eastern instead of three or four days later when the country has put college football in its rear-view mirror and is focusing on the NFL. And in an added boost, a chance for USC to win at least half of the national championship, since the Trojans are No. 1 in both the writers' and coaches' polls.
It is different for the Bowl Championship Series this year. Different as in worse, not better. Unlike a year ago when Miami met Ohio State in a clear-cut No. 1-versus-No. 2 game, the situation is much murkier. The BCS is promoting Oklahoma versus LSU in its No. 1-versus-No. 2 title game, the Sugar Bowl Sunday. At least that's what the BCS computers say, and therein lies the rub. The human polls say the No. 1 team is USC, not Oklahoma, which finished its season with an embarrassing 35-7 loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game.
Conventional wisdom says that if USC beats Michigan Thursday, the race should be over, and the Sugar Bowl will have a nice No. 2-versus-No. 3 game that proves nothing. But the BCS insists that even if USC wins, the coaches will have to drop USC to No. 2 in their final poll and award their national championship to the LSU-Oklahoma winner.
None of it makes sense, and it is yet another reason why the BCS will have to be tweaked.
"I think we have to look at it," said Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese, who has bitten his lip as he tries to defend a system he knows has failed to match the top two teams for the third time in six years. "What the changes will be, I don't know. But I can understand why there is some unhappiness out there."
Most of it should be coming from USC, which should be playing in the Sugar Bowl instead of Oklahoma. But the Trojans' criticism has been muted. They have taken the high road, citing their delight at playing in the Rose Bowl and their satisfaction at having a chance to prove they are the No. 1 team in the country.
"We get to play in the Rose Bowl, have a chance to win the national championship, and hound the BCS to be even better," said USC athletic director Mike Garrett. "So three positive things came out of this."
USC coach Pete Carroll echoed those sentiments, with emphasis.
"The polls are clear," said Carroll. "There's not even a question as to who the No. 1 team in the country is."
But there is, of course, since everyone has a loss. USC's came early in the year against California, as did LSU's against Florida. Oklahoma's loss came at the end of the season against Kansas State.
This much is clear: If USC beats Michigan, there will be controversy over the Trojans not being a unanimous No. 1 and even some question as to whether some coaches might defy their agreement to vote for the BCS title game winner and keep USC No. 1.
If Michigan wins, however, the problem dissolves. The Sugar Bowl becomes the championship game the BCS is billing it as. Winner take all.
Oklahoma ascribes to the theory that it is playing for a national championship -- its second in four years -- no matter what USC does. So does LSU.
"This is an opportunity that our players have created, our coaching staff has created because of the hard work and what they have done all year long," said LSU coach Nick Saban.
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