Senate panel to tackle BCS hearings

http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2009/03/26/senate_panel_to_tackle_bcs_hearings/

President Obama and many others have criticized how college football determines its top team. Now senators are getting off the sidelines to examine antitrust issues involving the Bowl Championship Series. The current system "leaves nearly half of all the teams in college football at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to qualifying for the millions of dollars paid out every year," the Senate Judiciary's subcommittee on antitrust, competition policy, and consumer rights said in a statement yesterday announcing the hearings. Under the BCS, some conferences get automatic bids to participate in series, while others do not. Many favor a playoff-type system to determine the national champion. The BCS features a championship game between the top teams in the BCS standings, based on polls and computer ratings . . . Connecticut's Donald Brown, the nation's leading rusher, showed off some of his skills in front of representatives of 21 NFL teams, including Patriots coach Bill Belichick and San Diego general manger A.J. Smith, at UConn's practice facility in Storrs. Brown was one of a dozen Huskies taking part in the school's largest pro scouting day . . . The New York Jets signed free agent cornerback Donald Strickland . . . The Chicago Bears and offensive tackle Kevin Shaffer, who started 47 games for the Cleveland Browns the past three seasons, agreed to terms on a three-year contract . . . Charles Rogers, the second pick overall in the 2003 draft, went to jail in Pontiac, Mich., choosing to be locked up for 30 days, with credit for 15 days served, instead of staying in an intensive drug counseling program after violating probation in a domestic violence case . . . The US Department of Labor filed complaints accusing suspended NFL star Michael Vick of illegally spending about $1.3 million in pension plan funds for his own benefit, including paying restitution ordered in his dogfighting conspiracy case. Vick attorney Mark Lichtenstein declined comment.

Utah goes 13-0 - Should get votes for National Championship

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/100658-utah-beats-alabama-utes-should-be-no-1-in-the-country

The Utah Utes demolished the team that held the No. 1 ranking for five weeks, the Alabama Crimson Tide 31-17.

This team beat Alabama by more points than the Florida Gators did for the SEC Title.

Utah is the only undefeated team in the country at this level.

It is painfully obvious how over rated these so called powerful conferences are .

Texas Tech who had plenty of gripes about the rankings during the season, lost to Mississippi by a large margin also.

I think it time to realize that teams play to their competition much more than previously suspected, unless your name is Tiger or something.

At this point in the season, I think it would be more than equitable to rank Utah over every other team with one loss, considering how they played in front of a national audience on Friday night.

Sorry USC, you lost a game. Sorry, Florida and Oklahoma, oh and don't forget Texas. You all lost a game, while Utah did not.

Your conference is tougher? Hogwash, I say. Any team that can step up and play to the level of Utah, deserves recognition, not excuses about how they didn't t play anyone good.

That all changed last night in the Sugar Bowl.

Utah gets my vote for number one college team in the country.

When next season starts and they continue to win games, it will a be a crime if they drop any lower than No. 2 in the rankings.

Florida and Oklahoma are now playing for second!

College Football current top 25

From www.espn.com

BCS top 25

1. Alabama 11-0
2. Texas 10-1
3. Oklahoma 10-1
4. Florida 10-1
5. USC 9-1
6. Utah 12-0
7. Texas Tech 10-1
8. Penn State 11-1
9. Boise State 11-0
10. Ohio State 10-2
11. Georgia 9-2
12. Oklahoma State 9-2
13. Missouri 9-2
14. TCU 10-2
15. Ball State 11-0
16. Cincinnati 9-2
17. Oregon State 8-3
18. BYU 10-2
19. Michigan State 9-3
20. Florida State 8-3
21. Boston College 8-3
22. Georgia Tech 8-3
23. Oregon 8-3
24. Northwestern 9-3
25. Pitt 7-3

AP top 25

1. Alabama (63) 11-0 1,622
2. Florida (2) 10-1 1,512
3. Oklahoma 10-1 1,486
4. Texas 10-1 1,482
5. USC 9-1 1,352
6. Penn State 11-1 1,238
7. Texas Tech 10-1 1,212
8. Utah 12-0 1,206
9. Boise State 11-0 1,064
10. Ohio State 10-2 1,043
11. Oklahoma State 9-2 997
12. Missouri 9-2 917
13. Georgia 9-2 874
14. TCU 10-2 750
15. Ball State 11-0 731
16. Cincinnati 9-2 640
17. Oregon State 8-3 604
18. Georgia Tech 8-3 339
19. Oregon 8-3 320
20. Boston College 8-3 309
20. Brigham Young 10-2 309
22. Michigan State 9-3 274
23. Florida State 8-3 214
24. Northwestern 9-3 145
25. Mississippi 7-4 127

USA Today top 25

1. Alabama (56) 11-0 1,518
2. Oklahoma (4) 10-1 1,412
3. Florida (1) 10-1 1,401
4. Texas 10-1 1,370
5. USC 9-1 1,288
6. Penn State 11-1 1,157
7. Utah 12-0 1,153
8. Texas Tech 10-1 1,073
9. Boise State 11-0 1,033
10. Ohio State 10-2 994
11. Missouri 9-2 896
12. Oklahoma State 9-2 858
13. Georgia 9-2 842
14. TCU 10-2 695
15. Ball State 11-0 673
16. Cincinnati 9-2 572
17. Oregon State 8-3 544
18. Oregon 8-3 397
19. Brigham Young 10-2 321
20. Northwestern 9-3 310
21. Michigan State 9-3 296
22. Boston College 8-3 290
23. Georgia Tech 8-3 241
24. Florida State 8-3 204
25. West Virginia 7-3 83