The BCS (& Big 10) Joke

Anyone who watched the Iowa-Indiana game saw the problem with officiating. Clearly having a replay official did them absolutely no good. I am not much of a conspiracy guy, but if I was, it would be easy to think that the officials had been told that any call that would be considered close should go the way of the Hawkeyes to keep the Big 10's only real shot at the BCS title game in that spot. As a coach myself I would be remiss if I didn't say that I do think Indiana has to overcome bad calls to hold on to that lead. But another part of me realizes how hard it is for young men to overcome losing 3 major bad calls that would have taken your lead up to 2 scores late in the third quarter. Now, why would I rant about this game? Well, for the simple fact that the Big 10 conference is a joke. On any given Saturday I could name at least 15 teams that I think would beat the Hawkeyes. For that matter, you could put Northern Iowa on that list because if it wasn't for some questionable calls in that game, they would have beaten the Hawkeyes in Week 1 and all of this would be a moot point. I simply cannot understand how pollsters and computers are in love with any Big 10 team. I just pray that the Top 3 keep winning because a Florida/Alabama vs Texas game will actually be a good and worthy Championship game. If Iowa sneaks in somehow due to some late season upsets, then it will be a travesty of justice. With that in mind...

Here is the Week 10 HelmetNation Top 25.

1) Florida – I really enjoyed Georgia’s black helmets. It was too bad they didn’t help them stand up to the Gators at all in their 41-17 beatdown. Up next: vs. Vanderbilt
2) Alabama – DNP. I am not going to move them down just because they didn’t play and Texas looked good. Huge showdown this weekend! Up next: vs. #7 LSU
3) Texas – Longhorns are really starting to heat up and remaining schedule is easily manageable so they can make the National Championship game. Up next: vs. Central Florida

4) TCU – The Horned Frogs looked almost bored against the Rebels and won 41-0. They can look ahead to Utah and still win this week. Up next: @ San Diego State
5) Oregon – Chip Kelly has done a masterful job getting this team back on track after Game 1 loss to Boise State. Thoroughly dismantled USC. Up next: @ Stanford
6) Boise St. – The Broncos continue to roll through their weak schedule with thrashing of San Jose State. Up next: @ Louisiana Tech
7) LSU – Took apart Tulane. Nice job not looking ahead to this weekend. Up next: @ #2 Alabama

8) Georgia Tech – The YellowJackets ran roughshod over the Commodores. Clearly the best team in the ACC despite loss earlier to Miami. Up next: vs Wake Forest
9) Cincinnati – Syracuse gave the Bearcats a fight. I am less sure of them now than I was previously but Pike is getting closer to returning. Up next: vs. Connecticut
10) Utah – Freshman QB Jordan Wynn rallied the Utes to a late game win over Wyoming. QB controversy anyone? Up next: vs. New Mexico

11) Pittsburgh – DNP. I am not sold on this team as the 11th best team in the country but I do believe they would beat Iowa. Up next: vs. Syracuse
12) Houston – Won a wild shootout with a solid Southern Miss squad. More shootouts on the way this weekend! Up next: @ Tulsa
13) USC – Clearly, this is not the typical dominant Trojan squad we are used to. They were absolutely hammered by the Ducks. Up next: @ Arizona State
14) Miami – Late rally allowed the Hurricanes to escape Wake Forest. Up next: vs. Virginia
15) Iowa – Rallied to beat Indiana in a game where the officiating made a number of bad replay decisions that really hurt the Hoosiers. It is an embarrassment how much the BCS is in love with this team. It seems clear that despite all evidence to the contrary, there is still some kind of pro-Big 10 bias in the computer formulas, etc. Up next: vs. Northwestern
16) Arizona – DNP. Should easily win this coming weekend. Up next: vs. Washington State
17) Penn State – Beat an average Big 10 Northwestern team. Whoop-dee-do. Up next: vs. #18 Ohio State
18) Ohio State – Went out of conference to face and thrash another weakling in New Mexico State. Up next: @ #17 Penn State
19) Oklahoma State – Whooped up on by Texas team catching fire. Up next: @ Iowa State
20) Oklahoma – Topped feisty Kansas State. However, the Big 12 South is clearly the dominant division yet again. Landry Jones is starting to make this team his own. Up next: @ Nebraska

21) California – Slid by in close game with the Sun Devils. Up next: Oregon State
22) Wisconsin – Hammered Purdue in 37-0 shutout. Up next: @ Indiana
23) Virginia Tech – Confusingly underachieving in 2nd loss in a row. It doesn’t really get any easier. Up next: @ East Carolina Thurs. Nov. 5th
24) South Florida – Came back from ugly loss to Pitt by beating West Virginia. Up next: Rutgers Thurs. Nov. 12
25) Texas Tech – Dismantled Big 12 North foe Kansas. Once again, the South beats the North. Up next: @ #19 Oklahoma State Nov. 14