College Football Betting - Deciphering the BCS
The BCS started in 1998, and there are changes made almost every year. There are five BCS games: the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl, the Orange Bowl, and the BCS national championship game. The BCS involves teams from the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-10, and as of this year, the Mountain West Conference.
There are three polls and standings which make up the BCS rankings:
HARRIS POLL – former coaches, players and administration, as well as former and current media
Strengths: knowledgeable people that know the game, can cover a lot of matchups
Weaknesses: some have an agenda, certain conferences/teams can be favored
USA TODAY POLL – a poll of current NCAA coaches
Strengths: also knowledgeable, also is credible coming from a coach’s perspective
Weaknesses: same as Harris Poll, some may not vote for bitter rivals, and current coaches can’t watch as many games as they need to
COMPUTER RANKINGS – six different statistical categories, including strength of schedule
Strengths: very thorough, considers the most important stat, strength of schedule
Weaknesses: unable to see how the games play out, which plays a massive role in the polls
There is often at least one BCS controversy each year, and 2008’s was the Big 12’s Texas being passed over in favor of Oklahoma for the title game, despite beating the Sooners by 10 points on a neutral field in the annual “Red River Rivalry” game. There was also Utah’s 12-0 record that left them out of the BCS title game, and even after their win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the Utes were only No.2 to finish the season despite being the only undefeated team in the country. The Sooners were thought to have the tougher schedule, which gave them the nod to the computers. Strength of schedule also hurt the Utes, who were from the Mountain West, which is thought to be inferior to the major conferences. After a lot of legal threatening and the involvement of the US Congress, the MWC is now included in the BCS.
So what does this mean to those watching the college football lines? It means that later in the season, teams will be jockeying for position in the BCS standings, because winning one of those bowls increases your chances of at least splitting the national championship. This will also affect spreads, as some teams try to put up as many points as possible, trying to sway the computers. Until we get a college football playoff, this is how it’s going to go, so make sure you understand this system before heading to your football lines to do some sportsbook betting.
For more college football tips and picks throughout the season, follow Blake in the Betting Edge at betonline.com.
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand. Thoughts or questions?
