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From: dwhitney@uok.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.sport.football
Subject: Re: BYU and Oklahoma: Who's # 1
Message-ID: <8200016@uok.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Dec-84 23:12:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uok.8200016
Posted: Wed Dec  5 23:12:00 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 03:57:28 EST
References: <1506@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
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Nf-ID: #R:sdcrdcf:-150600:uok:8200016:000:2581
Nf-From: uok!dwhitney    Dec  5 22:12:00 1984


I'm frankly amazed at the people who sincerely believe BYU has any
business #1, and justify their claim merely by saying "BYU is
unbeaten!!  Whoopee!"

Under this premise, I will propose that we eliminate all conferences,
polls, bowl games, TV appearances, Heisman awards, Lombardi awards,
etc.

The new system would be comprised entirely of teams in division one
trying to find the weakest possible combination of 11 teams for a
season's schedule.  The best team won't be determined by record only,
it will be based on the weakness of schedule.  If you play anyone
above .500, you are automatically penalized 20 points for each of
your next 3 games.  I submit that, in this format, BYU has a lock
on #1.

One doesn't need to look far back for a precedent for non-unbeaten
teams winning #1 over unbeaten teams.  May I remind those of weak
memory..1975?  #1 OU (11-1, ironically, losers to Kansas that year)
               #2 Arizona State (12-0, beat Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl)

The point of all this is that you just don't give a team #1 because
it plays a collection of pitiful, embarrassingly poor teams and beats
them week after week.  The sportswriters saw this in 1975. (Beyond that
Arizona State was a member of the WAC then.  They saw the light and got
out.)  Before BYU can challenge for #1 in my book, let them line up
against Texas, or Nebraska.   

Its not just the opinion of a few Sooner partisans (myself included)
that BYU has no business #1, its the opinion of the 191,000+ that
called into ABC's poll last week. (25,000+ more than called in
for BYU).  To be #1, you must play a #1-caliber schedule.  When you
do that, you can be forgiven if massive injuries cause you to stub
your toe.  When you defeat Texas (we all know that story and I don't
intend to rehash it here)  defeat Nebraska, defeat OKlahoma State,
and then if you presumably defeat Washington, thats two #1 teams,
one once-#1 team, and one previously-#2 team.  And Texas, OSU and
Neb. all lost their rankings by virtue of playing OU!!!

If beating yet another top five team does not give OU the national
championship, and BYU is given it in their "bowl" (6-5 Michigan,
what a joke..)  I would be ashamed to be a BYU faithful trying to
legitimately claim my team as #1.  It just isn't so.

But then again, this all raises the debate over a playoff. WHEN WILL
THE NEANDERTHALS LET COLLEGE FOOTBALL ENTER THE 20TH CENTURY??

Thats another debate.

   OOOOOOO
  O     O
 O  U  O  U         # 1,   NO MATTER WHAT THE POLLS SAY!!!
OOOOOOO  U
  U     U
 UUUUUUU

David Whitney
ctvax!uokvax!uok!dwhitney