Final BCS Goes Out with a Bang

With the College Football Playoff set to replace the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) next year they certainly went out with a bang. How many years have we begged to see the two best college football teams play each other for the national championship only to see other teams squeak into the championship game because of the ridiculous BCS computer rankings?

I think the fans, the big television execs and Vegas scored the biggest victories with this final season of the BCS. I believe games are played out for the most part and even more so in college but when things don't go the way of the fixers people step in.

I believe Bowling Green State University and their defense did out play Northern Illinois University but before this game even kicked off I had a strong sense that NIU would most likely lose. NIU was installed as a three point favorite which brought in an astronomical 80-85% on the spread and around 90% on the moneyline for NIU. The line did budge temporarily to 4-4.5 but was bumped back down by the sharps. Sharps or not that is ridiculous that this line was not adjusted accordingly based on percentages. If this game was mixed in with a hundred others on a Saturday and not for a potential BCS spot then it might not have been moved as the action might have been more limited being small schools but being the only game that night on national television with possible BCS considerations I sensed it would not end in a NIU victory let alone a cover. First, a lopsided betting pattern and more important in my mind, the BCS did not want NIU in a BCS game back to back years. NIU had their big shot last year but they are not a nationally known school and won't bring in TV ratings which are the big factors here in sports and the money being generated for the big business of TV, the BCS and conference money sharing.

Although I did not see this game I also had a strong feeling Michigan State would beat Ohio State. This one was for the TV ratings and finally one for the fans. After Auburn pulled off the huge upset of number one Alabama the BCS standings ended up being Florida State (1), Ohio State (2) and Auburn (3) going into the final weekend. People including myself believe and want to see the two best, Florida State and Auburn battle for the national championship. And that is exactly what will happen on January 6, 2014 thanks to Michigan State beating Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship last weekend moving Auburn up to the number two spot in the final BCS rankings. This couldn't have been scripted better.

Sports are manipulated more than people would like to think and it comes right from the top dogs so they can make more money.