In a world of haves and have-nots, the SEC certainly has had its fair share of haves.
Unfortunately, there could be a have-not come bowl selection time, and that is just downright unacceptable.
It’s clear that No. 1 LSU (11-0, 7-0) and No. 2 Alabama (10-1, 6-1) are the two best teams in the country. Winning this weekend will only prove that further. Arkansas (10-1, 6-1) sits as third after waking up following a dreadful midseason performance against Alabama.
No matter what happens this weekend, we won’t see all three of these teams in BCS bowl games. The only chance the SEC has of sending three teams to BCS bowls is if Georgia upsets an unbeaten LSU, but the Tigers stay within the top two of the rankings, and Alabama beats Auburn. Georgia would head to the Allstate Sugar Bowl, while Alabama and LSU would meet again in the BCS title game.
The wave of hate received by the SEC and all of its constituents would be unlike any other.
Still, the true shame is that while we sit here today with three SEC teams ranked one, two and three, we’ll have to bid ado to one when the bowls are released.
For everyone screaming about an unfair rematch between LSU and Alabama, there should be calls for having the BCS scrap its rule about allowing just two teams per conference in BCS bowls. It was silly to begin with and it will look even sillier when one of these three teams is left out.
For a season that has seen so many flops and so many blown chances, the constant has been that these three SEC West teams have stayed the course. LSU has yet to lose and is on pace for a record year. Alabama was a solid kicker away from being in LSU’s shoes. And Arkansas has overcome a blowout loss at Alabama, injuries, slow starts and computer hate to being right on the edge of BCS lore.
Nationally, Alabama and LSU are first and second in total defense, and don’t stray far from that in most defensive categories around the SEC. Arkansas is No. 1 in the SEC and 21st nationally in total offense (463.3 yards per game) and is scoring an SEC-high 39 points per game.
Arkansas has played its best football in the last three weeks, outscoring opponents 137-52. Mississippi State and Tennessee made up part of the competition, but Arkansas did what was expected and impressed.
Alabama rolled in and out of the LSU game with the nation’s best defense and has arguably the nation’s best running back. The passing game is effective enough and even LSU needed KICKERS (and some very fine defensive work) to win in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
LSU is the cream of the crop -- the Mac Daddies. This team has already beaten six nationally-ranked teams this year, with two coming against top 5 teams on the road.
The Tigers have dealt with a plethora of distractions and have somehow emerged better and stronger.
Now, Friday’s showdown in Baton Rouge, La., between LSU and Arkansas will play a pivotal role in the BCS finale.
If LSU wins, the Tigers are almost assured a spot in the national championship, even with the SEC championship game against Georgia left. An Arkansas win could throw the BCS into a complete mess, and Alabama beats Auburn there is a chance we could see the rematch of Alabama and Arkansas, leaving LSU to watch from the comforts of a non-BCS bowl game.
Yes, the team that has yet to fall out of the top spot in the BCS standings could find itself on the outside looking in with a loss on the final weekend of the regular season.
As we stare down the final weekend of the regular, you can’t help but be thoroughly impressed by all three teams, yet feel sorry for the one left out.
There’s chance for three 11-1 SEC teams that could be ranked in top 3 of the BCS standings, but we’d have to part ways with one.
Unacceptable.