To all the naysayers who think that the computers putting out the BCS standings have a glitch and screwed up on slot No. 2: pipe down. South Florida is statistically, and without question, the second best team in the country. Can anyone dispute that an undefeated team in one of the nation's top six conferences that has already knocked off two nationally ranked teams is not worthy of such a high ranking?
Evidently yes, a lot of people do.
The morning after the losses by then-No. 2 Cal and then-No. 1 LSU, former Miami head coach and NCAA national champion Jimmy Johnson picked five teams that he felt should be at the top of the BCS standings on national television; somehow, he omitted the South Florida Bulls. His picks were followed up by former Oklahoma head coach and three-time national champion Barry Switzer's top five. Again, no Bulls.
Just flip through the 80 different sports channels on basic cable, the latest edition of every nationally syndicated newspaper or just about any website that has any sort of affiliation with college football. Everyone is turning a cold shoulder to this year's pleasant surprise.
For shame. South Florida may be a relatively new face among the nation's best, but it has proven its worth. The Bulls knocked off one of the SEC's perennial idols No. 18 Auburn in week two and struck down No. 5 West Virginia - a favorite for the national championship in the eyes of many this year - just three weeks ago. In the five other games the Bulls have played this year, they have outscored their opponents 164 to 58. All of this while playing in a conference that touted five of its eight teams in the nation's top 25 during week three.
What is most discerning about the downplay of South Florida's accomplishments is the apparent disregard for what Boise State accomplished last year. Despite an unblemished record and week after week of solid performances, the BCS standings kept Boise State as far from the top of the rank list as it could, behind the likes of one-loss titans like Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Michigan, USC and Florida.
Boise State, a surprise newcomer to the nation's elite, had been deprived of the respect deserved at the end of an incredible season. But the Broncos turned that rejection into motivation and made a statement with their win on New Year's Day. The Broncos wound up beating a very good Oklahoma team to take home a Fiesta Bowl crown. Why were they underestimated and not given the chance to try for the national championship? Odds are they would have taken it, the way Ohio State folded like a wet paper towel.
Now, South Florida is no Boise State. Comparing the WAC to the Big East is like trying to compare a candle to a flamethrower: Both can burn you, but one has more gas behind it. If they keep up their current poise and pace throughout the rest of the regular season, the Bulls will get into the national championship game. They do not have to overcome any stereotype about being from a weaker"" conference and hence, they really cannot be classified as a Cinderella story. But to say that teams from other power conferences like LSU or Oklahoma are really, truly better right now and should be ranked higher than South Florida is preposterous. If LSU or Oklahoma was better, they would have a ""0"" in the loss column - and the fact of the matter is, they don't.
As long as the topic of undefeated teams is up, however, pay your respects to Boston College for the nice job that it has done. Do not be too quick to hail Arizona State, Kansas, and Hawaii with the same sort of fanfare. Take a good look at their schedules and notice that none of them have been matched up with a single top-25 team yet this year. Arizona State has played well and resides in a very tough conference, but it has no signature wins under its belt yet. If the Sun Devils beat USC, Oregon and Cal in the next four weeks, well, then you could definitely argue that South Florida should move over. You could say the same for Kansas: if they can get by Texas A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma State and Missouri, then throw them into the mix with the nation's elite. Hawaii will need to win out - just like
conference rival Boise State did - and stop flirting with disaster like it did last week against San Jose State to further the case for the WAC's legitimacy and shot at the title.
But none of those teams have even come close to matching the accomplishments that the South Florida Bulls have achieved so far this year. So to all the critics who downplay the No. 2 team in the country this week, it's a good thing the BCS computers are colorblind. Just because the second-best team in the NCAA isn't sporting purple and yellow or Sooner maroon doesn't mean the Caribbean green and gold don't deserve the spot that they've got.
If you agree that South Florida has not received the credit it deserves, email Andy at avansistine@wisc.edu.
