I understand that it’s agonizing for fans of all the two-loss teams to watch another flawed two-loss team go to the championship game this year. There are surely some legitimate arguments to be made for several of them over LSU.
However, here’s one argument that I will call bullshit on every time: we totally would have whipped Team Z’s asses if we’d gotten to play them instead of Team X!
Great! No need to play the games then. Surely a 28-point spread and EVERYBODY calling the game one way means it’s impossible for the favorite to lose, right? Right? Oh, wait, what’s that? West Virginia did just that last night?
If you’ve read this far, you probably know who I’m talking about by now. Two of the most common refrains that have popped up from UGA fans today are “we, like, totally would have beat LSU if we were in the title game” and “we, like, would totally whip Tennessee’s ass if we played them now.”
Lots of smart people were picking UGA over Tennessee before the game was played this year, and I think you remember how that turned out. I have no reason to believe that Tennessee wouldn’t take 10-of-10 from the Bulldogs given that Georgia, under three coaches spanning two decades, has NEVER beaten a Tennessee team with an offense coached by David Cutcliffe.
But don’t let a little thing like a statistical reality get in the way of a good PR campaign.
I’ve already gone over this in a comment thread on Peach Pundit, but the problem here is that some UGA fans are taking the same approach to argument that my dumbass uncle was trying to make at the Thanksgiving table this year: if you can’t prove something didn’t or wouldn’t happen, it must be true, right?
He was talking about the Clintons’ alleged links to the unsolved deaths of 30+ people. You know, the allegations that even notorious Clinton-lover Ken Staar said were specious. He surely read about that in a chain email that looked sort of like this; one that would be slanderous if its premise didn’t fall so obviously under the category of bullshit that it should be considered a parody.
But because the deaths in question were mostly suicides or unsolved, there’s just enough of a window there for a few whack jobs to cry cover-up. Sure, there’s no evidence the Clintons killed those people, the reasoning goes. But there’s no evidence they DIDN’T either, so they must of done it!!!1! And we’re going to keep saying that until people believe it’s true!!!!!1!!11!!!!
Yes, certain UGA fans (particularly you Mark Bradley), I am comparing you to Vince Foster conspiracy theorists. You sound equally as stupid.
Here a few other things you can’t prove or disprove, so they must be true:
- I could totally take Rocky Marciano in a fist fight
- In the future, it will be legal in the United States to smoke marijuana at Starbucks, but not at Caribou Coffee
- Grape is the best flavor






Here’s the bottom line: LSU beat both teams that UGA lost to (UT and SC) and they defeated Va. tech rather handily.
Bottom line, any team that lost to a 6-6 squad, as UGA did against S. Carolina, has no business playing for a national title even in a tumultuous season like this one.
Oklahoma also lost to a 6-6 team and USC lost to a 4-8 team. LSU’s losses came against teams that finished 8-4 and 7-5 respectively. While some would say those opponents were mediocre, they’re still better than the teams that handed UGA, OU and USC their worst loss. Plus, LSU’s losses came in 3OT.
Rusty, put down the drink. Vince Foster?
After the UT game, I thought we’d probably drop 3-4 more and all hell would break lose. I was calling for Willie Martinez to resign. Personally, I’m glad the UT massacre happened. Without it, we would probably wouldn’t have gotten our shit together.
Was it nice to *almost* go to the BCS game? Absolutely. But I’m just as happy with the Sugar Bowl playing the chocolate elves of Hawaii. Would have preferred USC in the Rose, but it looks like they were gonna pick Illinois no matter what and I’d rather have the Sugah than the Orange.
And you really shouldn’t get your football arguments from Peach Pundit. The way those assholes talk, it sounds like they haven’t been to any games this year.
Audacity,
Yes, Vince Foster. There’s an equal amount of truth in the Vince Foster theorists’ accusations as there is in a “UGA would have beat LSU/Tennessee” statement. Which is to say none that’s provable.
After reading liberator’s comments, I concede the point.
Yes, Vince Foster. There’s an equal amount of truth in the Vince Foster theorists’ accusations as there is in a “UGA would have beat LSU/Tennessee†statement. Which is to say none that’s provable.
OK, but isn’t the use of this argument more of an indictment of the current system than a rebuttal against Georgia? The fact that we’re stuck with Les Miles lobbying for his team (and ESPN for the Tigers too) rather than voters simply thinking ‘they won the SEC’ should prove that something’s wrong?
Listen, I said before that I thought an SEC Champion LSU should go ahead of Georgia (though I now think the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma should go instead … well, actually I think LSU and Oklahoma should play each other, but that’s another story), and I stand by that.
My larger point is that it’s foolish to discount Georgia from the discussion as it was done over the past two days, particularly based on the existing rules of the system. You had four, possibly five, teams all with legitimate arguments to play for the national championship (not including Ohio State). This is the kind of thing which screams ‘playoff system’ …
As for whether or not Georgia would have beaten Tennessee in a rematch or LSU, I don’t know. I’d like Georgia’s chances now as compared with three months ago, and I really like their chances next season.
Jmac,
First, yes, I totally agree the game should be LSU and Oklahoma. TOSU’s schedule was weak weak weak this year. And yes, that’s a different topic.
There’s a big difference between saying “I think they’d have a better chance now than three months ago” and using a hypothetical as a rationalization to put a team in a bowl game over someone else.
Really, this was mostly a rebuttal to Mark Bradley’s dumb argument for UGA, linked in the post, part of which was:
The system is FUBAR, but really, I don’t know of any system short of a playoff (which isn’t going to happen for at least a decade, if ever) which wouldn’t shortchange someone under this circumstance. I have a post half-written about an idea for an eight-team playoff format. If I didn’t have to work today, I could finish it.
Y’know, I kind of like the bowl craziness. I have really gotten to enjoy how much every game matters, and I think that is really what makes college football so special.
I reserve the right to change my mind when/if Michigan ever gets back into the title hunt. but seeing Florida and USC massacre my Big Ten teams last year just proved to me how much my opinion is worth when it comes to judging my own team - not much. A little fog of war, I think. And last year, the voters got it right, Florida was better than Michigan, no doubt about it.
Blue is the best flavor. Blue.
See also: Creationists
Rusty,
You can’t prove that I didn’t invent a time machine, go back in time, and have sex with your mother, thus making me your father…so I guess it must be true.
Just kidding. I actually wanted Tennessee to win against LSU though.