“Today is the annual reminder that I hate that I love college football so much.” – Josh Elliott

Alabama or Oklahoma State? There was no right answer, because the BCS is not a competition. It is a beauty contest. Voters, biased or clueless, team with crackpot computer pollsters to place two teams in an aggrandized bowl game, producing copious profits for everyone involved except the schools and those playing. The BCS is cynical, insidious graft. We readily acknowledge this, yet, still, we flock to it like crack fiends.

We received what the BCS formula gives us, which is an answer, Alabama. Should have campaigned earlier, Gundy.  As is true every year there are not two defined teams, the choice is neither conclusive nor satisfying. So it goes.

The paradigm shift is coming. As the great Ice-T once said: don’t hate the player, hate the game. Here are your BCS bowls.

BCS: LSU [SEC] vs. Alabama [AL]

Round Two. Fight! It’s a rematch, but, unlike the Oklahoma State matchup it should be competitive. We’ll also have the AP Title intrigue if it’s a close Alabama win.

Rose: Wisconsin [B1G] vs. Oregon [P12]

The No. 4 and No. 5 offenses on a per play basis. This should be enjoyable. Chip Kelly gets another chance to score a win against a top-caliber opponent from another conference.

Fiesta: Oklahoma State [B12] vs. Stanford [AL]

The No. 3 and No. 7 offenses on a per play basis. This should be enjoyable. Similar to Oregon matchup for Stanford except they will be stretched vertically rather than horizontally, OSU’s defense isn’t as good and Luck’s targets shoudl be healthy.

Sugar: Michigan [AL] vs. Virginia Tech [AL]

A bowl game, whose sole purpose is to sell tickets, hotel rooms and television ads took the two teams most likely to sell tickets, hotel rooms and television ads. Michigan 10-2, decent wins over Nebraska and Notre Dame. Fine. Virginia Tech played one team in the Sagarin Top 44, Clemson and got blown out twice. Best wins? Georgia Tech and Miami. Competitively, the Hokies inclusion is the biggest travesty.

Orange: Clemson [ACC] vs. West Virginia [BEast]

Two teams had to come from those conferences and they most likely had to meet in the Orange Bowl. Considering that, not a bad matchup. Holgorsen vs. Morris. We’re in.

[Photo via Getty]