CCR Top 120 Has Tigers On Top After Split With 'Bama
by CFP Staff
January 10, 2012
Let the controversy begin! The final CCR Top 120 has LSU as national champions after splitting their two meetings this year with Alabama. According to the Congrove Computer Rankings, LSU played a slate of teams that averaged 3.29 points more powerful than the schedule faced by the Crimson Tide. LSU won the regular season meeting 9-6 in overtime in Tuscaloosa and 'Bama won the rematch 21-0 in New Orleans in the BCS Championship game.
"Given that they split their series against each other and LSU faced a tougher-rated slate, it really shouldn't be difficult to fathom the Tigers being ranked ahead of Alabama," said Dave Congrove, developer of the rankings that just finished their 19th season. "That said, however, I have no issue with voters ranking Alabama No. 1. Can we make it 2-out-of-3 and settle this thing for good? We've had one game at Alabama, one at a neutral site, and now we need one at Baton Rouge."
In those 19 years, the computer's preseason projections accurately picked at least one of the national title game contestants 12 times in its 19-year history (1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2011).
In 14 BCS seasons, the preseason forecast has picked 11 BCS title game participants including Alabama this season. The 2011 preseason forecast said OKlahoma would defeat Alabama in the BCS Championship game.
Alabama is ranked 2nd, followed by Oklahoma State. The Cowboys entered the bowl season ranked No. 2 in the CCR Top 120 and, like Alabama, finished the season 12-1. The Tide jumped Oklahoma State on the basis of its 21-point win over a higher-ranked team. The Cowboys defeated then-No. 5 Stanford 41-38 in overtime in the Fiesta Bowl.
Alabama didn't win its division and couldn't play for the SEC title. LSU pounded Georgia 42-10 in the SEC Championship game.
Boise State finishes 4th, followed by Houston. The two non-AQ BCS teams each won their bowl games handily as the Broncos crushed Arizona State 56-24 in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas and the Cougars dumped Penn State 30-14 in the TicketCity Bowl.
Oregon bumped up from 8th to 6th after edging Wisconsin 45-38 in the Rose Bowl. Arkansas defeated Kansas State 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl and jumped two spots to 7th. Fiesta Bowl loser Stanford is 8th, followed by Oklahoma which knocked off Iowa 31-14 in the Insight Bowl. Wisconsin falls from 6th to 10th after its Rose Bowl loss.
Alabama easily polled No. 1 by the coaches and sportswriters. The coaches made the Tide a unanimous No. 1 while 55 of 60 voters in the sportswriters poll put Alabama in the top spot. Four sportswriters had Oklahoma State No. 1 on their ballots and one voted for LSU. The BCS does not release a post-bowl update of its standings and the Harris Poll does not release a postseason top 25.
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