Woodling: ABCs of BCS, ACC, etc.

By Chuck Woodling     Oct 24, 2003

Now that we’re past the point of no return in the college football season, we hear a lot of talk and see countless words written about the BCS. At the same time, our senses muddle and our eyes glaze over as we’re bombarded with information about the state of flux in collegiate conferences.

It all makes me wonder how many people think the BCS is a new league bent upon raiding another league in order to form a more powerful conference that will be able to attract more television money.

Actually, BCS stands for Bowl Championship Series. It’s not a league as such. It’s more of a big-football cartel that determines who will earn the right to go to the most lucrative bowl games.

Meanwhile, the semi-big schools — the ones with no chance of pocketing high dollars from TV and bowls — change leagues about as often as you change the oil in your car.

For example, the Big East has been raided by the ACC so the Big East is expected to announce this month it has lured four schools from Conference USA to bolster its ranks. Not that anybody knows which schools currently are in Conference USA. Ah, the intrigue.

So what will Conference USA do to replenish its membership? Reportedly, that league already has lured three schools from the Western Athletic Conference. Ah, the politicking.

Will the WAC roll over and play dead? Not a chance. The WAC reportedly has targeted several Sun Belt Conference schools, including Utah State and Idaho — two schools you’d expect to find in the Snow Belt Conference. Wait, there is no Snow Belt Conference … at least, not yet. Ah, the subtle machinations.

As we await further word from the BCS and additional blather about conference alignments, why not take a little time and enter the Wanna Whack Woodling contest at KUsports.com? You might be one of the horde who beats me and has a chance to win a nifty T-shirt.

Again, all you have to do is go to KUsports.com, click on the contest and make your selections for this weekend’s six Big 12 Conference football games.

Here are my picks for this weekend:

Missouri 66, Texas Tech 54 — Ho hum, just another Texas Tech shoot-out. Tigers earn edge based on home-field advantage and better defense. Also, Red Raiders likely to be suffering residual fallout from last week’s two-point loss at Oklahoma State.

Nebraska 41, Iowa State 11 — Please help me, I’m falling. Cyclones have dropped five in a row and Lincoln, Neb., is no place to try to stop a spinout. Cornshuckers may be looking ahead to Texas, but I doubt it.

Texas A&M 27, Oklahoma State 25 — Cowboys haven’t lost since August. Aggies have dropped four of their last five. But 12th Man and Kyle Field will bring an end to Okie State’s six-game win streak.

Texas XX, Baylor 15 — Fill in the score for Texas because the Longhorns can name it against the Bears who own a three-game home win streak, but shot their wad last week in Lawrence. Texas fans might outnumber Baylor fans in Floyd Casey Stadium.

Oklahoma 50, Colorado 13 — Colorado hasn’t surrendered fewer than 42 points in its last five games. Oklahoma is averaging nearing 53 points in its last five outings. Too bad Ralphie can’t play linebacker for the Buffs.

Kansas State 34, Kansas 22 — The beatings go on for Kansas in the Sunflower State showdown, but for the first time since 1994 the Jayhawks will make it competitive. Will ‘Cats have a bounty on Bill Whittemore?

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4552Woodling: ABCs of BCS, ACC, etc.