Big 12 Football: Kansas State Odd Man Out of National Championship?

Let’s say #1 Alabama Crimson Tide beats the LSU Tigers tonight, which most expect they will. And let’s say the Notre Dame Fighting Irish stay unbeaten, which most expect they will. And let’s say the Kansas State Wildcats stay unbeaten. Let’s say, those are the only teams to be unbeaten after all the conference championship games are played. Only two teams can play for the national championship. Guess which team would be left out? If you say anyone other than Kansas State, you must be kidding.

Of all the criticisms of the BCS system, some well deserved, some not so much, the one that is the most valid is who you are seems to carry great weight in getting to the “Big Game”. When it came down to a choice between Alabama and the Oklahoma State Cowboys last season, guess who got in? Oklahoma State actually won the Big 12 and had to play an extra game that Alabama didn’t have to and yet Alabama was still picked over them. Do you think Alabama’s 100 National Championships (going by Bama’s count) had something to do with that? The Boise State Broncos or TCU Horned Frogs can go unbeaten all they want, they are not getting in. And neither is Kansas State if they can help it.

Now if K-State is one of two unbeatens, sure they’ll get in then. But if they can have a Notre Dame vs Alabama BCS National Championship Game, you think they’ll pass that up? No way. What would make Notre Dame more deserving over Kansas State if they both go unbeaten? Kansas State beat Miami 52-13. Notre Dame beat the Hurricanes 41-3.  Kansas State beat Oklahoma 24-19. Notre Dame beat Oklahoma 30-13. Pretty similar.

Notre Dame so far has had four games decided by a touchdown or less. Kansas State has had two decided by a touchdown or less. So right now, you can’t really make a compelling case that keeps K-State out and puts Notre Dame in. But if you think it won’t work out that way, you are fooling yourself.

If it does happen that way, it will be the second year in a row the Big !2 got told, “sorry, you aren’t good enough”. And that should make them very angry.