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What others are saying: We're No. 1! chant may be replaced by 'Who isn't?'

Utes are # 1 - end of discussion.

The BCS is configured as it is for one reason only: to keep the non-BCS conferences out of the title game. They do not want the football equivalent of a Villanova or UNLV to be the football champion and dilute we they maintain is the superiority of the BCS conferences.

The Fex Bowl, the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl all became irrelevant once the number 1 team in the country finished off Alabama in the Suagr Bowl. Texas barely knocked an unworthy opponent in Ohio State; Southern Cal barely knocked off Penn State. Florida and Okalhome are playing on past reputation (although thank you Urban Meyer for given Kyle all those tips on how to anniliate Alabama).

The Utes are inquestionably the number 1 team in the country; the ONLY team with an unblemished record.

If the AP can't see this fact then they are as blind as the BCS.

Saban needs to hand back his "coach of the year" trophy, so that it can awarded to the real coach of the year, Kyle Whittingham.

GO UTES!

I'm worried about what the math department at the U is teachind these days. Tell me Frank, what are the differences between 31-17 and 38-24?

Did the Utes "barely knock off an unworthy opponent" in Alabama, or did the Trojans "finish off" Penn State?

You can't have it both ways bud.

Im sure everyone would agree with the notion that the BCS has a stronghold on college football. What about ESPN? They just invested how many millions of dollars for the rights to air the BCS games and im sure they love the controversy that comes with it because more people will watch/listen to their shows. I think ESPN is just as much to blame as the BCS. They dont want to lose their investment in the BCS and will do what it takes to keep the current system in place.

And not only was it the same 14 point difference as the Utes' win, but they ran up to a monstrous lead in the 2nd quarter, just as the Utes did in the 1st quarter.

BCS � big capitalistic system. They do not care who is #1, just how to generate cash for there executives, but shareholders count too. But customers (fans) and employees (teams) don�t matter or even need to have a say in the process. The BCS just laughs and walks away with all the money as fans and teams shout at each other �we�re #1�. It immoral, but not illegal, and until something is done about it from a legal stand point the �robber barons� will pillage the system for all they can. A playoff system makes sense not profit for those that run the BCS � do really think they will ever just voluntarily give up that profit?

USC should not be in the title discussion at all.

As a USC Alum naturally I think the Trojans should be number 1, but as a long time resident of Utah I have a hard time bad mouthing Utah. As far as the Southeast Conference is concerned they have always been over rated. Way back in 1968 the Trojans went into bear Bryants backyard and kicked his Crimson tide all over the field (with a future felon of America by the name of Simpson). Then they went north to Oregon and lost a senseless game. Guess who was the National Champion. Why Alabama of course.

Why should USC not be in it? If you throw out USC then all of the top ten should be out. The other thing is USC had their one loss way before the others and should be ranked higher but it coms down to stupid rankings not head to head play. I had people explain over and over to me that Utah had no chance to win and I would try to explain head to head contests that said it was possible but they would not listen. Now that Utah has one these people explain that we got lucky with their injuries and suspensions etc. (ad noseum) Do I think the Utes could beat Oklahoma, Florida, Texas , USC. I do not know for sure and neither does anyone else but give me a chance to find out.

YOu ute fans must be drinking the same kool-aid as the byu fans, because no way should you be number one. First of all your conference is weak and if oyu guys were in the SEC or pac 10 you would finish 5th int he conference or worse. YOu guys had a great performance against alabams. But let's not get carried away. USC would of destroyed ALabama or any team fo that matter.

'are you serious??'--

You really think that the ACC, the Big East, or even the PAC 10 are stronger conferences then the MWC? You are dead wrong. MWC teams tear apart every PAC 10 team that they play against. And the Big East? Give me a break. There is absolutely no reason that the Big East or the ACC should have an automatic bid to the BCS and not the Mountain West. Even ESPN has said that this year the MWC was the fourth toughest in the nation (or was it third?)

I think USC is in the discussion, but you want to talk about conferences this year? Utah's "weak" conference was 6-1 regular season against the PAC-10 and the common USC-Utah opponent beat USC and lost to Utah. Don't "conference" me!

you seriously think that Utah would have been 5th in the pac 10 and the the mountian west is weak. First of all Utah beat Oregon state a week after they beat USC. They were still flying high and Utah brought them back to reality. Second the Mountain West was 6-1 versus the pac 10 this season. Before you start mouthing off you should check the facts and it would help if you ever watched the games.

Here is the answer:

The only way for the BCS to save itself is to have them take over the scheduling for all of their schools. BCS�s rationale for keeping the system the way it is, is that the BSC keeps the regular season meaningful and that every game counts. We see this year (and in 2004, and in 2006 with Boise St.) that is obviously not true. Their reason for keeping the Utes out of the Championship game is that our schedule isn�t as strong as Florida�s or Oklahoma�s. If the BCS really means what they say (that their system makes the regular season matter) then they should control the scheduling for all BCS schools. Teams like Alabama would NEVER schedule a team like Utah, BYU, or Boise St. on their regular season schedule because they might get beat and be out of the running for the title. A playoff is obviously the best choice. But, since we know that won�t happen for a while, in the meantime why not have the BCS handle the non-conference scheduling for teams? That would solve it.

Ok so Utah soundly handled Alabama. This doesn't mean that they should be #1 over Texas, USC, Oaklahoma or Florida. All it means is that they are right up there at the top. Nothing can be resolved without a playoff setup so please Ute fans, enough of the "We should be #1". You talk how these other top teams shouldn't be #1 because of there win/losses when you guys bearly beat Oregon St. and TCU all but gave you the game(That was not as much of a win as a favor given by TCU). Could you guys be #1, it's possible, but please don't say it like your were robbed of the #1 ranking, that's rediculous.

Are you serious?? your logic is pathetic. If these Utes (with their same coaches) played the current Alabama team with their coaches 10 times THE UTES WOULD WIN 7 or 8 of those games! Speed kills, and obviously not all SEC teams have it (although Florida will show theirs tomorrow night), clearly not this 12-2 Bama squad. Maybe next year TIDE fans.

Mark my words, within 5 years there will be an NCAA sponsored tournament for DI FBS college football. Pressure is mounting on all sides, polititians are applying pressure for the Justice Department to step in both on state and federal levels.

The winds of change are blowing...

Personally I would like to see an 8 team tournament, NCAA sanctioned, and sponsored much like the current Bowl games are. The rest of the Bowl system would remain intact, kind of like the NIT tourney in B-ball.

There would be no automatic conference bids.

The top 4 teams determined by a ranking system similar to the BCS system would be automaticaly in.

The last four spots would be "at-large" spots determined as follows:

Any conference champion, from any conference, ranked in the top 12 in the standings is in. (I think we need to keep the traditional importance of conference play) if there are more than 4 then the lowest seeded is out if there are less...

Any reamaining spots would be filled by the highest ranked, non-conference champion.

So this year...

Oklahoma vs Boise State
Florida vs Penn St
Texas vs Utah
Alabama vs USC

Now that's a National Championship.

Which team claiming to be the #1 team in the nation beat a UNM team that was 4-8 13-10, by a fieldgoal?

Which team need poor clock management by OSU to pull out a victory?

Which team needed a freshman kicker from TCU to miss 2 FGs inside the 30 to get the W?

This is the best team in the country? Come on, get real.

Utah played great in the Sugar Bowl, but they were not the 2004 Utes, and definately not the #1 team in the country, and voters know this.

Why get your hopes up?

Expand your tournament to 16 teams, it's just one more week of play. By the way, what's with the mention of Boise State in your original eight. This years game was a defensive thriller to the end, but face it, they lost to a better opponent, 'The Horned Frogs.' The fantastic finish against Oklahoma is in the past. Their '08 schedule was weak and the WAC opponents mediocre at best. Troy