Deseret News | Shurtleff considers probe of the BCS

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Shurtleff considers probe of the BCS

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Cougar fan in favor of playoff. | 12:09 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

I think that the strength of schedule has a lot do to with it, and if we go by that. Then Utah yes they did have a weaker schedule than Alabama, but when it all comes down to the one game who won that game. It proved that Alabama is better than LSU, Georgia and many other SEC teams, but it also proved that UTAH is better than Alabama. I think that this Utah team could have done well in the SEC. Could they have gone undefeated I don't know. I think that people need to start realizing that it shouldn't matter what conference you are in. If you win big games, hey a W is a W. I don't care who you are. This is why a playoff system is so vital, if the BCS schools are so worried about a playoff system it shows that they are afraid to play Non-BCS schools, like Utah who could compete with anyone of those schools. Down with the BCS, in with a playoff, maybe college football should take some advice from their Basketball counterparts, that participate i the march madness. The largest money maker in college sports.

Playoff Payoff | 12:06 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

The payoff for a 16-team playoff would dwarf the BCS and give every conference and school a piece of the pie.

A playoff can be done with marginal impact on the bowls (one of the arguments against a playoff is that 34 teams now get to end their season with a win; that number would be reduced by 7 teams; big whoop!).

The first round games could be tune ups for the top teams to shake off the rust, meaning, sharper teams for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and championship game. The first round would also give teams like Ball State, who just missed finishing the regular season undefeated, a chance to show whether their undefeated recorded was a fluke or not.

The biggest payoff:

It would decide a legitimate national champion, on the field, instead of in the BCS beauty contest.

No more squawking about SOS. No more bickering about "weak" or "power" conferences. If you're truly a championship caliber team, it won't matter what conference you play in or what OOC schedule you play.

Whether through lawsuit, congressional investigation, or presidential decree, I really don't care how, just give us a playoff.

Scott | 12:51 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Cougs need a qwest for humility - oh I forgot, BYU is already tops in humility....

Comments continue below

Scott... | 1:02 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Needs a quest to become something more than a broken record spewing the same mindless drivel day after day after day after...

Brian | 1:22 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

I'm not a Utes fan. I do think they deserved the chance to settle their fate, ranking, and chance for a National Championship where any competitor in sports would want to; on the field.

That said, there's got to be a better use of the A.G.'s office and it's resources. I do favor a playoff that doesn't have a heavy-handed bias to the BCS; but not to the extent that white collar crime has to be fought on the issue of College Football as apposed to dealing with much more threatening trends in crime and lawlessness.

Gator Jim | 1:29 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

I am a Florida Gator and I totally agree. Utah should have the opportunity to play for the championship.

A mere two years ago the Big Ten and PAC10 tried to shut us out of the Mythical National Championship saying that only Ohio State, Michigan and USC DESERVED to be in the championship game. Well, we got the nod as #2 and demolished Ohio State.

In 2004 a very; strong Auburn team was undefeated and totally sut out.

Please check out several articles on my blog about why we need a playoff. It is way past time. Google "Gator Duck Speaks"

Get 'em Mark!! | 1:39 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Do to the BCS what you did to the RLDS!!

Obama saves the day | 1:41 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

What a terrible social injustice! Is Barak Obama aware of this? He needs to ride in on his cloud, raise his arms, and save everybody from this unfairness!

PUH-LEASE. Aren't their bigger problems in the world today? I for one was embarassed when Congress took it up. What would John Adams say?

wallofvoodoo | 1:47 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Why are we wasting taxpayer money on something as inconsequential as this?

Plus One Game. | 2:01 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Texas vs. Florida

Ute? | 2:15 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Give me a break. An investigation will only alienate support currently being received from the rest of the country. Respect is earned through a body of work, not a good year every three years. Back this year up with another good year and not two or three "down years" before another good one. As a Ute fan, I am realistic. BYU is still better know outside of our state because of their body of work (spent 10 years in military, yes I do know what other people think).

Fair Voter | 2:25 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

After taking on the Bowl Championship Series perhaps Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff can take on the bipartisan cartel of elected Democrats and Republicans that have been anti-competitively rigging the State of Utah's politics for generations.

(For details on how the elephants and donkeys cheat voters out of fair elections, check out the book Fixing Elections by Steven Hill.)

If one can dream, why not dream big?

dingo | 2:34 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

the AG is correct if this were a business in the business world the monopoly lawsuit would already be going. the system was not agreed to in a normal fashion. the BCS conferences held the others hostage by saying if you do not agree you will never be given a shot. the reality is that if this were 20 years ago the Utes would be #1. even now you can read the national media opine that a 2 loss BCS school is still better than an undefeated Utah team that defeated 4 ranked oponents (Mich was ranked wn=hen the Utes beat them).

the whole system should be taken down and ALL voices given representation. these are state funded schools discriminating against other state funded schools. the effects are felt across the board in mens and womens sports. the BCS should be sued for Title IX violations as well.

why is it | 2:40 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

That people seem to ignore things like the DREAM bill or the fact that Shurtleff is throwing college money at illegal immigrants and everyone thinks its great, but now that he's found another irrational way to spend our money people want a lynching? At least with this if Shurtleff won the anti trust case we'd see some money come out of it, which is more than we can say for the hundreds of illegal immigrants that get free college at the governments expense, and aren't even paying taxes to help pay it back (or give anything back to our economy at all). Why not spend the money for better facilities at the U and lowering tuition so those of us hard working American college students can afford to stay in school and help out our economy?

This isn't about sports nuts | 2:58 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

This is business and millions of $$$, that is what this is about. All the sports fans have created an economic monster.

Utah Utes can lay claim to damages and that is what makes this a legitimate case to be dealt with this way.

When you start looking at this for the business case it takes starts to make the sports talk inconsequential. But ironiclly that is what also gives this the economic value to go to court over.

Just food for thought.

Elcapitan | 3:36 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Mighty Utah, undisputed non BcS champs....challenge the BcS winner to a PAYOFF THIS YEAR. That is the way to decide who is National Champion. The Utes would beat their socks off. This is the way to run the system. That would draw a real audience. Let the BCS alone Mr. Shurtleff, this would be fun. David against Goliath every year. Beat them at their own game.

A suit has my complete support.. | 4:54 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

The only way for change to take place is to have it forced. Mark Shurtliff has my complete support. This is the only way to bring down the BCS criminals.

FYI - I'm a USC fan.

utefan | 5:37 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Shirtleff - get over yourself! there are more important things going on in this "great" or NOT state of ours.

The game was great! Glad it happened. A win is a win is a win!!!! I support the Utes!.

Texas won last night thanks to the refs poor judgment on their part as to where the ball should really have been placed and I just watched the last 4 minutes of the game . . .and Texas is National champ calibar?

Maybe the National championship should be based on how many players actually leave college with a degree. I understand that the majority of "bama players never graduate. and Utah more graduate than don't and let's see, how many degrees per player. Let not forget the real reason the players are there . . . . EDUCATION!

-a mom of a college student!!!!

GatorSarah | 5:51 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

All comments become moot when Mighty GATORS are victorious on Thursday night! Urban Meyer continues his legacy and Gators win 2nd nat'l championship in 3 years. Sorry Sooners - better luck next time.

To GatorSarah | 6:03 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

No sarah, they absolutely don't. Utah is still undefeated and still won't have a national championship to show for it. The system is fundamentally flawed. Go Shurtleff!!!

It Doesn't Matter | 7:05 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Worry about important things, not what pampered athletes, with no tie to Utah, do.

Huh? | 7:15 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

A related article on SI.com says:

"If a lawsuit is filed against the BCS, though, Shurtleff could end up suing the state he represents. Utah is a member of the Mountain West Conference and Utah State belongs to the Western Athletic Conference; both leagues are members of the BCS."

MWC & WAC are member of the BCS? - that's news to me....

michael loehrer | 7:39 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Is Shurtleff up for re-election soon?

Joke | 7:48 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

This has to be a joke! I'm looking for the punchline! I love football, but keeping my family fed and warm... and SAFE seem more important... maybe I'm being selfish?

FYI going undefeated does not make one National Champions. Teams have gone undefeated and NOT been National Champions... I'm speaking of teams FROM the BCS! Prior to the BCS lots of teams went undefeated and did not win the Title.

Would this action by Shurtleff be considered his announcement that he's running for a higher office?

Robert - St. George | 8:04 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

I am a HUGE BYU fan, but I have to congratulate the Utes on a terrific football season. I think they should be the national champions this year for sure. I do support our Attorney General, and our new President-elect, on investigating the BCS. This is a totally unfair system. Its not crying foul, its just making sure the system is as fair as it possibly can be.

Curt | 8:46 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

Public universities could not exist without financial aid in forms like Pell grants which come from the tax payers. The universities lose the right to accept such subsidies if they discriminate against individuals based on race, religion, nationality, etc. Why should these same universities be allowed to make alliances that exclude who they want, and then share the wealth with who they chose to include. Giving BSC bowl berths to a conference based on who they are, and not what they achieved is
simple discrimination. The Big Ten for example was
once again 1-7 in bowl games, yet two of there teams
brought in millions to a conference that was beat like a drum by the rest of the country. Cincy and Va Tech with their combined 6 losses got to to play, while Boise, TCU, where excluded merely on their zip code. As a BYU fan I congratulate the Utes. They had an amazing season, and played inspired football.

Ty B. | 9:41 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

said by Hey Shurtleff, please don't, "Waste my tax dollars to worry about a stupid football game. You have got to be kidding me. Anyone who has been up to the U lately knows that new facilities, lower tuitions rates, and a new/better faculty (No.1 priority) would be a better use of this money.".....................Do you even know how MUCH MONEY the football team made for the university this year????? So sick of hearing this argument, SO ignorant.

"By comparison, the share to each conference with an automatic berth in the BCS -- the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC -- is about $18 million each. When a second team from one of those conferences qualifies to play in a BCS game, as the SEC accomplished this year with Alabama and Florida, that conference gets an additional $4.5 million."

Mark | 10:42 p.m. Jan. 6, 2009

There is NO NCAA college football champion. There is only the BCS champion. There is a difference.

Re: Joke 7:48 pm | 10:28 a.m. Jan. 7, 2009

So... only the MOST important things count?

We shouldn't worry about anything else?

Once our families' are "fed, warm and safe", nothing else matters?

Why is it a "Joke" to care about anything beyond that?

I'm not insinuating that football is the MOST important thing in the world - it's not - just that your view is a bit myopic.

Let's call this what it is . . . | 12:16 p.m. Jan. 7, 2009

. . . an abuse of power. I don't like the BCS any more than anyone else. I would much rather see a playoff (but maybe that's because I really love March Madness). However, for Mark Shurtleff to decide that the BCS needs to be investigated by state attorneys general is nothing more than him being ticked off because his team got shafted, and using our tax dollars to try to rectify the situation. We'd all clamor if he was using his office to go after the guy who bumped his car (or motorcycle) in traffic, or the guy who was a jerk at his kids' little league games. This is the same thing, only on a grander scale, which makes it worse.

BRENT | 12:36 p.m. Jan. 7, 2009

I have not watched a BCS bowl game over the last 3 years. Everyone that does not like the BCS should stop watching the games and purchasing tickits to this games and let the NCAA and the BCS conferences know they will not support this unfair system. Let them know you demand a playoff.

lol | 12:42 p.m. Jan. 7, 2009

undefeated means nothing when you play a weak schedule

Wood Hughes | 2:24 p.m. Jan. 7, 2009

Lots of luck to the man. I was in the Superdome for the game and if it had playoff implications, Bama would have actually had some motivation to play the game. Utah is definately good, but Bama left it's heart at the Georgia Dome when it lost to Florida. Just like LSU had to score 30+ points to beat Troy after losing a tight game to Bama the previous week.

The main issue with playoffs is 119 FBS programs. How can you get a playoff that takes into account 119 different programs with 119 different strenght of competition?

College Fan | 8:45 p.m. Jan. 7, 2009

It isn't if all 119 teams have a chance to win a national title. It is do all 119 teams have the same chance to win a national title. That doesn't happend without two things happening:

1. A playoff.
2. All conference champions automatically qualify.

It seems to work for every other NCAA sport.

William | 7:36 a.m. Jan. 8, 2009

I give a hats off to Utah, I am an Alabama fan, but the Utes beat us fair and square. I do however, see a flaw in their thinking. The Utes are 13-0, Gators are 12-1 and Sooners 12-1, both of those teams have played 13 games prior to their bowl games in which one team will emerge as 13-1 for a total of 14 games. I would be more incline to agree with the Utes if they had went 13-0 before their bowl game. I do however wish them the very best in setting aright a system that does favor bigger schools.

HugeUtesFan | 3:26 p.m. March 11, 2009

Hey Bama fan!

"Only the MWC!?!?!"

That's exactly the kind of thinking in the BCS conferences that the attorney general is trying to stop. With a lawsuit if necessary. The MWC this year was as good or better than ANY BCS conference! Throughout the year, we had THREE teams in the top 25, and this from a conference nobody would've "recruited players from". I'm not saying Alabama was a bad team, exactly the opposite. They were number 1 for what 3 weeks because they beat whoever they beat. Now, with Utah going undefeated and stomping all over the Red Tide on a neutral field, where is our turn? Out the door because of the BCS. Urban Meyer coached the Utes for a while and created the original BCS Busters! They didn't give him a shot either, which means he had to go to a BCS team to get it, and win. A lot of people would have relished a showdown between Florida and Utah. That at least would have proved Utah was #1 and that the MWC can do anything the BCS conferences can do.

Anonymous | 3:27 p.m. March 11, 2009

As for all you whiners talking about this a waste of money and the school should fight it instead, I say, "Quit whining!". Utah is in the best financial condition right now with rest of the country having troubles. Besides, if they can finally prove what crooks the BCS coordinators are, things will have to change! Non-BCS teams will most likely get reparations for the last however many years and the years to come will bring the same amount of insane cash to all the schools. This will allow for your better teachers, lower tuition, etc...

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