A new wrinkle

Need another reason to hate the BCS? I found out. It does not matter what happens with the Badgers, they can not go to a BCS game, because three teams from the same conference can not go. Seriously:

Qualifications for At-Large Bids
There are two at-large spots available in the BCS games. If one or both of the participants in the national championship game are not champions from those conferences whose champions have an annual automatic berth in a BCS game, they are considered at-large teams. Only one team from a conference whose champion has an annual automatic berth in a BCS bowl may be selected as an at-large participant, unless two non-champions from the same conference are ranked one and two. No more than two teams from any conference may play in the BCS bowl games in any given year..


This rule seems a bit odd to me, and I think I can sort of imagine a need for it, but there are so many situations where this rule does not work. Having said all of this, I think it may be possible for the Ohio State to get screwed out of the BCS (crazy right?) Take a look at the Big Ten rules for BCS participation, which are clearly influenced by the not having three teams from one conference rule:

1) The Conference champion shall be the representative team. The championship shall be determined on the percentage basis of Conference games (tie game counts 1/2 win and 1/2 loss).

2) An ineligible team shall not be considered in the standings for determination of the Conference representative.

3) If there is a tie for the championship, the winner of the game between these two teams shall represent the Conference.

4) If there is still a tie, or if the tied teams did not play each other, the representative shall be determined on the percentage basis of all games played in the traditional 11-game schedule, or in certain years (2002 and 2003) 12-game schedule.

5) If there is still a tie, the most recent team earning BCS automatic selection shall be eliminated.

6) If more than two teams tie for the championship, the same selection procedures shall be followed with the following exceptions:

a) If three teams are tied, and if one team defeated both of the other teams, then that team shall be the representative.

b) If three teams are tied, and if two of the three teams defeated the third team, the third team is eliminated, and the remaining two teams shall revert to the two team tie procedure.

c) If three teams are tied, and there is a tie game between two of the three teams, or if two or all three of the teams did not play each other, the representative shall be determined on a percentage basis of all games played in the traditional 11-game, or in certain years (2002 and 2003) 12-game schedule.

d) If three teams are tied, and one of the three teams is eliminated through the percentage basis of all games played in the traditional 11-game/12-game schedule procedure, the remaining two teams shall revert to the two team tie procedure.

e) If three teams are tied, and all three teams have the same winning percentage of all games played in the traditional 11-game/12-game schedule, the most recent team representing the Conference shall be eliminated, and the two remaining teams shall revert to the two team tie procedure.

If I read this right, Ohio State could lose to Michigan, drop to third or fourth in the polls, and Wisconsin would go to the Rose Bowl because it hasn't played in a BCS game. As much as I might enjoy that, this is the dumbest system in the whole world.