BCS Standings create Alabama-LSU rematch in title game

By Kelly Whiteside, USA TODAY

For all those not looking forward to a rematch in the Bowl Championship Series title game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama after the Tigers won 9-6 in overtime last month, Alabama coach Nick Saban says look to the NFL.

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As for those not looking forward to another defensive slugfest, Saban countered, "Two great defensive teams, no doubt. … There are so many good players on both sides for both teams …I think there's a lot of opportunity for the game to be completely different and have a completely different flavor from what the first game did."

A rematch seemed like a foregone conclusion heading into conference championship weekend until Oklahoma State narrowed the gap behind Alabama in the polls. But the Crimson Tide edged No. 3 Oklahoma State by .0086 in the final BCS rankings released Sunday, the closest margin in the eighth year under the current formula. The previous closest margin between No. 2 and 3 was .0157 separating No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 3 Auburn in 2004.

While the BCS title game selection held to form, the Sugar Bowl provided the controversy. The Sugar bypassed BCS No. 7 Boise State and No. 8 Kansas State in favor of No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 13 Michigan. The Hokies, the most baffling pick, were routed by Clemson 38-10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game.

Clearly, ticket sales trumped rankings. Chief executive officer Paul Hoolahan said Virginia Tech's history of bringing fans to New Orleans was "extremely important."

Hoolahan also said he wasn't concerned that Virginia Tech hasn't beaten any opponents in the BCS top 25. "They've proven over the years the caliber of football team that they are," Hoolihan said.

Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer also cited the program's previous body of work, as opposed to this season's performance, when asked why the Hokies were chosen over higher ranked teams.

"I think Virginia Tech over the years has built a name for itself. … We've been to three BCS bowls over the last four years. … The number of years we've won 10 games, I think that's another thing," Beamer said.

This is the first time in the BCS era that two teams not in the top 10 of the USA TODAY Coaches Poll will meet in the Sugar Bowl. Virginia Tech is No. 11 in the coaches poll and Michigan is No. 12. Since USA TODAY started administering the coaches poll in 1991, there has never been a Sugar Bowl with both teams outside the top 10 of the coaches poll.

With No. 14 Clemson, the ACC champs, headed to the Orange Bowl, it's the first time two ACC teams are headed to BCS bowls. The Tigers will face Big East champ No. 22 West Virginia.

Though LSU vs. Alabama on Jan. 9 in New Orleans might seem like a been there, done that bowl, it's also a matchup of firsts. It's the first rematch in BCS title-game history and the first time teams from the same conference will meet in the BCS' 14-year-history. The matchup also guarantees the Southeastern Conference its sixth consecutive BCS title.

Though it's a rematch, what's at stake makes the game bigger than Nov. 5, LSU coach Les Miles said.

"The opportunity to go play for the national championship is a completely different scenario," Miles said. "It's a different place. It's the same opponent. But it will be played with the title at stake."

•Western Kentucky (7-5), which won seven of its last eight games, with the loss to No. 1 LSU, was the only team with a winning record that did not get a bowl spot. Ball State (6-6) was the only other bowl-eligible team not selected. Meanwhile, 6-7 UCLA is in.

•The Harris Interactive Poll produced a final regular-season Top 25 that mirrored the USA TODAY Coaches Poll, down to BYU being the first team among others receiving votes. The Harris poll does not begin its balloting until roughly the first month of the season is played partly in response to concerns that there is too much importance placed on the preseason poll — yet both ended in the same spot.