What if.....

...College Football had a plus one system in place this year. 
(1) Auburn vs (4) Stanford
(2) Oregon vs (3)TCU
The winners to meet for the National Championship.  Fans in Madison would be fuming.

...College Football had an 8-team playoff with automatic bids for each BCS league. 
(1) Auburn vs (8) Connecticut
(4) Stanford vs (5) Wisconsin
(3) TCU vs (6) Oklahoma
(2) Oregon vs (7) Virginia Tech
How do you like that one Buckeye fan?

...College Football had an 8-team playoff with no automatic bids.
(1) Auburn vs (8) Oklahoma
(4) Stanford vs (5) Wisconsin
(3) TCU vs (6) Ohio State
(2) Oregon vs (7) Arkansas
Mike Dantonio is weeping openly at the sight of this one.

...College Football had my dream 16-team playoff with an automatic bid for each BCS league.
(16) Connecticut at (1) Auburn
(9) Michigan State at (8) Oklahoma
(13) Boise State at (4) Stanford
(12) Missouri at (5) Wisconsin
(14) Oklahoma State at (3) TCU
(11) LSU at (6) Ohio State
(10) Virginia Tech at (7) Arkansas
(15) Nevada at (2) Oregon
First round games played at higher seed.  Second Round games to be played at 4 major bowl sites One in prime time New Years Eve and a New Years Day Tripleheader (Sugar, Fiesta, Orange and Rose).  3-loss Nebraska and Texas A&M have no gripe here.  Travel is minimized by match-ups above for first round games most likely to conflict with Finals or Christmas.

One can always dream.......

COLLEGE FOOTBALL - WEEK 11

Take a short break from the historical look at sports for the weekly College Football segment.  I hope everyone is enjoying the other.  I thought I would stray from the usual format here and take a look at what Jabesblog thinks will go down the rest of the way.

1)  Big Ten Conference Race - The three-way race between Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin would seem to come down to this weeks Wisconsin at Michigan game.  The way I see it, Ohio State is not losing another game, which eliminates the Spartans as the BCS tie-breaker automatically would come in to play if OSU and MSU are ties because they did not play.  I also think UW will beat Northwestern at home if it wins at Ann Arbor.  So the key to the puzzle is this weekend - and my heart and head both say Wisconsin will be able to do it and keep there BCS lead over Ohio State and head to Pasadena.

2)  Southeastern Conference Race - The SEC Championship game is set with Auburn and South Carolina.  So the real question is - undefeated Auburn or 1-loss Auburn?  A few weeks ago, I was leaning 90% toward 1-loss Auburn.  The Tigers have not missed a beat though and are playing really, really well.  And how good is Alabama really?  There may be a little perception at play in that they were pre-season #1.  In the end, I say Alabama beats Auburn and sends a non-BCS school to the Title Game.

3)  PAC-10 Conference Race - I have been on Oregon since very early in the season, so I need to ride my Ducks.  Arizona at home and at Oregon State.  Done.  Arizona is coming off a tough loss vs USC and will be ripe for an Oregon bounceback.  And OSU lost to Washington State last week.  Doesn't sound like the team to take down Oregon.

4)  ACC Conference Race - Virginia Tech should beat Virginia (even if it loses to Miami), which would put the Hokies in the title game.  I think they face FSU, who beats Maryland and sees NC State lose to either North Carolina or at Maryland.  In the rematch of the 1999 National Title Game, VA Tech exacts their revenge.

5)  Big 12 Conference Race - Nebraska will beat Colorado (even if it loses to Texas A and M) and earn the North title.  The South title would appear to come down to the Oklahoma at Oklahoma State game.  I will live on the edge here and say the Cowboys beat the Sooners and get another shot at Nebraska.  The health of Nebraska's QB is huge in this rematch because Okla State can score points.  I say Nebraska doesn't score enough and the Cowboys head to the BCS.

6)  Big East Conference Race - Who honestly cares?  Ummmm...give me West Virginia.

7)  TCU and Boise State remain undefeated.  Book it.  Now who gets the National Title op.  I still think TCU.

8)  So what does that mean for BCS Bowls:

National Title - Oregon vs TCU
Rose Bowl - Wisconsin vs Boise State
Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma State vs West Virginia
Orange Bowl - Virginia Tech vs Ohio State
Sugar Bowl - Auburn vs Stanford

Now back to the tourneys!!

NBA - BEST 30 YEAR TEAM

Here is the NBA Playoffs to determine the best team in the past 30 Years.

Eastern Conference
1999/00 Indiana Pacers vs 1993/94 New York Knicks - winner to play 1995/96 Chicago Bulls
1986/87 Atlanta Hawks vs 2005/06 Miami Heat - winner to play 1988/89 Detroit Pistons
2000/01 Milwaukee Bucks vs 1994/95 Orlando Magic - winner to play 1982/83 Philadelphia 76ers
2002/03 New Jersey Nets vs 2006/07 Cleveland Cavaliers - winner to play 1985/86 Boston Celtics

Western Conference
2001/02 Sacramento Kings vs 2005/06 Dallas Mavericks - winner to play 1986/97 Los Angeles Lakers
1991/92 Golden State Warriors vs 1996/97 Utah Jazz - winner to play 1991/92 Portland Trailblazers
2003/04 Minnesota Timberwolves vs 1992/93 Phoenix Suns - winner to play 1994-95 Houston Rockets
1984/85 Denver Nuggets vs 1995/96 Seattle Supersonics - winner to play 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs

NFL - 30 YEAR BEST TEAM

Here is the 32 team playoff to determine the best team in the NFL over the past 30 years.

NFC
1991 Detroit Lions vs 1989 San Francisco 49ers
1986 New York Giants vs 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2005 Seattle Seahwaks vs 1996 Green Bay Packers
2004 Philadelphia Eagles vs 2009 New Orleans Saints
2003 Carolina Panthers vs 1992 Dallas Cowboys
1998 Minnesota Vikings vs 1999 St. Louis Rams
1998 Atlanta Falcons vs 1991 Washington Redskins
2008 Arizona Cardinals vs 1985 Chicago Bears

AFC
1986 Cleveland Browns vs 2007 New England Patriots
2006 San Diego Chargers vs 1999 Tennessee Titans
1988 Cincinnati Bengals vs 1983 Oakland Raiders
1998 New York Jets vs 2006 Indianapolis Colts
2009 Houston Texans vs 1998 Denver Broncos
1990 Buffalo Bills vs 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers
1999 Jacksonville Jaguars vs 1984 Miami Dolphins
2003 Kansas City Chiefs vs 2000 Baltimore Ravens

COLLEGE BASKETBALL - 30 YEAR BEST TEAM

Here is the NCAA Tournament for determining the best College Basketball Team of the past 30 years.

East Region
Opening Round Game - 2000 Tennessee (16) vs 2005 Washington (16)

First Round
2000 Tennessee/2005 Washington (16) vs 1984 Georgetown (1)
2004 Oklahoma State (9) vs 1981 Virginia (8)
2009 Pittsburgh (12) vs 1997 Arizona (5)
1994 Purdue (13) vs 1996 Kentucky (4)
2006 George Mason (11) vs 2008 Memphis (6)
1994 Missouri (14) vs 1987 Indiana (3)
2006 LSU (10) vs 1989 Seton Hall (7)
1990 Loyola Marymount (15) vs 1982 North Carolina (2)

Midwest Region
Opening Round Game - 1987 Iowa (13) vs 2002 Oregon (13)

First Round
1993 Vanderbilt (16) vs 2000 Michigan State (1)
2010 West Virginia (9) vs 1996 Massachusetts (8)
2010 Kansas State (12) vs 1983 North Carolina State (5)
1987 Iowa/2002 Oregon (13) vs 2003 Syracuse (4)
2000 Wisconsin (11) vs 1984 Houston (6)
1988 Temple (14) vs 1994 Arkansas (3)
1992 Cincinnati (10) vs 1998 Utah (7)
1995 Wake Forest (15) vs 2008 Kansas (2)

South Region
Opening Round Game - 1994 Boston College (13) vs 1986 Auburn (13)

First Round
2006 Gonzaga (16) vs 1992 Duke (1)
1998 Stanford (9) vs 2003 Texas (8)
2004 St. Joseph's (12) vs 1985 Villanova (5)
1994 Boston College/1986 Auburn (13) vs 1989 Michigan (4)
1987 Providence (11) vs 2005 Illinois (6)
2000 Iowa State (14) vs 1999 Connecticut (3)
1990 Georgia Tech (10) vs 2010 Butler (7)
1981 BYU (15) vs 2007 Florida (2)

West Region
Opening Round Game - 1987 Notre Dame (16) vs 2010 St. Mary's (16)

First Round
1987 Notre Dame/2010 St. Mary's (16) vs 1990 UNLV (1)
2003 Marquette (9) vs 1997 Minnesota (8)
1993 Florida State (12) vs 1988 Oklahoma (5)
2001 USC (13) vs 1986 Lousiville (4)
1996 Mississippi State (11) vs 2007 Ohio State (6)
2010 Baylor (14) vs 2002 Maryland (3)
1983 Georgia (10) vs 1985 St. John's (7)
2008 Xavier (15) vs 1995 UCLA (2)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL - 14 YEAR BEST TEAM

The College Football simulations only go back to 1996 for each team.  Therefore, the tournament will decide the best team in College Football over the last 14 years, not 30 as originally intended.

East Regional
1998 Arizona vs 2009 TCU - winner to play 2005 Texas
2007 Boston College vs 2004 Auburn - winner to play 2005 Penn State
1998 Air Force vs 1998 UCLA - winner to play 2001 Miami, FL
2003 Kansas State vs 2002 Iowa - winner to play 1998 Tennessee

South Regional
2006 Rutgers vs 1996 Northwestern - winner to play 2009 Alabama
2009 Oklahoma State vs 2006 Boise State - winner to play 1996 Arizona State
1998 Tulane vs 2007 Missouri - winner to play 1997 Michigan
1997 Wahington State vs 2002 Georgia - winner to play 1999 Florida State

Midwest Regional
1998 Texas A & M vs 2005 Notre Dame - winner to play 2002 Ohio State
2001 South Carolina vs 2000 Washington - winner to play 2005 West Virginia
2000 Purdue vs 1996 BYU - winner to play 2003 LSU
2004 California vs 2009 Georgia Tech - winner to play 2000 Oklahoma

West Regional
2006 Arkansas vs 2008 Texas Tech - winner to play 2004 USC
2004 Pittsburgh vs 1999 Wisconsin - winner to play 2008 Utah
2007 Illinois vs 1999 Virginia Tech - winner to play 1997 Nebraska
2007 Hawaii vs 2009 Oregon - winner to play 2008 Florida

BEST TEAMS OF THE PAST 30 YEARS

Jabesblog has brought you 30-Year teams for College Basketball, NBA, NFL, and Major League Baseball.  It is time to settle on who the best team was over the past 30 years in these sports, as well as College Football.  In order to do so, I have created various tournaments/playoffs with the best teams of the past 30 years, with the rule that each team could only be represented once.  With the help of whatifsports, I will simulate these tournaments and present the results in Jabesblog.  Here is how they will work.

NFL - 32 team playoff separated AFC and NFC until championship.  I will simulate best 4 out of 7 and game result will be of clinching game.  All games will be played in neutral fields in neutral weather.

College Basketball - 68 team tournament, one simulation to simulate one and done mentality of NCAA tournament.  Teams were loosely seeded, with champions first, runners-up, final four teams next, elite 8, etc. 

College Football - 48 team tournament - will use one and done simulation here to mimic the greatness of the basketball tournament.  Conference slots were seeded prior to team selection and teams were fit in once dtermined.

NBA - 24 team playoff, 12 East, 12 West - best of 7 each round, each game result counts.

MLB - 30 team playoff - Best of 5 first two round, best of 7 after, each game result counts.

I am not sure how it will all be presented, but I look forward to the results.  I will start by providing the pairings for a few of the sports.  Hope you enjoy!!