BCS Is Off to Its Worst Start Ever

By Chris Mottram
Saying that yesterday’s two BCS games -- the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl -- were horrible is the early front-runner for understatement of 2008. It was suspect, at best, whether Illinois and Hawaii truly deserved to be in BCS games to begin with. Yesterday, they both proved that they did not belong.
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USC beat Illinois by 31 points, and Georgia topped that by humiliating Hawaii by 32. The bowls, which were on back-to-back, were not only an awful way to kick off the BCS season, but were historically lopsided.
Since BCS bowls began in 1999, there have been 38 BCS games played, not including yesterday’s disasters. Of those 38, exactly three had a margin of victory greater than, or equal to, both of this year’s:
-- ‘01 Fiesta: Oregon State 41, Notre Dame 9 = 32
-- ‘02 Orange: Florida 56, Maryland 23 = 33
-- ‘05 Orange: USC 55, Oklahoma 19 = 36
And, as you can see, no 30+ point BCS wins have ever occurred in the same year. That is, until yesterday. Although last year, both the National Championship and Sugar Bowl games were decided by 27 points. So that wasn’t much better.
Here’s to hoping the final three BCS bowls aren’t blow-outs. Although I have a feeling tonight’s Fiesta will be the only competitive bowl left.↵