BCS Selection: Clearing up Confusion
This is a rundown of the BCS selection process and where Texas Tech fits into that. Let me start off by stating that it is highly, highly unlikely that Tech can make a BCS bowl at this point. With UT in the top 4 and not in the Big XII championship game, it virtually means "game over" for Texas Tech's BCS hopes.
Read on after the break to find out why

The blockquotes are from the selection rules on the BCS's own site (provided by Fox Sports). You can see that here.
The first thing to remember is that there is only one way that the BCS will allow more than 2 teams from the same conference. That is if the #1 and #2 teams in the final BCS standings are from the same conference and are both not the conference champion.
No more than two teams from a conference may be selected, regardless of whether they are automatic qualifiers or at-large selections, unless two non-champions from the same conference are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the final BCS Standings.
It doesn't look likely that this will happen since we are a ways out of the #2 spot, sad story there
Automatic Qualification 1. The top two teams in the final BCS Standings shall play in the National Championship Game. 2. The champions of the Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and Southeastern conferences will have automatic berths in one of the participating bowls after the 2008 through 2013 regular seasons.
These are the first two things that happen and this is where the Sooners would first qualify were they to win Saturday. If they manage to lose to Missouri, both Missouri and UT would qualify under these two provisions (UT in the top 2, Missouri as the Big XII champion).
5. If any of the 10 slots remain open after application of provisions 1 through 4, and an at-large team from a conference with an annual automatic berth for its champion is ranked No. 3 in the final BCS Standings, that team will become an automatic qualifier, provided that no at-large team from the same conference qualifies for the national championship game.
6. If any of the 10 slots remain open after application of provisions 1 through 5, and if no team qualifies under paragraph No. 5 and an at-large team from a conference with an annual automatic berth for its champion is ranked No. 4 in the final BCS Standings, that team will become an automatic qualifier provided that no at-large team from the same conference qualifies for the national championship game.
In short, teams #3 and #4 become automatic qualifiers if there is space left (with 10 slots, this will almost always be the case unless both #1 and #2 are non-champions, a non-BCS team and Notre Dame become automatic qualifiers). This is how UT is most likely going to qualify, provided OU does beat Missouri. UT qualifying here, would eliminate TTU from any possible BCS bowl. That's it, the end of it. If UT is in the top 4 of the final BCS, there is no chance whatsoever of TTU going anywhere beyond the Cotton Bowl.
I did see one possibility that allows TTU into a BCS bowl: Alabama and Florida play in a close game while USC blows out UCLA and OU blows out Missouri. Texas not playing drops them to #5. This opens the smallest door for TTU to be available to a bowl, should they so choose. In all honesty, I doubt that anyone would choose TTU over UT, larger market and all that.
So there you have it. TTU is heading to the Cotton Bowl. Unless OU loses to Missouri and they choose to take OU over us.
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Comments
Dallas, here we come! I must admit, somewhat selfishly, that I’m okay with all this. The Cotton Bowl is the only game I would have been able to attend. So that’s my silver lining.
by Tech92 on Dec 1, 2008 8:02 PM CST 0 recs
Dallas
Home field for us. I’ll be there. Not that far from Austin.
Go Tech!!!
by jwhitettu on Dec 1, 2008 8:13 PM CST 0 recs
Likely Bowl Scenario for Tech...
With the way that the season is going, here is the likely scenario for Tech:
Mizzou beats OU and goes Bcs bowling.
UT, already in Bcs because of the head-to-head with Ou. Anyone remember 45-35?? I sure do.
OU goes to Cotton Bowl because they beat Tech
Nebraska goes to Holiday Bowl because they took Tech to OT in Lubbock in the head-to-head, so they’re obviously better
OkSt goes to Gator Bowl because Gator doesn’t want Tech 2 years in a row. Also, Tech’s head-to-head win was in Lubbock so it obviously doesn’t count as a loss. That was only one week after Tech’s fluke win over God, I mean UT, so the magic obviously hadn’t worn off yet.
Kansas goes to Alamo because they beat Mizzou in the head-to-head who is in the bcs. Tech wasn’t fortunate enough to play Missouri this year. Also Tech only beat Nevada by 18, so that has got to count for something.
Colorado gets an honorary extra win for playing UT to bring them to 6-7, and they beat Tech last year in the head-to-head to get the Insight Bowl. Plus, their Out-of-conference schedule was tougher than Tech’s, so they definitely get the nod.
Kansas State beat Texas head to head 2 years in a row and get an extra honorary win to receive the Independence Bowl. Plus all those juco transfers won’t be around much longer so give them some bowl memories.
Baylor lost 3 games by 7 points or less to quality teams, so they are rewarded with 2 more wins and score the Houston Bowl over Tech because Waco is closer than Lubbock to Houston. Plus their head-to-head loss in Lubbock doesn’t count and they beat Tech like 26 years ago or something.
A&m would have scored the next bowl for having better tradition and having more class and almost beating Arkansas State. And they hung with Tech for a half, so the second half doesn’t matter.
I’m not sure if Iowa State is still fielding a team, but if they are, they are number 11 in the bowl pecking order because someone could mistake their uniforms for USC and actually show up to the game.
So as you can see, Tech will be left out of the bowls altogether, and for very good reason.
by pcrawttu on Dec 1, 2008 8:36 PM CST 2 recs
I don't care
about anyone but Texas Tech. Wherever, whomever—-doesn’t matter. Let’s win it! Final record 12-1. Gotta count for something with this being the best conference this year.
TTpilk
by TTpilk645 on Dec 1, 2008 9:50 PM CST 0 recs
Dallas
I’m with Mr. White. That’s a game I can make. Unless A&M goes instead.
by TT_ on Dec 1, 2008 9:53 PM CST 0 recs
So...
If 1 or 2 then A.
If 3 and (1 or 2) is not B then C
If 4 and (1 or 2) is not B then D
If (1 and 2) are E then not F
Then, 5 is G if and only if not (B, C, and D)
…are you saying that Tech is gonna play for the national title?! I THINK I GOT IT!
:-P
(p.s. don’t try to follow it – it’s gibberish)
by djollie111 on Dec 2, 2008 11:20 AM CST 0 recs
Imagine This...
Sunday, Dec. 7 – Fiesta Bowl Selection Committee Press Conference
Good afternoon. Now that University of Oklahoma has secured a spot in the National Championship Game by defeating Missouri in the Big 12 Title Game and remaining one of the top two rated teams in the today’s BCS poll, it falls to this committee to select a replacement for them to represent the Big 12 in the Fiesta Bowl.
As you may well be aware, in the week preceding the selection of the Big 12 South representative to the title game in the event of a three-way tie, Texas Longhorn coaches and fans have been strongly advocating that once you eliminate Texas Tech from consideration, then you must compare UT and OU head-to-head to determine who will represent the South. That logic obviously did not convince enough voters and OU advanced to the title game.
The members of the Fiesta Bowl Selection Committee, however, have been swayed by the argument of the Texas delegation and have decided to use the same logic to select OU’s replacement for the Big 12 spot. In other words, once we eliminate OU from consideration in the Big 12 three-way tie, then you must compare UT and TTU head-to-head to determine who will represent the Big 12 in the BCS Fiesta Bowl.
Therefore, we are pleased to extend an invitation to the Red Raiders from Texas Tech University to compete in the 2009 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl!
Once you commit to flawed logic, you should be condemned to live by it…
by Goin' Band Fan on Dec 2, 2008 3:42 PM CST 0 recs
Tech is clearly the best team in the country that isn't going to the BCS.
And Texas doesn’t have a good argument against Tech. But, when Tech fell so far back in the pack (#7), Texas was able to argue that it was a 2-horse race between #2 and #3. If Tech was at #3 and was about to watch UT go to the Big 12 title game, you guys would have done the same thing.
Texas, as stated above, is assured a BCS game as we are in the Top 4 (and can’t possible fall past 4). If that rule wasn’t in effect, I expect that Tech fans would be much more vocal in advocating for the Fiesta to select them.
by the1austin on
Dec 2, 2008 7:20 PM CST
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0 recs
Damn, I wish you would take the hint.
Go the fuck away.
Wes Welker can't be stopped.
by 10forTech on
Dec 2, 2008 8:08 PM CST
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0 recs
10forTech
That’s getting awfully close to the line. We welcome guests from other sites/teams, and we welcome spirited conversation. As much as we expect our guests to behave, we certainly need to be good hosts as well.
by djollie111 on
Dec 2, 2008 9:57 PM CST
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