As I wrote about the other day the Pac-12 announced the divisional alignments starting next football season. Of course this is all related to money, namely television revenues. Currently they have a pretty shitty deal with Fox Sports Net in which their game of the week is shown across the regional television networks and will after the 2011-12 season.
So I started thinking about the best possible destination for the Pac-12 this afternoon. Of course there is ESPN, but they’re already polluted with Big Ten obligations in the morning and SEC in the evening. There’s always having their own Pac-12 Network, but that still leaves the question of where to broadcast the game of the week. CBS is less than ideal because they are the SEC network. Likewise NBC is Notre Dame’s network.
Which leaves the most obvious possibility: Fox.
There is a network that will have no other ties to other conferences - the Pac-12 can have their own Verne Lundquist. Plus they can broadcast the game 5:00 pm Pacific Time which would be prime time on the East Coast. You know, woo those voters.
Call me crazy, but it might work. Fiscally I don’t know how it would work out. I don’t know which announcing group you would put on the game (but for one I know it definitely should not be Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.) But doesn’t it sound logical?
Anyhow here are the rankings.
1. Oregon Ducks (7-0, 4-0 Pac-10) - Can they be stopped? They’ll be at the Coliseum next week with ESPN Gameday in tow. (Last week: 1)
2. Boise State Broncos (6-0, 2-0 WAC) - They get a little bit of a snooze so they can prepare for the juggernaut that is Louisiana Tech. (Last week: 2)
3. TCU Horned Frogs (8-0, 4-0 Mountain West) - As anticipated it was a tough game against Air Force. Their defense slipped up a little - they gave up a touchdown. (Last week: 3)
4. Auburn Tigers (8-0, 5-0 SEC) - They looked straight into the eyes of the craziness that is Les Miles and raised them a Cam Newton. (Last week: 4)
5. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1, 4-1 SEC) - What a comeback from the Tide. After trailing 7-3 after the first quarter in Knoxville, the made a stirring comeback and beat Tennessee 41-10. (Last week: 5)
6. Utah Utes (7-0, 4-0 Mountain West) - I can see the tears of the Utes knowing this was their last time facing Colorado State. So they ripped them 59-6. Welcome to the Pac-12 South! (Last week: 9)
7. Stanford Cardinal (6-1, 3-1 Pac-10) - They’re too good to allow Wazzu to make it an interesting fourth quarter after a bye week. (Last week: 6)
8. Michigan State Spartans (8-0, 4-0 Big Ten) - Seriously, this was a good comeback for Spartie after trailing 17-0 in the first half at Northwestern. One of their two remaining roadblocks is their game at Iowa that could very well determine who goes to the Rose Bowl. (Last week: 11)
9. Missouri Tigers (7-0, 3-0 Big 12) - I gave them a big jump because I didn’t think they were good last week. But because they helped dispel all of this nonsense about Oklahoma being No. 1, they made me believers. At least for this week. (Last week: nr)
10. Wisconsin Badgers (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) - Two weeks in a row they take down ranked teams. This time they had to go to Iowa to do it after hosting Ohio State last week. The Big Ten is starting to get very interesting for once. (Last week: 14)
11. LSU Tigers (7-1, 4-1 SEC) - Okay they gave up 5,000,000 yards on the ground to Auburn in their 24-17 loss. But they held them to 24 points. That’s got to count for something, right? (Last week: 7)
12. Arizona Wildcats (6-1, 3-1 Pac-10) - They are quietly becoming a force to deal with in the Pac-10. At least a Stoops brother is having a go at it right now. (Last week: 13)
13. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2, 2-1 Big Ten) - Tough loss at home to Wisconsin, but they’re still a good team that will make the Big Ten interesting down the stretch. (Last week: 10)
14. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-1, 3-1 Big Ten) - They shut out Purdue. Um, yay? (Last week: 15)
15. Arkansas Razorbacks (5-2, 2-2 SEC) - That was a little crazy what with two lightning delays as they hosted Ole Miss. But they rebounded from the shootout in Auburn last week. (Last week: nr)
16. South Carolina Gamecocks (5-2, 3-2 SEC) - So whoop they beat Vandy. But as I asked last week, who else am I going put in here? Florida State? A Big East Team. (Last week: nr)
BCS National Championship Game: Oregon Ducks vs. Boise State Broncos.
Sugar Bowl: Auburn Tigers vs. Stanford Cardinal
Orange Bowl: Florida State Seminoles vs. Pittsburgh Panthers
Rose Bowl: Michigan State Spartans vs. Alabama Crimson Tide
Fiesta Bowl: Missouri Tigers vs. TCU Horned Frogs
