Mack Brown Will Vote Texas No. 1

FanHouse gathers around the TV to bring you insights from Bowl Season '08.

Texas has just emerged victorious in a tensely fought Fiesta Bowl, 24-21. The Longhorns came back from a 21-17 last-minute deficit and scored a touchdown with just 16 seconds left, narrowly escaping defeat against much-doubted Ohio State. During the award ceremony, Texas coach Mack Brown had the following to say:

"I wasn't sure before, right now, in Friday morning I'm going to vote Texas No. 1 because I think this is the best team in the country"

No offense, Mack, but you barely got by Ohio State. Its a nice gesture to your team but its a little unfair to Oklahoma and Florida with the BCS Championship game yet unplayed. Amusingly, Brown will be bucking the Coaches Poll's agreement with the BCS to vote the BCS game winner at No. 1. Good luck getting that vote back next year.

I'm against a playoff in college football and have mixed feelings about the BCS, but would love to see the coaches' poll eliminated from the BCS. Brown's pending vote is part of the reason why. Add his opinion to the frenetic mix of discussion that abounds about college football's method of determining its mythical champion.

Tags: BCS

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

1-06-2009 @ 12:29AM

Steve said...

OSU did not score a TD against USC or Penn State. Sorry Texas, but you are behind Utah,USC, and Florida.

1-06-2009 @ 1:06AM

truestudentof thegame said...

Texas must be smoking steer dung to think they are better than USC... They should have lost tonight.

1-06-2009 @ 2:43AM

Erie Doctrine said...

dont be an idiot...usc beat osu at the coliseum when their star player (beanie wells) sat out and they put in pryor for his first start...tonight Texas piled up 500 yards against the number 10 defense in the country...on a neutral field

1-06-2009 @ 6:52AM

Keller11 said...

Right on, Steve. USC scored 34 points against Ohio State, and there is nothing Beanie Wells could have done about that, even if he had played. Penn State edged out Ohio State (with a healthy Beanie Wells), and USC crushed Penn State as well. Clearly USC is a whole lot better than Ohio State and just as clearly Texas is not much better than Ohio State. And you can't say that Texas had nothing to play for. Texas had a lot to play for in the Fiesta Bowl (to show up the BCS) and barely avoided defeat.

In fact, it appears that the Big-12 was a greatly overrated conference this year with Oregon beating Oklahoma State, Mississippi beating Texas Tech and now Texas barely beating Ohio State.

If Florida beats Oklahoma by 3 to 4 touchdowns, it's reasonable to consider Florida No. 1 (although I would love to see USC play Florida). If Oklahoma keeps it close or wins, (since Texas beat Oklahoma and therefore Oklahoma is probably about equal to Ohio State), you would have to believe that USC is No 1, especially since the bowl games have shown that the Pac-10 was much better than the pollsters believed).

As for Utah, Oklahoma Beat TCU a lot more convincingly than did Utah, so I would rank Utah lower than Oklahoma.

1-06-2009 @ 12:01PM

DougD said...

All this arguing and whining about who better the who. GETTING OLD! We definatly do need a playoff system. Who ends up #1 in college football is all politics and $$$. Why is college football the only sport without a playoff system? The answer is $$$. How can someone in California say USC is better than say Texas or Oklahoma or Florida? Just opinions... like rectums,everybody has one. Texas played their hearts out last night. So what is Ohio State finioshed 2nd in Big 10. So did U.S.C. You give a great coach like Jim Tressel 6 weeks to prepare for ANY team and it will be a tough game. It all comes down to $$$$. Welcome to AMERICA

1-06-2009 @ 5:02PM

DNBUBBA said...

Hey Keller11. You say that Beanie would not have made a difference in the OSU USC game. If I am not mistaken a 5 foot 6 inch 160 pound back from Oregon State shredded the USC defense. So how would Beanie not made a difference?

1-06-2009 @ 1:04AM

Mens Rea said...

unfair to oklahoma? the team they beat on a neutral field...please...or florida who lost at home to ole miss? Texas deserves the national title...at least Texas lost on the road on the final play of the game...once Utah plays (and beats) 4 top 12 teams then they will get my vote...Hook 'em Horns!

1-06-2009 @ 6:21AM

Gary said...

Florida lost to Ole Miss by a missed extra point. Texas lost to Texas Tech in a close game, but Ole Miss anihilated Texas Tech in their bowl game. Texas just managed to squeak past Ohio State. It is abundantly clear that the Gators belong in the BCS Championship game. If their is any question about who their opponent should have been, that is another story altogether.

1-06-2009 @ 6:26AM

How can you vote a team # 1 when they did not even win their conference ?

1-08-2009 @ 6:40PM

Khaled said...

@ Steve:

Technically, they tied for their conference with OU & TTU. Texas already beat Mizzou (representing Big 12 North) & OU (Representing Big 12 South) in the Big 12 championship.

1-06-2009 @ 1:58AM

Michael said...

I really do hope that Coaches Brown, Carroll, and Whiitingham each vote for their own teams as number one on their final ballots. From what I understand, they are compelled to vote for the Florida/Oklahoma game winner. I actually hope more coaches than them decide to vote for someone other than the BCS title game winner though, just to show that even they could care less about this broken system. Another perfect example of American ingenuity, if it's broken, why fix it if it's still making money. I think I remember our auto executives having this same philosophy not too long ago.

1-06-2009 @ 2:28AM

steve said...

How in the world could you be against a college football playoff?

1-06-2009 @ 3:27AM

Jim said...

College needs a playoff system,,,,,,How can you put the sooners in a title game ,,,and Florida who somehow jumped Texas in the bcs rankings....its a joke,,,,,Utah's win over Bama just goes to show We need a playoff system,,,,,,,,,,,,BigTime

1-06-2009 @ 3:52AM

dc said...

Texas would be an underdog against USC, but get SC away from their beloved Rose Bowl, and I'd take Texas (USC was favored in '06, too)...and Utah? Please.

1-06-2009 @ 3:55AM

Texas had no interest in this bowl and could've pulled an alabama, but they sucked it up when it mattered, as great teams do, and won. They put up 500 yards of offense on the vaunted Ohio State D, even lost the turnover battle, and STILL came out with the win. In other words, the stars lined up for OSU, but the better team flexed, and that was the end of it.

1-06-2009 @ 4:16AM

That's not a smart thing to do, Joe Paterno did a similar thing in 2004 where he voted 13-0 Auburn #1 even though USC won the championship game. He hasn't had a vote this season, and that could have hurt PSU this year had they been closer to the title chase. How will Brown explain it if Texas falls a vote short some time in the future, and it's his vote that could have made the difference?

1-06-2009 @ 7:10AM

D Wilson said...

Winner of Fla-OK should split the title with Texas, Texas beat OKlahoma, and Florida used its victory over Alabama to jump Texas in the polls but with Bama losing that takes away the luster of that victory. And to Utah you had a great season but your schedule is way to weak to be national champs

1-06-2009 @ 7:36AM

Florida lost to Ole Miss by 1 point. Ole Miss drubbed Texas Tech. Guess who Texas Tech beat? you got it ...Texas. Texas did not even win their conference. Texas has no chance of being #1 this year.

1-06-2009 @ 10:23AM

DP said...

USC has a claim, but so do Utah and Texas. Y'all seem to be forgetting that OSU played at USC (does USC even leave CA for a game?!?!?). Terrelle Pryor started his first game and Beanie Wells was out. Plus it was early in the season and OSU did not have a month to prepare like they did against Texas. So all you USC-lovers drunk on Kool-Aid need to sober up. You lost at HOME to Oregon St...who coincidentally stunk it up against Pitt - they didn't even score against Pitt for crying out loud. So I guess that means Pitt would beat USC right?!?!

At least Texas' loss was on the ROAD on the VERY LAST PLAY.

Give me USC and Texas on a NEUTRAL field - OUTSIDE the state of CA. Heck throw in Utah and the winner of Florida/OU. Oh wait, that would mean a playoff and we can't have that.

We'll never have a playoff because the NCAA gets attention on college football ALL YEAR LONG with everyone discussing what could have been, what should have been, etc. The media, the internet, etc talk about college football ALL YEAR LONG.....which puts the spotlight on college football. If you have a playoff the discussion ends when the final game is over. Period. Think fast.....who won the college basketball tourney last year??? Took you a minute to remember didn't it?? If college football goes that route the same thing happens.....who won last year?!?! The BCS keeps the spotlight on football ALL YEAR LONG. Case closed.....no playoff.