What Happens to the BCS if Georgia Beats LSU?

by Mo Johnson
(Virginia )

OK, here's the question:

Who gets what BCS Bowl bids if Georgia beats LSU in the SEC Championship game but LSU and Alabama remain ranked #1 and #2 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS)?

Before I get to the answer, here are the conflicts. First,the BCS has a rule that only a maximum of two teams per BCS conference can get BCS Bowl bids. So, this is one problem with the above scenario. Second,the BCS has another rule that says the Champion of each BCS conference is an automatic qualifer. Third, another BCS rule, indeed the whole point of the BCS system -- is to match up the top two ranked BCS teams against each other.

So, you see the quandry. You can't abide by all those rules if Georgia wins. Something has to give.

Well, believe it or not, the BCS thought of this very scenario years ago.

The rule is that:

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.

So, what this means is that if UGA wins and LSU and Alabama remain ranked 1 and 2 -- they will still play each other in the BCS Championship Game and Georgia will get a BCS bid to the Sugar Bowl (SEC Champ tie-in there).

It would be the first time three schools from the same conference got BCS bids and, of course, a financial windfall for the SEC.

It would also make a mockery of the BCS and give undefeated Houston much to legitimately gripe about.

In short it could spell the beginning of the end for the BCS. So, GO DOGS!!