Steve Muench

  (2:03 PM)

I hope everyone is doing well and it's nice to see Otto is still with us.

Otto (CA)

Do you think Rey Maualuga can fit in next to Patrick Willis?

Steve Muench

  (2:05 PM)

I think they have greater needs like quarterback so it's unlikely it happens. But I think that that pairing would in a 3-4 scheme would be excellent.

Lance: (Washington, DC):

Do you think every school in the country should just drop football altogether and just let the SEC Championship game serve as the National Championship game. There is your playoff system right there...the SEC regular season division champs in one game for it all. SEC!SEC!SEC!

Steve Muench

  (2:07 PM)

Look I think that Florida is a deserving champion but it's not like the Gators blew the Sooners out. A few plays go the other way and it's a very different game so the answer to your question is no.

Clint (SLC)

I am a Utah fan so biased, but do you think the rankings should reflect accomplishment on the field only or that combined with an arbitrary view on talent levels as well? Utah is obviously not as talented as Florida, but they had a better season.

Steve Muench

  (2:10 PM)

It's what happens on the field to me. I mean why play the game if it's about who the better team overall is compared to who the better team is that day? Now I don't know if Utah would have beat either Oklahoma or Florida but they earned a chance to play for a championship in my opinion.

Steve Muench

  (2:11 PM)

I think I need to be clearer here so I also want to say that USC, Texas and Penn State also have legitimate reasons to complain so the only real solution to this problem is a playoff system.

Jeff (LA)

Steve, what do you think has to happen for a non-BCS conference team to win a national title? This isn't a debate against Florida either, I think Florida is the deserving champ this year. However, if Utah can't get to #1 in the AP with their schedule, is it possible for any non-BCS conference team? They ended up beating #6 Alabama, #7 TCU, #15 Oregon State and #25 BYU. They scheduled Michigan and Oregon State in the non-conference, though Michigan turned out to be a dud. Basically, what does a Boise State or Utah need to do scheduling wise to earn a shot?

Steve Muench

  (2:15 PM)

Great point about the strength of schedule. I think a lot of people just assumed Utah played a soft schedule. That's just not the case. As a far as your first question goes, the answer is keep winning and start making you non-conference schedule tougher, which takes time. Teams like Utah have to prove they can win consistently against anyone and make it a public relations nightmare to not give them a chance.

Nick (FL)

Does Sam Bradford have enough arm strength to succeed in the NFL? He has great accuracy, but he passes lack oomph. Your thoughts?

Steve Muench

  (2:18 PM)

Remember when all the NFL pundits though Tom Brady couldn't get the ball more than 20 yards downfield without 50mph winds at his back? Then he grew into his frame and arm got much stronger. Bradford is no Brady at this point but he has the frame and his arm strength is adequate. He's going to mature over the next couple years and I think you will see that arm strength emerge.

J-Nick (NYC)

All this Talk about the Utah, TCU, Boise State etc deserving title shots is crazy. Go through the grind of an SEC schedule and see if your still undefeated at the end of the season annually. Steve do you think these programs would run the table in the SEC? Its easy to take a month to game plan and win 1 game but lets get real.

Steve Muench

  (2:21 PM)

I guess the month comment refers to Alabama but what about all the other ranked teams they've beaten during the regular season? That said, I honestly don't think Utah could run the table in the SEC but I think this Utah team would have been competitive in that conference.

mike (mi)

I think USC And Texas would kill Utah and be great competition against Florida

Steve Muench

  (2:25 PM)

Can't argue with you there. Though Utah beat the Oregon State team USC lost to, the Trojans finished strong. The problem is we are back to talking about earning it versus getting the nod over another team because you are more talented. I mean we are the country that made Rocky and some us still get chills when we hear Al Michaels asking do you believe in miracles right? I love the underdog and upsets. It's what the game is all about to me but I think the BCS has turned it into something different.

Richard Marietta, Georgia

I am perplexed over the idea that Tim Tebow would not be a star quarterback in the NFL. What are the "self-named professionals" basing their beliefs upon?

Steve Muench

  (2:28 PM)

Did you watch the game last night? If you did, think back to his interceptions. The one he threw to Nic Harris he basically telegraphed. The one he threw to Gerald McCoy he basically failed to recognize the zone blitz. He also overthrew Percy Harvin and a play that he got pressured could have gone for size. These are all concerns because Tim Tebow won't be able to run the ball like he does now in the NFL. Guys are too fast and too strong on defense. If you don't believe me take a look at Vince Young.

Steve (Phx Az)

Hey Steve, How about a little less national media bashing of Ohio State and their BCS failures in the last few years and a little more media bashing of Oklahoma and their BCS failures? Oklahoma has now lost 5 BCS games in a row including 3 National Championship games.

Steve Muench

  (2:30 PM)

Oklahoma should get just as much criticsim as Ohio State. No question.

Clay (Charlotte)

Hypothetical: Tebow, Harvin, and Spikes all come back. Gators are preseason number 1, win back-to-back championships and Tebow wins another Heisman. Tebow is now the greatest college football player ever. Right?

Steve Muench

  (2:30 PM)

I think so.

Nate (SC)

Should rankings reflect only the current state of the team... meaning.. the best team at that time... or a cummulative season long effort? These two visions seems to create differing opinions among voters and skew perception of the teams... those along with status, perceived strength of schedule / conference, etc... If we look at the season as a whole, one would argue Utah was best, but best overall at the time... Florida, USC or Texas have an argument...

Steve Muench

  (2:31 PM)

Well put though it's even more complicated than this but I am more of a season than right now guy.

Mike (Beverly, Ma)

I can't help but sigh at all the OU negativity. This team played great against a great team and is called a failure. Also, OU could have easily controlled their game if they came out with points inside of Florida's 10yd line. How did Wilson not call a QB sneak on either play on the one?

Steve Muench

  (2:33 PM)

I think if Oklahoma plays great last night then the Sooners are the Champs today. The goal line stand and pick at the end of the second half are killers.

KB (GR Mi)

This Tebow hype is stupid. He has 0 accuracy. He's an amazing college QB, no question, but to think he would actually be a great starting QB is ridiculous. I like him as a person, but as a player, he just couldn't cut it the NFL level.

Steve Muench

  (2:35 PM)

Interesting because I don't feel as strongly as you do. Do I think he's a first-round pick at quarterback? No but I would consider taking him in the fourth and maybe third round because there is enough upside there.

Blake (Abilene, Texas)

Steve, I think McCoy, Shipley, and Muschamp down there in Austin might have a different opinion about next years preseason number 1.

Steve Muench

  (2:36 PM)

They should.

Aaron (Valparaiso, IN)

Steve is you are a season guy, than Utah should be your #1. What other team won all their games, played two top 10 teams (TCU and Alabama) and play an additional 3 top 25 teams? Wouldn't that be Utah. Shouldn't we put our biases towards certain conferences and teams and reward the team that had "0" losses?

Steve Muench

  (2:38 PM)

Yes I think that Utah should have gotten a shot and I also think Texas should have gone ahead of Oklahoma. But I also don't think you can toss aside the "conference biases." If Utah had lost a game during the regular season, I couldn't justify putting it ahead of Texas, Oklahoma or to be honest Texas Tech. AND AGAIN this is why we need a playoff.

Sam: (Nashville, TN)

Muench, don't you agree that if both OU and FL played great last night that FL would still be champion?

Steve Muench

  (2:40 PM)

You are right to say that Florida didn't have its best game either. To be honest, I picked Florida but I would have liked to have seen both teams play better so we wouldn't have to debate it.

Jennifer (Raleigh, NC)

Further, someone remind KB that whether or not Tebow would be a star in the NFL is IRRELEVANT. We are talking about a college player in a college game -- potentially one of the BEST college players of all time. It is ridiculous that people keep trying to evaluate Tebow's college career based on how they think he would perform in the NFL.

Steve Muench

  (2:43 PM)

In fairness to KB, he called Tebow an "amazing college quarterback" and this is a draft and college football chat so I want people to talk about his future in the NFL.

Blake (Abilene, Texas)

Steve, Every one screaming for a play-off is like everyone screaming about fixing the ecconomy. We know it needs to be fixed but how do you do it. If BCS confrence champs in an 8 team play-off get automatic bids than that would have left 2 at large bids to go to either. Utah, Texas, Alabama, Boise St. Does that fix the problem?

Steve Muench

  (2:45 PM)

Here's the bigger problem Blake economics. In my opinion and you can take it or leave we will see a playoff system when the NCAA can make more money of it than it does of the current system.

Barry (New Jersey)

Was it me or did the flow of the game get messed up by the ref's early along with a bunch of time outs, and injuries?

Steve Muench

  (2:48 PM)

Another great point. I though the game was really choppy as well. That hurt the high-tempo Sooners offense I think but I have to say that Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong had another fantastic gameplan.

Bob, Denver

So, Mack Brown, Kyle Whittingham, and Pete Carrol all claimed their team was number one, but in the coaches poll, only Whittingham broke ranks and voted against was he was supposed to do. Surpring the others didn't?

Steve Muench

  (2:50 PM)

No and I mean no offense to Whittingham who should be commended for his honesty but I would always vote my team no. 1 in those situations. Why? You are fighting for your players. The young men who have done all you have asked them to do.

Alex, Ann Arbor, MI

Barry, "the flow of the game"??? Knock it off already, Oklahoma lost for the 5th time in 5 BCS Bowl games. The flow has nothing to do with their "vaunted" offenses getting shut down every time they face a great defense (LSU 2003, USC 2004, Florida 2008). The excuses for the Sooners are getting old.

Steve Muench

  (2:52 PM)

The first of many anti-Oklahoma rants and there are some tough points to argue here.

Joe (Utah)

Steve: Thanks for you time this afternoon. I have three quick questions. First, if Utah were in a BCS conference (or if this was ND) they would be NC (true/false). Second, fans of BCS conferences are duluding themselves when they make statements such as "The SEC/Big 12/Big 10/etc is the best conference." Seriously, how can they make this claim when their teams (PAC 10 excluded) schedule 7 home games... and fill the non-conference schedule with powder-puffs (FCS, Sun Belt, MAC, or C-USA teams). LSU has been NC twice in the last decade. But their non-conference BCS record is around .35% (pathetic) The MWC at least tries to schedule tough out-of-conference games, and the MWC went 8-2 against the PAC-10 and SEC this year. Third, how can everyone still doubt the Utes? After all, no one gave them a chance against AL, and Utah stomped them in whatSteve: Thanks for you time this afternoon. I have three quick questions. First, if Utah were in a BCS conference (or if this was ND) they would be NC (true/false). Second, fans of BCS conferences are deluding themselves when they make statements such as "The SEC/Big 12/Big 10/etc is the best conference." Seriously, how can they make this claim when their teams (PAC 10 excluded) schedule 7 home games... and fill the non-conference schedule with powder-puffs (FCS, Sun Belt, MAC, or C-USA teams). LSU has been NC twice in the last decade. But their non-conference BCS record is around .35% (pathetic!). The MWC at least tries to schedule tough out-of-conference games, and the MWC went 8-2 against the PAC-10 and SEC this year. Third, how can everyone still doubt the Utes? After all, no one gave them a chance against AL, and Utah stomped them in what

Steve Muench

  (2:56 PM)

Somehow my last post got erased so give me a second

Steve Muench

  (2:57 PM)

Utah is for real so no doubters here but they would have to had to win the national championship once they got there so we can't say they would have been the national champs.

Steve Muench

  (2:58 PM)

You can't ignore strength of schedule/conference under the current system either.

dave (nj)

i say give the utes a chance and see if they give the floridas and the uscs and the other bcs teams a run for their money and see how they stack up

Steve Muench

  (2:59 PM)

This is the whole point. Give them a chance and I love the attorney general throwing around anti-trust laws. I feel like the Utes are the bad news bears playing in the Astrodome. Let them play!

J.B. (Dunmore, PA)

I think we need to approach this from another way. If Utah were in the SEC, could they recruit with the likes of Florida, Alabama, LSU, etc. for players? That's the real question, isn't it?

Steve Muench

  (3:02 PM)

Which came first the chicken or the egg? Any up and coming team is going to have a tough time recruiting against established powerhouses like Florida, Alabama and LSU but the more they win the better they get. So the answer is obviously no but that could change.

Pete Zah (Colorado)

I bet if Utah were to play USC or Florida they would get beat. They deserve a 3 or a 4 ranking. not a 2.

Steve Muench

  (3:03 PM)

Don't say they deserve a 3 or ranking without justifying it. They just beat Alabama by 14. I need the criteria for cracking the top two.

Clint (SLC)

I think this is rapidly becoming a BCS conference vs. Non-BCS conference debate. The overall picture, as you have tried to point out, is that the system is broken and has too much uncertainty. I think the main point of frustration for non-BCS fans is that the reason given for not having a playoff is that the regular season needs to matter. Well, tell that to Boise St. and Utah this year. USC and Texas both have a gripe about being passed over for the national title, but they only have themselves to blame after losing. If Utah, Florida, Texas and USC all played each other, I doubt any team would go undefeated or winless. The point is we wont know until a playoff is in place.

Steve Muench

  (3:04 PM)

Clint if you were giving a presentation right now you could just drop the mike and walk out to thundering applause.

Steve Muench

  (3:05 PM)

That's all for this week. Nothing but draft talk next week and I'm excited so I hope to hear from all of you then.