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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Auburn-Florida State usher out BCS era

Ralph D. Russo Associated Press

As college football prepares for the final Bowl Championship Series, featuring a Florida State-Auburn championship game, it’s easy to see why the coming four-team playoff won’t solve all the postseason problems.

Heck, we might just miss the BCS. Maybe?

It sort of worked out this season. Top-ranked Florida State (13-0) was the only team to get through the regular season unbeaten, and the Seminoles did it in dominating fashion. Auburn (12-1) won the Southeastern Conference, and among the teams with imperfect records the Tigers’ résumé is best.

“We all complain about the BCS, but isn’t it funny how often they get it right,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said.

The pairings became official Sunday night when the final BCS standings came out. There was no question about 1 and 2. It’ll be the ’Noles and Tigers at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 6 for the national championship.

In the other marquee bowls:

• Alabama will play Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

• Clemson will play Ohio State in the Orange Bowl.

• Michigan State will play Stanford in the Rose Bowl.

• Baylor will play UCF in the Fiesta Bowl.

Of course, Big 12 champion Baylor (11-1) and Big Ten champion Michigan State (12-1) might argue with that top two. But over 16 seasons college football fans have built up what can be called BCS acceptance, learning to live with the fact that there is only room for two.

Fans of particularly aggrieved teams (2000 Miami, 2004 Auburn, 2008 Texas, just to name a few) still burn over the slights. Generally, though, by the time the championship game kicked off, most everybody was on board. And only eight times before the BCS did No. 1 play No. 2 in a bowl game.

Now think about this season playing out under next season’s format. In the new world order known as the College Football Playoff, a selection committee will pick four teams to play in national semifinals. The winners play for the championship.

So how would a panel that includes Tom Osborne, Archie Manning and Condoleezza Rice sort out this season’s top four?

Florida State and Auburn, of course. And … Baylor and Michigan State? But what about Pac-12 champion Stanford (11-2)? Sure, the Cardinal have two losses, but among this season’s best teams, Stanford played the toughest schedule.

And then there is two-time defending champion Alabama (11-1).

Auburn completed its worst-to-first run with a 59-42 victory in the Southeastern Conference championship game against Missouri. “This time last year, we were home, hanging out watching other guys play ball,” running back Tre Mason said. “That’s not really what you want to be doing.”

That left Auburn to try to extend the SEC’s BCS championship game winning streak to eight games against the school that played for the first three BCS titles under Bobby Bowden.

 Harris           USA Today Computer    BCS Prev.
1. Fla. St. (13-0)12617.9970115501.00001.990.99571
2. Auburn (12-1)22527.962721486.95872.970.96383
3. Alabama (11-1)32405.916231414.9123t3.890.90614
4. Mich. St. (12-1)42242.854141342.86585.860.860010
5. Stanford (11-2)52102.800871188.7665t3.890.81917
6. Baylor (11-1)62058.784051275.82269.710.77229
7. Ohio St. (12-1)72048.780261211.78137.750.77052
8. Missouri (11-2)91850.704891088.70196.770.72565
9. S. Carol. (10-2)81866.710981108.71488.720.71528
10. Oregon (10-2)121499.571012887.572310.600.581112
11. Okla. (10-2)101517.577910913.589012.560.575617
12. Clem. (10-2)111512.576011899.580013.510.555313
13. Okla. St. (10-2)131430.544813845.545214.480.52336
14. Ariz. St. (10-3)17909.346317602.388411.590.441611
15. UCF (11-1)151098.418315658.424515.460.434316
16. LSU (9-3)141267.482714719.463917.350.432215
17. UCLA (9-3)18907.345518520.335516.430.370318
18. Louisville (11-1)161091.415616611.394223.150.319919
19. Wisc. (9-3)19673.256419408.263220.190.236521
20. Fres. St. (11-1)20579.220620344.221926.060.167523
21. Tex.A&M (8-4)21471.179421247.159421.160.166324
22. Georgia (8-4)23318.121124135.087118.270.159422
23. N. Ill. (12-1)22408.155423149.096119.220.157214
24. Duke (10-3)24291.110921247.159425.070.113420
25. USC(9-4)2753.02022833.021321.160.0672NR