Gary Danielson of CBS thinks Alabama is the best team in the country. Well, of course he does. That's not really news. Danielson also called Notre Dame the worst of the top four undefeated teams (Alabama, Oregon, Kansas State, Notre Dame). That's not really news either. But it was another quote in an interview with USA Today that has ruffled some feathers: Danielson claiming that a one-loss Alabama team should potentially get the nod in the BCS Championship Game over an undefeated team.
"You'd have to put them in the discussion, because they've earned it given what the conference has accomplished."
So hear me out here. In Gary Danielson's world, he thinks that a one loss Alabama team that either A) loses to LSU and doesn't play in the SEC Championship game, B) beats LSU and loses the SEC Championship game, or C) loses to LSU but wins the SEC Championship game is worth considering for the BCS Championship game over an undefeated Pac-12 champion Oregon team, an undefeated Big 12 champion Kansas State team, or an undefeated Notre Dame team.
Alabama is a great team, and I fully expect them to run the table and play in the BCS title game. But if they lose, they shouldn't play in the national title game if two of Oregon, Kansas State, and Notre Dame run the table. Alabama has two wins over ranked teams this year: the season opener with Michgan (who has been proven to be a mediocre team in a weak conference), and a blowout over Mississippi State (with such a weak schedule that it's covered in frosting) in Tuscaloosa last weekend.
Kansas State has already won in Norman and Morgantown, and will need to beat ranked Oklahoma State and Texas teams to run the table. They also have a solid out of conference win against Miami, who is leading the ACC Coastal division. Oregon ravaged a good (and ranked) Arizona team, beat a ranked Washington team, and will need to win at USC and against ranked Stanford and Oregon State teams in back to back weeks before heading to the Pac-12 championship game against either USC (again) or UCLA. Then, there's the Irish, who have wins over Michigan, Miami, Stanford, and Oklahoma, and have a showdown with USC to end the season. In other words, Notre Dame's best four wins are essentially equal to four of the best wins from the other three undefeated teams.
So while Danielson has a great point in putting an unbeaten Crimson Tide team at the top of the heap, it would be downright silly if a one-loss Alabama team made the national championship game over an undefeated team that won its conference title and had much better wins than the Tide. But what else would you expect from the SEC on CBS analyst and someone who has developed a reputation as one of the biggest homers in college sports? Danielson's SEC bias is almost reaching Hawk Harrelson territory with the White Sox.
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