Fairness Absent in This System

Faced with the notion that this town's national-title worthy football team might not even get invited to the dadgum game, everyone's angry, but at the wrong three letters.

The problem is not with the BCS.

The problem is with USC.

The Trojans should stop scoring -- it was passed in the rankings Monday by a team whose offense has not scored a touchdown in three games.

The Trojans should stop winning blowouts -- it was passed by a team that beat Penn State, San Diego State and Bowling Green by a combined average of less than four points.

The Trojans should stop playing a balanced schedule -- it was passed by a team that has played only three of 11 games on the road, and lost one of them.

That team is Ohio State. At the risk of being punched by the ghost of Woody Hayes, if the one-loss Buckeyes make it to the national-championship game ahead of the one-loss Trojans, then their famous band should dot that "i" with an asterisk.

But that is the scenario painted by the BCS when it jumped Ohio State into second place ahead of USC on Monday because of ... why exactly?

Oh yeah. Over the weekend, the Buckeyes scored no touchdowns on offense while USC scored 45 points. And the Buckeyes won a lucky home game while USC pitched a shutout on the road.

Of course.

As part of the equation, the New York Times computer took one look at the Arizona victory and dropped them two spots, behind two teams with at least two losses each. And you thought Jayson Blair left the paper.

Nellie, whoa, college football has once again lost its mind.

If USC wins its remaining two games and does not play for the national title, it will be the third time in six seasons that the BCS has spammed it.

Two seasons ago, Oregon should have played Miami in the Rose Bowl, but was supplanted by Nebraska, which was blown out by 23 points.

Three seasons ago, Miami should have played Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl, but was aced out by Florida State, which scored all of two points in the loss.

The same thing would happen here if Ohio State were allowed to proceed to New Orleans.

Oklahoma will beat the Buckeyes until they are maize and blue.

The best matchup is with USC. The fairest matchup is with USC. The most-watched matchup would be with USC.

The polls, of course, have already voted for that matchup, ranking USC second behind Oklahoma by every conceivable vote.

Bring back the humans!