Kick Six may have done more than to end Alabama's BCS title plans. It may have blocked the SEC. Photo: USA Today Sports
Before the season started one of the questions that many had asked was whether or not there was anyone that could stand in the way of the SEC winning yet another BCS championship. The answer that seemed most popular was yes, but it might be the SEC itself. After Kick Six yesterday turned in the wildest Iron Bowl finish in the history of the series, and perhaps in college football history given the implications riding on the play, it seems as though the SEC has successfully blocked itself from laying claim to one more crystal ball in the BCS era.
The Ohio State football players knew exactly what was unfolding as they watching the final moments of Auburn's SEC West clinching victory. With Alabama likely to fall in to the rear view mirror, Ohio State is now one win away from playing for a BCS Championship against Florida State. There is still work to be done for the Buckeyes of course. Getting by Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game will be no easy task.
Auburn trailed Ohio State by one or two spots in four out of six computer rankings used by the BCS formula. Auburn trailed Ohio State by just one spot in the computer average. How the computers adjust the outlook on Auburn after defeating Alabama could be crucial for the BCS standings, because it may not take much to give the Tigers a push for one of the final two spots in the standings, especially of the human polls struggle to place a sizable gap between two and three in the rankings.
The arguments are already brewing for a one-loss SEC champion having a spot in the BCS Championship game reserved for Auburn or Missouri, but should either receive a spot before an undefeated Florida State or Ohio State? No, they should not.
The SEC has successfully blocked its path to another BCS Championship. The only way the path back to Pasadena opens up for a BCS shot is if Florida State or Ohio State lose in their respective conference championship games. That is going to mean whoever wins the SEC Championship Game will have to wait and hope the Seminoles or Buckeyes lose hours after wrapping up the SEC Championship next Saturday. Florida State should have little problem with Duke in the ACC Championship Game, so forget about that one. Ohio State may have a battle with Michigan State, but the Buckeyes should have more than enough in the arsenal to turn aside the Spartans.
Auburn may have given us college football's best finish in 2013, but they also may have given us an end to the SEC's BCS championship streak as well.
Kevin McGuire is the managing editor of Crystal Ball Run. Follow McGuire on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
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