The 25 Best Teams That Never Made it to the BCS Championship Game

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Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Alabama, Texas
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State (L, 10-17)

When Gary Patterson had his TCU Horned Frogs contending for the national spotlight a few years back, he founded their success on tough, hard-nosed defense, and the play of a talented, young quarterback by the name of Andy Dalton. We all know that Dalton now lights it up in the NFL with A.J. Green and the Cincinnati Bengals, but it's easy to forget that he was the leader of TCU when they were fighting for recognition like every other non-BCS powerhouse out there.

Like Boise State, TCU finished the 2009 regular season undefeated, but was forced out of the BCS National Championship game by the also unbeaten Texas and Alabama. Unfortunately for the Horned Frogs, they came out on the losing of the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State, failing to to recapture the spirit that led them to victory over that same Broncos squad just a year earlier in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Year-end record: 13 - 0
Who made it instead: Ohio State, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma (W, 43-42 OT)

2006 was the coming-out party for the Boise State Broncos, as coach Chris Petersen pushed his team into the national title picture with an undefeated season and a signature victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl. As we all remember, the Broncos capped their win with an unreal Statue of Liberty play that gave them the two-point conversion for the win, and was complemented by running back Ian Johnson's unforgettable proposal to his girlfriend right after punching the ball in the end zone. Fairy tale moment? Without a doubt. Too bad it didn't happen in the BCS title game instead. Though they went undefeated on the season, the Broncos were kept out of the game in favor of a one-loss Florida team.

Year-end record: 14 - 0
Who made it instead: Alabama, Texas
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. TCU (W, 17-10)

Much like the 2004 Utah and the 2006 Boise State team before it, the 2009 BSU Broncos saw their BCS Championship hopes diminished by the weight that larger schools like Alabama and Texas could throw around when it came time to determine who was going to play for the title. Even worse, they were matched up against another small program for the Fiesta Bowl, when they played the also-undefeated TCU Horned Frogs. Essentially, it prevented either team from making a stand against the larger BCS programs, only allowing them to cancel each other out instead.

Year-end record: 12 - 0
Who made it instead: USC, Oklahoma
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Pittsburgh (W, 35-7)

For years, smaller programs like Boise State or Utah were shunned by the BCS, regarded as overmatched by big-time schools like Ohio State or USC or Oklahoma. In 2004, when Urban Meyer and Alex Smith were leading the Utah Utes, this mentality unfortunately kept the Utes out of the National Championship game, and instead relegated them to the Fiesta Bowl where they stomped on the Pittsburgh Panthers. The 2004 Utah team is regarded as the original "BCS Busters" helping to spur small changes for the system by revealing its inability to account for smaller schools and underdogs that deserved a shot at the title.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Alabama, Texas
Bowl attended (result): The Sugar Bowl vs. Florida (L, 24-51)

Brian Kelly's final year at Cincinnati was also his most successful as the coach of the Bearcats, as he took his high-octane offense as far as the BCS would let them go before being pushed aside to the Sugar Bowl. Apparently, that snub was too much for Kelly to bear, as he opted to take the head coaching job at Notre Dame shortly after the regular season ended. In a move that rubbed more than a few players the wrong way, Kelly didn't even stick around to coach the Bearcats for their bowl game, and Cincy was unceremoniously spanked by Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators.

In being left out of the BCS title game, Cincinnati was the first BCS conference team since Auburn's 2004 squad to go undefeated and get left out of the deciding showdown. Was Cincinnati's relatively low-profile compared to Alabama and Texas a reason for this? Likely, yes.

Year-end record: 13 - 0
Who made it instead: USC, Oklahoma
Bowl attended (result): The Sugar Bowl vs. Virginia Tech (W, 16-13)

Just one year after USC was controversially left out of the BCS title game in favor of LSU, the national championship picture was muddled once again when Oklahoma, Auburn, and USC all went undefeated in the regular season. However, higher preseason rankings gave the Sooners and Trojans pole position for the BCS, and Auburn found themselves as the odd men out by season's end. It's a shame too, because—as talented as both USC and Oklahoma were that year—Auburn was absolutely stacked. With the two-pronged attack of Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown leading their rushing attack, and Jason Campbell under center, the Tigers' offensive hydra made head coach Tommy Tuberville look like a genius, and earned him National Coach of the Year honors.

Thanks to the Tigers' victory over the Virginia Tech Hokies in the Sugar Bowl, questions surrounding the national title that year were never fully resolved, leaving us to only dream about what a match-up between the Tigers and Trojans would've looked like.

Year-end record: 10 - 3
Who made it instead: Miami, Nebraska
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Oregon (L, 16-38)

The days of Gary Barnett are long behind the Colorado Buffaloes program—for better and for worse. While the school is no doubt happy to leave the scandals that marred the end of Barnett's tenure, it's more than likely that they miss the success that he brought to the Buffs on a fairly regular basis. Given how few and far between the program's victories have been since Barnett left, it's a shame that they couldn't capitalize on one of the years that they managed to insert themselves in the national title conversation.

Colorado ended up finishing 10-2 that year—worse than the 11-1 record that the Oregon Ducks had—but choosing Nebraska over the Buffaloes just didn't make sense when you consider the fact that Colorado absolutely crushed Nebraska during the regular season finale, and would end up winning the Big 12 title. How Nebraska got in instead is really still a mystery but, hey, so is everything else in the BCS.

Year-end record: 11 - 1
Who made it instead: Miami, Nebraska
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Colorado (W, 38-16)

Even when Chip Kelly wasn't leading the Oregon Ducks, the program was none too shabby as they were led by long-time head coach and Oregon legend, Mike Belotti. Under Belotti, the program won two Pac-10 championships in 2000 and 2001, with the latter squad being a particularly competitive team when it came to the BCS title. Led by Joey Harrington, the team suffered a lone loss to Stanford in the middle of the season, and that would end up being enough to keep them out the championship game. However, much like the Colorado team of that same year, it's unknown how Nebraska ended up being chosen over the Ducks when the Cornhuskers had gotten absolutely walloped by the Buffaloes at the conclusion of the regular season.

It's probable that their was some voter bias or nostalgia for the Tom Osborne-led Nebraska teams of the '90s, but these Cornhuskers were certainly not the same team. They would end up getting smacked by Miami in the championship game that year, leaving a bitter taste in many an Oregon Ducks fan's mouth.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Alabama, LSU
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Stanford (W, 41-38 OT)

Oklahoma State has been a powerful program since Les Miles started leading the program in the early 2000s, and maintained their strength even after his tenure gave way to that of current head coach, Mike Gundy. With their Air Raid offense in place, and Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden as the leaders of the attack, the Cowboys were an absolute juggernaut on the field, rivaling the explosiveness of even Chip Kelly's Oregon squads. However, they were kept out of the BCS Championship game by voters who wanted to see a rematch of the LSU-Alabama game instead, eschewing the Cowboys in favor of the Crimson Tide.

Though Oklahoma State was ranked No. 2 in most of the computer polls, the human element ended up being the deciding factor in keeping the Cowboys out, and allowing Nick Saban to win his third national title.

Year-end record: 11 - 1
Who made it instead: Florida State, Oklahoma
Bowl attended (result): The Sugar Bowl vs. Florida (W, 37-20)

The Miami Hurricanes were once an annual powerhouse, fielding teams that would later become entire NFL starting 11s, with the likes of Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Willis McGahee and more suiting up in the familiar green, orange, and white uniforms once upon a time. Though they won more than enough national titles from the late '80s to the early 2000s, the Canes could've won another one if they hadn't been kept out of the BCS title game in 2000. It was a strange omission considering the fact that Florida State had already lost to Miami that year, but the powers that be apparently decided to throw logic out the window on this one.

Miami's deserved spot in the game was further evidenced when the Seminoles would only manage to put up a measly two points in the defeat they suffered against the Oklahoma Sooners. It's tempting to think that Miami probably could've done at least a couple touchdowns better than that.

Year-end record: 11 - 1
Who made it instead: Florida State, Oklahoma
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl vs. Purdue (W, 34-24)

Though everyone talks about Miami's snub in 2000, it's also crucial to note that the Washington Huskies were just as deserving of a place in the BCS National Championship game that same year, especially given that the Huskies were the only team to beat the Hurricanes that season. Unfortuntely, a tough loss to the Oregon Ducks a few weeks later would end up sinking the Huskies' shot at taking on the Oklahoma Sooners. Led by Marques Tuiasosopo at quarterback, and coached by Rick Neuheisel, Washington would instead go to the Rose Bowl, where they pulled out a W over the Purdue Boilermakers.

However, even the season-end rankings would still manage to snub the Huskies, as they ended the season ranked No. 3 behind—you guessed it—the very same Miami Hurricanes team that they had already beaten.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Ohio State, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Orange Bowl vs. Wake Forest (W, 24-13)

Before Bobby Petrino's ungraceful, and highly-publicized fallouts with both the Atlanta Falcons and the Arkansas Razorbacks, he was considered one of the best college coaches on the block, taking a previously unheralded Louisville team and leading them into the national title picture. With Brian Brohm and Michael Bush on offense, and Elvis Dumervil on defense, the Cardinals ended up winning the Big East in just their second year in the conference. However, their unexpected loss to Greg Schiano's Rutgers team would be enough for Ohio State and Florida to overtake the Cardinals in the BCS formula. Since then, Lousville has remained consistent as a program, but has never been able to sniff success like this.

Year-end record: 11 - 2
Who made it instead: Ohio State, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl (L, 18-32)

Before the Michigan Wolverines were shipped off to Pasadena to face the USC Trojans, there was some serious talk that the Wolverines would face-off against the Ohio State Buckeyes in a rematch of the thrilling rivalry game the two teams had played at season's end. Ranked No. 1 and No. 2 at the time, the Buckeyes and the Wolverines played to a 42-39 finish, with Ohio State coming out on top in the end, and sealing their spot in the title game. As Alabama and LSU would show a few years later, it isn't a completely crazy concept to think that a National Championship game could be a rematch.

But Florida made their case far too compelling for the BCS to ignore when they beat the Arkansas Razorbacks in the SEC Championship game, later going on to crush the Buckeyes, and essentially put any title controversy to rest.

Year-end record: 11 - 1
Who made it instead: Tennessee, Florida State
Bowl attended (result): The Sugar Bowl vs. Texas A&M (W, 24-14)

In 1998, before the Big Ten had expanded and offered a conference championship game, it was possible for certain scheduling mishaps and title confusion if two teams happened to have the same record but hadn't played each other throughout the season. This exact scenario occurred during the '98 season between Wisconsin and Ohio State, when the Buckeyes were led by John Cooper. Ohio State's lone loss came against the Nick Saban-led Michigan State Spartans, but would be enough to end the Buckeyes' title hopes, as their tie with Wisconsin effectively negated both teams from competing in the title game.

Instead, the Florida State Seminoles would go on to face the Tennessee Volunteers in the BCS Championship game, with the Vols coming out on top 23-16. Could the Buckeyes led by David Boston, Antoine Winfield, Andy Katzenmoyer, and Joe Montgomery have fared better? Unfortunately, we'll never know.

Year-end record: 11 - 2
Who made it instead: Oklahoma, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Cotton Bowl vs. Ole Miss (L, 34-47)

Back before Mike Leach was cast aside by the Texas Tech administration, he led a fast-paced, prolific attack led by quarterback Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree. Though Crabtree hasn't had the NFL career that many expected, he was an absolute monster with the Red Raiders, winning the Biletnikoff award during both his freshman and sophomore years before he bolted for the NFL in the 2009 Draft. He was a key cog in the Texas Tech spread attack, and would help the Red Raiders nearly make it to the National Championship game that year before they were snubbed in favor of the Oklahoma Sooners. Having finished in a three-way tie with the Sooners and the Texas Longhorns for the Big 12 South title, BCS standings were used to determine the division representative, leaving the Red Raiders and Longhorns out in the cold.

Unfortunately for the Red Raiders, they have yet to approach those heights again. Leach was controversially dismissed in 2009 following allegations of player abuse, and the program has yet to find its footing since.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Oklahoma, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Ohio State (W, 24-21)

Mack Brown has a lot to hang his hat on from his long, storied tenure as the UT head football coach, but you can be sure that he'd love to have 2008 back, when a loss to Mike Leach's Texas Tech Red Raiders kept the Longhorns out of the National Championship game in favor of Oklahoma. This was, of course, despite the fact that Texas had already beaten the Sooners that season. What more can you say? The Longhorns got absolutely jobbed. Thankfully, they'd make up for it the next season when they went on to appear in the BCS title game against Alabama, but it's certain that the Longhorns feel like they deserved two title shots during that span instead of one.

Year-end record: 11 - 1
Who made it instead: Tennessee, Florida State
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl vs. UCLA (W, 38-31)

Ron Dayne was one of the most powerful running backs that college football has ever seen, combining a rare mix of size and speed to bullrush his way to the all-time NCAA career rushing yards record. During his junior year campaign—the year before he won the 1999 Heisman—Dayne ran wild over the Big Ten, carving his way through most of the conference to lead the Badgers to a Big Ten co-championship. Unfortunately, because they hadn't been scheduled against the Buckeyes that year, the Badgers couldn't earn an outright championship, and had to watch as Florida State took their spot in the BCS title game instead.

Year-end record: 11 - 2
Who made it instead: LSU, Ohio State
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl vs. Illinois (W, 49-17)

Even when USC wasn't at their absolute best, you could still make the case that the Trojans deserved a spot in the BCS Championship game, as the LSU Tigers became the first two loss team to play for a title, while the Trojans had to instead settle for the Rose Bowl. Though they'd earn an easy victory against Penn State, you know that Pete Carroll hated the fact that he had to swallow a snub like that. Led by John David Booty and Mark Sanchez that season, USC proved that, even when they didn't have a surefire starter like Matt Leinart leading the way, they could still contend for a national title.

If anything, as the Lane Kiffin era proved, it was more about Pete Carroll than anyone else. But, though he would come close, Carroll would never win another national title after Leinart and Bush left. There's little doubt though, that, if he had been given a chance like LSU, Carroll and his Trojans would've probably laid a similar beatdown on Ohio State.

Year-end record: 11 - 3
Who made it instead: LSU, Ohio State
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. West Virginia (L, 28-48)

Bob Stoops has made Oklahoma one of the strongest programs in all of college football since he took over all the way back in 1999, leading the team to a national title in 2000, and keeping them in championship contention for numerous years since. In 2007, when the opponent to play Ohio State for the BCS title was up-for-grabs, Stoops and his Sooners had as good of a case as any to find themselves in the title game, but were instead placed in the Fiesta Bowl to face-off against Rich Rodriguez and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Led by Heisman winning quarterback Sam Bradford and running back DeMarco Murray on offense, the Sooners' claim to the title was certainly fair but unfortunately ignored. However, as their lopsided loss in the Fiesta Bowl would prove, they weren't as deserving of a shot as West Virginia.

Year-end record: 11 - 2
Who made it instead: LSU, Ohio State
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Oklahoma (W, 48-28)

Before his ignominious stint with the Michigan Wolverines, Rich Rodriguez was the architect of one of the best offenses in all of college football, anchored by quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton. The Mountaineers certainly had a shot for the title game in 2007, as they were ranked No. 2 in the country going into the final week of the regular season, but an upset by their rival Pitt in the 100th edition of "The Backyard Brawl" would end up destroying the Mountaineers' BCS dreams.

Though they'd finish the season strong with a big victory over the Oklahoma Sooners, it certainly hurt Rodriguez that his squad wasn't able to contend for the title, enough so that he left for Michigan before even coaching West Virginia to their Fiesta Bowl win.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Oklahoma, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Poinsettia Bowl vs. TCU (L, 16-17)

Time and time again, Boise State has found themselves as the little guy looking in, swept under the rug by the BCS and its B.S. formulas and bias. Much like in 2006, when the undefeated Broncos were placed in the Fiesta Bowl, 2008 saw them pushed aside in favor of a larger program, as Oklahoma was given the shot at taking down Florida instead of the Broncos. Even worse than 2006, though, Boise State was put in the lowly Poinsettia Bowl instead of a BCS competition where they belonged. What more could Boise State have done to prove themselves? They were undefeated, and they had shown the critics that they could contend with the big programs when they beat the Sooners back in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

Along with the fact that unbeaten Utah was also shut out of the title game, 2008 proved that BCS conference bias is a serious problem, and prevents a true champion from being found in the season. For years, the Broncos were robbed of a shot that they always should've been given.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Oklahoma, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl vs. Penn State (W, 38-24)

Sure, things got a little shady with the Pete Carroll dynasties over at USC, but you cannot deny that they also produced some crazy results. Along with tying up some BCS trophies, USC put itself in position to make the National Championship game for a number of years, unfortunately managing to fall just short in a number of different seasons. In 2008, this exact scenario occurred, as the Trojans were left out of the title showdown in favor of the Florida Gators. 2008 was an absolutely bonkers year for the BCS, with as many as seven different teams having a legitimate claim to being included in the title game.

However, the Trojans were one of the unlucky few that were left out and, after one more season, that would end up being it for Pete Carroll's college career, as the NFL came calling in form of the Seattle Seahawks. Given what has transpired since, it's safe to say that the switch has worked out pretty well for him. 

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: Alabama, Notre Dame
Bowl attended (result): The Fiesta Bowl vs. Kansas State (W, 35-17)

It's a shame that Chip Kelly was never able to lead his Oregon Ducks to a National Championship win, despite the fact that his squads were regularly some of the fastest, flashiest and highest-scoring, year in and year out. Though Kelly nearly earned one in 2011 against the Auburn Tigers, he and the Ducks fell just short, and that appearance would end up being their only shot at college football's ultimate trophy. However, you can certainly make the argument that the 2012 team should've had a chance as well, particularly when you consider the fact that Alabama (who ended up winning the title that year) had one loss at the end of the regular season as well.

However, as with most every year, wins and losses are all about timing, and Oregon's late-season defeat against Stanford ended up allowing Bama to slip by the Ducks, and into their second straight BCS title. 

Year-end record: 13 - 0
Who made it instead: Oklahoma, Florida
Bowl attended (result): The Sugar Bowl vs. Alabama (W, 31-17)

After Urban Meyer left Utah to go coach the Florida Gators, many were wondering if Kyle Whittingham would be able to continue the success that the Utes had seen under Meyer, particularly when he led the 2004 team to a perfect record. You could make the case that Whittingham did Meyer one better when he took his 2008 team to a Sugar Bowl victory over Alabama, after the Utes had once again been denied access to the National Championship game. However, it has to sting for the Utes that they were left out in favor of Meyer's Gators team, despite the fact that Florida had already lost a game that season, and Utah had dropped none. That's what they call adding insult to injury.

Year-end record: 12 - 1
Who made it instead: LSU, Oklahoma
Bowl attended (result): The Rose Bowl vs. Michigan (W, 28-14)

Out of any BCS controversy that has arisen in the system's history, the 2003 USC Trojans squad makes the case for being the biggest snub. No one was perfect that year, but you can definitely make the argument that Oklahoma was the worst 12-1 squad between USC, LSU, and themselves. The Sooners—though ranked No. 1 for most of the season—were absolutely embarrassed by Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship game by a score of 35-7. However, despite closing their season out on such a sour note, Oklahoma was still invited to play LSU in the Championship game, leaving USC left out and altogether confused. Yes, USC had lost to an unranked Cal team in triple OT earlier that year, but for Oklahoma to receive no penalty for losing so late in the season and by such a large margin is absolutely ridiculous. And when you factor in that this Trojans team was led by Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, it seems even crazier to think that USC couldn't have put up a good fight against LSU.

The voters seemed to think so too, though, when—after USC defeated the Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl that year—the Trojans were ranked as the No. 1 team in the country by the AP polls at season's end.