The Missouri Tigers finished first in the AP poll and second behind West Virginia in the coaches poll, but when the BCS standings were released yesterday evening, the ranking that mattered the most put the Tigers on top, setting up a showdown with Oklahoma for the Big 12 Championship game.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/BCSStandings
Head coach Gary Pinkel released this statement: "Obviously it’s a nice honor for our program, but we’ve got so much to play for and so much preparation to put in for a great Oklahoma team, that we really can’t spend much time thinking about that. Really, the biggest thing with this, is that I hope it is a great point of pride for our fans, for the University, for Columbia and the state of Missouri, and especially for all of the former players who have come through this program over the years. Everyone has had a hand in this, and we’re working really hard to keep it going."
Why the BCS standings are important, is now Missouri controls it’s own destiny. They don’t have to worry about winning the Big 12, then leaving their destination in the hands of human polls and computer rankings at the end of the season. They’re number one, they’re basically holding a place for New Orleans. If they win, they’re in, it’s that simple and that’s the way it should be.
