Auburn AD Jay Jacobs says one-loss SEC team deserves BCS title shot
AUBURN, Ala. — And now the campaigning begins.
Moments after a 34-28 victory against No. 1 Alabama on Saturday night, Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs told Paste BN Sports he did not see a scenario in which the Tigers get left out of the BCS National Championship Game if they win the Southeastern Conference title next Saturday in Atlanta.
The only problem? Auburn has one loss — at LSU on Sept. 21 — while both Florida State and Ohio State are undefeated. If both teams win their respective conference championship games, voters would have to break precedent and jump the Tigers over an unbeaten team.
"An SEC team can't get left out of the (championship game) with one loss," Jacobs said. "We just beat the No. 1 team in the nation, and a team ahead of us struggled today, I understand," (referring to Ohio State's 42-41 victory at Michigan).
"And a one-loss SEC team that wins in Atlanta — if it's us or Missouri — you can't get left out of the BCS after you beat the No. 1 team. We have a better argument because we beat the No. 1 team."
In 2004, Auburn was one of three unbeaten teams, but got squeezed out of the BCS title game when Southern California and Oklahoma finished 1-2. The SEC has won seven consecutive BCS national titles.
"It's already happened in 2004, and it would be a disservice to the nation if we got left out," Jacobs said.