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M BEHIND THE DESK BY BARRY ALVAREZ // UW DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Some thoughts on season's first BCS standings 16 y first impression of the BCS rankings was that no one has slowed Oregon down yet ― let alone stopped them ― and they can't even hold on to the No. 2 spot behind Alabama. But Florida State certainly deserves being ranked there. That win at Clemson was impressive. Are you kidding me? Everybody feels like Clemson is a good team, too. Clemson got a good win right out of the chute against a healthy Georgia team, and for Florida State to put it on them like they did, and for a redshirt freshman quarterback to play like he did … That's what struck me, along with the fact that we weren't in the Top 25. I can't believe that. We were rated in the coaches poll, but it seemed like they were reluctant to rate us. That surprised me, too. It tells me some coaches didn't watch the end of the Arizona State game or care what happened in the game. We then lost to an unbeaten Ohio State team at their place, at night. We made mistakes but we still had a chance to win in Columbus against a team that has now won 19 straight under Urban Meyer. To tell me that we're not in the Top 25 of the BCS is startling. That's as tough of an environment as there is in college football and I just wonder how much that was taken into consideration; probably not at all by the computers that just look at wins and losses. When the BCS rankings came out, you do find yourself thinking a // VARSITY October 24, 2013 little differently because you realize you're going to have this responsibility next year with the College Football Playoff committee. With all of the upsets last week, you also realize how thorough we're going to have to be in taking a look at everything when it comes down to selecting a final four. The onus will be on us. I think it will be fun, I really do. I look forward to working with the group. I know the majority of the people and I have respect for all of them. It will be fun breaking everything down. I was at Notre Dame last Friday for the 25th reunion of our national championship team and athletic director Jack Swarbrick thanked me for volunteering for the committee and accepting. I've had a lot of calls, emails and texts from friends and other people congratulating me. I've also gotten questions about the recusing process. It's going to have to be detailed before we get into it as far as how close to a specific institution a person is before they're recused. Being an alum, does that recuse you? Having coached there or worked there as an administrator, does that recuse you? Having a son that played there, does that recuse you? There are a number of things that have to be discussed. That's the thing about next year's committee ― we can sit around a table and discuss those things that computers can't measure. Who programs them? What are the criteria? How do they come up with these numbers? We'll have the human element and, if I were a coach, I would feel more comfortable with that. We're halfway through the season and there's a lot of football to be played. A week ago, people were talking about Louisville running the table and getting into a BCS bowl. Upsets are going to happen. All we can do ― and Gary has taken this approach ― is keep trying to improve and get better. At the end of the regular season, let's post a score and see where we're at.