Big Sky is the limit for UCLA

Unbuckling the mailbag:

Question: Where is the petition to send UCLA to the Big Sky North Division?

Rob Pfingsthorn

Los Angeles

Answer: I think that petition became Proposition 60-13 and is on the ballot in next month’s California elections. The Big Sky doesn’t have divisions, but if it ever did, and UCLA downgraded to 1-AA in football, if it hasn’t already, I would imagine the Bruins would be put in the south so long as they were guaranteed every-year crossover games against Montana and Montana State in the north.

The most incredible point in Thursday night’s lumbering loss at Oregon was when UCLA opted for a field goal in the Ducks’ red zone to cut the lead to 15-3.

I asked followers on Twitter to finish the following sentence: “Settling for a field goal against Oregon is like…”

My contribution was…shaking hands with Miss America.

Some of the other responses:

-- “Sinking a 40-foot putt for a 7.”

-- “Winning five bucks and walking away from the table.”

-- “Reading the SI Swimsuit Edition.”

-- “Having a box of Krispy Kreme donuts with a Diet Coke.”

Q: Any truth to the rumor that Mike Leach is on the short list to replace Ra Ra Ricky? Can we start one?

Brian Beckner

A: I doubt Mike Leach would be the right fit at UCLA., especially after his contentious parting with Texas Tech.

UCLA and Lubbock, though, are similar in some ways. One has Rodeo Drive and the other has a rodeo.

Leach tried to get involved at UCLA after Karl Dorrell was canned, but that didn’t go very far. And that was before Leach allegedly locked ESPN analyst Craig James’ kid in a shed at Texas Tech.

Q: Dear Chris: I can see the BCS from my porch! Shall I compare the BCS to Sarah Palin?

Scott Denny

A: Not quite sure what you’re getting at, Scott, unless you’re talking about moving the BCS to Alaska, putting it on an “unsinkable” cruise ship, not providing enough life rafts and then running it into an iceberg. I think a lot of people would be in favor of that.

Q: You did a great job last week highlighting the possible bias and illogic of the human voters in the two polls used by the BCS. How about an article discussing (defending) the much-derided computer rankings? How about showing a little love for the computers?

Gary Swider

A: Loving the BCS computer component is sort of like loving British Petroleum. One computer guy (Peter Wolfe) has Stanford ranked No. 9, two spots ahead of Oregon, which beat Stanford this year 52-31.

LSU holds the No. 2 ranking despite nearly losing to Tennessee and last week having to score a couple of late touchdowns to make the McNeese State game seem as if it wasn’t close (it was).

If the computers had eyes, they wouldn’t have Oklahoma No.1. The computers, though, think scraping past Utah State in Norman is something to boast about.

These are the same man-made machines that kept Oklahoma No.1 in the BCS in 2003 after the Sooners got blown out by Kansas State in the Big 12 title game.

Here’s a thought: Only use the computers in the BCS as the tie breaker. Don’t use them if the two human polls both agree on No.1 and No.2 — as they agree now on Oregon and Boise State.

Without the computers, Miami would have played Oklahoma in 2000, Oregon would have played Miami in 2001, and USC would have played LSU in 2003.

I would have much rather seen those games than Florida State-Oklahoma, Miami-Nebraska and Oklahoma-LSU.

Maybe I need to write a book: “Death to the BCS (computers).”

Q: BCS, what else? These computer rankings don’t pass the smell test. Bozo Sagarin thinks there are 19 teams better than Alabama. Moron Massey thinks there are 20 teams better than Ohio State and idiot Billingsley thinks there are 25 ore more teams better than Missouri.

Preston Gartley, La Habra.

A: You didn’t even mention Anderson & (Court Jester) Hester, who have LSU at No. 1; Wacky Wolfe, who has Alabama at 15; and “Completely Lost it” Colley who thinks Michigan State is No. 4.

Q: I respect you as a sportswriter. That said, I cannot imagine why you, and granted, many others are so high on Boise State….What would you think of Alabama or Oklahoma if they had Boise’s schedule?

Lew Glenn

A: I respect you, Lew, as a whatever-you-are, but let’s turn that around: why are you, and many others, so low on Boise? The Broncos finished last year 14-0, ended up No. 4 in both polls, and returned more than 20 starters. If you took the “BSU” logo off their helmet and replaced it with “LSU,” would you have any problem ranking that team preseason No.1?

Alabama lost 10 starters on defense and was hoisted to the top of this year’s rankings. Why?

It’s time for people to get off Boise’s case.

Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News asked San Jose State Coach Mike MacIntyre this week about how Boise State would fare against Alabama.

“I think it would be a great game,” MacIntyre, whose team lost to both schools this year, said. “Boise State is right there with all of those teams. “

Could Boise, athletically, hang with Alabama?

“Boise’s very athletic,” MacIntyre said. “Those two receivers [Titus Young and Austin Pettis] will be playing on Sunday, there’s no doubt in my mind about that. Their defensive backs are big and can run. You can’t block their defensive line, and their quarterback Kellen Moore is as good as there is. And the whole team plays with a chip on its shoulder.”

Q: No. 13 Wisconsin vs. No. 15 Iowa is not a “national game to watch” but Nebraska-Oklahoma State is?

Wake up.

Tom Leardon

A: Sorry, forgot to set my alarm clock. I used to get space for four “games to watch,” every week but have been downsized to three. I’m saving Iowa for next week when they host Michigan State.

Q: Virginia Tech over Texas?

Interesting.

Miggiesmalls

A: Oh, you mean in my rankings? Yes I have Virginia Tech in my top 25 but not Texas. I thought that might have been a mistake until Oregon beat UCLA on Thursday, 60-13.

Earlier this year, UCLA dominated Texas in Austin. UCLA has lost three Pac-10 games to Stanford, Cal and Oregon by the combined score of 130-20. The Bruins’ lone conference win was by 14 points, at the Rose Bowl, over Washington State.

And Texas lost to these guys?

Q: Chris: Oregon will play USC who is banned from the polls other than the AP. Does this potentially hurt Oregon in the BCS rankings?

Mark Marius

Wildwood Crest, NJ.

A: Great question. Oregon will get credit for playing USC in the BCS formula. The numbers are crunched as if USC is not on probation. After the standings are produced, though, USC is removed and all the teams behind the Trojans move up one spot.

Q: Why does the BCS keep giving automatic berths to teams from the Big East & ACC when Boise State, TCU & Utah are as good or better than most teams in either of these conferences?

Larry Francois

Stateline, Nev.

A: The six original BCS conferences were given AQ berths when the BCS was formed in 1998. The Mountain West did not even form until 1999. There is a revolving process in place by which the five other conferences can earn an automatic bid. The Mountain West was on track to meet the threshold before it lost Utah and Brigham Young, so now it’s going to be tough. And while the WAC and Mountain West have some really good teams, they have never been as strong, top to bottom, as the Big East and Atlantic Coast.

Q: Why do I have the impression that almost everything I read from you about USC football has a negative slant to it, including your “top 25?”

Tim Prangley

A: Tim, what other poll even has USC in the top 25? I’ll give you a few seconds to mull that over and then wait for your “oh, yeah, right…sorry.”

Readers can send questions to our college football writer, but please put “Q&A” in the subject field. E-mail:

chris.dufresne@latimes.com