Wanna get into the BCS? Then pick off more passes!

Let me start by stating the obvious: the best teams generate the best stats. I know, “Duh!,” the MLB team with the highest regular season ERA doesn’t win the World Series, just like the NHL team that allows the most goals doesn’t get to hoist the Stanley Cup.

But in regards to college football, which statistical categories last season did the sport’s best teams most commonly excel in? If you consider the best college football teams in 2009 to be those that participated in the BCS, then it’s interesting to see in which areas those teams were most similar.

To refresh your memory, the ten BCS teams from this past season were Alabama, Boise State, Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas and TCU.  So here goes:

Defense wins championships. Of the 10 teams that played in BCS games last season, seven were ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense.  That’s compared to four of those teams being ranked in the top 20 in total offense.  Three of the schools (Florida, Boise State and TCU) ranked in the top 20 in both categories.

The old adage rings true, defense is where titles are won.  Going back to the 2008 season, it’s interesting to note that Oklahoma fielded arguably the best college offense of all time but was beaten in the BCS title game by a Florida Gator team featuring the nation’s 9th ranked defense.

This trend of great defenses outnumbering great offenses among BCS teams has held true over the last few seasons, with top 20 defenses outnumbering top 20 offenses by a 7-to-4 count in 2007 and a 7-to-5 count in 2008.

Passing is great, but running is better. Only a single BCS team in 2009 ranked in the top 20 nationally in passing (Cincinnati checked in at #8 with 308.7 ypg). Compare that to six BCS teams that finished in the top 20 in rushing.

The dearth of statistically great passing teams is reflected in the previous two seasons as well, in which only two BCS teams in each of those years had top 20 passing attacks.

The record of those accomplished passing teams in BCS games over the last three years?  2-3, with two of those losses being blowouts (Hawaii’s 41-10 Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia after the ‘07 season and Cincinnati’s 51-24 Sugar Bowl loss to Florida this past January).  The two victories were both 24-21 outcomes (Kansas beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl after the ‘07 season and Texas beat Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl after the ‘08 season).

BCS teams picked off a lot of passes. The magic statistical category where damn near every 2009 BCS team finished in the top 20 didn’t exist.  The norm was roughly five BCS teams in the top 20 of any given category (five in passing defense, five in third down efficiency defense, etc.).

But I did stumble across an area that was thick with BCS teams: passes intercepted. Only 11 schools last season picked off 20 or more passes, and six of them were in the BCS (Alabama, Boise State, Florida, Iowa, Ohio State and Texas). Taken as a whole, the 11 teams in the 20+ interception club finished with an average record of 11-3 last season.

So what’s the formula to get to a BCS game this season? A top 20 defense + a top 20 rushing attack + 20 or more passes intercepted should do the trick.