Sooner defenders tackle the Texas A&M kickoff return man Cyrus Gray in OU's 66-28 thrashing of the Aggies. Amy Frost/The Daily.

For years now I have been listening to all the moaning and groaning about the BCS system. It seems everybody and their dog has an opinion on its shortcomings.

It even spread to president-elect Barack Obama, who recently said in an interview with ESPN the first thing he would change about sports would be to install a college football playoff.

The reason everyone was all hot and bothered about the BCS this time was because, prior to this weekend’s games, there was the possibility (keyword) that three teams from BCS conferences would finish the season undefeated, and one would be left out.

But if we’ve learned anything from past years, it’s that teams should hold off on complaining until they actually have something to complain about.

This weekend reaffirmed that little golden rule, as Iowa upset previously undefeated No. 3 Penn State, 24-23, Saturday.

The Nittany Lions, the team most predicted would be the odd man out if three teams finished the season with a perfect record, fell to No. 8 and out of the national championship picture. Now there are five teams that are still playing for a bid to Miami.

Barring all-out chaos these last few weeks, the remaining slate of games shouldn’t leave much room for dispute about whether or not the two teams playing for the title are deserving.

No. 1 Alabama will play No. 4 Florida in the SEC championship, and the winner will earn a spot in the national title game.

No. 2 Texas Tech will secure the other spot if it wins out, but OU also holds a substantial amount of control over its own destiny because of its remaining games against Tech and Oklahoma State.

Regardless, the BCS will have the two most deserving teams playing for the national championship at the end of the season, just like it has been doing for years.

To those of you pointing to the last two years when Ohio State, a team many thought snuck into the title game thanks to a weak Big Ten conference, was embarrassed by SEC schools in back-to-back championship games, let me tell you this:

Ohio State entered both games ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll. Any arguments about the BCS system being a computer are void here.

Everyone pointed a finger at the BCS, but at the time most people thought Ohio State deserved its spot. It’s a bit easier, and also unfair, to scream and yell now that the game is over.

The bottom line is that the BCS is the best thing out there now.

Everybody says a playoff is the answer, but no one has come up with a tangible way of doing it.

And the complaining won’t die with the BCS either. Teams will whine about seeding, and about being left out of the playoff.

My mom always said you can’t make everyone happy.

So until the absolute best and perfect system is conceived, there’s no sense in complaining about the BCS.

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The 5th Quarter

The 5th Quarter 11/10/08

Steven Jones and Corey DeMoss discuss OU's latest victory of Texas A&M.