Eventful Week 13 highlights flaws of BCS era; more Overtime

Wisconsin (9-2) is another program that might benefit from the new system. Anyone can see that the Badgers, winners of six straight, are much better than

Stewart Mandel | Nov 24, 2013

Eventful Week 13 highlights flaws of BCS era; more Overtime /

Clint Chelf (10) and Oklahoma State have won seven straight since a loss at West Virginia on Sept. 28. — Clint Chelf (10) and Oklahoma State have won seven straight since a loss at West Virginia on Sept. 28 :: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Wisconsin (9-2) is another program that might benefit from the new system. Anyone can see that the Badgers, winners of six straight, are much better than their No. 15 ranking in the latest BCS standings. They boast the nation's sixth-ranked defense and eighth-ranked rushing attack. But Wisconsin is a two-loss team, and pollster policy dictates that the Badgers must stay in two-loss purgatory.

Jerick McKinnon (1) and Georgia Southern racked up 429 rushing yards in Saturday's upset of Florida. — Jerick McKinnon (1) and Georgia Southern racked up 429 rushing yards in Saturday's upset of Florida :: Michael Chang/Getty Images

Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter of a victory over Kentucky. — Georgia quarterback Aaron Murray suffered a torn ACL in the second quarter of a victory over Kentucky :: Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

Chris Petersen's Boise State team fell to 7-4 (5-2 MWC) after a 34-31 overtime loss at San Diego State. — Chris Petersen's Boise State team fell to 7-4 (5-2 MWC) after a 34-31 overtime loss at San Diego State :: Lenny Ignelzi/AP

• Clemson at South Carolina, Saturday (7 p.m. ET): Both programs have enjoyed unprecedented success in recent years, but the Gamecocks have owned this rivalry for the past four seasons. South Carolina has shut down Tajh Boyd in the past, but its all-over-the-map offense will need to produce as well.

Published Nov 24, 2013

STEWART MANDEL

Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel first caught the college football bug as a sophomore at Northwestern University in 1995. "The thrill of that '95 Rose Bowl season energized the entire campus, and I quickly became aware of how the national media covered that story," he says. "I knew right then that I wanted to be one of those people, covering those types of stories." Mandel joined SI.com (formerly CNNSI.com) in 1999. A senior writer for the website, his coverage areas include the national college football beat and college basketball. He also contributes features to Sports Illustrated. "College football is my favorite sport to cover," says Mandel. "The stakes are so high week in and week out, and the level of emotion it elicits from both the fans and the participants is unrivaled." Mandel's most popular features on SI.com include his College Football Mailbag and College Football Overtime. He has covered 14 BCS national championship games and eight Final Fours. Mandel's first book, Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy That Reign Over College Football, was published in 2007. In 2008 he took first place (enterprise category) and second place (game story) in the Football Writers Association of America's annual writing contest. He also placed first in the 2005 contest (columns). Mandel says covering George Mason's run to the Final Four was the most enjoyable story of his SI tenure. "It was thrilling to be courtside for the historic Elite Eight upset of UConn," Mandel says. "Being inside the locker room and around the team during that time allowed me to get to know the coaches and players behind that captivating story." Before SI.com Mandel worked at ESPN the Magazine, ABC Sports Online and The Cincinnati Enquirer. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with a B.S. in journalism. A Cincinnati native, Mandel and his wife, Emily, live in Santa Clara, Calif.