"After five years of mostly obvious College Football Playoff choices, there’s (some) hope"
- Thread starter longtime1sttime
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You mean like the South Dakota State that Minnesota opened with? 
The SEC, almost as a whole, has been scheduling those games in the next to last week of the season for a few years now. The school I played at way back when has grown accustomed to taking regular thumping's from them and cashing checks. Its just that it happens to be at the point in the season that the rest of the country sees it, forgets about their own "pre conference" scheduling and has their panties tighten up around their midsection. It is what it is.
No one hates the Buckeyes more than I do. But I think Ohio State and Clemson are the 2 in the title game this year. As long as LSU doesn't hop the Bucks to #1 leaving OSU/Clemson as the 2-3 matchup. They'll both run the table. LSU is now probably the 3rd team. I don't see Georgia beating them in the SEC title game. That means, IMO #4 will come from a 1 loss team...… If you think Alabama and Oklahoma (if/when they beat Baylor) won't be in the conversation I think that is wrong.
Not that anyone cares, but headed to Ames for the Cyclones-Longhorns this weekend.
The SEC, almost as a whole, has been scheduling those games in the next to last week of the season for a few years now. The school I played at way back when has grown accustomed to taking regular thumping's from them and cashing checks. Its just that it happens to be at the point in the season that the rest of the country sees it, forgets about their own "pre conference" scheduling and has their panties tighten up around their midsection. It is what it is.
No one hates the Buckeyes more than I do. But I think Ohio State and Clemson are the 2 in the title game this year. As long as LSU doesn't hop the Bucks to #1 leaving OSU/Clemson as the 2-3 matchup. They'll both run the table. LSU is now probably the 3rd team. I don't see Georgia beating them in the SEC title game. That means, IMO #4 will come from a 1 loss team...… If you think Alabama and Oklahoma (if/when they beat Baylor) won't be in the conversation I think that is wrong.
Not that anyone cares
, but headed to Ames for the Cyclones-Longhorns this weekend.eastisbest
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You mean like the South Dakota State that Minnesota opened with?
Quoted for posterity, probably the only time in five decades Minn's FB team has been compared to Alabama's.
Red14
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Rich when other conferences knock the SEC for scheduling games... I'd say in most other conferences, the best teams have 5-6 conference cupcake games, along with their 3-4 non-conf cupcake games.
Red14
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I'm so happy Minnesota beat Penn State Saturday. It just makes the committee look silly. There is no way anyone could honestly put Penn State in the top 4 before Saturday based on what they've done this year. What a mess they have now? So do you put Minnesota in the 4 spot?
How about that LSU/ Bama game Saturday??? Can you tell me they aren't the best two teams in the country?? LSU has the best resume in the country, and it's not even close folks. Now, things can and will change the next few weeks, but at this point, if you're on the committee and you look at everything that's happened, LSU has to be #1.
How about that LSU/ Bama game Saturday??? Can you tell me they aren't the best two teams in the country?? LSU has the best resume in the country, and it's not even close folks. Now, things can and will change the next few weeks, but at this point, if you're on the committee and you look at everything that's happened, LSU has to be #1.
Two of the best, for sure. But Ohio State and Clemson can make the same claim. I would put LSU at #1 this week, with the Buckeyes #2, Clemson #3 and Alabama #4. How the SEC plays out will determine Bama's fate. Who knows? We may find out in the coming weeks that LSU and Bama's D's stink, as they get lit up by someone. Not sure how that can happen, though, with Georgia and Auburn being offensively challenged. I know it would be bad for Bama if UGA runs the table, and wins the SEC over LSU. If Minnesota can finish out unbeaten, they will have earned their shot against the Buckeyes...assuming OSU can win out. Oklahoma gets a chance for a win over unbeaten Baylor....but the Bears could be unbeaten in the end. Utah and Oregon get a shot at each other. The only sure thing I see is Clemson running the table. The rest is uncertain.
Red14
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Bama is in a tough spot. They really don't have much left. They can't get in the SEC finals, unless really stubbs their toe, very unlikely. Bama has to roll it up the rest of the year, including an impressive win at Auburn to have ANY shot of getting in, and it still may not be good enough. Ohio State will roll through the rest of their schedule. I see them winning big over Penn State and Michigan both. Locks for the playoffs now are the Buckeyes and Clemson.
Now what if...Georgia somehow knocks off LSU in the SEC final? They have one loss, and get the nod to the playoffs? Does that open the door for LSU to get in as well? At this point, most teams still control their own destiny, except Bama.
Gh0st
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Yes, I can tell you Bama is not one of the top 2 teams in the country. I know you're praying for a 4 SEC team playoff, but Bama no longer controls it's own destiny.
Orin Swift
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That's irrelevant, given you had an undefeated Baylor ranked 11.
Yet you have Georgia in the top 10 despite a loss to (at the time) a 4-5 South Carolina. Not to mention in 2017 Clemson lost to a Syracuse team that finished 4-8. Clemson made it into the playoffs. In 2016 they lost to a Pittsburgh team that finished 8-5, Illinois is 6-4 this year. Clemson won the national championship that year. 2014 Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech who went 7-6. Ohio State won the title. Using your logic none of those teams should have been ranked in the top 10, let alone in the playoffs.
I did not include Michigan. You did.
I'm not even going to touch this astronomically dumb take.
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Orin Swift
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What does it make you look then? You had them 5th.
Red14
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1. LSU
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Alabama
You can flip 3 and 4. Bama has the best 1 loss resume, but really has little else to up their ante.
If LSU and Ohio State win out, LSU has to be the #1 seed. Athough it really does not matter, they should be #1 and #2 when the dust settles, regardless.
It will be very interesting to see where Minnesota ends up tonight.
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Alabama
You can flip 3 and 4. Bama has the best 1 loss resume, but really has little else to up their ante.
If LSU and Ohio State win out, LSU has to be the #1 seed. Athough it really does not matter, they should be #1 and #2 when the dust settles, regardless.
It will be very interesting to see where Minnesota ends up tonight.
Gh0st
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Well, not really because they have no good wins. Penn St and Georgia have wins over current top 25 teams. Georgia's loss was a bad one, but Penn St, for the time being, does not look like a bad loss.
Red14
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So Penn State loses and doesn't move?? Or are you just trying to make the Buckeyes resume as good as possible??
Orin Swift
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Yeah but if you put Penn State in the SEC they'd have zero wins. Their hypothetical winless season means more than their actual wins over ranked opponents.
Stirred not Shaken
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The CFP committee bias toward the SEC is sickening. UGA 4th ? An UGA team that lost to South Carolina, barely beat ND, a team Mich. destroyed. Alabama 5th? Other than Texas A & M has Alabama def. another team with a winning record. If OSU were to lose to PSU and PSU wins the BIG title are we going to have 3 SEC schools in the play offs ? In a way I would like to see that happen so The CFP's hypocrisy is completely exposed and the whole thing gets blown up.
If we went with what I believe should be the playoff model of eight teams, with all five Power 5 champs getting in along with the next three highest ranked teams, it would look like this in the first round (based on this week's rankings):
1. LSU (SEC champ) vs 10. Oklahoma (Big 12 champ)
2. Ohio State (Big 10 champ) vs 8. Minnesota (at-large)
3. Clemson (ACC champ) vs 6. Oregon (Pac 12 champ)
4. Georgia (at-large) vs 5. Alabama (at-large)
Now, some of these match-up's aren't going to happen, because the rankings can't really stay this way until the final rankings, but it does show that an expanded eight team playoff with all Power 5 champs getting in would be a pretty solid set-up.
1. LSU (SEC champ) vs 10. Oklahoma (Big 12 champ)
2. Ohio State (Big 10 champ) vs 8. Minnesota (at-large)
3. Clemson (ACC champ) vs 6. Oregon (Pac 12 champ)
4. Georgia (at-large) vs 5. Alabama (at-large)
Now, some of these match-up's aren't going to happen, because the rankings can't really stay this way until the final rankings, but it does show that an expanded eight team playoff with all Power 5 champs getting in would be a pretty solid set-up.
Orin Swift
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It doesn't really matter does it? Georgia will lose to LSU and they'll be out. Alabama 5th means they're out as long as Oregon-Utah remain 1 loss when they meet in the Pac12 championship. They'll bump the winner of that game up to 4th and assuming LSU, OSU and Clemson run the table your top 4 are those three plus the Pac12 champ.
Let's say it's Oregon. Their best win would be over Utah. Oregon would be 12-1 with a loss to Auburn. Bama would be 11-1 with a win over Auburn, which would be their best win. They would have played #1 LSU within 5 points with an injured QB. Does anyone really believe the committee will leave out Bama in that scenario? Especially knowing the public would salivate over a rematch, with OSU vs Clemson being a very attractive lead-in. It would be their best ratings ever.
Orin Swift
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Since I predicted the winner of Oregon-Utah, assuming they are both still 1 loss teams when they meet and LSU, OSU and Clemson run the table, yes I really believe the committee will leave out Bama.
There was a rather large outcry in 2011 when there was a rematch. Outside of Tuscaloosa, I'm not sure too many are salivating for a rematch. I don't think LSU wants anything to do with a rematch with Saban.
There was a rather large outcry in 2011 when there was a rematch. Outside of Tuscaloosa, I'm not sure too many are salivating for a rematch. I don't think LSU wants anything to do with a rematch with Saban.
nwwarrior09
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I don't see a 1 loss power conference champ getting left out for an at-large. Say hello to an expanded 8 team playoff if that happens.
Gh0st
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I'd say it depends on how the Bama-Auburn games goes. If it's a Bama blowout, then maybe they sneak in. Oregon was losing to Auburn for all of about 9 seconds. If Bama plays a sloppy game and still wins, I could still see them left out. The committee has overlooked early season losses before in favor of stronger season finishes. It's very hard to get past late season losses.
eastside_purple
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Just expand to 16 team playoff already. Then we are arguing about teams without a shot at winning being left out and the tournament is actually legit.
I disagree. I think it would get huge national ratings. Heck, as annoying as I sometimes find the SEC...I would love to see a rematch of those two in a first round playoff game.
The new playoff system has been around long enough now to render judgment. I like that there is a playoff system, though I would like to see it expanded to 8 teams with the 5 Power Five champs and the 3 best at-large teams making up the field.
What needs to change for sure, though, is to get rid of this committee crap. Use the old BCS format to select the teams. I feel it was a more fair system than the current set-up.
What needs to change for sure, though, is to get rid of this committee crap. Use the old BCS format to select the teams. I feel it was a more fair system than the current set-up.
ronnie mund
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11 conference champs and 5 at-large. Seeds based on computer rankings. The human element should be completely done away with. It shouldn't be this hard.