Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In 2010, TCU and Auburn both finished undefeated. In 2009, Alabama and Boise State finished undefeated. In 2004 you had USC, Utah and Auburn all finish undefeated.
An 8 team playoff ensures that the conference champion from the ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big 10 and Pac 12 all qualify. Plus 3 at large bids where you would give a shot to a team like Memphis who could go undefeated and win their conference.
Exactly.
For anyone who actually cares, I went back and looked at the schedules and BCS ratings over the last 5 seasons. If we had what I am proposing here, this would have been the initial seeding:
2014
1 Florida St 13-0
2 Alabama 12-1
3 Ohio St 12-1
4 Oregon 12-1
5 Baylor 11-1
6 TCU 11-1
7 Michigan St 10-2
8 Mississippi St 10-2
2013
1 Florida St 13-0
2 Auburn 12-1
3 Michigan St 12-1
4 Stanford 11-2
5 Baylor 11-1
6 Alabama 11-1
7 Ohio St. 12-1
8 Oregon 10-2
Was there "no need" for Baylor and TCU to have a shot last season?
Most people seemed to think so (outside of Baylor & TCU fans). Perhaps there was a need for the Big XII to have a championship strategy that made sense (and didn't contradict their own "One True Champion" attempt at branding...).
8 is feasible.
Just go back to an 11 game regular season and add one more round to the current Playoff format.
12 is too many and unnecessary.
You can go back over the last 20 years and probably further and 8 will NEVER leave out a team that has a legitimate argument to be there.
8 is feasible but so is 12. For me its not even about who can win, its about the tournament. March madness is better than what college football has because of its inclusiveness and the threat of the upset. I have no problem at all if a number one undefeated Alabama gets beaten by a hot 12 seed Utah or Boise St. In fact I would love that type of thing.
There is too much gap between the end of the reg season and the bowl season anyway, it'd be a piece of cake to schedule
Most people seemed to think so (outside of Baylor & TCU fans). Perhaps there was a need for the Big XII to have a championship strategy that made sense (and didn't contradict their own "One True Champion" attempt at branding...).
No most people did not.
Most people said something like under this 4 team playoff structure it makes the most sense to keep them out, but most people know they deserved a shot.
TCU was #3 and beat Iowa St by 50+, only to drop out.
That is ridiculous.
The only reason the committee could do that is because they could use the confusion in the Big 12 as a scapegoat just as you are doing.
That's your prerogative, but it surely isn't the best we can do.
8 is feasible but so is 12. For me its not even about who can win, its about the tournament. March madness is better than what college football has because of its inclusiveness and the threat of the upset. I have no problem at all if a number one undefeated Alabama gets beaten by a hot 12 seed Utah or Boise St. In fact I would love that type of thing.
There is too much gap between the end of the reg season and the bowl season anyway, it'd be a piece of cake to schedule
I know some people feel that way.
I do not.
My only gripe is about leaving out teams who are truly deserving of a shot.
Personally I am not interested in creating March Madness type drama and Cinderella stories.
I am fine with a team like Memphis winning it, but the bigger concern is to not have teams like TCU and Baylor on the outside. There's not a lot you can use to justify that IMO. Having a team like Memphis go unbeaten and not getting a shot is weak.
I just feel like since they have finally made a step in that direction may as well make it right.
That is easy enough to do without turning it into NCAA Basketball.
yes I am .. but I`m also SEC biased so I enjoyed our 7 year run .. the more teams you let in the greater the chance that the champion will be just the team that is best at one moment .. Wisconsin mens basketball team can play Kentucky 9 more times and Kentucky would win them all ..
Also remember that if Bama and Ole Miss both beat LSU, the SEC likely doesn't even get one team in this season.
I'm no SEC homer, but that is ridiculous to think about.
The rankings are a joke, but it'll play out over November.
Alabama vs. LSU. Unless a miracle happens, the loser of this game won't even finish first in their division and may not even finish 2nd either. Also, even the winner may not even finish in first at seasons end when it's all said and done: if LSU wins this game, and then loses to Ole Miss, Ole Miss would be the West representative. So, that should take care of the SEC. Alabama with a loss is out, LSU with a loss may drop out of the top 4 but they still have a better chance to crack the top 4 at seasons end than Alabama does.
Ohio State vs. Clemson. Neither team has lost yet, though Clemson has been much more impressive than Ohio State so really can't fault the committee here, even if I would've left Ohio State #1. The only close game Clemson played was better then ANY team Ohio State has played this year.
Ohio State vs. Michigan State. The loser of this game will almost definitely be left out.
Notre Dame vs. Stanford. If the Cardinal keep winning (and after this weekend, they won't play another game outside Palo Alto until December, and outside of California until January), that game between Stanford & Notre Dame will likely be a defacto "elimination" game. If ND wins this game it'll be tough to leave an 11-1 Notre Dame out (especially who's only loss was to #1 Clemson @ Clemson by 2 points). Likewise, if Stanford wins this game then beats the South rep in Santa Clara, it'll be really tough to leave Stanford out.
TCU/Oklahoma/Oklahoma State/Baylor. These 4 teams have yet to play 1 game against each other, and outside of an Oklahoma loss to Texas all 4 would be undefeated. All 4 teams have a remaining strength of schedule of 22nd or higher (mostly do to having all games against the other). Even without a big 12 title game IF one of these 3 teams makes it through the gauntlet 3-0 against the others (especially if it's one of the 3 undefeated's) they WILL be in the top 4.
3 outside teams to watch:
1) Memphis. They still go on the road to Houston & Temple, but as I said in the November preview thread, this week's game against Navy is probably their toughest remaining game this year. They still have a long way to go and need a lot of things to break right in front of them, but let's imagine Ole Miss wins the West and then beats Florida in the SEC title game and Memphis does finish unbeaten. That win that Memphis has over the Rebels is looking better and better. Still not enough to get into the top 4, but if carnage happens around them, they could sneak in.
2) Florida State. Personally, I think they get torched in Clemson anyways, so this is probably a moot point, but if they win this game and then win @ Florida I don't think anybody else on the schedule gives them much of a fight (this weekend may as well be the ACC title game since the Coastal has no chance against Clemson/FSU), and I think it's possible they could bump ND for the final spot. They would have won @ Clemson (ND didn't) AND they would be a conference champ.
3) Let's stay in the state of Florida, and head down to Gainesville for the Gators. Currently sitting at #10, it's possible they could be the SEC's best chance for a team in the playoff. In the West: LSU still plays @ Alabama, @ Ole Miss & Texas A&M. Alabama still plays @ Miss state and that sneaky rivalry game @ Auburn along with the home game vs. LSU. Ole Miss plays @ Miss State along with the home game vs. LSU. So, the west teams can still beat each up like the Big 12 teams can beat each other up. It's possible they could get a 10-2 LSU or Alabama, or a 9-3 Alabama or Ole Miss in the SEC title game. They win that game along with the Florida State game, and I think Florida easily cracks the top 4, and I doubt any other SEC team cracks the top 4.
I agree a top 8 is coming.....and I think a lot sooner then later.
No most people did not.
Most people said something like under this 4 team playoff structure it makes the most sense to keep them out, but most people know they deserved a shot.
TCU was #3 and beat Iowa St by 50+, only to drop out.
That is ridiculous.
The only reason the committee could do that is because they could use the confusion in the Big 12 as a scapegoat just as you are doing.
That's your prerogative, but it surely isn't the best we can do.
Fact: The Big XII tried to manipulate the situation by refusing to name a champion (despite preening all year in commercials about the "One True Champion" thing). Conference championships matter - the committee said that right from the start, and it wasn't their job to decide whether Baylor or TCU was the Big XII champion. So, yeah, they got penalized for that. Blame the conference, not the committee...
Fact: Strength of schedule and OOC opponents matter. This might come into play again this year, although the conference is better so maybe not. Scoring half a zillion points against joke competition does not make one "deserve a shot". But maybe that's just me...
post # 21 supports the reason why there should not be 8 teams in the playoff .. you cant say a 2 /3 or 4 loss team that got in and won would be the best team in the country ..if a 2012 Wisconsin team had played and won out would they be # 1 with an 11 and 4 record ?
Fact: The Big XII tried to manipulate the situation by refusing to name a champion (despite preening all year in commercials about the "One True Champion" thing). Conference championships matter - the committee said that right from the start, and it wasn't their job to decide whether Baylor or TCU was the Big XII champion. So, yeah, they got penalized for that. Blame the conference, not the committee...
Fact: Strength of schedule and OOC opponents matter. This might come into play again this year, although the conference is better so maybe not. Scoring half a zillion points against joke competition does not make one "deserve a shot". But maybe that's just me...
In the coming years, Big 12 teams will be playing some tough ooc games. Texas has a home and home with Notre Dame and California being played this year and next year. They also have a home and home scheduled with LSU and Ohio State coming up in the next 6 years. Oklahoma has a home and home with Ohio State coming up starting next year and then a home and home with UCLA to follow. TCU has a home and home with Arkansas and Ohio State, California and Colorado lined up. Ohio State is going to have a tough ooc schedule for the next 7 or 8 years.
Ohio State won't have to worry about strength of schedule. Here is what they have lined up for ooc
2016: at Oklahoma
2017: Oklahoma
2018: at TCU
2019: TCU
2020: at Oregon
2021: Oregon
2022: at Texas, Notre Dame
2023: Texas, at Notre Dame
Alabama hasn't played a true ooc road game since 2011 and have no plans to do so in 2016, or 2017. They continue to play these games on neutral fields to start their seasons.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
