SWC75
Bored Historian
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 32,622
- Like
- 62,900
The last few years at this time in the college football season I’ve begun making weekly posts called “The Undefeated”, in which I gave detailed information about the remaining undefeated teams and they tried to stay in contention for first the BCS championships game and now the playoffs. Toward the end of the season, if it became apparent that we were going to have a one loss team in the playoff, I included information about them. The information was their record, their ranking, their points against ranked teams, (see that post), the remaining schedule, including the same information for each team.
I’ve decided to simplify these posts by focusing on upcoming games against the teams most likely to knock them off and be contenders themselves. I won’t be providing all the stats about each team: just who they play and when that might be a big threat. I’m going to call it “The Contenders” instead of “The Undefeated”. I’m going to list each undefeated team ranked in the AP, (writer’s) top 25 and then each one loss team from any of the ‘power five’ conferences, (the ACC, The SEC, the Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 12)or that continues to be ranked. There is virtually a 100% chance that all four playoff teams will come from this group. We’ve had one two loss team play for the title since the BCS started, (LSU 2007) and they are the only two loss national champion we’ve ever had. Then I’ll list the teams also on that list that they will be playing, when and where. That way we’ll be able to look forward to the big match-ups to come on the same page.
Update: I’ve decided that beginning November, (the month they’ll remember, per Coach Mac), that I would supply the same sort of specifics I’ve presented in past years for each one: the full schedule, the record, the point differential, the various rankings and appoints accumulated against ranked teams, (see my “Against Ranked Teams” post.) The rankings are the highest ranking in any of the major polls.
Undefeated teams:
ALABAMA 12-0 (473-137) ranked #1 / 212 points against ranked teams (PART)
12/3 Florida (8-3, 265-161) ranked #13/ 16 PART in the conference title game.
Comments: Alabama will be in, even if they lose, which seems unlikely.
One loss teams:
CLEMSON 11-1 (480-204) ranked #3 / 46 PART
12/3 Virginia Tech 9-3 (420-253) 40 PART in the conference title game
OHIO STATE 11-1 (512-170) ranked #2 / 143 PART
WASHINGTON 11-1 (537-214) ranked #4 / 114 PART
12/2 Colorado (10-2, 417-225, ranked #8 / 27 PART) in the conference title game
Comments: Those are your four teams barring an upset in the conference title games. If there is, there will be a scramble between the losers of those games, the teams that beat them, the Big Ten winner and the Big 12 winner.
Power Five 2 Loss teams:
Colorado 10-2 (417-225) ranked #8 / 27 PART
Michigan 10-2 (492-150) ranked #5 / 46 PART
Oklahoma 9-2 (498-336) ranked #7 / 40 PART
Oklahoma State 9-2 (444-299) ranked #10 / 55 PART
Penn State 10-2 (439-273) ranked #7 / 27 PART
West Virginia 9-2 (367-260) ranked #13 / 0 PART
Wisconsin 10-2 (342-164) ranked #5 / 122 PART
Comment: Oklahoma and State will play next week and that will eliminate one of them. West Virginia will play slumping Baylor.) These teams will be trying for or praying for an upset in the conference title games involving the one loss teams. Otherwise, forget it.
I’ve decided to simplify these posts by focusing on upcoming games against the teams most likely to knock them off and be contenders themselves. I won’t be providing all the stats about each team: just who they play and when that might be a big threat. I’m going to call it “The Contenders” instead of “The Undefeated”. I’m going to list each undefeated team ranked in the AP, (writer’s) top 25 and then each one loss team from any of the ‘power five’ conferences, (the ACC, The SEC, the Big 10, Big 12 and Pac 12)or that continues to be ranked. There is virtually a 100% chance that all four playoff teams will come from this group. We’ve had one two loss team play for the title since the BCS started, (LSU 2007) and they are the only two loss national champion we’ve ever had. Then I’ll list the teams also on that list that they will be playing, when and where. That way we’ll be able to look forward to the big match-ups to come on the same page.
Update: I’ve decided that beginning November, (the month they’ll remember, per Coach Mac), that I would supply the same sort of specifics I’ve presented in past years for each one: the full schedule, the record, the point differential, the various rankings and appoints accumulated against ranked teams, (see my “Against Ranked Teams” post.) The rankings are the highest ranking in any of the major polls.
Undefeated teams:
ALABAMA 12-0 (473-137) ranked #1 / 212 points against ranked teams (PART)
12/3 Florida (8-3, 265-161) ranked #13/ 16 PART in the conference title game.
Comments: Alabama will be in, even if they lose, which seems unlikely.
One loss teams:
CLEMSON 11-1 (480-204) ranked #3 / 46 PART
12/3 Virginia Tech 9-3 (420-253) 40 PART in the conference title game
OHIO STATE 11-1 (512-170) ranked #2 / 143 PART
WASHINGTON 11-1 (537-214) ranked #4 / 114 PART
12/2 Colorado (10-2, 417-225, ranked #8 / 27 PART) in the conference title game
Comments: Those are your four teams barring an upset in the conference title games. If there is, there will be a scramble between the losers of those games, the teams that beat them, the Big Ten winner and the Big 12 winner.
Power Five 2 Loss teams:
Colorado 10-2 (417-225) ranked #8 / 27 PART
Michigan 10-2 (492-150) ranked #5 / 46 PART
Oklahoma 9-2 (498-336) ranked #7 / 40 PART
Oklahoma State 9-2 (444-299) ranked #10 / 55 PART
Penn State 10-2 (439-273) ranked #7 / 27 PART
West Virginia 9-2 (367-260) ranked #13 / 0 PART
Wisconsin 10-2 (342-164) ranked #5 / 122 PART
Comment: Oklahoma and State will play next week and that will eliminate one of them. West Virginia will play slumping Baylor.) These teams will be trying for or praying for an upset in the conference title games involving the one loss teams. Otherwise, forget it.