College Football Playoff contenders

[CuseCactus]

What annoys me is the B10 will get to woof about their championship game when an undefeated (likely) Wisconsin plays PSU/OSU. Look at Wisconsin's schedule. It's a joke. They MAYBE play one marginally ranked team - Michigan. I can already hear the narrative Wisconsin... undefeated, blah blah blah. Barf.

 

[djorange1989]

What annoys me is the B10 will get to woof about their championship game when an undefeated (likely) Wisconsin plays PSU/OSU. Look at Wisconsin's schedule. It's a joke. They MAYBE play one marginally ranked team - Michigan. I can already hear the narrative Wisconsin... undefeated, blah blah blah. Barf.

The Big 10 West is a complete joke. We yell about being in the ACC Atlantic and how it is much stronger than the Coastal, but my lord, look how unbalanced the Big 10 is. Wisconsin is good, but yeah, no way are they a legit playoff team if they go 12-0. Beat PSU or OSU, well, there's one good win, still not a playoff team at 13-0 with that crap schedule

 

[gbo]

I'm not so sure.

Happened last year with Ohio State. And if Georgia's only loss is to Alabama and ND runs the table, that road win will look awfully impressive...as ND will be a top five team if they run the table...and if Clemson beats a non-ranked team to win ACC, that wouldn't look nearly as impressive as if they beat a top 5 or 10 Miami team...

It is exactly what makes college football so great. Every game is so important.

By Sunday AM this could all be moot...

So UGA will then have a good loss and a good win. If that were the only criteria Wisconsin would be in the playoff every year.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

So UGA will then have a good loss and a good win. If that were the only criteria Wisconsin would be in the playoff every year.

Not necessarily true..could have road win at Auburn, road win at ND and loss at neutral site to bama.


Clemson would have home win vs Auburn, road win vs VT, Road win vs NC State...bad loss to SU and possible win at neutral site vs unranked team...

2 good road wins; one good neutral site loss; no bad losses vs 1 good home win; two good road wins; one bad loss...

I think it is closer than you make it out to be...

 

[orange_in_VA]

The Big 10 West is a complete joke. We yell about being in the ACC Atlantic and how it is much stronger than the Coastal, but my lord, look how unbalanced the Big 10 is. Wisconsin is good, but yeah, no way are they a legit playoff team if they go 12-0. Beat PSU or OSU, well, there's one good win, still not a playoff team at 13-0 with that crap schedule

Yep. Wisconsin may be a decent team, but it's hard to tell when they don't actually play any good teams. Their SOS is ranked 61. That's awful. By far the worst schedule by any team in the top 10. The only teams in the AP top 25 that have a worse SOS are USF (Their schedule is a joke), and Memphis (barely worse than Wisconsin). Based on SOS Wisconsin doesn't deserve their ranking at all. They should be ranked like 12 or something as of now. USF shouldn't even be in the top 25 at this point.

 

[gbo]

Not necessarily true..could have road win at Auburn, road win at ND and loss at neutral site to bama.


Clemson would have home win vs Auburn, road win vs VT, Road win vs NC State...bad loss to SU and possible win at neutral site vs unranked team...

2 good road wins; one good neutral site loss; no bad losses vs 1 good home win; two good road wins; one bad loss...

I think it is closer than you make it out to be...

It will never come to this but we'll see what happens.

 

[djorange1989]

Yep. Wisconsin may be a decent team, but it's hard to tell when they don't actually play any good teams. Their SOS is ranked 61. That's awful. By far the worst schedule by any team in the top 10. The only teams in the AP top 25 that have a worse SOS are USF (Their schedule is a joke), and Memphis (barely worse than Wisconsin). Based on SOS Wisconsin doesn't deserve their ranking at all. They should be ranked like 12 or something as of now. USF shouldn't even be in the top 25 at this point.

At least USF and Memphis are Group of 5, which makes it almost impossible for them to have a really strong SOS (unless they pull a Houston and play Ohio State, Louisville etc), but man, Wisconsin is Big 10, just shows how bad the Big 10 West is, and shows what an unbalanced league schedule can do (ie Wisconsin avoids Penn State, Ohio State and MSU in the same year). Wisconsin scheduled BYU on the road, which at the time looked challenging, but with them going in the tank, their OOC is so bad.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

It will never come to this but we'll see what happens.

Yes. Yes, we will.

And I, for one, cannot wait.

College football in November is the best regular season there is...

 

[Forza Azzurri]

Yep. Wisconsin may be a decent team, but it's hard to tell when they don't actually play any good teams. Their SOS is ranked 61. That's awful. By far the worst schedule by any team in the top 10. The only teams in the AP top 25 that have a worse SOS are USF (Their schedule is a joke), and Memphis (barely worse than Wisconsin). Based on SOS Wisconsin doesn't deserve their ranking at all. They should be ranked like 12 or something as of now. USF shouldn't even be in the top 25 at this point.

Agree 1000%.

Just my opinion but, even if they go undefeated and win the Big Ten title game, I would not reward them.

Their OOC schedule was brutal.

Their division is terrible.

They would have exactly one quality win: whomever they beat in the Big Ten title game...

 

[orange_in_VA]

Agree 1000%.

Just my opinion but, even if they go undefeated and win the Big Ten title game, I would not reward them.

Their OOC schedule was brutal.

Their division is terrible.

They would have exactly one quality win: whomever they beat in the Big Ten title game...

Exactly. Hard to justify having them in with that schedule

 

[CuseCactus]

Agree 1000%.

Just my opinion but, even if they go undefeated and win the Big Ten title game, I would not reward them.

Their OOC schedule was brutal.

Their division is terrible.

They would have exactly one quality win: whomever they beat in the Big Ten title game...

No way does an undefeated Big10 team get excluded. Even if all five P5 champs are undefeated - Big10 is getting one of the

Exactly. Hard to justify having them in with that schedule

I agree - hard to justify. Nonetheless, I'd be stunned if a 13-0 B10 team got left out. ACC/PAC 12/Big 12 will always get short shrift in any close decisions. Because it's all about the Benjamins. Only way a B10 team doesn't make the playoffs is if they have 2 losses. Same thing with the SEC. (Unless there are 3 other unbeatens)

 

[TheCusian]

Yeah, you are right. It shouldn't be about quality games or wins. What a stupid concept.

Play a schedule of:

North Carolina
Duke
Boston College
Baylor
Kansas
Illinois
Indiana
Rutgers
Oregon State
Colorado
Missouri
Arkansas
Vanderbilt

Go 13-0 and, hey, I should be in!!!

I played 13 P-5 games and won 'em all...

If you seriously think that quantity of wins > quality of wins...all I can say is I really hope the committee doesn't use your criteria for determining who is in the Final Four...

That’s not what I’m saying at all. It was tougne in cheek. Should have used the sarcasm font.

I’m saying both matter. The committee has shown deference to teams that win their conference championship - but I actually think a lot of that was by playing an extra game, they’ve played a tougher schedule than teams that play less games. And it’s usually against a team that is top 15 in the CFB committee rankings.

As I said, ND’s schedule may be enough to overcome a team that wins their conference championship game - but they’ll be sweating it out no matter what. I personally think they should get dinged for it. It’s a demerit. Otherwise, you’re penalizing conference champions for winning their conference.

 

[Newhouser]

It will be REALLY interesting if ND finishes 11-1 and Clemson 12-1. Assuming Bama, BIG 10 Champ, and Georgia in the top 3. Would the committee leave out the defending national champion?

ND's schedule is brutal - if they finish 11-1 they deserve to go, and I hate ND.

 

[TheCusian]

ND is ok with this, if true (to be determined).

Do better next year.

Anyway, Bill Hancock was interviewed about the Committee's criteria.

When asked whether ND's lack of a conference championship hurts them, he said:

“Any team that plays a good schedule and wins, will be in the hunt for the CFP. Independent or not.”

His answers made sense to me. I think the committee has a challenging job, but they’re pretty consistent about rewarding big wins in quantity over other considerations.

Of course. I’m not arguing that they can’t make it. Just saying the road is more difficult. We’ve talked enough about this to know where each other stands. I do respect the commitment to independence as a philosophy, even if it makes a limited amount of sense if your goal is winning a national championship year over year.

 

[TheCusian]

What annoys me is the B10 will get to woof about their championship game when an undefeated (likely) Wisconsin plays PSU/OSU. Look at Wisconsin's schedule. It's a joke. They MAYBE play one marginally ranked team - Michigan. I can already hear the narrative Wisconsin... undefeated, blah blah blah. Barf.

We can all agree on this.

Wisconsin would not go undefeated with our schedule.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

That’s not what I’m saying at all. It was tougne in cheek. Should have used the sarcasm font.

I’m saying both matter. The committee has shown deference to teams that win their conference championship - but I actually think a lot of that was by playing an extra game, they’ve played a tougher schedule than teams that play less games. And it’s usually against a team that is top 15 in the CFB committee rankings.

As I said, ND’s schedule may be enough to overcome a team that wins their conference championship game - but they’ll be sweating it out no matter what. I personally think they should get dinged for it. It’s a demerit. Otherwise, you’re penalizing conference champions for winning their conference.

Ok..Missed the sarcasm...thought you were serious.

And I agree with you that the conference championship has been highly beneficial and that a conference championship win can be the win that means the difference between getting in and being left out, especially when two highly ranked teams are going at each other.

If you look at most of the contenders who made sure to play someone tough OOC, their schedules look the same...a chance for a 2-3 top wins with a shot at another one in a championship game.

Notre Dame, as it stands now, has 6 top games on the schedule with a potential of five wins. That is why I think the lack of a 13th game for them doesn't mean that much this year.

 

[Forza Azzurri]

No way does an undefeated Big10 team get excluded. Even if all five P5 champs are undefeated - Big10 is getting one of the

I agree - hard to justify. Nonetheless, I'd be stunned if a 13-0 B10 team got left out. ACC/PAC 12/Big 12 will always get short shrift in any close decisions. Because it's all about the Benjamins. Only way a B10 team doesn't make the playoffs is if they have 2 losses. Same thing with the SEC. (Unless there are 3 other unbeatens)

Unfortuately, I agree with you. An undefeated Wisky team likely gets in even though they will only have beaten one really good team to get there...

If PSU is that team, they will deserve it as their division is much tougher with MSU, Michigan and OSU (and Rutgers!).

 

[shantydaze]

The XII will be interesting. The conference championship will be a rematch so it is conceivable TCU could win the regular season game at home and lose in CCG. This is why I thought the idea of a league playing a round robin schedule and a CCG was asinine, which also sums up most of my thoughts about the XII.

 

[Alsacs]

So basically the committee said the PAC-12 is done.

I think Georgia now has a good shot if they go 12-1 and play Alabama competitively.

Notre Dame controls their own destiny for now.

Clemson as well win and they will get in.

The committee told the Big Ten the AP poll is not binding.

Wisconsin at 9 and Ohio State behind Oklahoma shows the committee gets it. Also Pennsylvania State is about done as their nonconference is nothing and they lost to Ohio State.


This week
Oklahoma-Oklahoma State is an elimination game.
Clemson-NC State decides the ACC Atlantic.
Virginia Tech-Miami decides the ACC Coastal.
USC-Arizona decides the PAC-12 South.