How in the hell is Louisville not closer to top 4

[longislandcuse]

I think Urban Meyer might be the only one who can solve Saban, but I think Washington gives them a game. Chris Peterson's teams are always ready for the big game, and I think they're pretty good.

We'll know a lot more about Washington if they run the table. USC is really on a roll right now, and they head to Seattle this weekend. Then they go to Pullman for the Apple Cup. Leach has done his typical lose to FCS and then kick things into gear. Underdog often wins that game. If they survive that, they probably get a rejuvenated Colorado team.

They'll belong at the dance if they get through it.

I'll agree with that but, this year, I believe Louisville deserves it more. It's too bad Houston fell apart to take away that 2nd big win they'd need to jump someone who doesn't lose.

That path you laid out is, IMO, equivalent to putting UW in the ACC Coastal and saying they deserve to be in because they beat UNC, Va Tech and FSU without ever having to play Clemson or Louisville. Many years, that would be enough, but if Louisville wins out, I think most analysts agree that Ville is a Top 4 team and that would be a pretty big letdown for a lot of people when evaluating the succes of the 4 team Playoff system.

Heisman Trophy winner on a team with one loss, who's only loss is to #2 at #2's place in the final seconds of what was one of the best CFB games all year.

 

[money3189]

Clemson's D line is very good but not Bama good. They are not far off. Bama's front 7 is nasty and has been the best for awhile. I remember watching Reuben Foster's h.s. LB highlight film. It was one of the best Ive seen. He didn't even play his freshman year. That's how deep they are year in an year out.

 

[Chip]

I'll agree with that but, this year, I believe Louisville deserves it more. It's too bad Houston fell apart to take away that 2nd big win they'd need to jump someone who doesn't lose.

That path you laid out is, IMO, equivalent to putting UW in the ACC Coastal and saying they deserve to be in because they beat UNC, Va Tech and FSU without ever having to play Clemson or Louisville. Many years, that would be enough, but if Louisville wins out, I think most analysts agree that Ville is a Top 4 team and that would be a pretty big letdown for a lot of people when evaluating the succes of the 4 team Playoff system.

Heisman Trophy winner on a team with one loss, who's only loss is to #2 at #2's place in the final seconds of what was one of the best CFB games all year.

I just find it hard to ever let in a 1 loss P5 non-conf championship team over an undefeated P5 championship team. Especially #1 if the champion had to play a conf championship game (i.e. not the Big 12). Especially #2 if it sets up a rematch. I don't think that's good for the game.

It never works out like it looks like it will at this point in the season. One of the 4 undefeateds will lose. But if the only loss is Michigan to Ohio State, then Louisville could still be out in the cold.

That 13th game could be too big a factor for them to overcome. But having the unanimous Heisman winner on their team, will help them beat any other ties (i.e. 2 of the undefeated lose).

 

[orangenauburn]

Ohio State will jump Washington

 

[TheCusian]

Lamar Jackson would be contained against Bama because the biggest weakness on Louisville's team is its OL. Jackson covers that up because they don't play teams with good DLs so Jackson masks it. It was exposed against Clemson and Saban is the best coach in CFB. They would house Lousiville.

They'd have to - because they are not a powerhouse on offense. They make 2 mistakes vs Jackson and they may not recover.

 

[Alsacs]

They'd have to - because they are not a powerhouse on offense. They make 2 mistakes vs Jackson and they may not recover.

Hurts would be able to run on UL. Clemson moved it on them. UL has a SEC level D but they aren't in the league of even Clemson no mind Alabama or LSU.

Listen I would root for and want UL to beat Bama. However it is obvious the title is coming from Bama/Clemson/Michigan/Ohio State this year and only 3 of them are making it in the CFB playoff.

 

[TheCusian]

Hurts would be able to run on UL. Clemson moved it on them. UL has a SEC level D but they aren't in the league of even Clemson no mind Alabama or LSU.

Listen I would root for and want UL to beat Bama. However it is obvious the title is coming from Bama/Clemson/Michigan/Ohio State this year and only 3 of them are making it in the CFB playoff.

We'll see .

 

[bnoro]

Ohio State will jump Washington

Would be total BS. Nebraska had no business being ranked 10th. They lost the only two tough games they've played, Wisconsin & OSU. The Big 10 is massively overrated. Washington has been more dominant than OSU and hasn't lost.

 

[Eric15]

SEC!
SEC!

Such a joke

The SEC has won 8 out of the past 10 national titles. It's not like they don't back up their reputation.

 

[CUSU]

The SEC has won 8 out of the past 10 national titles. It's not like they don't back up their reputation.

SEC was more dominant going back 10-15 years, but the past 3-5 not as much. The gap is much closer now, if not closed.

 

[Eric15]

SEC was more dominant going back 10-15 years, but the past 3-5 not as much. The gap is much closer now, if not closed.

In the past 5 years they have more titles than all other conferences combined.

 

[Alsacs]

The SEC has won 8 out of the past 10 national titles. It's not like they don't back up their reputation.

That is like saying the AFC east has been the division in the NFL since 2002 because it has the most the SB titles in that span. When all those SBs have been won by the Patriots.
Alabama has 4 NCs they are the dominant program in CFB the SEC overall has been overrated beyond Bama. The SEC East has been down since Pope Urban left Florida and Les Miles could never find a QB with that LSU talent.

 

[Eric15]

That is like saying the AFC east has been the division in the NFL since 2002 because it has the most the SB titles in that span. When all those SBs have been won by the Patriots.

Who said it was all Bama? LSU won in 2003 and 2007 and Auburn won in 2010. For your analogy to make sense, the Jets and Bills would have to have won Super Bowls over the past 10-15 years.

 

[Alsacs]

Who said it was all Bama? LSU won in 2003 and 2007 and Auburn won in 2010. For your analogy to make sense, the Jets and Bills would have to have won Super Bowls over the past 10-15 years.

Those programs are not the same as they were then. Alabama has been the dominant program. How much credit do you get for NCs in 03 and 07 when you have lost 6 in a row to Alabama and Auburn has been down since 2013.
Those NCs are nice for them but they are miles behind Alabama.
Florida is not the same either. Alabama owns that conference.

 

[NashvilleOrange]

The SEC seems to be down a bit this year but this may be the best Alabama team that I've seen. The defense is unreal and they have an athletic QB, a weapon they haven't had in recent years. Also, the two best team's in the ACC coastal were beaten by mediocre SEC east teams - Tennessee handled Virginia Tech and Georgie beat UNC.

 

[Alsacs]

The SEC seems to be down a bit this year but this may be the best Alabama team that I've seen. The defense is unreal and they have an athletic QB, a weapon they haven't had in recent years. Also, the two best team's in the ACC coastal were beaten by mediocre SEC east teams - Tennessee handled Virginia Tech and Georgie beat UNC.

The refs beat UNC that game was atrociously officiated. UNC was screwed with awful PIs that helped UGA win that game. I said it the day of that game and ot was an SEC screw job.
Tennessee should be a top 15 team with their talent but they lost to South Carolina. They will still likely win the east division.
The ACC is likely going to go 3-1 in the SEC rivalry weekend games.
Louisville and Clemson will be huge favorites.
Florida State will be a favorite at home against Florida.
Georgia will beat Tech.

 

[Eric15]

Those programs are not the same as they were then. Alabama has been the dominant program. How much credit do you get for NCs in 03 and 07 when you have lost 6 in a row to Alabama and Auburn has been down since 2013.
Those NCs are nice for them but they are miles behind Alabama.
Florida is not the same either. Alabama owns that conference.

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has lost 8 regular season games total. Do you know how many of them have come against non-SEC teams? Zero. They lose to an SEC foe during the regular season basically every single year, primarily due to the depth and strength of the conference.

 

[CUSU]

In the past 5 years they have more titles than all other conferences combined.

SEC East has been garbage the past two years.

Numbers say SEC East is worse than anyone thought

The SEC West is stronger, but Alabama has carried that side the past few years. Can they still be considered the best conference? Probably, but the gap certainly has closed IMO.

 

[Alsacs]

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has lost 8 regular season games total. Do you know how many of them have come against non-SEC teams? Zero. They lose to an SEC foe during the regular season basically every single year, primarily due to the depth and strength of the conference.

Ole MIss the last 2 years were impressive.
Auburn beat them twice one was an ultimate fluke the kick 6 and the other required an NFL MVP in Cam Newton.
Texas A&M beat them with a Heisman winner as well in Johnny Manziel.
LSU beat them in 2011 in one of the worst games of all time in a 9-6 OT game where Bama missed a lot of FGs
Florida beat them with another Heisman QB in Tim Tebow.
I don't remember the other loss but I would guess it was in Saban's first year.

 

[TheCusian]

The SEC has won 8 out of the past 10 national titles. It's not like they don't back up their reputation.

Yeah but most of them were Alabama. They are clearly great. The relative strength of the rest is very much open for debate.

 

[CUSU]

Under Nick Saban, Alabama has lost 8 regular season games total. Do you know how many of them have come against non-SEC teams? Zero. They lose to an SEC foe during the regular season basically every single year, primarily due to the depth and strength of the conference.

They are more likely to lose to an SEC foe when they play more of them right? Plus, 75% of their non conference games are against cupcakes

 

[Eric15]

Ole MIss the last 2 years were impressive.
Auburn beat them twice one was an ultimate fluke the kick 6 and the other required an NFL MVP in Cam Newton.
Texas A&M beat them with a Heisman winner as well in Johnny Manziel.
LSU beat them in 2011 in one of the worst games of all time in a 9-6 OT game where Bama missed a lot of FGs
Florida beat them with another Heisman QB in Tim Tebow.
I don't remember the other loss but I would guess it was in Saban's first year.

They lost at South Carolina in 2010. I'll give you a moment to conjure up an obscure reason for that game also. Was it partly cloudy that day which worked against Bama for some reason?

 

[Eric15]

They are more likely to lose to an SEC foe when they play more of them right? Plus, 75% of their non conference games are against cupcakes

They play a marquee non-conference game to begin every single regular season, and more often than that they blow the other team's doors off.

Clemson, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, USC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, etc.

 

[Alsacs]

They lost at South Carolina in 2010. I'll give you a moment to conjure up an obscure reason for that game also. Was it partly cloudy that day which worked against Bama for some reason?

I was at that game actually Alshon Jeffrey was awesome that game. No Heisman QB for South Carolina that game.
To beat Bama you need an a duel threat QB.

 

[CUSU]

They play a marquee non-conference game to begin every single regular season, and more often than that they blow the other team's doors off.

Clemson, Virginia Tech, Penn State, Michigan, USC, West Virginia, Wisconsin, etc.

You have a Georgia State, Chattanooga, and Western Carolina for every one decent team they play OOC. SEC has 8 shots at them every year and the other P5s have 1 (in reg season). Going back to your point that they only lose to SEC teams seems silly. To your next point, they blow the doors off SEC teams as well..

I'm not saying they aren't the best team in CFB. My original statement is that the gap is closing on the SEC, not just Alabama.