College football CCG weekend who you got?

[WvuIN02]

I think the playoff picture looks like this after this weekend:

1. Bama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Penn State

If the above scenario plays out, I think Ohio State ends up on the outside looking in. Unless the committee goes full on hypocrite and reverses its criteria that they used to keep TCU/Baylor out in 2014 (not winning your conference). Penn State will own not only the h2h against tOSU but will also have 2 top 10 wins and own the conference hardware. I cant foresee them taking what is essentially 3rd place in the B1G over the champ or another conference champ.

I think poor Oklahoma State is going to get screwed if they win too, since the loss to CMU was straight up a failure of the refs to make the correct ruling and they would be a 1 loss team who would be in the discussion otherwise.

 

[jrry32]

Penn State won't get in over Ohio State. They need Clemson or Washington to lose. Right now, I'd say:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Wisconsin

But if Colorado pulls the upset (like I'm predicting), it would be a close call between them and Wisconsin.

 

[FrantikRam]

I think the playoff picture looks like this after this weekend:

1. Bama
2. Clemson
3. Washington
4. Penn State

If the above scenario plays out, I think Ohio State ends up on the outside looking in. Unless the committee goes full on hypocrite and reverses its criteria that they used to keep TCU/Baylor out in 2014 (not winning your conference). Penn State will own not only the h2h against tOSU but will also have 2 top 10 wins and own the conference hardware. I cant foresee them taking what is essentially 3rd place in the B1G over the champ or another conference champ.

I think poor Oklahoma State is going to get screwed if they win too, since the loss to CMU was straight up a failure of the refs to make the correct ruling and they would be a 1 loss team who would be in the discussion otherwise.

Actually, it would be more hypocritical to take Penn State over Ohio State.

They stress that they want the 4 best teams - look at last year as an extreme example. I think I posted on this board that Ohio State should have technically been in the playoffs over Michigan State, despite the fact that they beat us last year and won the big 10. My logic was simple: OSU was better than Michigan State.

Now, obviously we weren't going to actually get in over them, I knew that. But then look what happened: a complete non competitive beat down by Alabama. Every year is different, but this year we have a more realistic version of what happened last year: OSU lost to a team who might win the big 10, but this time we ARE clearly a better team than them and have showed that by beating 3 of the top 9 teams in the country.

This weekend needs to become less important in the future, unless the two teams playing are both playoff contenders.

Who are the best 4 teams in the country, right now?

IMO it's:

Bama
OSU
Clemson
Michigan

I would have these 4 teams in the playoffs regardless of what happens this weekend. If Clemson loses on a last second FG to VT, are they suddenly a worse team than Washington? When most have thought Clemson a better team for 13 weeks? I don't think so.

Maybe it's just semantics - but if you want this weekend to matter, they need to change it from 4 best to 4 most deserving - and then expand it to 6 or 8 teams so that all power 5 champs can get in automatically.

There are statements to be made this weekend - I know my buckeyes got in because of the 59-0 beat down of Wisconsin two years ago - but every year is different and IMO, you have a clear cut top 3 teams and then it's between Michigan and Washington, depending on your preference.

 

[dieterbrock]

If Washington and Clemson win, I cant see it being anything other than
Alabama
Ohio State
Clemson
Washington

Michigan is out regardless of the outcome. There's just no way to justify a team losing 2 of their last 3 games and making the playoff.

 

[RamsFlash80]

Penn State won't get in over Ohio State. They need Clemson or Washington to lose. Right now, I'd say:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Wisconsin

But if Colorado pulls the upset (like I'm predicting), it would be a close call between them and Wisconsin.

Your right, Colorado is a big threat to upset Washington and I wouldnt be surprised if it happens. I think Colorado could have 1 loss had there QB not got hurt vs Michigan. They had a real chance to beat them until Liufau got hurt. They are a very good team. I hope Washington wins though so the Pac12 has a team to rep it.

 

[Fatbot]

Michigan is out regardless of the outcome. There's just no way to justify a team losing 2 of their last 3 games and making the playoff.

I fully agree with you but this is a political decision by a biased committee, the #1 justification is always $$ (ratings), and the media hype machine wants their little baby Harbaugh in soooooo bad.

 

[Fatbot]

I hope Washington wins though so the Pac12 has a team to rep it.

It would also be good because Petersen might be the only coach in the country with the intellect and huevos needed to upset Alabama. Amazing how he walked off the potato farm to dominate that Pac12 conference overnight.

 

[jrry32]

Actually, it would be more hypocritical to take Penn State over Ohio State.

They stress that they want the 4 best teams - look at last year as an extreme example. I think I posted on this board that Ohio State should have technically been in the playoffs over Michigan State, despite the fact that they beat us last year and won the big 10. My logic was simple: OSU was better than Michigan State.

Now, obviously we weren't going to actually get in over them, I knew that. But then look what happened: a complete non competitive beat down by Alabama. Every year is different, but this year we have a more realistic version of what happened last year: OSU lost to a team who might win the big 10, but this time we ARE clearly a better team than them and have showed that by beating 3 of the top 9 teams in the country.

You weren't better than Michigan State, though. They beat you. In fact, they beat you without their starting QB, Connor Cook. You were clearly worse than them. You matched up with Alabama better than they did. But that's not a reason to put Ohio State in.

This year, Ohio State will get in. Penn State may or may not be better. It was a pretty flukey game. But they have a worse resume.

 

[WvuIN02]

Actually, it would be more hypocritical to take Penn State over Ohio State.

They stress that they want the 4 best teams - look at last year as an extreme example. I think I posted on this board that Ohio State should have technically been in the playoffs over Michigan State, despite the fact that they beat us last year and won the big 10. My logic was simple: OSU was better than Michigan State.

Now, obviously we weren't going to actually get in over them, I knew that. But then look what happened: a complete non competitive beat down by Alabama. Every year is different, but this year we have a more realistic version of what happened last year: OSU lost to a team who might win the big 10, but this time we ARE clearly a better team than them and have showed that by beating 3 of the top 9 teams in the country.

This weekend needs to become less important in the future, unless the two teams playing are both playoff contenders.

Who are the best 4 teams in the country, right now?

IMO it's:

Bama
OSU
Clemson
Michigan

I would have these 4 teams in the playoffs regardless of what happens this weekend. If Clemson loses on a last second FG to VT, are they suddenly a worse team than Washington? When most have thought Clemson a better team for 13 weeks? I don't think so.

Maybe it's just semantics - but if you want this weekend to matter, they need to change it from 4 best to 4 most deserving - and then expand it to 6 or 8 teams so that all power 5 champs can get in automatically.

There are statements to be made this weekend - I know my buckeyes got in because of the 59-0 beat down of Wisconsin two years ago - but every year is different and IMO, you have a clear cut top 3 teams and then it's between Michigan and Washington, depending on your preference.

Nah, they stated 2 years ago conference championships were a very large part of their decision, which was their reasoning for shafting Baylor/TCU. Ohio State getting in over PSU would completely go against that, though its the bigger sell and I full on believe Ohio State will get all the media love from Herbstreit etc. I also dont think you are a better team than Penn State, because you lost to them h2h. Woulda coulda shoulda etc.

All this is assuming they beat Wisconsin of course, which is not a sure thing.

 

[dieterbrock]

It would also be good because Petersen might be the only coach in the country with the intellect and huevos needed to upset Alabama. Amazing how he walked off the potato farm to dominate that Pac12 conference overnight.

Peterson is the next big thing in CFB
Its a shame the moons didn't align for Peterson to have gotten the USC job

 

[den-the-coach]

I would love to see Head Coach Mike MacIntyre and the Colorado Buffaloes upset the Huskies tonight as MacIntyre is one of the good guys and deserves great credit rebuilding to college programs in San Jose State and for the heavy lifting at Boulder. He's a heck off a football coach, however, so is Chris Petersen and the Washington Huskies IMO are one of the teams that could actually have a chance against the Evil Empire A.K.A. Alabama.

 

[FrantikRam]

Nah, they stated 2 years ago conference championships were a very large part of their decision, which was their reasoning for shafting Baylor/TCU. Ohio State getting in over PSU would completely go against that, though its the bigger sell and I full on believe Ohio State will get all the media love from Herbstreit etc. I also dont think you are a better team than Penn State, because you lost to them h2h. Woulda coulda shoulda etc.

All this is assuming they beat Wisconsin of course, which is not a sure thing.

Has nothing to do with media love.

For one thing, Penn State has two losses whereas we only have one - that matters and has mattered more than anything in College football forever. Think about it this way: we (people) think of a loss as such a bad thing that they dropped Michigan below Washington for losing in 2 OT with questionable officiating on the road against the number 2 team in the country - if ever a team should have been viewed better after a loss, it was Michigan after the game last weekend - and yet they still dropped beneath Washington (who did have an impressive win - but considering the differences in opponent and the nature of the OSU/Michigan game, I was more impressed with Michigan than I was Washington). Ohio State's wins simply cannot be overlooked. Head to head is not always an indicator of which team is better - any team can win on any given day - that's why they look at the complete body of work instead of one game, and over that body of work Ohio State was VASTLY superior to Penn State.

Baylor and TCU didn't get shafted - Ohio State was a better team than both of them that year. Regardless of what the committee says, it was the complete domination of Wisconsin in the championship game that swayed the committee.

 

[FrantikRam]

You weren't better than Michigan State, though. They beat you. In fact, they beat you without their starting QB, Connor Cook. You were clearly worse than them. You matched up with Alabama better than they did. But that's not a reason to put Ohio State in.

This year, Ohio State will get in. Penn State may or may not be better. It was a pretty flukey game. But they have a worse resume.

Did you watch the MSU/OSU game last year? Hard to say the Penn St game was fluky without acknowledging that the MSU/OSU game last year was as well. We were at home, but weather played a HUGE part in that game. That they were missing Cook did make their win impressive, but the weather pretty much killed any chance at a passing game anyways. If last years MSU/OSU teams played 10 times, we'd probably have won 8 of those. They were not better - they just played better for one Saturday out of the year. We've all seen across all sports that the better team doesn't always win.

They lost at the right time and beat Ohio State, which earned them the right to go to the championship game and ultimately the playoff - I don't begrudge them that; I obviously expected them to get to the playoffs last year.

The point I was making is that the best team doesn't always win the conference, and that is what happened last year - but the committee wasn't in a position to justify putting us in last year. This year they are and it will likely happen.

 

[FrantikRam]

I also want to add - this year will likely get us to an 8 team playoff.

Conference champions are irrelevant to who the 4 best teams are - if you polled the country you would probably end up with Alabama, OSU, Clemson and Michigan as the top 4 teams - but craziness would have to occur for those 4 teams to actually get in the playoffs, which tells you the system is broken.

If you want conference champions to be rewarded, you have to give automatic playoff bids and then you can add 3 wildcard teams to get to 8 - or model it after the NFL playoff system with 6 playoff teams and go down to one wildcard team.

 

[Fatbot]

If you want conference champions to be rewarded, you have to give automatic playoff bids and then you can add 3 wildcard teams

Unfortunately I think this is the way it will go, the problem for me being it will likely further dismiss the group of 5 conferences that have several just as good or better teams that keep getting ignored. Only path for them now is one Bowl slot for the one team that pulls off the miracle undefeated season -- a playoff probably even eliminates that (since even if in theory the wildcards could include G5 the rankings won't cooperate and let a G5 sniff top 8).

 

[dieterbrock]

I also want to add - this year will likely get us to an 8 team playoff.

Conference champions are irrelevant to who the 4 best teams are - if you polled the country you would probably end up with Alabama, OSU, Clemson and Michigan as the top 4 teams - but craziness would have to occur for those 4 teams to actually get in the playoffs, which tells you the system is broken.

If you want conference champions to be rewarded, you have to give automatic playoff bids and then you can add 3 wildcard teams to get to 8 - or model it after the NFL playoff system with 6 playoff teams and go down to one wildcard team.

I don't think we will see an expansion of the playoff any time soon.
For the most part, the current system works.
If its 4 teams, there are teams that will feel left out. 8 teams, same thing.
Heck, the NCAA basketball tourney is up to 68 teams and there are still teams that get left out
CFB logistics just make it too difficult to add another round

 

[jrry32]

Did you watch the MSU/OSU game last year? Hard to say the Penn St game was fluky without acknowledging that the MSU/OSU game last year was as well. We were at home, but weather played a HUGE part in that game. That they were missing Cook did make their win impressive, but the weather pretty much killed any chance at a passing game anyways. If last years MSU/OSU teams played 10 times, we'd probably have won 8 of those. They were not better - they just played better for one Saturday out of the year. We've all seen across all sports that the better team doesn't always win.

They lost at the right time and beat Ohio State, which earned them the right to go to the championship game and ultimately the playoff - I don't begrudge them that; I obviously expected them to get to the playoffs last year.

The point I was making is that the best team doesn't always win the conference, and that is what happened last year - but the committee wasn't in a position to justify putting us in last year. This year they are and it will likely happen.

Dude, they beat your with their backup QB in your house. You can't claim your team was better. Michigan State with Connor Cook beats Ohio State more than 5 times out of 10.

Yes, Ohio State will get in this year because they have the resume for it. Although, your win over Michigan was pretty flukey too.

 

[jrry32]

Penn State won't get in over Ohio State. They need Clemson or Washington to lose. Right now, I'd say:
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio State
4. Wisconsin

But if Colorado pulls the upset (like I'm predicting), it would be a close call between them and Wisconsin.

Well, my hope for chaos went up in flames. Come on, Clemson. Clemson it. We need chaos.

 

[Memento]

Well, my hope for chaos went up in flames. Come on, Clemson. Clemson it. We need chaos.

 

[dieterbrock]

Well, my hope for chaos went up in flames. Come on, Clemson. Clemson it. We need chaos.

Its a shame that the Tar Heels crapped the bed vs State because I think they would have given Clemson a much better game than V-Tech

Washington may have won last night, but any idea that they could hang with OSU or Bama was crushed for me. Colorado has an impressive Pass D, but Browning didn't look great and I cant see how he would fare better against either of them