Top 25 Programs of the CFP Era

[Cowboyinexile]

Just waiting for Michigan fans to this

They may take a step back this year and Harbaugh usually only lasts about 5 years or so at a spot. You might be waiting a while.

 

[jon2tanman]

 

[7Samurai13]

They may take a step back this year and Harbaugh usually only lasts about 5 years or so at a spot. You might be waiting a while.

Where has he lasted five years at? The last time he was anywhere for more than four years was the Bears.

 

[Across The Field]

The middle was tough. Georgia has a better win %, more wins, has finished higher ranked at the end of the year than any Michigan team has, and doesn't have a season below .500.

Huh? michigan finished ranked 10th last year and 12th the year before. The best final ranking Georgia has is 13th.

 

[ericd7633]

Huh? michigan finished ranked 10th last year and 12th the year before. The best final ranking Georgia has is 13th.

UGA finished 9th in 2014.

 

[Deep Creek]

3 years is a lot of data to try and manage in my head for a whole playoff era top25.

But as far as rating teams based on how they've done in the playoffs thus far:

1. Alabama 3-2
2. Clemson 3-1
3. Ohio St 2-1
4. Oregon 1-1
5. Florida St 0-1
6. Oklahoma 0-1
7. Washington 0-1
8. Michigan St 0-1

Going by their CFP performances only, I would say that is pretty accurate. Some might make the case that Clem's win % is higher...but Bama played in more games and has been in the CFP all three years. The last four could be put in any order just on record alone. None of the last four showed very well in those semifinals IMO. I'd probably rank then (5) Washington, (6) OU, (7) FSU and (8) Sparty. I thought FSU was horrible against Oregon and Sparty got killed by Bama. Washington and OU were a little better but not great either.

 

[Across The Field]

UGA finished 9th in 2014.

13th.

2014 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 17 - ESPN

Unless you're talking about the Final CFP rankings, in which case michigan finished 14th in 2015 and 6th last year, both ahead of Georgia.

 

[ericd7633]

13th.

2014 NCAA College Football Polls and Rankings for Week 17 - ESPN

Unless you're talking about the Final CFP rankings, in which case michigan finished 14th in 2015 and 6th last year, both ahead of Georgia.

I'm talking about the end of the year. UGA finished 9th in the AP and coaches Poll. Not sure where they were for the final CFP rankings. Best Michigan has finished is 10th.

 

[Across The Field]

I'm talking about the end of the year. UGA finished 9th in the AP and coaches Poll. Not sure where they were for the final CFP rankings. Best Michigan has finished is 10th.

End of the year, like after the bowl games? Final AP poll?

 

[ericd7633]

End of the year, like after the bowl games? Final AP poll?

Yes.

 

[Across The Field]

Yes.

So they finished 9th, 24th, and UR in the final AP.
michigan finished UR,12th, and 10th.

I'd say clearly the nod goes to the skunkweasels.

 

[iowajerms]

3 years is a lot of data to try and manage in my head for a whole playoff era top25.

But as far as rating teams based on how they've done in the playoffs thus far:

1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Ohio St
4. Oregon
5. Florida St
6. Oklahoma
7. Washington
8. Michigan St

Based only on how they did in CFP?

1. Alabama - Only team to make it every year and has 1 NCAA Championship and 2 very close losses to the NC team.
2. Clemson - 2x NCG qualifier, winning one of them.
3. Ohio State - Only other team to make CFP 2x, Won their one and only Championship appearance
4. Oregon - They crushed FSU and is the only team left that has a win.
5. Oklahoma - Out of the teams remaining, they scored the most points to a Clemson team that came just short in the Championship.
6. Washington - Kept it close with Alabama for a quarter, but at least lost by 17.
7. Michigan State - Got shut out against a team that won the NCG.
8. Florida State - Not only did they get destroyed by 39 points, the team that destroyed them got destroyed by 22 points.

 

[ericd7633]

So they finished 9th, 24th, and UR in the final AP.
michigan finished UR,12th, and 10th.

I'd say clearly the nod goes to the skunkweasels.

Not all unranked seasons are created equal though. Because you could also look at it like UGA has had better seasons for 2 out of those 3 years.

 

[4down20]

Going by their CFP performances only, I would say that is pretty accurate. Some might make the case that Clem's win % is higher...but Bama played in more games and has been in the CFP all three years. The last four could be put in any order just on record alone. None of the last four showed very well in those semifinals IMO. I'd probably rank then (5) Washington, (6) OU, (7) FSU and (8) Sparty. I thought FSU was horrible against Oregon and Sparty got killed by Bama. Washington and OU were a little better but not great either.

The way I saw it was Alabama and Clemson had the same basic record, except Alabama had 1 more playoff appearance. I thought the extra playoff appearance made it easy, didn't even realize win% honestly.

Oregon I thought was easy to rank #4.

But the last 4 was tough. I think I would probably change the order after reading other posts. Not sure why, but I didn't remember FSU getting beat so badly.

 

[4down20]

Based only on how they did in CFP?

1. Alabama - Only team to make it every year and has 1 NCAA Championship and 2 very close losses to the NC team.
2. Clemson - 2x NCG qualifier, winning one of them.
3. Ohio State - Only other team to make CFP 2x, Won their one and only Championship appearance
4. Oregon - They crushed FSU and is the only team left that has a win.
5. Oklahoma - Out of the teams remaining, they scored the most points to a Clemson team that came just short in the Championship.
6. Washington - Kept it close with Alabama for a quarter, but at least lost by 17.
7. Michigan State - Got shut out against a team that won the NCG.
8. Florida State - Not only did they get destroyed by 39 points, the team that destroyed them got destroyed by 22 points.

I like your order and reasoning, I didn't realize Florida St got beat that badly for some reason. Moving them down to the bottom and then moving the rest up is about perfect.

 

[Deep Creek]

Not sure why, but I didn't remember FSU getting beat so badly.

That's the year they looked pretty bad all season. Opened in Jerry's world against a very inexperienced Okie Lite and barely beat them. Didn't really improve any over the course of the season either. Just scraped by undefeated but really weren't that good. Shit the bed against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. IIRC, it wasn't even close.

 

[Olyduck]

That's the year they looked pretty bad all season. Opened in Jerry's world against a very inexperienced Okie Lite and barely beat them. Didn't really improve any over the course of the season either. Just scraped by undefeated but really weren't that good. Shit the bed against Oregon in the Rose Bowl. IIRC, it wasn't even close.

close for a half and even then about half way through the 3rd. then Oregon opened it up

 

[bamafan4evr12]

Bama on top....

 

[Across The Field]

Not all unranked seasons are created equal though. Because you could also look at it like UGA has had better seasons for 2 out of those 3 years.

Well they haven't, they've only had 1 better season (2014). michigan was better the last 2 years. Also, Georgia played an easier schedule.
Ranked opponents:
2016: UGA 3 (0 top 10), michigan 5 (3 top 10)
2015: UGA 3 (1 top 10), michigan 5 (2 top 10) - common opponent was Florida, who killed Georgia 27-3 and was destroyed by michigan 41-7
2014: UGA 5 (1 top 10), michigan 3 (2 top 5, 1 vs. the NC)

Georgia was better than michigan in 1 season, while michigan was better than Georgia in the other 2. If you're going by the AP Poll, Georgia has actually finished unranked the last 2 years while michigan has finished 12 and 10.

 

[ericd7633]

Well they haven't, they've only had 1 better season (2014). michigan was better the last 2 years. Also, Georgia played an easier schedule.
Ranked opponents:
2016: UGA 3 (0 top 10), michigan 5 (3 top 10)
2015: UGA 3 (1 top 10), michigan 5 (2 top 10) - common opponent was Florida, who killed Georgia 27-3 and was destroyed by michigan 41-7
2014: UGA 5 (1 top 10), michigan 3 (2 top 5, 1 vs. the NC)

Georgia was better than michigan in 1 season, while michigan was better than Georgia in the other 2. If you're going by the AP Poll, Georgia has actually finished unranked the last 2 years while michigan has finished 12 and 10.

UGA 2014 was better than Michigan 2016. UGA 2016 was better than Michigan 2014. Michigan 2015 was better than UGA 2015.