The First 2018 College Football Playoff

[osubuckeye89]

There will be an argument more years than not. There hasen't been one yet where 4th wasn't scoffed at and some team 5th or lower was peddled by outraged online talking heads as more deserving. I honestly don't care. At all. And no, it has nothing to do with UW being 4th one of those years and people upset it should have been another. I'd have been fine if it was UW 5th as well.

The only purpose of the playoff is to have a unanimous winner tested by the teams placed in around them. It is more relevant that first and second ranked teams are solid than who is 3rd or 4th. In the years of the BCS and before that in human polls, those 3rd through 6th were irrelevant so why should that change now?

I couldn't care less if Bama sneaks in again at 4th in such a scenario. Every team left out, EVERY TEAM only had to win their games to reach it and failed to do so. Period. End of discussion as far as I'm concerned. As soon as you lose a game you lose control of any argument over a playoff berth. And I am 10000% ok with that. The system as it stands works as intended and every one of their champions earned the right to be crowned.

The System as it stands greatly favors Bama more than anyone and its not even close. I have a problem with that.

Why should Bama be given that benefit of the doubt every year even if they cant win their division?

Bama also failed to win all of their games, but gets an angle of favoritism by the CFP playoff. And thats even more clear than ever if they get in with 1 loss over a 1 loss P5 champ this season.

 

[Yo Tee]

There will be an argument more years than not. There hasen't been one yet where 4th wasn't scoffed at and some team 5th or lower was peddled by outraged online talking heads as more deserving. I honestly don't care. At all. And no, it has nothing to do with UW being 4th one of those years and people upset it should have been another. I'd have been fine if it was UW 5th as well.

The only purpose of the playoff is to have a unanimous winner tested by the teams placed in around them. It is more relevant that first and second ranked teams are solid than who is 3rd or 4th. In the years of the BCS and before that in human polls, those 3rd through 6th were irrelevant so why should that change now?

I couldn't care less if Bama sneaks in again at 4th in such a scenario. Every team left out, EVERY TEAM only had to win their games to reach it and failed to do so. Period. End of discussion as far as I'm concerned. As soon as you lose a game you lose control of any argument over a playoff berth. And I am 10000% ok with that. The system as it stands works as intended and every one of their champions earned the right to be crowned.

I think the argument was much stronger in 2016 than last year. 2016 was between the B1G Champs Penn State, who beat Ohio State that year. but had a very bad loss against Pittsburgh, or Ohio State, who lost to Penn State, but beat Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan, all ranked in the top 10 at the time of their loss. Ohio State had the better resume, for sure, but if the goal is to get the best four teams in the country, my argument was Penn State was better than Ohio State strictly due to them beating Ohio State earlier in the year.

Last year it was pretty cut and dry. Ohio State lost horribly and Bama just lost to Auburn who went to the SECCG.

This year is looking to be a little more controversial than years past.

 

[osubuckeye89]

I think the argument was much stronger in 2016 than last year. 2016 was between the B1G Champs Penn State, who beat Ohio State that year. but had a very bad loss against Pittsburgh, or Ohio State, who lost to Penn State, but beat Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska and Michigan, all ranked in the top 10 at the time of their loss. Ohio State had the better resume, for sure, but if the goal is to get the best four teams in the country, my argument was Penn State was better than Ohio State strictly due to them beating Ohio State earlier in the year.

Last year it was pretty cut and dry. Ohio State lost horribly and Bama just lost to Auburn who went to the SECCG.

This year is looking to be a little more controversial than years past.

Ohio State had 2 losses (looking awful in both) and Bama had 1, so I didnt really have a problem with it.

Problem with this year is you could realistically have a 1 loss non division champ Bama getting in over not one but two or even THREE 1 loss P5 champs. Seeing that Ohio State or Michigan, Oklahoma & Washington State all hypothetically win out. Along with a potentially undefeated UCF team. (This is also assuming Notre Dame and Clemson win out, which with remaining schedules is a high possibility for both)

 

[WizardHawk]

The System as it stands greatly favors Bama more than anyone and its not even close. I have a problem with that.

Why should Bama be given that benefit of the doubt every year even if they cant win their division?

Bama also failed to win all of their games, but gets an angle of favoritism by the CFP playoff. And thats even more clear than ever if they get in with 1 loss over a 1 loss P5 champ this season.

First of all, you are unhappy about something that is right now just a hypothetical. We don't know what the committee will do this year in this case IF they actually lost to LSU. For example, did they lose badly? Was there key injuries in the game? Lots of what ifs.

Second, as I already laid out Bama isn't in the slot they are simply because they are bama or based off last year, preseason polls, etc. They are in this slot because they are flat our murdering EVERY team in front of them. It matters. If we are truly trying to pick the 4 'best' teams style points very much matter. Way too often people mistake most deserving over best. The CFP is supposed to be about which 4 are currently the best teams. And that's exactly the way it should be IMO.

I'll say this again though because this is key to me, as long as the top 2 are solid the system works. By solid I simply mean they actually would belong somewhere in the top 4 and no one really disputes that. If a team that some might not consider top 4 worthy comes in and beats those teams to win the title then so be it. The system proved the top two weren't the best in that playoff.

I see no reason to endlessly concern over who should be 4th though 6th. It was predictable that would be the outcome of going to 4, just as it is a fact the exact same thing would happen for 8th though 10th if it expanded further. There won't ever be a format where there isn't room for complaining over which tail end team gets in.

Win your games. It's that simple. Win all of them and you get in. Yes, there is that * for non power 5 contenders that your schedule matters, but you know what I'm talking about. There won't be a team in the top 10 that doesn't have to look in the mirror to see why they didn't make the top 4. All had things within their control that they failed on. I just don't care.

And for the record, I don't see this game being as close as the odds makers have it. Bama is going to leave them for dead and eat their young. So I find this hypothetical to be a moot point.

 

[osubuckeye89]

First of all, you are unhappy about something that is right now just a hypothetical. We don't know what the committee will do this year in this case IF they actually lost to LSU. For example, did they lose badly? Was there key injuries in the game? Lots of what ifs.

Second, as I already laid out Bama isn't in the slot they are simply because they are bama or based off last year, preseason polls, etc. They are in this slot because they are flat our murdering EVERY team in front of them. It matters. If we are truly trying to pick the 4 'best' teams style points very much matter. Way too often people mistake most deserving over best. The CFP is supposed to be about which 4 are currently the best teams. And that's exactly the way it should be IMO.

I'll say this again though because this is key to me, as long as the top 2 are solid the system works. By solid I simply mean they actually would belong somewhere in the top 4 and no one really disputes that. If a team that some might not consider top 4 worthy comes in and beats those teams to win the title then so be it. The system proved the top two weren't the best in that playoff.

I see no reason to endlessly concern over who should be 4th though 6th. It was predictable that would be the outcome of going to 4, just as it is a fact the exact same thing would happen for 8th though 10th if it expanded further. There won't ever be a format where there isn't room for complaining over which tail end team gets in.

Win your games. It's that simple. Win all of them and you get in. Yes, there is that * for non power 5 contenders that your schedule matters, but you know what I'm talking about. There won't be a team in the top 10 that doesn't have to look in the mirror to see why they didn't make the top 4. All had things within their control that they failed on. I just don't care.

And for the record, I don't see this game being as close as the odds makers have it. Bama is going to leave them for dead and eat their young. So I find this hypothetical to be a moot point.

I don't think LSU is really anything too special, however Bama hasn't played anyone worth a crap all year (and its @LSU) so we will see.

 

[WizardHawk]

Ohio State had 2 losses (looking awful in both) and Bama had 1, so I didnt really have a problem with it.

Problem with this year is you could realistically have a 1 loss non division champ Bama getting in over not one but two or even THREE 1 loss P5 champs. Seeing that Ohio State or Michigan, Oklahoma & Washington State all hypothetically win out. Along with a potentially undefeated UCF team. (This is also assuming Notre Dame and Clemson win out, which with remaining schedules is a high possibility for both)

The reason you seem to be worked up over this possibility (and a high one that that) is it's obvious how meh the other teams around that middle 4th - 9th range really are. There aren't a lot of dominating teams in college football this year. Bama has destroyed everyone and then who? Who has looked 'great'? Yes, even great teams can have a bad week or letdown game somewhere, but none fit the bill of that to me so far. There have been a lot of flat performances even in the wins by all of them. Clemson gets the nod at 2, but had more than one stinker week, etc.

Teams need to play better all season if they want to be in it and keep scenarios like you paint out of it. That hasn't happened this year.

 

[WizardHawk]

I don't think LSU is really anything too special, however Bama hasn't played anyone worth a crap all year (and its @LSU) so we will see.

Yes, bama's schedule hasn't been much. No one, even their own fans, argue that.

Show me any other team in the country that looks as solid against a similarly bad schedule. They have their 2nd and 3rd stringers in every game and coast to blow out victories. You keep leaving that part out. It matters when trying to figure out who the 'best' teams are.

That doesn't mean they aren't beatable and shouldn't be left out had we had more teams with no losses if they lost a game. That isn't the landscape this year. They would almost certainly be in with a loss even sitting out the CCG and have a massively strong case for it given how bad the rest of the top 10 have looked, even against their softer opponents.

 

[osubuckeye89]

The reason you seem to be worked up over this possibility (and a high one that that) is it's obvious how meh the other teams around that middle 4th - 9th range really are. There aren't a lot of dominating teams in college football this year. Bama has destroyed everyone and then who? Who has looked 'great'? Yes, even great teams can have a bad week or letdown game somewhere, but none fit the bill of that to me so far. There have been a lot of flat performances even in the wins by all of them. Clemson gets the nod at 2, but had more than one stinker week, etc.

Teams need to play better all season if they want to be in it and keep scenarios like you paint out of it. That hasn't happened this year.

I'd put it in the pecking order of for the last spot at 1. Oklahoma 2. Ohio State/Michigan 3. Washington State 4. Alabama for the #4 spot if everything stays the same and the hypothetical that LSU beats Bama.

So what if Bama loses to LSU, then plays like crap (but still wins) against Moo State and All Barn? would you change your tune then?

 

[osubuckeye89]

I also think my argument that Bama gets rewarded by getting to sit out the SEC title game (in event of loss to LSU) is completely valid.

one of the two teams ahead of Bama did their job to get to the SEC title game, but is forced to lose in that extra game a few weeks later, which ends up propelling Alabama in over them because Alabama failed to do their job of winning their division.

 

[Yo Tee]

Problem with this year is you could realistically have a 1 loss non division champ Bama getting in over not one but two or even THREE 1 loss P5 champs. Seeing that Ohio State or Michigan, Oklahoma & Washington State all hypothetically win out. Along with a potentially undefeated UCF team. (This is also assuming Notre Dame and Clemson win out, which with remaining schedules is a high possibility for both)

Any champ from the Pac 12 is more than likely out, especially if it's not Washington State. This year, you're running into the issue where ALL of the good teams are majorly coming from two conferences. SEC and B1G. If we as a collective non-Bama College football fanbase want Bama not to get in, we need to be rooting for LSU, Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma the rest of the way. The worst thing to happen, if we want Bama to be out, is Clemson and ND losing. That provides less of a chance for Bama to sneak in.

Another thing is, and I'm sorry to say this, but if the B1G champion is Ohio State, there will be no B1G team in the CFP. You, me, all football fans that don't want Bama in the playoff, need Michigan and Oklahoma to both win out. That loss to Purdue will haunt Ohio State and probably work against them the way the Iowa loss worked against them last year. Clemson, LSU/Georgia, Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma all need to win out. That way, the chances of Bama getting in are much lower than if one or more of those teams start losing.

 

[WizardHawk]

I'd put it in the pecking order of for the last spot at 1. Oklahoma 2. Ohio State/Michigan 3. Washington State 4. Alabama for the #4 spot if everything stays the same and the hypothetical that LSU beats Bama.

So what if Bama loses to LSU, then plays like crap (but still wins) against Moo State and All Barn? would you change your tune then?

Ok, so why would WSU with one loss ahead of a Bama? I'd love to see those numbers. If WSU wins out they would likely have their only wins against a ranked team being Utah (would be twice). At best. They would have several close games against meh to bad Pac teams. Everyone keeps telling us how shitty the whole conf is until it suits their agenda.

There is a lot of football left to be played and we have seen this year that very much chaos is the rule. How many weeks have we had where a top 10 team didn't lose? There's basically no way it stays in this order, AND no way to know how the committee would punish teams not in the CCG until we get a lot closer to that last week. It's all assumptions and hypotheticals until then.

 

[osubuckeye89]

Any champ from the Pac 12 is more than likely out, especially if it's not Washington State. This year, you're running into the issue where ALL of the good teams are majorly coming from two conferences. SEC and B1G. If we as a collective non-Bama College football fanbase want Bama not to get in, we need to be rooting for LSU, Georgia, Michigan and Oklahoma the rest of the way. The worst thing to happen, if we want Bama to be out, is Clemson and ND losing. That provides less of a chance for Bama to sneak in.

Another thing is, and I'm sorry to say this, but if the B1G champion is Ohio State, there will be no B1G team in the CFP. You, me, all football fans that don't want Bama in the playoff, need Michigan and Oklahoma to both win out. That loss to Purdue will haunt Ohio State and probably work against them the way the Iowa loss worked against them last year. Clemson, LSU/Georgia, Notre Dame, Michigan and Oklahoma all need to win out. That way, the chances of Bama getting in are much lower than if one or more of those teams start losing.

I don't want to see Ohio State in the playoff, we aren't that good this year. I'd rather win a new years 6 game again and take that into next year and regroup (fix the defense and run game) then get embarrassed again in the playoff.

If Oklahoma wins out they'd get the nod over Ohio State & Michigan. IMO. Their opponent in the Big 12 title game would be much better than the B1G opponent for Ohio State/Michigan.

However I really could go without seeing another SEC circle jerk. Especially an undeserving Bama team if they hypothetically lose to LSU and miss the SEC title game again.

I dont think Clemson or ND will lose. Could be wrong of course shit happens, but on paper, nah.

 

[WizardHawk]

I also think my argument that Bama gets rewarded by getting to sit out the SEC title game (in event of loss to LSU) is completely valid.

one of the two teams ahead of Bama did their job to get to the SEC title game, but is forced to lose in that extra game a few weeks later, which ends up propelling Alabama in over them because Alabama failed to do their job of winning their division.

zero chance AT ALL that you would have the exact same argument if Ohio State sat out and made 4th if this same situation with looking THAT good was on you instead of bama. Many of your fans made that exact argument when it did come up for your team recently.

I'm a non biased poster without a dog in this hunt outside of the entire disdain for the idea of adding more teams to a larger playoff. My only bias is the belief the current system entirely meets the goal of the format and leaves us with a valid champion every year.

I wouldn't have a single problem with bama sneaking in again in the scenario you paint. No one else left out would have looked as good and had a better argument for looking like the 'best' 4th place team in the country. Just my opinion, but I get others like you don't agree. I'll just leave it there for now as I have errands to go run.

Good day

 

[osubuckeye89]

zero chance AT ALL that you would have the exact same argument if Ohio State sat out and made 4th if this same situation with looking THAT good was on you instead of bama. Many of your fans made that exact argument when it did come up for your team recently.

I'm a non biased poster without a dog in this hunt outside of the entire disdain for the idea of adding more teams to a larger playoff. My only bias is the belief the current system entirely meets the goal of the format and leaves us with a valid champion every year.

I wouldn't have a single problem with bama sneaking in again in the scenario you paint. No one else left out would have looked as good and had a better argument for looking like the 'best' 4th place team in the country. Just my opinion, but I get others like you don't agree. I'll just leave it there for now as I have errands to go run.

Good day

It was 2 losses vs 1 in that case.

If the losses are the same the conference champs should absolutely get the nod over the team that couldnt win their own division of their conference.

 

[WizardHawk]

It was 2 losses vs 1 in that case.

If the losses are the same the conference champs should absolutely get the nod over the team that couldnt win their own division of their conference.

Again, this is the 'most deserving' vs 'best' argument. I vote for 'best'.

Have a good afternoon you two.

 

[7Samurai13]

It's happened each of the last 2 years. Ohio State in 2016 and Bama last year.

No it hasn’t. What one loss conference champ did they go over?

 

[Yo Tee]

No it hasn’t. What one loss conference champ did they go over?

I forgot Ohio state was a 2 loss champ last year. Mah bad.

 

[osubuckeye89]

The funny thing is ive never once argued for Ohio State in this thread, i've really got very few good things to say about this team at the moment.

 

[rmilia1]

I would HOPE that a 1 loss Michigan , OSU or OU would get in over a 1 loss non division winning Bama. Pretty much every possible criteria would favor those teams over Bama so them not getting in would really be a signal that the criteria itself I'd pointless which , if that's the case , the committee is not needed at all

 

[Deep Creek]

I would HOPE that a 1 loss Michigan , OSU or OU would get in over a 1 loss non division winning Bama. Pretty much every possible criteria would favor those teams over Bama so them not getting in would really be a signal that the criteria itself I'd pointless which , if that's the case , the committee is not needed at all

The best way to deal with Bama is have a team beat them in the semifinals like Ohio State did in 2014.