What if scenario?

[cwalke3408]

Did not ignore, I just did not see your question. How about UCLA? @ Cincinnati, Oklahoma and San Diego State! That's tough! No FCS, 1 Big Xii, 1 MWC and 1 MWC team.

So 1 out of 130?

That's not bad

 

[Wild Turkey]

So if Oregon runs the table and is 12-1 only loss to Auburn are they even considered since you know those other teams are with the same loss? if Oregon's only loss was what it was but say Auburn houses UGA and or Bama in their losses is it different?

No Auburn will represent the PAC as we own that conference.

 

[78Cyclones]

Come on now, you're bringing up Duke going to the ACC championship in 2013

Who knows if A&M, UGA, LSU, OU, ND or any other team Clemson schedules in the future will be good. Just know they ain't hiding like teams like Bama

So, you don't think much of an ACC team that regularly Bowls and has won their Division under their current HC? They just might win the Coastal again this year. Big Game tomorrow night @ Virginia Tech!

As for 'Bama hiding, they have played Clemson, Florida State X2, Virginia Tech X2, Louisiville and Duke X2 from the ACC OOC under Saban. If that is Alabama hiding, what do you call Clemson? My god, those are most of the best teams in the ACC! Besides Clemson, you got anybody in the ACC who can challenge Alabama?

I ask, as there are a few teams not named Alabama in the SEC who would be a tougher challenge than A&M for Clemson: LSU, Auburn, and Georgia for sure. Credit to Clemson for when they play those teams OOC! That is tougher than playing A&M - which has had one year to crow about (2012) since they joined the SEC West.

BTW, Alabama has also played Michigan, Wisconsin, Southern California, West Virginia not to mention Penn State X 2 under Saban, and have Southern California, Miami, Texas X2, Wisconsin X2, West Virginia X2, Notre Dame X2 and Oklahoma X2 coming up.

FWIW, I respect the Hell out of Clemson and what they have built, but their OOC schedule is not much tougher than Alabama's this year. That's all I am saying. Clemson has an easy OOC schedule, just like Alabama does. The Tide has already clocked @ Carolina and are about to clock @ A&M in 2 weeks. I cannot even imagine what they could do to Charlotte or Wofford!

Hey, good luck to Clemson! I think the CFB World needs Alabama vs. Clemson V!

 

[78Cyclones]

So 1 out of 130?

That's not bad

It's terrible, and I don't see what this tangent has to do with calling Clemson's poor OOC schedule "Tough" and Alabama's poor OOC schedule "Trash". I actually do credit Clemson for playing Texas A&M, but they are not some kind of behemoth and not that much better than Duke (9-4 vs. 8-5 last year). As for South Carolina, do I have to explain their ineptitude to a Tiger? lol. Peace man, Good luck to Clemson @ North Carolina this week. I respect that old ACC Rivalry (I once lived in Virginia).

 

[outofyourmind]

Sorry it's 2.

So, lets stop pretending and just call it an Invitational then.

Playoffs start with conference play elimination.

 

[Wild Turkey]

So, lets stop pretending and just call it an Invitational then.

Playoffs start with conference play elimination.

Let's just let Oklahoma skip the regular season. Not all paths are equal.

 

[78Cyclones]

Let's just let Oklahoma skip the regular season. Not all paths are equal.

I'm not promising a victory, but OU is going to get a battle from both Texas and Iowa State. Plus, the Big Xii does not look as lame as it did before the year started. Oklahoma State and Kansas State could give them trouble too. Oklahoma is clearly the best team in the league, but there are potential losses in there.

 

[cwalke3408]

So, you don't think much of an ACC team that regularly Bowls and has won their Division under their current HC? They just might win the Coastal again this year. Big Game tomorrow night @ Virginia Tech!

As for 'Bama hiding, they have played Clemson, Florida State X2, Virginia Tech X2, Louisiville and Duke X2 from the ACC OOC under Saban. If that is Alabama hiding, what do you call Clemson? My god, those are most of the best teams in the ACC! Besides Clemson, you got anybody in the ACC who can challenge Alabama?

I ask, as there are a few teams not named Alabama in the SEC who would be a tougher challenge than A&M for Clemson: LSU, Auburn, and Georgia for sure. Credit to Clemson for when they play those teams OOC! That is tougher than playing A&M - which has had one year to crow about (2012) since they joined the SEC West.

BTW, Alabama has also played Michigan, Wisconsin, Southern California, West Virginia not to mention Penn State X 2 under Saban, and have Southern California, Miami, Texas X2, Wisconsin X2, West Virginia X2, Notre Dame X2 and Oklahoma X2 coming up.

FWIW, I respect the Hell out of Clemson and what they have built, but their OOC schedule is not much tougher than Alabama's this year. That's all I am saying. Clemson has an easy OOC schedule, just like Alabama does. The Tide has already clocked @ Carolina and are about to clock @ A&M in 2 weeks. I cannot even imagine what they could do to Charlotte or Wofford!

Hey, good luck to Clemson! I think the CFB World needs Alabama vs. Clemson V!

Let's be honest, Bama hides with their 9 P5 neutral site OOC schedule. There's nothing easier than playing a Daniel Jones-less Duke team, NM State, WCU and Southern Miss.

Clemson has played Auburn/Georgia as an OOC matchup 7 times since 2010, Clemson just wants to visit stadiums besides Sanford and Jordan-Hare.

 

[78Cyclones]

Let's be honest, Bama hides with their 9 P5 neutral site OOC schedule. There's nothing easier than playing a Daniel Jones-less Duke team, NM State, WCU and Southern Miss.

Clemson has played Auburn/Georgia as an OOC matchup 7 times since 2010, Clemson just wants to visit stadiums besides Sanford and Jordan-Hare.

I prefer home and home to neutral games too. I also have said Alabama's OOC this year is very weak, but I do like them playing Duke (historical reasons). However, it should be as a second P5 like it was in 2010 when they played Penn State and @ Duke.

Most 'Bama fans are also tired of all of the neutral games and are looking forward to home and home with Texas, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Oklahoma in the next decade. That being said, the neutral games were with big time programs from 2007-17.

It was easier to schedule high quality games early in the Saban tenure than it is now. When Clemson agreed to play Alabama in 2008, Clemson was the pre-season top 10 team and double digit favorite. So, I think the Louisville and Duke games have forced the issue with Alabama leading to all of the big home and home series coming up.

I also actually have no issue with Clemson playing Texas A&M and South Carolina either. Those are two quality OOC games to schedule. Charlotte and Wofford are not. Both Alabama and Clemson could and should schedule MORE better OOC games and eliminate games vs. Wofford, Charlotte, Western Carolina and New Mexico State.

As for getting tired of playing @ Auburn and @ Georgia, I hear that!

 

[cwalke3408]

I prefer home and home to neutral games too. I also have said Alabama's OOC this year is very weak, but I do like them playing Duke (historical reasons). However, it should be as a second P5 like it was in 2010 when they played Penn State and @ Duke.

Most 'Bama fans are also tired of all of the neutral games and are looking forward to home and home with Texas, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Notre Dame and Oklahoma in the next decade. That being said, the neutral games were with big time programs from 2007-17.

It was easier to schedule high quality games early in the Saban tenure than it is now. When Clemson agreed to play Alabama in 2008, Clemson was the pre-season top 10 team and double digit favorite. So, I think the Louisville and Duke games have forced the issue with Alabama leading to all of the big home and home series coming up.

I also actually have no issue with Clemson playing Texas A&M and South Carolina either. Those are two quality OOC games to schedule. Charlotte and Wofford are not. Both Alabama and Clemson could and should schedule MORE better OOC games and eliminate games vs. Wofford, Charlotte, Western Carolina and New Mexico State.

As for getting tired of playing @ Auburn and @ Georgia, I hear that!

Home and Home are good for the fans and local business

I'm only picking on Bama's OOC because that's the only thing I can pick on

Starting to miss the days where we only point and laugh at Bama scheduling teams like Mercer even though most SEC/ACC does the same

 

[TheLonestarDUCK]

Auburn is out - lost title game
Bama is out - didn't make it to title game and 3 undefeated teams

#1 Clemson vs #4 Georgia
#2 Ohio St vs #3 Oklahoma

That would be highest tv rated playoff to date.

 

[LionsWhyMe]

Alabama gets left out. Meets UCF in the Cotton Bowl

It's too tempting to tell you by UCFacts... Bama would lose that game by a UCFighting third string QB 49-0.

 

[rmilia1]

There's literally zero reason for a blue blood like Bama to schedule a tough P5 OOC ( same applies for any other blue blood / new power like Clemson )

Those types of teams don't need tough ooc games to "prove" themselves as they will always receive the benefit of the doubt under the current format . Most years those teams also get a free pass on a loss you won't see other teams get .

So scheduling a tough ooc has FAR more risk than reward for them. Yes it sucks for fans but fans of those types of teams would rather see a shitty ooc and a playoff berth than a great ooc and no playoff

Frankly I'm surprised any top tier team still schedules a tough ooc game

 

[The Crimson King]

In that secario, which really isn’t that far fetched, UGA and the 3 undefeated teams get in

Auburn getting to 12-0 is pretty far fetched lol

 

[7Samurai13]

So, you don't think much of an ACC team that regularly Bowls and has won their Division under their current HC? They just might win the Coastal again this year. Big Game tomorrow night @ Virginia Tech!

As for 'Bama hiding, they have played Clemson, Florida State X2, Virginia Tech X2, Louisiville and Duke X2 from the ACC OOC under Saban. If that is Alabama hiding, what do you call Clemson? My god, those are most of the best teams in the ACC! Besides Clemson, you got anybody in the ACC who can challenge Alabama?

I ask, as there are a few teams not named Alabama in the SEC who would be a tougher challenge than A&M for Clemson: LSU, Auburn, and Georgia for sure. Credit to Clemson for when they play those teams OOC! That is tougher than playing A&M - which has had one year to crow about (2012) since they joined the SEC West.

BTW, Alabama has also played Michigan, Wisconsin, Southern California, West Virginia not to mention Penn State X 2 under Saban, and have Southern California, Miami, Texas X2, Wisconsin X2, West Virginia X2, Notre Dame X2 and Oklahoma X2 coming up.

FWIW, I respect the Hell out of Clemson and what they have built, but their OOC schedule is not much tougher than Alabama's this year. That's all I am saying. Clemson has an easy OOC schedule, just like Alabama does. The Tide has already clocked @ Carolina and are about to clock @ A&M in 2 weeks. I cannot even imagine what they could do to Charlotte or Wofford!

Hey, good luck to Clemson! I think the CFB World needs Alabama vs. Clemson V!

Did Bama schedule any of those games against the ACC teams? You can’t in one breath tell us that you can’t blame Bama for scheduling Duke because somebody did it for them and in the next breath tell us how brave they are for playing them. Duke is a bad football program that has finished ranked once this century. Please stop pretending that this is Duke Basketball that they are playing.

Here are the teams that Bama beat 3-9 Duke, the last time they played Clemson is the regular season was 2008 and they were a 7-6 team, 7-6 Florida State in 2017 then you have to go back to 2007 and they were 7-6, 2-10 Louisville, 8-5 Virginia tech in 2013 and 10-3 in 2010. Not exactly this murder’s row that you are making them out to be.

 

[Deep Creek]

P5 teams, that are not currently doing so, could and should schedule MORE better OOC games and eliminate games vs. Wofford, Charlotte, Western Carolina and New Mexico State.

 

[dtgold88]

We can't apply #2 in this scenario bc we don't have an eye test. All we can look at is their unfinished schedule and their record. Can't put a 1 loss team that didn't win their conference over an undefeated team in a top P5 conference...and it won't happen unless they have an atrocious schedule and none of those 3 teams do, at least not enough to make a difference in this scenario.

Correct....and Bama DOES have an atrocious sched.

And, yes, OSU does as well but in this scenario we'd be undefeated and a CCG champ.

 

[dtgold88]

I'm not pumping up Duke because I'm not trying to prove Alabama has a "Tough" OOC schedule. It's NOT. Neither is Clemson's. That's my point. Clemson is playing two SEC teams (Texas A&M and South Carolina) that have never won the SEC (one of which gets hammered by Alabama every year), a new FBS team in C-USA (Charlotte) and an FCS team (Wofford). That's NOT TOUGH. I will say this about Duke though (in comparison to A&M) - at least Duke has won the ACC Coastal under their current coach, and A&M has never won the SEC West. That being said, neither OOC schedule is "Tough".

I agree Clemson sched. very weak. They will pretty much waltz to the CFP.

 

[78Cyclones]

Did Bama schedule any of those games against the ACC teams? You can’t in one breath tell us that you can’t blame Bama for scheduling Duke because somebody did it for them and in the next breath tell us how brave they are for playing them. Duke is a bad football program that has finished ranked once this century. Please stop pretending that this is Duke Basketball that they are playing.

Here are the teams that Bama beat 3-9 Duke, the last time they played Clemson is the regular season was 2008 and they were a 7-6 team, 7-6 Florida State in 2017 then you have to go back to 2007 and they were 7-6, 2-10 Louisville, 8-5 Virginia tech in 2013 and 10-3 in 2010. Not exactly this murder’s row that you are making them out to be.

I didn't say Alabama was brave for playing Duke, but Duke was brave for playing Alabama! Once again, Alabama has an easy OOC schedule, and I would prefer the Tide to play a more challenging OOC schedule. Personally, I'd like to see a game like Duke @ Atlanta combined with a home and home with a team like Michigan State or Michigan.

As for who scheduled the games, I believe that most of the Chick-Fil-A Games, the opponent was arranged by the Chick-fil-A Committee and all but one of the opponents have been upper tier teams such as Clemson (ACC), Florida State (ACC), Virginia Tech (ACC) and West Virginia (Big Xii). That model worked for the Tide until the past couple of years - which led to their change in scheduling philosophy.

They were all nice match-ups in theory before kickoff. Duke was an aberration, but I still respect Duke for agreeing to the game, and I do respect them for being a regular Bowl team (even if not ranked). They also won the ACC Coastal Division in 2013. That's something. They also Bowled and won last year. They also put up a fight in the first half vs. Alabama this year. I have respect for Duke Football.

As for the @ Arlington games, I believe the Cowboys Classic Committee chooses an opponent too. So far, they have lined up Michigan (B1G), Wisconsin (B1G) and Southern California (Pac-12) in the past as Tide opponents and have Alabama playing Southern California (Pac-12) again next year. Those have all been decent programs too.

Louisville @ Orlando was an outlier. Not sure how or why that one was scheduled, but Louisville (who recruits Florida more than Alabama) has had their moments including winning the Big East and the Orange Bowl during their Big East days and having a Heisman Winner the year before they played Alabama.

So, for the most part, having the games arranged has worked well for Alabama until the past couple of years. fyi: Since Saban has been at Alabama, the Tide have played the following OOC P5 games:

2007: Florida State (ACC) @ Jax
2008: Clemson (ACC) @ Atlanta
2009: Virginia Tech (ACC) @ Atlanta
2010: Penn State (B1G) @ Tuscaloosa and @Duke (ACC)
2011: @ Penn State (B1G)
2012: Michigan (B1G) @ Arlington
2013: Virginia Tech (ACC) @ Atlanta
2014: West Virginia (Big Xii) @ Atlanta
2015: Wisconsin (B1G) @Arlington
2016: Southern California (Pac-12) @ Arlington
2017: Louisville (ACC) @ Orlando
2018: Duke (ACC) @ Atlanta

With the exception of the FSU game @ Jax in 2007, Alabama has won all of the other games by double digits. So, it has become harder and harder to line up better teams to play the Tide. So, after Louisville in 2018 and Duke in 2019, Alabama has decided to go back to the home and home route in 2022 (Yea!) after playing Southern California @ Arlington in 2020 and Miami (Fla.) @ Atlanta in 2021.

In 2022, they are moving to home and homes with Texas (Big Xii), Wisconsin (B1G), West Virginia (Big Xii), Notre Dame (Independent) and Oklahoma (Big Xii). They also have sprinkled a 2 for 1 with South Florida playing @ USF the year they host Texas in 2023. They are also still looking for other teams in other years.

So, while not being brave, there has been a heavy dose of ACC upper level teams in the Saban Era with Louisville and Duke being outliers. So, I am showing them respect for being willing to play Alabama while they are in Dynasty mode - especially while discussing with ACC fans like @cwalke3408.

I have no desire to talk down on the ACC - which currently has the top program in the land and a host of teams with which Alabama has long historical ties playing including Georgia Tech, Clemson, Miami (Fla.), Virginia Tech, N.C. State, Duke and Boston College - ALL of which Alabama has played on the road during my lifetime (mostly) before and / or during the Saban Era.

 

[dtgold88]

Let's be honest, Bama hides with their 9 P5 neutral site OOC schedule. There's nothing easier than playing a Daniel Jones-less Duke team, NM State, WCU and Southern Miss.

Clemson has played Auburn/Georgia as an OOC matchup 7 times since 2010, Clemson just wants to visit stadiums besides Sanford and Jordan-Hare.

This is fair, and I am not a fan of Bama at all. My comment is a general statement. Clemson has a cakewalk through the entire ACC (unless they play ND) for the most part.