College Football Playoff discussion

[uh_no]

Ah, well that must explain why all the ACC fans always pull for Duke so hard deep in the NCAAT...(is sarc tag even needed?)

well, we also don't expect such fans to have those duke smarts to realize that duke winning is beneficial to them...

[budwom]

Predictions yeah...still waiting on my tickets to the duke - Nebraska bowl game

[Stray Gator]

I believe the SEC has its list of bowl groupings on its conference page linked in that earlier discussion. You are making qualitative distinctions not listed there — in effect moving the goalposts of the discussion. Two terrific SEC teams in fact fell down to that lower tier — and that was my point throughout. UF was not one of those two stellar teams that fell out of the marquee tier, as it turned out. They easily could’ve been.

Actually, I believe you're the one who's "moving the goalposts" by now characterizing any bowl below a NY6 bowl as "lower tier" or "out of the marquee tier." The whole debate started when you posted Brett McMurphy's mid-season prediction that Florida would play against Duke in the Belk Bowl. When another poster expressed skepticism that a 9 or 10-win Florida team would land in the Belk Bowl, you stated:

It seems the Belk is one of the SEC's "pool of six" ... first comes the CFP, then maybe a NY6 bowl, then Citrus ... then there are six ostensibly the same level and Belk is in there. I trust McMurphy more than any other CFB writer to know what might transpire. 'Bama, LSU, Georgia, and Auburn all may be better than UF, so UF would fall into the "pool of six"

So you acknowledged then that the Citrus Bowl, at least, is not on the same level with the Belk Bowl. But now you're classifying the Citrus Bowl as well as the Outback Bowl among the "lower tier" by declaring that both Auburn and Alabama "fell down to that lower tier." (And frankly, I doubt that you'll find many who would agree that the Outback Bowl is, in terms of tradition, prestige, and payout, on the same level with the Belk Bowl, despite being listed as one of the SEC's "pool of six" bowls.)

Finally, I'll bring this back to the original point by noting that McMurphy's prediction of Florida vs. Duke in the Belk Bowl proved to be erroneous by a considerable margin. And your observation that Florida "easily could've been" relegated to the lower tier Belk Bowl does nothing, in my opinion, to lend credence to his prediction, because the same rationalization can be employed to suggest that any erroneous prediction "could have been" accurate if the events or circumstances had evolved differently.

[JasonEvans]

If I had the ability to go outside and tell you with supreme accuracy what the weather would be in thirty seconds, would you subscribe to my 45 day forecast?

This is the best description of Joey Brackets prognosticating ability that I have ever seen!! Sporks for you, sir!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

This is the best description of Joey Brackets prognosticating ability that I have ever seen!! Sporks for you, sir!

I humbly accept your sporkz.

I've called Joey Brackets a charlatan for years. Anyone cam say ANYTHING in December and say "if the brackets were set today, they would look like this." What a crock. The fact that he has made a career out of it is just absurd.

[dukelifer]

Ah, well that must explain why all the ACC fans always pull for Duke so hard deep in the NCAAT...(is sarc tag even needed?)

Well I just learned that only getting to the final 4 generates the cash for the conference (6M or so), the championship does not pay out any more- so feel free to root against Clemson- they have already helped Duke

[AustinDevil]

Well I just learned that only getting to the final 4 generates the cash for the conference (6M or so), the championship does not pay out any more- so feel free to root against Clemson- they have already helped Duke

This is pretty indirect, but bad playoff performances definitely color future committee decisions; they make that team and its conference look weaker and discredit them the next time. Oklahoma (and the Big XII) being 0-3 in the semis over the years matters. The Big Ten losing its two most recent semis by a combined 69-0 matters.

So feel free to keep rooting for Clemson, because apart from them, the ACC is no better than the sixth best college football conference.

[Bob Green]

So feel free to keep rooting for Clemson, because apart from them, the ACC is no better than the sixth best college football conference.

It is extremely difficult to compare the conferences to determine which one is better than the other. The first step is defining best. Is it best top to bottom? Is best most Top 25 teams? So on and so forth...

IMO, the SEC is the best with the Big Ten second. The picture gets fuzzy after those two. I will not concede the ACC in comparisons to Big12, PAC12 or American Conference. Those conferences might very well be better than the ACC but it isn’t unquestionable, especially the American.

[AustinDevil]

It is extremely difficult to compare the conferences to determine which one is better than the other. The first step is defining best. Is it best top to bottom? Is best most Top 25 teams? So on and so forth...

IMO, the SEC is the best with the Big Ten second. The picture gets fuzzy after those two. I will not concede the ACC in comparisons to Big12, PAC12 or American Conference. Those conferences might very well be better than the ACC but it isn’t unquestionable, especially the American.

Yes, it is difficult and subject to debate. The median Sagarin rating for each conference is almost identical, and indeed is slightly higher for the ACC-C (Louisville's 71.29 barely beats the average between the AAC's Tulane and Temple of 69.86). But Top 25 teams is a slam dunk (#17 Memphis versus a blank for the ACC-C), as are Top 30 (AAC adds #27 UCF and #29 Navy; ACC-C gets its first team with #30 UVa) and Top 40 (AAC adds #32 Cincinnati and #34 SMU, ACC-C adds no one).

The very bottom of the AAC is terrible, but by far the worst team is UConn, who (a) have already played their last football game in the AAC and (b) are terrible in significant part because their administration, in going to the Big East next year with no plan whatsoever for football, has communicated to that team that they do not matter and will be sacrificed on the altar of hoops.

[cspan37421]

I've called Joey Brackets a charlatan for years. Anyone cam say ANYTHING in December and say "if the brackets were set today, they would look like this." What a crock. The fact that he has made a career out of it is just absurd.

Well, he also got a career boost from his appearance in the Lego Movie.

https://twitter.com/markennis/status/571872535513456643

[Bob Green]

About 30 minutes until kickoff in the first semifinal game between #1 LSU and #4 Oklahoma. I will be cheering hard for Oklahoma to pull off the upset.

[SouthernDukie]

About 30 minutes until kickoff in the first semifinal game between #1 LSU and #4 Oklahoma. I will be cheering hard for Oklahoma to pull off the upset.

Were the other game already over and I knew that Clemson were in I’d be with you. But I sure don’t want OSU winning tonight and avoid having to play LSU for a title. If the Buckeyes are going to win the whole thing [shudder to think] then I want them going through two Tigers.

[Bob Green]

Were the other game already over and I knew that Clemson were in I’d be with you. But I sure don’t want OSU winning tonight and avoid having to play LSU for a title. If the Buckeyes are going to win the whole thing [shudder to think] then I want them going through two Tigers.

Jalen Hurts handled his Alabama situation with class so I want to see him get an opportunity to compete for the National Championship. If his opportunity is against Clemson, conference loyalty will take precedence.

[SouthernDukie]

Jalen Hurts handled his Alabama situation with class so I want to see him get an opportunity to compete for the National Championship. If his opportunity is against Clemson, conference loyalty will take precedence.

I agree. And I’m fine with either Clemson, LSU or OK winning. But I want OSU going through the toughest path possible if they are to win it all. And that’s Clemson/LSU, not Clemson/OK.

[Bob Green]

I agree. And I’m fine with either Clemson, LSU or OK winning. But I want OSU going through the toughest path possible if they are to win it all. And that’s Clemson/LSU, not Clemson/OK.

But if Oklahoma beats LSU, they are the better team...

I’m just joking around, kinda/sorta.

[SouthernDukie]

But if Oklahoma beats LSU, they are the better team...

I’m just joking around, kinda/sorta.

Wish I believed that.

[Bob Green]

LSU and Oklahoma are both screwed, the refs are from the ACC.

[SouthernDukie]

Big stop by OK on this 2nd series. Game could of gotten away from them early.

[Bob Green]

Oklahoma TD set-up by a long pass from Hurts to Lamb. Nice response by the Sooners.

[SouthernDukie]

Momentum taken right away from LSU. Great drive by OK.