College Football Playoff discussion

[jimsumner]

The biggest problem with the every-week-is-a-playoff theory is that it is virtually impossible for a college-football-analog to George Mason or Loyola to play itself into title picture. Ask Central Florida.

[budwom]

so much for Utah's Defense of Considerable Death! Poseurs, not surprised at all. Thud.

[Tripping William]

so much for Utah's Defense of Considerable Death! Poseurs, not surprised at all. Thud.

Yeah, I figured you & Paul Finebaum would be thrilled. Makes the committee’s job somewhat easier, though.

[arnie]

Yeah, I figured you & Paul Finebaum would be thrilled. Makes the committee’s job somewhat easier, though.

It should, but the Baylor Bears (even with an ugly win) could throw a wrench into this. If LSU dominates UGA and both OSU/Clemson win as expected, where else can the committee go?

[Tripping William]

It should, but the Baylor Bears (even with an ugly win) could throw a wrench into this. If LSU dominates UGA and both OSU/Clemson win as expected, where else can the committee go?

That's what makes it easier on the committee: If serve holds in the ACC/SEC/B1G title games, they don't have to debate Pac 12 champ vs. Big XII champ (it'll go to the one-loss Big XII champ).

[House P]

The problem with the "every week is a playoff" or the conference championships are de facto play-in/quarter final games argument is they are a poorly seeded, unbalanced playoff.

Also, now that Utah has lost, it is hard to make the case that today’s games represent a “playoff” for Ohio State and LSU. Even Clemson has a strong chance of making the playoff with a loss today. This is probably the way it should be if the goal is to have the 4 most “deserving” teams make the actual playoff, but it certainly goes against the notion that “every week (late in the season) is a playoff”.

Earlier in the thread, I believe someone mentioned that no team has ever lost their conference title game and made the actual playoff. However, I wonder if the #1 team overall going into the conference championship games has ever lost their title game. I am too lazy to look this up, but I suspect this hasn’t happened yet.


My personal pet peeve is when a team has the chance to make the playoff without even having to play in a championship game (as would likely have been the case this year if Alabama had defeated Auburn last week). My solution to this would be to add an extra game during conference championship week between the top 2 ranked teams who did not qualify for their conference title games. Heck, you could even set it up so that a very highly ranked group of 5 team could choose to forgo their conference championship game to play the highest ranked power 5 team not eligible for their conference title game.

[Bob Green]

Heck, you could even set it up so that a very highly ranked group of 5 team could choose to forgo their conference championship game to play the highest ranked power 5 team not eligible for their conference title game.

Theoretically, this is a solid format suggestion but I am not sure it is practical. Conference title game tickets are sold well in advance so fans would be unhappy to discover the conference favorite would not be participating.

[Steven43]

It should, but the Baylor Bears (even with an ugly win) could throw a wrench into this. If LSU dominates UGA and both OSU/Clemson win as expected, where else can the committee go?

Yeah, if LSU dominates Georgia they (UGA) are done. Hopefully that won’t happen. I just can’t imagine Baylor as one of the final four teams. That would take quite a bit of the fun out of the Playoff. Baylor would be considerably less intriguing than even Washington was in 2016

[Bob Green]

Here are my predictions prior to today’s games commencing. And yes, I acknowledge that posting predictions after the PAC12 game is over is cheating:

1. Ohio State
2. LSU
3. Clemson
4. Oklahoma

However, I will be rooting for Georgia to beat LSU.

[AustinDevil]

Theoretically, this is a solid format suggestion but I am not sure it is practical. Conference title game tickets are sold well in advance so fans would be unhappy to discover the conference favorite would not be participating.

P5 tickets are sold well in advance but buyers often do not know if their team will make it until 6-7 days before.

G5 tickets are different. The highest rated team hosts. Often this isn’t even known until 6-7 in advance.

I wouldn’t support the G5 team being in what is essentially a play-in game, AND having to forego a shot at their own conference championship, anyway.

[Bob Green]

G5 tickets are different. The highest rated team hosts. Often this isn’t even known until 6-7 in advance.

Thanks for the clarification.

[House P]

Theoretically, this is a solid format suggestion but I am not sure it is practical. Conference title game tickets are sold well in advance so fans would be unhappy to discover the conference favorite would not be participating.

P5 tickets are sold well in advance but buyers often do not know if their team will make it until 6-7 days before.

G5 tickets are different. The highest rated team hosts. Often this isn’t even known until 6-7 in advance.

I wouldn’t support the G5 team being in what is essentially a play-in game, AND having to forego a shot at their own conference championship, anyway.

You both raise excellent points. As long as we are brainstorming, another option would be to have the Group of 5 teams move their conference title games up a week in order to allow them to win their conference championship AND have a shot against a highly ranked Power 5 team the next week. There are probably logistic challenges with this as well, but I suspect they may prefer this to never even having a shot at a championship.

[BlueDevil16]

Who gets left out if OU win, Clemson win, Georgia win, and Wisco win?

[arnie]

Who gets left out if OU win, Clemson win, Georgia win, and Wisco win?

Won’t happen, but would enjoy it. Suspect OU left out and LSU, OHiO still in.

[Tripping William]

Won’t happen, but would enjoy it. Suspect OU left out and LSU, OHiO still in.

{delete; never mind}

[Bob Green]

Halftime: Baylor 13, Oklahoma 10

Two significant factors:

1. OU QB Jalen Hurts with two turnovers a fumble and interception.

2. Baylor QB Charlie Brewer out of the game. His head hit the ground hard on a sack, he was evaluated on the sidelines and returned to the game for a series or two before the Head Ref approached the Baylor staff and told them Brewer needed additional evaluation. Brewer headed to the locker room and has not returned. 2nd half status unknown.

Ten of Baylor’s 13 points have been scored with the back-up QB on the field.

[Bob Green]

Baylor Head Coach Matt Rhule just said Charlie Brewer is out for the rest of the game. Makes you wonder how he was cleared to return in the first place.

[Bob Green]

Big XII Championship game headed to overtime tied at 23.

[Faison1]

Halftime: Baylor 13, Oklahoma 10

Two significant factors:

1. OU QB Jalen Hurts with two turnovers a fumble and interception.

2. Baylor QB Charlie Brewer out of the game. His head hit the ground hard on a sack, he was evaluated on the sidelines and returned to the game for a series or two before the Head Ref approached the Baylor staff and told them Brewer needed additional evaluation. Brewer headed to the locker room and has not returned. 2nd half status unknown.

Ten of Baylor’s 13 points have been scored with the back-up QB on the field.

Really amazing to think Duke beat Baylor last year. What a tale of two seasons with programs seemingly going in different directions.

Duke absolutely dominated them in Waco, with Quentin at the helm.

[Troublemaker]

I don't know much about football but it seems to me the 1 seed will be extremely important.

Even if LSU thinks they're already in, they better beat Georgia to (a) knock Ga out, (b) get the 1 seed and force OSU and Clemson to war a week before the title game, and (c) play an opponent that is much preferable to Ga or Clem or OSU.