Cotton, Camping, Peach, Fiesta - "So long, losers!" Edition

[18in32]

But there needs to be an on-field route for every team to win a title.

There is an on-field route. It's called "the regular season." All Oregon had to do was win its games, but it lost twice (Auburn at least is a pretty good team; Arizona State is pretty mediocre). The idea they deserve a shot at LSU, which has humiliated in historic fashion almost everybody they've played, is strange.

 

[savbandjacket]

Clemson and LSU are the two best teams and the playoff got us that matchup. The BCS would have gotten us LSU-OSU (without looking to see what the computers said before yesterday). The playoff is working as intended.

 

[johncu]

There is an on-field route. It's called "the regular season." All Oregon had to do was win its games, but it lost twice (Auburn at least is a pretty good team; Arizona State is pretty mediocre). The idea they deserve a shot at LSU, which has humiliated in historic fashion almost everybody they've played, is strange.

I don't care about Oregon, but I do care about teams like UCF from previous years. If you can win every single one of your games and not even be in the conversation for the title, much less actually get a shot, what's the point?

I'd like an 8 team playoff, and any conference champ who is in the top 15 gets an autobid. That way elite G5 teams who go undefeated or actually beat a top P5 team get a shot to prove themselves. I'd rather see an undefeated UCF than another SEC team that couldn't even win its own division. I don't give a shit who's subjectively "better". The champion isn't always the best team, and that's part of what makes sports great.

 

[ScionOfSouthland]

Clemson and LSU are the two best teams and the playoff got us that matchup. The BCS would have gotten us LSU-OSU (without looking to see what the computers said before yesterday). The playoff is working as intended.

I wouldn’t be surprised if OSU/Clemson played 10 times and split it 5/5. That was the first time I ever watched a game and it didn’t appear that Venables was in complete control. Regardless, I think the top 3 were clearly separated from everyone else.

 

[zippyGT]

I don't care about Oregon, but I do care about teams like UCF from previous years. If you can win every single one of your games and not even be in the conversation for the title, much less actually get a shot, what's the point?

UCF won every game for 2 years, including winning a NY6 bowl against Auburn and still didn't make the playoff. They weren't even close finishing 8th in the CFP selection process, behind a 2 loss Michigan team that didn't win it's division.

 

[AmpuTECHture]

Using this season and this year's playoff games as a reasoning to limit the playoff to 4 is very short sighted. While this year LSU beats the crap out of anyone seeded 4-n, other years the disparity may not be so glaring. We've had several playoffs keep out a deserving 5th team.

Currently, the playoff at 4 seems to really be concentrating the talent in just a few teams. While this could be correlation, giving a shot to 4 more is more likely to help than hurt. It also gives Georgia Tech a better chance and gives a clearer picture of who gets in, instead of relying on subjective measures from a group of people bound to have biases.

 

[gtrower]

There is an on-field route. It's called "the regular season." All Oregon had to do was win its games, but it lost twice (Auburn at least is a pretty good team; Arizona State is pretty mediocre). The idea they deserve a shot at LSU, which has humiliated in historic fashion almost everybody they've played, is strange.

We only have to go back like 3 years to find an undefeated team that didn’t get an opportunity to play for a title. It’s not that difficult to understand is it?

SEC has gotten two teams in the playoff before because the me(spn)dia literally has a monetary incentive to do so. Meaning TWO power 5 conference champs got left out. And for all we know they were the two best teams in the country. Because we’re only playing 12 games a season, 1 or 2 of which are inter-conference.

I’m of the opinion that a playoff is supposed to determine who the best team in the country is. Not determine who the Top X number of teams in the country are. If you don’t win your conference, then you’ve already shown you’re not the best team in your subset. So why the hell would you get another chance? And if you’ve proven your the best team in your subset, why the hell wouldn’t you play the other champs to see if your the best overall team?

 

[daBuzz]

I, for one, like that the scoop 6 play was called back and controversial. Now everyone will get a full dose of obnoxious Ohioans.

This. Then you need to remind them that those were SEC refs and watch the B1G fans get pissy at the SEC all over again. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[BeeStorm]

Earl Campbell is extremely unhappy with this year's Championship Game.

 

[The Jacket]

The result of one game doesn’t invalidate the logical solution. Football is a flawed sport. It’s too violent to play enough games to statistically differentiate teams. Having 120+ teams each play 12 games to build a resumé is beyond dumb. Name 1 other sport in the world that comes close to doing that.

The whole point of conferences is to break the 120+ teams into smaller groups to determine who is best from the subset. Then those teams should play each other. We’ve already had a 4 seed win the whole thing.

Hell I’d even be okay with only allowing conference champs into the playoff. But there needs to be an on-field route for every team to win a title. Right now the media has FAR too much influence.

I agree with you pretty much across the board, but I also can't think of another sport where the disparity is as severe as in college football. Of course the reverse of what we have now would take effect: if more schools are given an equal opportunity to play for the championship, the talent will likely be more uniformly distributed. But that only goes so far when a program's bagmen are as important as its coordinators. It should be as simple as FBS adopting the FCS tournament model, but that control the media wields also applies to the postseason format debate, which means that power is wielded by advertisers, corporations.

People generally favor one of the ideas they hear mentioned on ESPN or FOX Sports or wherever. We pick what we like from a pool provided by people who love money and power, not athletic competition.

 

[BeeStorm]

This. Then you need to remind them that those were SEC refs and watch the B1G fans get pissy at the SEC all over again. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There was a tremor in the Force in Mangiamos last night. It was as if thousands of voices cried out at once and were strangely silenced...

 

[The Jacket]

There was a tremor in the Force on Not Conyers last night. It was as if thousands of voices cried out at once and were strangely silenced...

It's a good thing I was paying attention yesterday, or my response to this post would have resulted in an immediate ban.

RIP @vapspwi

 

[18in32]

UCF won every game for 2 years, including winning a NY6 bowl against Auburn and still didn't make the playoff. They weren't even close finishing 8th in the CFP selection process, behind a 2 loss Michigan team that didn't win it's division.

Hey Mt Union won every game for like a decade and had to settle for crappy Div III championships. The whole conundrum is resolved if you just recognize that G5 schools are functionally in a different league from P5 schools. No undefeated P5 school has been left out and I doubt they ever will.

I look at this from a historical perspective. Once upon a time it was pretty common for multiple teams to finish the season undefeated. Now we’ve got folks complaining some two loss team deserves a shot. We’ve come a long way. And while sometimes the imperfections of the system are frustrating, this season justifies no changes.

as several broadcasters have pointed out, it is rare for the semi finals to be competitive. That just demonstrates the separation at the top any given year is real.

 

[LongforDodd]

That was “so long rucers”. Clean out your ears!

 

[GTLiebs]

as several broadcasters have pointed out, it is rare for the semi finals to be competitive. That just demonstrates the separation at the top any given year is real.

The doubt comes in because people feel that argument becomes circular: fewer spots leads to greater separation leads to less competitive semis (or hypothetical quarters) leads to argument for fewer spots

 

[GTCrew4b]

16-team playoff featuring all conference champs as described in my post above looks like the following:

1) LSU vs 16) FAU
8) Wisconsin vs 9)Florida
4) Oklahoma vs 13) Memphis
5) Oregon vs 12) Boise State
3) Clemson vs 14) App State
6) UGA vs 11) Penn State
7) Baylor vs 10) Utah
2) Ohio State vs 15) Miami (OH)

Second rd played in Sugar Bowl, Indy, Atlanta, and Cotton.

Final Four and champ in Rose, Fiesta and Orange based on top seeds choice once at the final four.

Everyone has a chance to win it all.

 

[madRazor]

No undefeated P5 school has been left out and I doubt they ever will.

But they could be. Only 3 game results away from it happening this year!

Is it going to take it ACTUALLY HAPPENING before the playoff is expanded to at least as many spots as P5 conferences?!?

But whatever, not about logic or competition, it's about money/influence like everything else, so why spin our wheels about it?

 

[savbandjacket]

16-team playoff featuring all conference champs as described in my post above looks like the following:

1) LSU vs 16) FAU
8) Wisconsin vs 9)Florida
4) Oklahoma vs 13) Memphis
5) Oregon vs 12) Boise State
3) Clemson vs 14) App State
6) UGA vs 11) Penn State
7) Baylor vs 10) Utah
2) Ohio State vs 15) Miami (OH)

Second rd played in Sugar Bowl, Indy, Atlanta, and Cotton.

Final Four and champ in Rose, Fiesta and Orange based on top seeds choice once at the final four.

Everyone has a chance to win it all.

Yes. We all need a LSU v FAU game because LSU v OU wasn’t lopsided enough.

 

[18in32]

The doubt comes in because people feel that argument becomes circular: fewer spots leads to greater separation leads to less competitive semis (or hypothetical quarters) leads to argument for fewer spots

I don't accept that the number of playoff spots has any connection to the distribution of quality players and coaches. The reason a handful of teams have appeared in the playoff every year is because the playoff is only a few years old, and programs move in multi-year cycles.

For example, in the BCS/CFP era, Ohio State has had two really good coaches (Tressell and Meyer) both of whom have stayed for years (9 years and 7 years, respectively), and neither of whom were fired for not winning enough. But before Tressel was hired, Ohio St finished unranked for three straight years, and in the year between Tressel and Meyer (when Luke Fickell was HC), Ohio St finished unranked. There's nothing magical about the name "Ohio St" – yes, they have fans, history, resources, etc.... but it still takes a great coach to keep them at the top. We'll see if Ryan Day is Tom Osborne to Urban Meyer's Bob Devaney, or if he's Larry Coker to Meyer's Butch Davis.

 

[18in32]

16-team playoff featuring all conference champs as described in my post above looks like the following:

1) LSU vs 16) FAU
8) Wisconsin vs 9)Florida
4) Oklahoma vs 13) Memphis
5) Oregon vs 12) Boise State
3) Clemson vs 14) App State
6) UGA vs 11) Penn State
7) Baylor vs 10) Utah
2) Ohio State vs 15) Miami (OH)

Second rd played in Sugar Bowl, Indy, Atlanta, and Cotton.

Final Four and champ in Rose, Fiesta and Orange based on top seeds choice once at the final four.

Everyone has a chance to win it all.

Oh yeah, the country is crying out to see Clemson vs. App State and Ohio St v. Miami of Ohio, so that we can establish once and for all which is the better team. Gimme a break! Football is violent, dangerous sport. To tack on these meaningless games where the longshots are so very long is a horrible idea.