The CFP National Championship Game Presented by AT&T

[Architorture23]

Still, here we are in year one where disrespected team '4a' wins, and disrespected team 4b looks like a better team, and more worthy of a shot, than Bama and Oregon.

I'm gonna leave out FSU. TCU looks better than FSU, but they were not more worthy of a shot. Undefeated earns a shot. That has to be a fact.

This is a good point and will quickly drive us to an 8 team playoff. Ohio State wins it all and TCU looks great. However, nobody would have argued either of them over FSU/Bama/Oregon.

Well, they would try with FSU, but like you said, win all your games... you'll get in.

 

[GTCrew]

There's no way a few more WRs were going to help Oregon that much. That game would have been the same because WRs don't stop you from getting pwned along the DL and OL.

Oregon's entire philosophy of a program is gonna make it crazy hard for them to win it all because you're eventually going to go up against a team that pounds you along the front. They play so fast on O they have to compensate in recruiting with a smaller, quicker D because they're on the field for 70+ plays. So, they're susceptible to a power run game, which teams with a good/great OL are going to be more than willing to do.

As a Tech fan, I'd take their success in a heartbeat, but if you're looking to win it all, that philosophy makes it hard to finish the drill in my opinion.

First, I don't disagree that OSU played well and is a quality team. Certainly good enough that it is possible you are correct that nothing would've made the difference.

On the other hand, the entire offense is based off WR. Quick hits, sure catches. I don't know If Cheech and Chong are any better that the guys out there dropping balls. However if Oregon had've caught some of those third downs, the game would've been closer and at times Oregon would have led. Would the rookie QB have done as well under the pressure of being behind in the NCG? Against an Oregon D with some rest? If Oregon could've gotten a little lead, would OSU have felt the need to pass?

Who here doesn't think we beat FSU with Smelter? one WR, and thats on a run first team.

Let me finish by saying, I respect your opinion. Maybe even am inclined to believe it. But if we were in the same position and lost two A backs to weed, I would be pissed at them.

 

[GTCrew]

This is a good point and will quickly drive us to an 8 team playoff. Ohio State wins it all and TCU looks great. However, nobody would have argued either of them over FSU/Bama/Oregon.

Well, they would try with FSU, but like you said, win all your games... you'll get in.

Exactly. The SECSPN hype made it impossible to admit there was any possibility that TCU was better than Bama. The final poll is correct from 4-25 within a spot. But we will never know if TCU is 3, 2, or 1.

The main reason Bama gets in (as the 1 seed to add insult to injury) is that decent MSU and Ole Miss teams were inflated to juggernauts by SECSPN.

The reason that wasn't preposterous is that the SEC won so many championships in a row. How did they do that? Well, half the battle is getting the chance. They won 5 in a row, but they had 7 teams to the rest of football's five teams over the last six years. Most of the wins were pretty close, too, yes? Closeness ignored: SEC head and shoulders better.

The SEC is buying players. ThIs will result in them winning some championships. But the playoff means they earn it, not get it handed to them on a silver platter. They'll still unfairly be presented with the easiest path, (closest bowls, high seeds, cherry picked opponents) but at least it's not a silver platter like 2007/8-2012/13.

 

[Legal Jacket]

I'm gonna leave out FSU. TCU looks better than FSU, but they were not more worthy of a shot. Undefeated earns a shot. That has to be a fact.

Yup. And winning a conference championship game is a leg up on people who are declared "co-champions."

The Big12 is going to have some big problems unless it has a team with less losses than everyone else.

 

[Legal Jacket]

The main reason Bama gets in (as the 1 seed to add insult to injury) is that decent MSU and Ole Miss teams were inflated to juggernauts by SECSPN.

The reason that wasn't preposterous is that the SEC won so many championships in a row. How did they do that? Well, half the battle is getting the chance. They won 5 in a row, but they had 7 teams to the rest of football's five teams over the last six years. Most of the wins were pretty close, too, yes? Closeness ignored: SEC head and shoulders better.

May not heads and shoulders better, but I'm sure WVU was used as a common opponent. Bama beat WVU by 10, TCU beat WVU by 1, and Baylor lost by 14.

The SEC definitely gets overhyped, but Bama performed the best among that common opponent. That's at least worth something, imo.

 

[ElCidBUZZingFAN]

First, I don't disagree that OSU played well and is a quality team. Certainly good enough that it is possible you are correct that nothing would've made the difference.

On the other hand, the entire offense is based off WR. Quick hits, sure catches. I don't know If Cheech and Chong are any better that the guys out there dropping balls. However if Oregon had've caught some of those third downs, the game would've been closer and at times Oregon would have led. Would the rookie QB have done as well under the pressure of being behind in the NCG? Against an Oregon D with some rest? If Oregon could've gotten a little lead, would OSU have felt the need to pass?

Who here doesn't think we beat FSU with Smelter? one WR, and thats on a run first team.

Let me finish by saying, I respect your opinion. Maybe even am inclined to believe it. But if we were in the same position and lost two A backs to weed, I would be pissed at them.

OSU was like many "playoff" champions. They may not have been the best top-to-bottom or least flawed, but they got white hot at the right time.

Also, it's easy to say you were 1 or 2 players away when you lose by 2, but when you lose by 15 (that last TD was dbag move, btw, so I'm not counting it) while grabbing 4 TOs, there's a lot more going on than missing a WR or two.

 

[olgoldandwhite]

If TCU, Ohiost, and Bama start off in the top 3 next year, there is a good chance everyone else is playing for one spot. I could see a 0-1 loss ACC team getting shafted.

 

[GTCrew]

May not heads and shoulders better, but I'm sure WVU was used as a common opponent. Bama beat WVU by 10, TCU beat WVU by 1, and Baylor lost by 14.

The SEC definitely gets overhyped, but Bama performed the best among that common opponent. That's at least worth something, imo.

Sure. Of course I didn't need to look it up to see if bama played in Morgantown, that's impossible. Bama played in their home away from home. TCU played in Morgantown in the cold.

Bettors might give Bama a few points in the Dome, but certainly give WVU points in Morgantown. But still, not 9 points. By this criteria, Bama is slightly better.

Which would make sense if Bama was 3 or 4 and TCU was 5. But they made Bama 1.

 

[GTCrew]

If TCU, Ohiost, and Bama start off in the top 3 next year, there is a good chance everyone else is playing for one spot. I could see a 0-1 loss ACC team getting shafted.

A good chance? What does that equate to in percentages.

Don't be crazy. In the last ten years, how many undefeateds headed into the championship game? Now you expect a zero loss ACC team has a good chance of getting shut out?

One loss? Maybe. Very slim chance, but a chance. But it wouldn't be GT, Clem, or FSU unless the one loss was on Thanksgiving and ugly.

 

[Dirty Jacket]

If TCU, Ohiost, and Bama start off in the top 3 next year, there is a good chance everyone else is playing for one spot. I could see a 0-1 loss ACC team getting shafted.

I think this is the old BCS way of thinking about it. I think we saw this year that the early season rankings mean less in light of a hot late season team (Ohio State)

 

[GTCrew4b]

If TCU, Ohiost, and Bama start off in the top 3 next year, there is a good chance everyone else is playing for one spot. I could see a 0-1 loss ACC team getting shafted.

ehhhh. Florida State was consistently dropped by the committee despite not losing a single game. They seem to do a decent job of giving everyone a fresh look every week.

 

[WracerX]

So Ohio State's last two loses were to the ACC. Meyer better hope the blueprint doesn't get out.

 

[cincyjacket]

TCU really doesn't have a valid claim IMO. If a Big 12 champion was declared, it should have been Baylor since they beat TCU head-to-head. Amirite?

 

[GTCrew]

TCU really doesn't have a valid claim IMO. If a Big 12 champion was declared, it should have been Baylor since they beat TCU head-to-head. Amirite?

That's why the Big 12 commish didn't declare what was obvious. He needed TCU to be co champs to have a prayer. They knew TCU was the better team despite the head to head result.

 

[AmpuTECHture]

dont know where else to put this, but, yeah this is the closest VPISU is getting to a national championship.

 

[eg1]

There's no way a few more WRs were going to help Oregon that much. That game would have been the same because WRs don't stop you from getting pwned along the DL and OL.

Oregon's entire philosophy of a program is gonna make it crazy hard for them to win it all because you're eventually going to go up against a team that pounds you along the front. They play so fast on O they have to compensate in recruiting with a smaller, quicker D because they're on the field for 70+ plays. So, they're susceptible to a power run game, which teams with a good/great OL are going to be more than willing to do.

As a Tech fan, I'd take their success in a heartbeat, but if you're looking to win it all, that philosophy makes it hard to finish the drill in my opinion.

This is why they struggled with the better Stanford teams the past few years. The Cardinal managed the game and took them to pound town up front.

Just watched the replay. Loved watching the OSU O-line do work, just crushing fools with the interior traps and counters. Jones brought back night-terrors of what Logan Thomas used to do to us with his legs ...

Oregon got whipped up front on O as well, rendering all of their trickery moot.

Also very much enjoyed Oregon, of all teams/systems, getting the "well, their system isn't designed for 3rd and long". It's about time somebody other than Tech got that tag.

Also very happy that #4 won the thing. It validates the whole premise of adding teams in the first place, and perhaps adds support to eventual expansion.

And from the land of total fantasy, wouldn't you have liked Tech's chances against an OSU team that turned the ball over 4 times?

 

[getwrecked]

I don't need to look it up, and my post was in jest.

Yeah, Ohio State replaced a lot of starters on O-Line they were bound to get better as the season progressed, playing VPI with an unseasoned O-Line and a still raw JT Barret was a recipe for disaster.

Yup. And VT was playing with a QB who had only been there a few weeks. At least Barrett had been in their system for a year as a redshirt. And don't you think it might be a possibility that VT had to replace a lot of starters from their team as well. It was both team's second game of the season.

My point is not that VT could play with them now. OSU would probably grind them up and spit them out. But when they played in early September, VT was the better team and just flat kicked their butt. And VT had as many questions, and disadvatages[probably more, than Ohio State had.)