The FINAL FOUR in NCAA Football - Who will make it?

[NorthKorea]

Well, the outcome was what was expected:

The committee let FSU in, despite Jameis Winston dealing with both the rape and point-shaving scandals, even though they only managed to beat GATech by two. FSU's undefeated status paved the way for OSU to get into the playoff. If FSU lost their game, I think the committee would have the two Big-12 teams #3 & #4. If OSU lost *their* game, there was an outside chance that FSU is out of the playoffs due to a "weak performance" in their title game. However, since OSU won handily and FSU squeezed out another, both make it in.

Honestly, I don't see how FSU isn't ranked #4, other than OrSt v OSU not being a good draw in the Rose Bowl. Bama v pretty much anyone would be a sell-out for the Sugar Bowl, but without a California school in the Rose Bowl, the game had to have *some* merit. The media can now sell that game as "The *real* national title game" should Bama lose to OSU.

Ironically enough, I would like to see Oregon v OSU. Mariota v the third stringer. That would be fun to watch.

 

[CamaroDMD]

Honestly, I don't see how FSU isn't ranked #4, other than OrSt v OSU not being a good draw in the Rose Bowl. Bama v pretty much anyone would be a sell-out for the Sugar Bowl, but without a California school in the Rose Bowl, the game had to have *some* merit. The media can now sell that game as "The *real* national title game" should Bama lose to OSU.

First, it's Oregon...not Oregon State.

Second, I'm not sure how you don't consider Oregon vs. Ohio State a good draw match-up for the Rose Bowl. I think it's a better draw than Oregon vs. Florida State. Oregon vs. OSU would be the traditional Pac-12/Big-10 match-up that the Rose Bowl has always been. In fact, the reason why the Pac-10 and Big-10 were not involved in the predecessors to the BCS was because the Rose Bowl wouldn't allow their conference champions to be released from the game. Frankly, I half expected Ohio State to get #3 for that reason alone.

Personally, I think FSU is more beatable than OSU...so I'm happy with how things ended up.

 

[ranbethscards]

okay guys.. I am confused as to the "Playoffs".

I understand:

#1 vs #4
#2 vs #3

...but, do the winners go on to play for the National Championship? or are we going to let the committee decide who Number One is?

 

[NorthKorea]

Winners of semi-finals meet in national title game. CFP committee will select winner of national title game as national champion. AP will pick whomever they pick.

 

[NorthKorea]

Personally, I think FSU is more beatable than OSU...so I'm happy with how things ended up.

I agree that FSU is the worst team in the playoff. I'd say that they're easier to beat than anyone else in the top-8. And... OrSt will continue to be the team I refer to, since Orange and Black trumps Green and Yellow most days.

 

[ranbethscards]

...AP will pick whomever they pick.

Well said!

 

[CamaroDMD]

And... OrSt will continue to be the team I refer to, since Orange and Black trumps Green and Yellow most days.

It hasn't trumped Green and Yellow since 2007...and that day they got real lucky.

 

[CamaroDMD]

okay guys.. I am confused as to the "Playoffs".

I understand:

#1 vs #4
#2 vs #3

...but, do the winners go on to play for the National Championship? or are we going to let the committee decide who Number One is?

Yes, the winners go on to play for the National Championship. That is the CFP National Championship and the winner will be awarded that new College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy.

The AP and Coaches Polls will still have a final poll and are free to pick their own national champion. It's hard to imagine them not picking the winner of the playoff...but it is certainly possible. Unlike the BCS era, neither poll is contractually obligated to pick the playoff winner (during the BCS era, the Coaches poll was).

The AP National Champion will be awarded the AP National Championship Trophy just like all AP champs have since 1936. The Coaches Poll National Champion will be awarded the AFCA National Championship Trophy just like has been awarded since 1986 (this is the "Crystal Ball" Trophy). These trophies will be awarded at separate ceremonies after the end of the season.

 

[ranbethscards]

Here's a thought to ponder...

Watching ESPN's Mike and Mike this morning, and the question came up... What if...

The name on the jersey said "Minnesota" instead of Ohio State
The name on the jersey said "Oklahoma" instead of Baylor
The name on the jersey said "Notre Dame" instead of TCU

Would the committee's rankings of the top four still be the same?

What the argument is, Minnesota will not draw national attention (as Ohio State does), so if the scenario was Minnesota wins the Big Ten Championship and Oklahoma wins the Big 12, and they were ranked (prior to the Championship weekend) #4 and #5, would the committee jump Oklahoma to #4? Not matter what the score was?

...and only saying this because I am a disgruntled Michigan State fan, how can the committee FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW, jump a team (last week it was Arizona, this week Mississippi State) over Michigan State in the polls. Arizona lost... so, move Michigan State UP to #7. (last week Mississippi State was #10 and had an off week...) 'nuff said.

Now, if we based the rankings on the "strength of schedule" then the top four would be (based on information provided by teamrankings.com):

1. Auburn (7-4)
2. Arkansas (5-6)
3. Mississippi (8-3)
4. Kansas St (8-3)

and where are the committee's top four listed?

5. Alabama
24. Oregon
33. Florida State
38. Ohio State

 

[CamaroDMD]

I am a little dumfounded as to how Michigan State moved around too. That said, it doesn't really matter. Only 2 things really matter in respect to the committee poll. #1: Top 4, #2: New Years 6 Bowl invites. Outside of that, poll position isn't that critical. Michigan State didn't finish in the Top 4 and frankly had no argument for a Top 4 spot...so they weren't going to the playoff. However, the final committee poll ranked them high enough to earn a spot in one of the New Years 6 Bowls. They will play in the Cotton Bowl against #5 Baylor which I think will be an excellent match-up. Had they finished ahead of Mississippi State...things probably would have been the same.

I think if anyone has a "beef" with hows things ended up it's Kansas State. KSU finished #11 yet were left out of the New Years 6 while #12 Georgia Tech got an invite. I'm sure there is a complicated series of rules that caused this...which I do not know, but on the surface...if I was a KSU fan I'd be unhappy.

 

[ranbethscards]

Richard... all I can say is this... in another month I can REMOVE that blasted UofM avatar! I paid my debt!

 

[CamaroDMD]

Richard... all I can say is this... in another month I can REMOVE that blasted UofM avatar! I paid my debt!

LOL...good times.

 

[NorthKorea]

To the SoS comment, as in the other thread, here's my thought on Mike & Mike:

With all due respect to the talking heads, strength of schedule ("SoS") only matters when comparing similar teams. If a team goes 0-12 with the toughest schedule in the nation, they shouldn't be in the conversation. However, if two teams are 11-1 and 12-0, their SoS should definitely be considered.

Now, that explains why Bama is #1 and Oregon is #2. It doesn't explain why TCU is above FSU. According to SoS, if TCU were 12-0, they would be ranked behind FSU. The reason they're ranked ahead of FSU is FSU's inability to put teams away. Now, the ironic part of this is, if Winston really did shave points this season, his actions might end up costing his school by being ranked #4 instead of #2.

As for the school names... I think we must exclude Notre Dame from any discussion of that sort, since the reason ND has prestige is in part due to the teams they schedule every year. They couldn't pull that off if they played in the Big-12. As for Oklahoma and Minnesota, I think the argument against Oklahoma would be the same as the argument against Baylor. If Oklahoma had "tied" for the Big-12 championship with a team that they barely beat, they wouldn't have been invited, either. Now, Minnesota, I don't know. If Minnesota dominated the Big-10 and shutout Wisconsin in the Big-10 championship, I think it'd be impossible to leave them out of the playoff.

As I said a couple weeks ago, the four former-BCS conferences with a title game were the ones who would have a team invited, if the team expected to win (based upon pre-game ranking) won. The Big-12's only shot would be a loss by FSU or a combination of two (FSU/Bama/OSU) teams losing.

 

[NorthKorea]

Is TCU's manhandling of Ole Miss enough to vault them to #2 after the CFP are over?

 

[CamaroDMD]

Is TCU's manhandling of Ole Miss enough to vault them to #2 after the CFP are over?

I think it will depend on how the other games go...I also think it will depend on the poll. I didn't get to watch the game as I'm trapped at work, but from what I saw online it didn't seem like much of a game.

I've felt all along that TCU was one of the 4 best in the country...just not one of the 4 most deserving.