Vote: Bama or tOSU for the last CFB Playoff Spot?

[Tugg Speedman]

I assume the first three spots are locked

Clemson
Georgia
Oklahoma

So the fourth spot is the only one in question.

Who gets it?

I voted Alabama.  The committee has a history of screwing over conference champions.  Ask the Big 12.

[PVMagic]

Full disclosure, Buckeye fan.

3 top 15 wins (vs zero), conference champ.  I think Auburn being handled today helps OSU as well (Alabama essentially becomes the #3 team in the SEC).  Alabama compares to OSU in 2015 (not 2016), who was widely considered a top 3 team, but didn't exactly kill it in the regular season and lost the one game they needed to win.

Of course, maybe they will just burn it down and throw in UCF.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Full disclosure, Buckeye fan.

3 top 15 wins (vs zero), conference champ.  I think Auburn being handled today helps OSU as well (Alabama essentially becomes the #3 team in the SEC).  Alabama compares to OSU in 2015 (not 2016), who was widely considered a top 3 team, but didn't exactly kill it in the regular season and lost the one game they needed to win.

Of course, maybe they will just burn it down and throw in UCF.

LOL. Should be OSU, will probably be Alabama.

[GGGG]

This is interesting. I think Alabama would win face to face. But I think OSU has the better track record this year. Alabama really hasn’t beaten anyone. 

[GooooMarquette]

This is interesting. I think Alabama would win face to face. But I think OSU has the better track record this year. Alabama really hasn’t beaten anyone.

This.

I picked tOSU because they deserve it based on their track record, but nothing the committee does will surprise me.

[MU82]

There might be some years in which the "wrong" choice would be a "severe miscarriage of justice."

Whether OSU or Bama is chosen, that will not be the case this year. Even USC has about as good an argument as either of them - and that's kind of who I'd like to see because it would get the most undies in a bundle!

[GGGG]

Alabama it is.  Versus Clemson in the semifinals.  I'm sure Dabo is thrilled with that.

[Pakuni]

This is interesting. I think Alabama would win face to face. But I think OSU has the better track record this year. Alabama really hasn’t beaten anyone.

On the flipside, Alabama didn't lose by 30 to an unranked team. Guess that mattered more.
In all fairness, Bama (and every other team) can only do so much about their schedule. They opened the season against the #3 team in the country. They couldn't have known FSU would lose their Heisman candidate QB in that game and become a dumpster fire.

[Dr. Blackheart]

It seems like the PAC and B1G get edged out more often than not. Mostly because the SEC have better football. But, this alliance is all about money for the Power 5. How long until the playoffs expand?

[Mr. Nielsen]

Jim Delany is on line one.

[Pakuni]

It seems like the PAC and B1G get edged out more often than not. Mostly because the SEC have better football. But, this alliance is all about money for the Power 5. How long until the playoffs expand?

I think they'll eventually go eight.
That said, a B1G team was selected for each of the previous three playoffs.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Two years in a row the B1G Title Game winner didn't make the playoff.

[Tugg Speedman]

It seems like the PAC and B1G get edged out more often than not. Mostly because the SEC have better football. But, this alliance is all about money for the Power 5. How long until the playoffs expand?

Expand to eight, the five power conference champs and three at-large bids.

This way everyone of the 65 power five conference schools have a guaranteed path to the playoffs ... win your conference and you are in.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Funny, the Rose Bowl host the playoff this year. So, no Pac-12 vs Big Ten match up. Plus, both leagues don't even make the playoff. The Rose Bowl would love a USC vs Ohio State game.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Expand to eight, the five power conference champs and three at-large bids.

This way everyone of the 65 power five conference schools have a guaranteed path to the playoffs ... win your conference and you are in.

This makes sense...I think good for TV ratings too.  The weird alliance of bowl hierarchies will be tough to untangle, though.

[GGGG]

Funny, the Rose Bowl host the playoff this year. So, no Pac-12 vs Big Ten match up. Plus, both leagues don't even make the playoff. The Rose Bowl would love a USC vs Ohio State game.

Georgia / Oklahoma is going to draw huge crowds to Pasadena.

 

[GGGG]

This makes sense...I think good for TV ratings too.  The weird alliance of bowl hierarchies will be tough to untangle, though.

So how do you do this?  Campus sites for the first round this weekend?  Does Army v Navy no longer get its own weekend?  Do the quarterfinal losers go to bowls? 

[GGGG]

Saw another idea on Twitter.

Six teams. 1 and 2 get byes. Power 5 champs and a wild card. Two games on campus sites. Winners to semis. Losers to other bowl games.

[Tugg Speedman]

So how do you do this?  Campus sites for the first round this weekend?  Does Army v Navy no longer get its own weekend?  Do the quarterfinal losers go to bowls?

Quarterfinals around Dec 20.  So about a month/three weeks to prepare.  Lesser bowls can bid to host these games.  Need four, most likely spread out a geographically.

Semis are new years day (like now).  Major bowls bid, like now.

Championship around Jan 10, (like now).

[Mr. Nielsen]

Georgia / Oklahoma is going to draw huge crowds to Pasadena.

It will. The Rose Bowl loves it's traditional match up. Helps that Georgia fans are willing to make the trip, as if they win, the title game will be zero travel.

[#UnleashSean]

Saw another idea on Twitter.

Six teams. 1 and 2 get byes. Power 5 champs and a wild card. Two games on campus sites. Winners to semis. Losers to other bowl games.

Why not just 8 teams?

[MU82]

Campus sites in mid- to late-December ... hmmm.

Could be fun in Big 14 spots like Ann Arbor, Columbus, East Lansing, Evanston, etc. Or really fun if the Gophers ever have a lucky year.

[Mr. Nielsen]

Why not just 8 teams?

Maybe. That is tough asking kids to play 16 games if they reach the finals.

[Tugg Speedman]

Maybe. That is tough asking kids to play 16 games if they reach the finals.

Don't FCS, D2 and D3 do exactly this?

[GGGG]

Don't FCS, D2 and D3 do exactly this?

Their regular seasons are shorter.