College Football Thread

[wadesworld]

Rooting for chaos, and more importantly for the B1G to get nobody in. Would be great to see Michigan, Minnesota, and Michigan State win today and then see Wisconsin beat Michigan in the B1G title game.

Bama would be in no matter what happens their last 2 games, then if Clemson and Washington win their conference titles they're in, and if Oklahoma would win the Big 12 title that most likely gets them in.

But guessing it'll be OSU over Michigan, UW over Minnesota, Penn State over MSU, and then UW over Penn State. So the real hope is Washington holds their spot over Wisconsin.

[wadesworld]

Blair Walsh was cut by Minnesota and picked up by...Ohio State?

[wadesworld]

Ball never crossed the 15.  B1G always has the Buckeye$' back.

[jesmu84]

Playoff committee really screwed themselves in the past making a bunch of stink about conference championships being so important for a team to make the playoff. It should be the best 4 teams in the country, regardless of where you finish in your division, conference, etc.

This could end up SEC champ, BIG 12 champ, Pac 12 champ, Big Ten champ and leave out Michigan and Ohio St.

[GGGG]

With one loss, Ohio State is in for sure.  They'll never admit this, but deep in their hearts they'll skip the Big Ten championship game.

I'm thinking that Alabama, Washington and Clemson are also in if they win out.  Any of them slip up and Michigan will get it. 

Really who else deserves it?  Wisconsin?  Penn State?  Oklahoma? 

[wadesworld]

It would be really interesting to see who they would put into the playoff if Wisconsin won out and Clemson lost the ACC Championship game.  Michigan won the head to head but was at home, Wisconsin would have won the B1G title game, both teams lost to OSU in OT, but Michigan was on the road while Wisconsin was at home.

While I said I was hoping the B1G would get 0 (OSU is in anyway so that's done), it would be pretty funny to see two teams from the same division of the same conference, neither of which won that division, make the playoff while the conference champion (and runner up) went on to play meaningless exhibition games.

[GGGG]

While I said I was hoping the B1G would get 0 (OSU is in anyway so that's done), it would be pretty funny to see two teams from the same division of the same conference, neither of which won that division, make the playoff while the conference champion (and runner up) went on to play meaningless exhibition games.

Right?  That's exactly what might happen here.

I think the rule should be the top four conference champions but the networks would never go for that.

[jesmu84]

Right?  That's exactly what might happen here.

I think the rule should be the top four conference champions but the networks would never go for that.

I think it should be the "Power 5" conference champions + 3 at-large in an 8 team.

If OSU gets in, and Penn State ends up winning the division and Big Ten conference championship, and PSU doesn't get in, the committee is garbage and no one should believe anything they've ever said

[GGGG]

If OSU gets in, and Penn State ends up winning the division and Big Ten conference championship, and PSU doesn't get in, the committee is garbage and no one should believe anything they've ever said

Why?  Ohio State would have a better record.  The committee doesn't set the rules. 

[jesmu84]

Why?  Ohio State would have a better record.  The committee doesn't set the rules.

I actually agree OSU is the better team. But, PSU would have won the head to head, won OSU's division and won OSU's conference. If the committee wants the best 4 teams in the nation, regardless of conference finish, come out and say that. But they haven't. They have said conference championships are important.

[wadesworld]

I personally think if they want to sell the whole "not taking these student athletes away from school" and "not risking so much wear and tear on these student athletes' bodies" as reasons to not go to an 8 game playoff they should get rid of conference championships and just make it an 8 team, 3 week playoff.  That way you could also call each of the quarterfinal games one of the major bowls (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Rose) and have those bowls actually mean something again, and then just call the semifinals the semifinals and the finals the championship.

You could either move the start of the season back a week, give teams 2 weeks off, or have one week off, play the quarterfinals, then have another week off and play the semis back to back.  That way teams are only "missing time during one week of school" and the other 2 games are during break, just like it is now with missing a week for the conference title and then the semis and finals.

How I would do it?  Finish the regular season this week, reveal your 8 team playoff bracket on a Tuesday or whatever, take next weekend off, play 2 quarterfinal games (let's say they play the Orange Bowl early on Friday evening and the Fiesta Bowl late on Friday night) on the following Friday (so this year it'd be 12/9) and then play the other 2 (Sugar Bowl early Saturday afternoon and Rose Bowl early Saturday evening), give the teams one week off and then the semifinals are during most school's winter break (this year it'd be both on Saturday, 12/24...which I suppose presents a problem with the holidays being right in that time frame).  Finals would be the week after.

[GGGG]

If they to eight games, they should just play the first round at the top four seeds and there would be no need to change the schedule.  They could do the quarterfinals this year on December 17 for instance.  I think there would be legitimate concerns about filling stadiums for three straight neutral site games just before Christmas.

You could then give the quarterfinal losers a bowl game too so their season would be extended.

[GGGG]

Wisconsin's defense in the second half was fantastic.  Not a top four team IMO, but not far off.

[brandx]

Wisconsin's defense in the second half was fantastic.  Not a top four team IMO, but not far off.

Should a team that can't even win a Division in a split league even get into the playoffs?

[Mutaman]

Should a team that can't even win a Division in a split league even get into the playoffs?

Who cares? its all politics and some good college teams competing against some semi- pro teams. And Meyer is dirty.

Great job by Chryst considering the insane schedule.

[real chili 83]

Keefe might still be in spasms.

I was at gopher game today...in blue MU sweatshirt.  Had two different beer vendors sing MU fight song to me.

Also saw the obligatory UW coed dangerously drunk and puking her guts out on a sidewalk in her boyfriend's arms....puked on his sneakers too.

[MerrittsMustache]

I think it should be the "Power 5" conference champions + 3 at-large in an 8 team.

If OSU gets in, and Penn State ends up winning the division and Big Ten conference championship, and PSU doesn't get in, the committee is garbage and no one should believe anything they've ever said

The committee is garbage to begin with. They're not creating a playoff for the best 4 teams, they're creating a TV show to get the highest ratings and make the most money. OSU is in. If the cards falls right, Michigan could still get in too. It's all about money. 

Oh, and Michigan got completely hosed yesterday!

[GGGG]

Ohio State's selection wouldn't simply be about the money.  They are one of the best four teams.  They have a better overall body of work than Penn State or Wisconsin would.  By the criteria established by the CFP, championships is a tie breaking consideration, NOT a primary one. 

[tower912]

Embrace the chaos.   As long as the championship/playoff is determined by a committee with an amorphous set of criteria, I will be in favor of every cockamamie scenario that creates controversy.       

[MerrittsMustache]

Ohio State's selection wouldn't simply be about the money.  They are one of the best four teams.  They have a better overall body of work than Penn State or Wisconsin would.  By the criteria established by the CFP, championships is a tie breaking consideration, NOT a primary one.

The fact that a team that doesn't win their own conference can play for the national title over the team that did win the conference is asinine. I know it's not the criteria, but it should be. If it's not, why even bother with conferences? OSU is actually "rewarded" for finishing second in their division because they don't have to play another top 10 team.

[wadesworld]

The fact that a team that doesn't win their own conference can play for the national title over the team that did win the conference is asinine. I know it's not the criteria, but it should be. If it's not, why even bother with conferences? OSU is actually "rewarded" for finishing second in their division because they don't have to play another top 10 team.

Michigan getting another shot at a top 10 team would be a huge boost to their resume.

[tower912]

Fascinating that the 4th down spot in the second OT has become THE talking point of the weekend.     Along with Harbaugh's officiating rant.    Crean married into the right family, apparently.      However, related to the spot..... It was damn close.   I am not prepared to say whether it was right or wrong.   I do know that after looking at dozens of replays/angles/pictures that whatever was called on the field should stand because there simply is not compelling evidence to overturn the call either way.   

[GGGG]

The fact that a team that doesn't win their own conference can play for the national title over the team that did win the conference is asinine. I know it's not the criteria, but it should be. If it's not, why even bother with conferences? OSU is actually "rewarded" for finishing second in their division because they don't have to play another top 10 team.

I agree with you.  I think the idea of 8 teams with the five conference champions and three at large is the best idea.

[mu03eng]

I agree with you.  I think the idea of 8 teams with the five conference champions and three at large is the best idea.

Eh, you want to really devalue the regular season, this is how you do it. Besides, there will always be a 5th or 6th/9th or 10th/17th or 18th place team that will have an argument for being in.

I'm as big a Penn State fan as you'll find, and I have no issue with OSU getting into the playoffs and PSU not. Some of that may be because this year was so unexpected (thought next year would be the year) so I'm playing with found money....but Wisconsin and Penn State both lost more games than OSU did. Penn State shouldn't have lost to Pitt, if they win that game, this is a no brainer PSU is in over OSU assuming they win the B10 championship. Same with Wisconsin, if they beat OSU at home, it's a no brainer.

Penn State and Wisconsin only have themselves to blame for OSU getting into the playoffs without winning the conference championship.

[mu03eng]

Fascinating that the 4th down spot in the second OT has become THE talking point of the weekend.     Along with Harbaugh's officiating rant.    Crean married into the right family, apparently.      However, related to the spot..... It was damn close.   I am not prepared to say whether it was right or wrong.   I do know that after looking at dozens of replays/angles/pictures that whatever was called on the field should stand because there simply is not compelling evidence to overturn the call either way.   

Agreed, this is where our over dependence on technology comes in. There is no angle that provides any kind of view that would over rule the official on the field. Having said that, and the case has been made over and over this weekend, if tennis can judge balls in play how we can't use technology to determine the spotting of a ball is just insane.