College Football is back

[The Sultan]

So much for Minnesota. Looks like the battle for the Axe this year will also be for Big Ten West title.

[MU82]

Tua obviously was not 100% going into the game. Did Saban put the athletes' career in jeopardy?

[Pakuni]

Tua obviously was not 100% going into the game. Did Saban put the athletes' career in jeopardy?

No

[MU82]

No

Why do you say that so definitively?

I certainly don't think Saban intentionally did so, and I like to think Tua had full medical clearance to play.

But coaches do say quite often that they won't play anybody who isn't "healthy."

[Pakuni]

Why do you say that so definitively?

I certainly don't think Saban intentionally did so, and I like to think Tua had full medical clearance to play.

But coaches do say quite often that they won't play anybody who isn't "healthy."

Because Tua having a gimpy ankle had no role in two guys landing on him awkwardly, leading to a freak hip injury.

You've made quite clear here previously you're no Nick Saban fan - which is totally fine - but I suspect you may be letting that shade your feelings here.

[The Sultan]

The interesting thing here is that people who are advocating that Alabama be one of the final four, not necessarily because of what they accomplish on the f

ield, but because they pass the "eye test" now really can't support that without Tua.

So here is where I stand at this point with the CFP

LSU - lock no matter how they perform in the SEC Championship
Ohio State - assuming they win out (which won't be easy with PSU and UM coming up), lock no matter how they play in B10 champ.
Clemson - needs to win out.
Georgia - only if they win out and win SEC Championship
Pac Ten Champion if Utah and Oregon win out.

[wadesworld]

If Bama wins out and looks good against Auburn they'll have a chance depending on how the rest of the chips fall.

[MU82]

Because Tua having a gimpy ankle had no role in two guys landing on him awkwardly, leading to a freak hip injury.

You've made quite clear here previously you're no Nick Saban fan - which is totally fine - but I suspect you may be letting that shade your feelings here.

Re your last sentence, you're probably right.

Re your first sentence, you might be right, but we'll never really know. That he had a gimpy ankle might have prevented him from escaping those guys or at least putting himself in position to not be tackled the same way by them.

But I do get your point, and I thank you for explaining it.

I wish the best for Tua, and hope he has a full recovery. I also wish that he had been able to ply his craft in the NFL this season for millions and millions of dollars instead of at Bama for slightly more than bupkis.

[Uncle Rico]

The interesting thing here is that people who are advocating that Alabama be one of the final four, not necessarily because of what they accomplish on the f

ield, but because they pass the "eye test" now really can't support that without Tua.

So here is where I stand at this point with the CFP

LSU - lock no matter how they perform in the SEC Championship
Ohio State - assuming they win out (which won't be easy with PSU and UM coming up), lock no matter how they play in B10 champ.
Clemson - needs to win out.
Georgia - only if they win out and win SEC Championship
Pac Ten Champion if Utah and Oregon win out.

Alabama needs a lot of help.  I don't dismiss them because a backup QB will be starting.  If they win out, they have a chance but needs a lot of help as you state.  Given how the end of the year can be chaotic, it's not far-fetched

[Cheeks]

Tuna expected to make full recovery

[lawdog77]

Tuna expected to make full recovery

dolphin safe?

[Cheeks]

dolphin safe?

LOL

Damn phone

[wadesworld]

Would like to see what would happen if Oregon loses tonight and then wins out, Wisconsin or Minnesota beats O$U in the B1G title game, and Georgia wins out. Would be hilarious to put 3 SEC teams in the CFP, but don't see how they could do it.

[The Sultan]

Would like to see what would happen if Oregon loses tonight and then wins out, Wisconsin or Minnesota beats O$U in the B1G title game, and Georgia wins out. Would be hilarious to put 3 SEC teams in the CFP, but don't see how they could do it.

They could take a one loss Big 12 champion.

[The Sultan]

Btw Justin Herbert returning for his senior season wasn't a smart decision.

[wadesworld]

They could take a one loss Big 12 champion.

True, kind of forgot about the Big 12. If Oklahoma won out I think they'd get in. I also think O$U would get in over 3 SEC teams, but I'd just be intrigued to see what they'd do.  If OU loses again and all that plays out my guess would be Bama left out and O$U makes it.

[The Sultan]

Has Clay Helton done enough to keep his job at USC?  He finished 8-4 with still a chance at the P12 championship game.  (If Utah loses at home to Colorado.) My guess is he's still gone. The Pac 12 is mediocre and recruiting stinks.  And if you indeed have Urban Meyer waiting in the wings, you'd be dumb not to hire him.

[Cheeks]

Btw Justin Herbert returning for his senior season wasn't a smart decision.

Maybe we should see where he is drafted.  Kid also said he wanted to play this year rather than sit. 

[Pakuni]

Even Northwestern's future quarterbacks suck.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/star-high-school-quarterback-arrested-195611174.html

[The Sultan]

Even Northwestern's future quarterbacks suck.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/star-high-school-quarterback-arrested-195611174.html

I see the "Aidan Generation" has reached college age.

[The Sultan]

True, kind of forgot about the Big 12. If Oklahoma won out I think they'd get in. I also think O$U would get in over 3 SEC teams, but I'd just be intrigued to see what they'd do.  If OU loses again and all that plays out my guess would be Bama left out and O$U makes it.

The problem is that if Bama beats Auburn, that will be their best win of the year. And even that's not that great if you look at the rest of their schedule.

I would think if either Baylor or Oklahoma win out, and they play one another in the B12 championship game, they should be in before Bama.

So here is where I stand

1. LSU is a lock as long as they win one of the next two.

2. Ditto Ohio State

3. Clemson has to win out

4. UGa is in if they beat Tech and win the SEC Championship

5. One loss B12 Champion is next if one of the above doesn't occur.

6. Minnesota if they win out

7. Alabama if they beat Auburn

8. Utah if they win out.

[Pakuni]

The problem is that if Bama beats Auburn, that will be their best win of the year. And even that's not that great if you look at the rest of their schedule.

I would think if either Baylor or Oklahoma win out, and they play one another in the B12 championship game, they should be in before Bama.

So here is where I stand

1. LSU is a lock as long as they win one of the next two.

2. Ditto Ohio State

3. Clemson has to win out

4. UGa is in if they beat Tech and win the SEC Championship

5. One loss B12 Champion is next if one of the above doesn't occur.

6. Minnesota if they win out

7. Alabama if they beat Auburn

8. Utah if they win out.

On the flip side, Bama's worst loss would be by 5 points to the #1 team, in a game less than three weeks after their star QB had surgery and clearly wasn't 100 percent.
By contrast, Oklahoma and Georgia lost to teams that are unranked, and Minnesota and Utah have losses to teams that are borderline top 20. Clearly Alabama would have the "best" loss of the 1-loss teams.
I get wanting to reward teams for scheduling tougher opponents, but this seems like punishing Alabama because the SEC West wasn't as good this year as season's past.
Minnesota lost to a team barely in the top 20, Oklahoma lost to a team that's unranked,

[jesmu84]

8 team playoff. P5 champions + 3 at large (determined by committee). Boom, done.

[Cheeks]

If Bama wins and Georgia loses, Bama is in.  Bama is ranked 5th right now in the CFP. 

[MU82]

8 team playoff. P5 champions + 3 at large (determined by committee). Boom, done.

Yes, but that's not how it's done. Fun to talk about, though.

As for this year ...

There is absolutely no way 1-loss Minnesota gets in ahead of 1-loss Alabama.