2020-21 College Football Thread

[GooooMarquette]

BYU got screwed in the CFP rankings tonight.

After getting screwed by COVID.

I didn’t expect them to get anywhere near the top four given their schedule, but it really was surprising to see them behind a bunch of two-loss teams.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

BYU got screwed in the CFP rankings tonight.

The rankings are crap for a number of reasons. But BYU isn’t good enough to be in the spots that matter.

[PGsHeroes32]

LOL at the big 12 rankings.

That league is pure garbage and 2 loss ISU is 13???? They lost to a damn buy game.

[JWags85]

The rankings are crap for a number of reasons. But BYU isn’t good enough to be in the spots that matter.

If by the top 4, I agree. But they easily should be above Iowa State, Oklahoma, Miami, Indiana, and Georgia.

Their schedule has been a bit soft but they’ve demolished anyone and everyone with ease. If not for the cancellations, they would have murdered Michigan St and Minneosta easily. Their PAC-12 games would have been beat downs too.  Would love to see them play UW, but I can’t argue with why they turned it down

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

If by the top 4, I agree. But they easily should be above Iowa State, Oklahoma, Miami, Indiana, and Georgia.

Their schedule has been a bit soft but they’ve demolished anyone and everyone with ease. If not for the cancellations, they would have murdered Michigan St and Minneosta easily. Their PAC-12 games would have been beat downs too.  Would love to see them play UW, but I can’t argue with why they turned it down

I wouldn't put BYU above those four. 

[GooooMarquette]

The team I struggle with relative to BYU is Cincinnati.

They have not played or beaten a single ranked team so far, and according to various sites I visited, their SOS is in the same general range as BYU's (always in the 60s for both - UC is a few spots higher in some; a few spots lower in others). So how does UC get to #7 (ahead of UGa, OU and ISU), while BYU is only #14?

[shoothoops]

The team I struggle with relative to BYU is Cincinnati.

They have not played or beaten a single ranked team so far, and according to various sites I visited, their SOS is in the same general range as BYU's (always in the 60s for both - UC is a few spots higher in some; a few spots lower in others). So how does UC get to #7 (ahead of UGa, OU and ISU), while BYU is only #14?

1) Pre-season rankings, fair or unfair favored UC. They started at 13 and the few others were not at that level. So essentially in polls they moved from 13 to 7 and have been stuck at 7 for some time, several weeks. Memphis while solid is not as good as recent years, and Houston is down.

2) Cincinnati has two wins over teams that were ranked at the time they played. Army and SMU. Both were decisive. BYU's early season game v Army was postponed. Both had lopsided wins over Houston but Houston is down this year. UC also has a win over Memphis. Their only less than two TD game is UCF this past weekend, who again, is a solid winning record team. BYU's big win this year so far is a lopsided one over then ranked Boise St. BYU has also had two games canceled overall this far. Some believe BYU needs to play 1 or 2 games vs a little bit better teams to help them move up.

It's more about opportunity instead of ability. Being an Independent has been a challenge for them. Their original schedule was good. But Pandemic scheduling has been mostly league scheduling which hurt them. Look at Oregon, some of those late starting West Coast schools are not going to be in the mix because of their late start this year. BYU was ready to go which helped them, but league scheduling changed thier schedule and the perception of their schedule is not as strong.

3) Free Coastal Carolina.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

BYU should have taken the game v. Washington.  Like it or not, the perception of a weak schedule, then ducking a P5 match up isn't great for them.  Not that it would get them in the top 4, but a decisive win there and they would move up in people's minds.

This is a bad year to be a Group of 5 conference member (or an independent like BYU).  The SOS figures are insanely difficult to figure out due to the lack of non conference games, and the Committee is going to lean to the P5. 

[Pakuni]

Saban has the coco. For real this time. Won't coach the Iron Bowl.

[shoothoops]

BYU should have taken the game v. Washington.  Like it or not, the perception of a weak schedule, then ducking a P5 match up isn't great for them.  Not that it would get them in the top 4, but a decisive win there and they would move up in people's minds.

This is a bad year to be a Group of 5 conference member (or an independent like BYU).  The SOS figures are insanely difficult to figure out due to the lack of non conference games, and the Committee is going to lean to the P5.

BYU agreed to take the game at Washington, if the game was guaranteed. Pac 12 said no.

https://www.si.com/college/byu/news/why-byu-isnt-ducking-at-the-opportunity-to-play-washington

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2020/11/22/byu-washington-football/

[Uncle Rico]

If you’re not in the Power 5, you ain’t making the playoff

[dgies9156]

Let's face it, most of the Power 5 ain't going to make it either.

The National Championship is a tournament between Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and a to-be-slaughtered innocent lamb. Yes, I know, there are years when one of the Big Three doesn't make it but by-and-large, these guys always will be players for this group.

Realistically, there are seven teams that consistently vie for four slots. They are:

Alabama
Clemson
Ohio State
Georgia
Florida
LSU (though they really suck this year, but that won't last)
Notre Dame (the slaughtered lamb of the group)

There are seven more that might score a hit once in a great while and become slaughtered lambs
Texas A&M
Texas
Miami
Florida State (but they are really awful and may soon fall out of this group)
Oklahoma
USC
Oregon

Everybody else is just warmups and Bowl material. Yes, Cincinnati, UCF (despite your whining), Wisconsin, Michigan, Tennessee, Indiana, Washington and Stanford -- you ARE DEFINITELY NOT in either group of 7.

[MU82]

The likely ND-Clemson ACC title game will serve as an elimination game for the playoffs.

If Clemson wins, they are obviously in. If Clemson loses, they will be out.

If ND wins, they are obviously in. If ND loses (and that's their only loss), they probably will be out but maybe they could still sneak in depending on what else happens.

[jesmu84]

The likely ND-Clemson ACC title game will serve as an elimination game for the playoffs.

If Clemson wins, they are obviously in. If Clemson loses, they will be out.

If ND wins, they are obviously in. If ND loses (and that's their only loss), they probably will be out but maybe they could still sneak in depending on what else happens.

A 1 loss ND will be in the playoff. Especially if that loss is Clemson

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

A 1 loss ND will be in the playoff. Especially if that loss is Clemson

Depends. What if Florida wins out including v Alabama in the SEC title game?  Both a one loss Florida and Alabama get in over ND.

The team that can’t slip up is Ohio State.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Depends. What if Florida wins out including v Alabama in the SEC title game?  Both a one loss Florida and Alabama get in over ND.

The team that can’t slip up is Ohio State.

Northwestern is really the team that can screw everything up. If they run the table and beat OSU, do they get leapfrogged by some of the one win teams?

[Pakuni]

Northwestern is really the team that can screw everything up. If they run the table and beat OSU, do they get leapfrogged by some of the one win teams?

No. Wins over tOSU and Wisconsin-Madison will keep that from happening.

[dgies9156]

Northwestern is really the team that can screw everything up. If they run the table and beat OSU, do they get leapfrogged by some of the one win teams?

Do you believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus too? How about the Easter Bunny?

If bettors were serious, they would make tOSU about -30 against Northwestern, assuming they play each other.

Northwestern is to the college football playoffs what a Dutch boy’s finger in a dike is to a tsunami.

[GooooMarquette]

Vanderbilt has a women's soccer player practicing with the football team at placekicker, due to Covid-related absences on special teams. If she gets in the game Saturday against Mizzou, she would be the first female to see playing action in a P5 game.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30386218/vanderbilt-soccer-sarah-fuller-option-kick-football-team-coach-says

I'd love to see her get a shot, and a couple of FGs or PATs.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Do you believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus too? How about the Easter Bunny?

If bettors were serious, they would make tOSU about -30 against Northwestern, assuming they play each other.

Northwestern is to the college football playoffs what a Dutch boy’s finger in a dike is to a tsunami.

Undefeated Northwestern team makes the playoffs.

[wadesworld]

No. Wins over tOSU and Wisconsin-Madison will keep that from happening.

-30?  Ohio State couldn't even beat Penn State or Rutgers by 30.  Indiana had the ball with a chance to tie down the stretch.  I'd expect Ohio State would be about a two touchdown favorite against Northwestern.  And I wouldn't touch it on either side.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Do you believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus too? How about the Easter Bunny?

If bettors were serious, they would make tOSU about -30 against Northwestern, assuming they play each other.

Northwestern is to the college football playoffs what a Dutch boy’s finger in a dike is to a tsunami.

A much worse Northwestern team lost to a much better Ohio state team by 21 in 2018.

Offense is meh, but that defense is a legitimate top-5 defense in the country.

That being said, NU could very well lay an egg against Michigan St.

[GooooMarquette]

-30?  Ohio State couldn't even beat Penn State or Rutgers by 30.  Indiana had the ball with a chance to tie down the stretch.  I'd expect Ohio State would be about a two touchdown favorite against Northwestern.  And I wouldn't touch it on either side.

Agreed. tOSU's only 30+ win was against a Nebraska team that a bunch of Scoopers could beat. The Spuds will definitely be favored in the B10 Championship Game, but the spread won't be anywhere near 30.

[Pakuni]

Do you believe in tooth fairies and Santa Claus too? How about the Easter Bunny?

If bettors were serious, they would make tOSU about -30 against Northwestern, assuming they play each other.

Northwestern is to the college football playoffs what a Dutch boy’s finger in a dike is to a tsunami.

An arguably better tOSU played an inarguably worse NU in the 2018 Big 10 championship and were -14.
- 30 would be like free money.

[shoothoops]

Vanderbilt has a women's soccer player practicing with the football team at placekicker, due to Covid-related absences on special teams. If she gets in the game Saturday against Mizzou, she would be the first female to see playing action in a P5 game.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/30386218/vanderbilt-soccer-sarah-fuller-option-kick-football-team-coach-says

I'd love to see her get a shot, and a couple of FGs or PATs.

It's interesting. (I follow Women's College Soccer). Vandy graduated two very good Keepers last year who shared playing time. As an incoming Senior, Fuller played sparingly in her soccer career at Vandy. She wasn't the starting keeper this year, but she took the spot after a few games in which the starting keeper, a Sophomore, struggled.

Initially, Fuller also struggled quite a bit, but she was improved a bit, and she was solid in the SEC Tourney, which Vandy won. (Mostly due to elite play between the 18's,.increased scoring, and limiting chances).

I'm not sure if she'll get a chance in the football game. I'm also not sure how well she'd do. It would be a good story if she had a chance and succeeded. I'm not surprised Derek Mason would possibly be the one to give her a chance. He's one of the better people in the game.