Is the SEC out of the payoffs?

[Connorpozlee]

FSU won most of their games with a QB who is out. With their 2nd string QB, they are maybe a 9-3 team. They should not get one of the 4 spots. Injuries matter. Hypothetically, who here would pick FSU to win a game against Bama or Texas?

This is all so damn stupid. If you win your conference, you should be in. The regular season allows you to earn your way into your conferences championship game which is your chance for a ticket to the final playoff. Take the subjectivity out of it.

 

[Ironman2]

Gotta love the crybaby public announcements of ‘I’m going to ignore you’ used by some on here

Is that the same as finding a safe place? LOL

 

[Ironman2]

One issue I have with keeping Alabama out is that this gives Michigan too easy a road. FSU “should” get in over Alabama but Michigan winning it all, I’m not sure I could live with that.

Michigan is not beating Texas and if the Bammers get in Michigan isn't beating them either.

 

[psuno1]

Heather D said 1.UM 2.UW 3.UT 4.UA 5.UGA 6.FSU. I could see it falling like that if you look at the resume and schedule.

 

[Keyser Soze 16802]

This is all so damn stupid. If you win your conference, you should be in. The regular season allows you to earn your way into your conferences championship game which is your chance for a ticket to the final playoff. Take the subjectivity out of it.

So if Louisville won last night, they should be in?

 

[manatree]

 

[NittanyBuff]

Early projections I have seen, which are logical, are UM vs. FSU and Washington vs. TX.

AS it should be.

 

[Ludd]

Heather D said 1.UM 2.UW 3.UT 4.UA 5.UGA 6.FSU. I could see it falling like that if you look at the resume and schedule.

The fact that Heather said this proves it’s stupid.

 

[lemonears]

Selecting the 4 playoff teams is much like selecting a prom date. It all depends on what you value. If you want a busty girl who will enable you to get lucky at the end of the night, you pick Cathy or Sue. If you want a future wife, you pick Cindy or Helen. If you want a gorgeous girl to impress your friends, you pick Kaley or Jill. If you want an athletic girl with rich parents, then you pick Marsha or Bev.

For the 4 team playoff if the committee wants the four teams with the most highly skilled players, then they pick Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, and Ohio State. If they want the 4 teams who performed the best against their schedule, then the pick Michigan, Washington, Florida State, and Texas. If they want a well rounded 4-team selection, then they pick Michigan, Washington, Alabama, and Georgia. It all depends on what the committee values and how much weight they put on the selection factors.

 

[Midnighter]

sometimes they don't- the famous "eye test" raises it's head

The eye test is unfortunately the ‘best’ metric to determine the ‘best’ playoff teams, which is the goal. It’s dumb and I’m glad it’s mostly going away. But decades of fans whining that team a would beat team b if given the chance led to this. Best teams are probably Georgia, Alabama, Michigan, and Washington. Most deserving are Michigan, Texas, FSU, and Washington.

 

[Nitt1300]

It needed to be eight, it always needed to be eight.

 

[Train027]

In a fair world all 14 SEC teams would be in the playoffs every year because they’re the SEC.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

I guess the SEC refs didn’t get the memo that Georgia had to win the game.

Witvoet and O'Neill would have never let that happen!

 

[Ludd]

In a fair world all 14 SEC teams would be in the playoffs every year because they’re the SEC.

Why don’t they just crown the winner of the SEC as the national champion and be done with it?

 

[dcf4psu]

I don't know how you can put Alabama in and not Texas, a one-loss conference champ who beat them.

Alabama beat the #1 team in the nation who's also the two time defending national champions who had a 29 game winning streak. That trumps Texas beating Alabama early in the season in my opinion.

 

[Nitwit]

We will play Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. And Alabama will be in the playoffs. Mark it down.

 

[Ludd]

Alabama beat the #1 team in the nation who's also the two time defending national champions who had a 29 game winning streak. That trumps Texas beating Alabama early in the season in my opinion.

So Georgia should get in ahead of Bama since they were the ones who had that 29 game winning streak and were two time national champions. I mean since head to head doesn’t matter.

 

[Midnighter]

Alabama beat the #1 team in the nation who's also the two time defending national champions who had a 29 game winning streak. That trumps Texas beating Alabama early in the season in my opinion.

Exactly. And really, if Bama didn’t lose to Texas, they’d be undefeated.

 

[blion72]

First of all, I don't hate Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama because that means Michigan has to play two really good teams to win the title, and I don't want them to win. However, during the Florida State game last night the announcers continually talked about why FSU should get into the playoffs. They gave some stats like FSU had the most wins against ranked teams and the most wins against bowl eligible teams or something like that and they have "good wins" over LSU and Clemson. Last night the held a very potent Louisville offense to 6 points, which is even more impressive when you factor in the struggles that FSU had on offense. Yes, their 3rd string quarterback played but their 2nd stringer will be back for the bowl game.

In my opinion they deserve to get in. Saying that Alabama or Georgia or Texas is better is simply based on the eye test, which I think is unfair.

I think the committee is going to use the "availability" clause in their system. they are asking would FSU have been unbeaten with the same QB group they have now. given that they had a few close calls (i.e. Clemson and BC) with their starter, the answer would likely be no in a vote. if they use that clause, FSU will be out.

the committee was probably hoping to be rescued by a decision to go to 8 teams this year as the halfway house to 12. I actually heard that suggested on ESPNU.

 

[Nitt1300]

Figure skating votes who is the champion too. Call that a sport if you want to, I guess.

 

[LionJim]

Selecting the 4 playoff teams is much like selecting a prom date. It all depends on what you value. If you want a busty girl who will enable you to get lucky at the end of the night, you pick Cathy or Sue. If you want a future wife, you pick Cindy or Helen. If you want a gorgeous girl to impress your friends, you pick Kaley or Jill.

I think the committee is going to use the "availability" clause in their system. they are asking would FSU have been unbeaten with the same QB group they have now. given that they had a few close calls (i.e. Clemson and BC) with their starter, the answer would likely be no in a vote. if they use that clause, FSU will be out.

the committee was probably hoping to be rescued by a decision to go to 8 teams this year as the halfway house to 12. I actually heard that suggested on ESPNU.

FWIW, I have a FSU fan buddy at the gym: “No way FSU makes it.”

 

[Big_O]

Figure skating votes who is the champion too. Call that a sport if you want to, I guess.

And they don't have to do the school figures anymore, which is the most easily judged and technically difficult portion of figure skating, as opposed to the gymnastics with an element of dance on ice that is figure skating now. The Russians and Europeans voted to get rid of school figures because that is what the Americans excelled at. They took the figures out of figure skating. They should call it something else now like show skating.

Since I don't watch or follow figure skating except for watching a little at the olympics competition, I could care less, though.

 

[Alphalion75]

One issue I have with keeping Alabama out is that this gives Michigan too easy a road. FSU “should” get in over Alabama but Michigan winning it all, I’m not sure I could live with that.

Actually, your issues will not sway the committee.....sorry.

 

[LionJim]

Actually, your issues will not sway the committee.....sorry.

I did my best this morning to convince my buddy on the committee, so we’ll see.

 

[1995PSUGrad]

So if Louisville won last night, they should be in?

Or Ok State?

 

[1995PSUGrad]

Alabama beat the #1 team in the nation who's also the two time defending national champions who had a 29 game winning streak. That trumps Texas beating Alabama early in the season in my opinion.

Why bother to play teams like Alabama if beating them isn't going to help your case? The have been yelling about strength of schedule for years and complaining when Power Five teams play weak nonconference schedules. Texas played the best and beat them and won their conference. I am not saying that Alabama shouldn't get in, I just don't think you can put them in above Texas. I personally think they would be Alabama again if they played.

 

[1995PSUGrad]

I think the committee is going to use the "availability" clause in their system. they are asking would FSU have been unbeaten with the same QB group they have now. given that they had a few close calls (i.e. Clemson and BC) with their starter, the answer would likely be no in a vote. if they use that clause, FSU will be out.

the committee was probably hoping to be rescued by a decision to go to 8 teams this year as the halfway house to 12. I actually heard that suggested on ESPNU.

I would argue that Alabama had several close calls (almost losing to A&M and Arkansas) including a game against Auburn that they really shouldn't have won. If Alabama doesn't convert on 4th and 31 to beat Auburn they are out of the conversation even if they beat Georgia, so because that pass was caught they belong in the playoff? I just think that is bias based on how good Alabama has been over the years.

 

[LionJim]

I would argue that Alabama had several close calls (almost losing to A&M and Arkansas) including a game against Auburn that they really shouldn't have won. If Alabama doesn't convert on 4th and 31 to beat Auburn they are out of the conversation even if they beat Georgia, so because that pass was caught they belong in the playoff? I just think that is bias based on how good Alabama has been over the years.

All good points but Alabama made it in. I hope they beat the snot out of Michigan.

 

[Bkmtnittany1]

All good points but Alabama made it in. I hope they beat the snot out of Michigan.

Whoever can beat that scumbag Harbaugh… I am all in!

 

[wbcbus]

I'll be shocked if they put Bama or GA in over TX. And completely floored if they did both. I think FSU is the odd one out, regardless of the outcome of the LOU/FSU game. It's Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama.

Came in the order I expected even with the FSU win. I hate it for FSU, but I also think it's correct. FSU just isn't that good without Travis, and it wouldve made for an easy first round game for Michigan. This is the best 4 teams this year, as those teams are currently composed.

 

[1995PSUGrad]

All good points but Alabama made it in. I hope they beat the snot out of Michigan.

I hope that Alabama beats Michigan by 50 and loses the final.

I do find it funny that everyone talks about getting the best 4 teams in the playoff but no one is saying anything about Ohio State. How are they not in the conversation? They didn't win their conference so they dropped out, but Georgia didn't win theirs either and there was a lot of talk about them still getting in. Georgia is ranked 6th after losing to #4 Alabama. Ohio State's only loss is to #1 Michigan. It just doesn't make sense to me. My nightmare scenario was Michigan and Ohio State both getting in and we avoided that!

 

[Blair10]

Roll Tide Roll.

 

[AvgUser]

I hope that Alabama beats Michigan by 50 and loses the final.

I do find it funny that everyone talks about getting the best 4 teams in the playoff but no one is saying anything about Ohio State. How are they not in the conversation? They didn't win their conference so they dropped out, but Georgia didn't win theirs either and there was a lot of talk about them still getting in. Georgia is ranked 6th after losing to #4 Alabama. Ohio State's only loss is to #1 Michigan. It just doesn't make sense to me. My nightmare scenario was Michigan and Ohio State both getting in and we avoided that!

UGA made it to the conference championship
OSU, as is typical, did not

 

[Catch1lion]

 

[Nits74]

Roll Tide Roll.

But Jimmy keeps thanking his savior the Lord Jesus Christ, so I don't see how Alabama has any chance. What a hypocrite.

 

[Corner Room Breakfast]

We will play Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. And Alabama will be in the playoffs. Mark it down.

I think we will play Georgia in the Peach Bowl, mark it down.

 

[LionJim]

But Jimmy keeps thanking his savior the Lord Jesus Christ, so I don't see how Alabama has any chance. What a hypocrite.

Saw that, had the same reaction.

 

[Alphalion75]

I think we will play Georgia in the Peach Bowl, mark it down.

Please no. We would get our clocks cleaned.

 

[Connorpozlee]

So if Louisville won last night, they should be in?

Yep. Stop all this stupid horseshit about eye tests and the rest of it. You win your conference, you’re in. The regular season is the start of the playoffs. You do well enough there you qualify for your conference championship game. You win that, you’re into the national championship playoffs.

 

[Connorpozlee]

I would argue that Alabama had several close calls (almost losing to A&M and Arkansas) including a game against Auburn that they really shouldn't have won. If Alabama doesn't convert on 4th and 31 to beat Auburn they are out of the conversation even if they beat Georgia, so because that pass was caught they belong in the playoff? I just think that is bias based on how good Alabama has been over the years.

That’s a great point. By my eye test, that was a fluky win against Auburn so I’m counting that as a loss. 2 losses for Bama this year.