My final four in college playoffs

[uvaballa]

Sorry but no one outside of the Big12 think they have a shot because they don’t play a lot of defense in that conference. Also doesn’t help they haven’t won a NC since 2005. Personally I preferred Oklahoma over Georgia because I didn’t want to see them play Bama again.

The playoff isn’t great but it’s much better than the BCS format. Having 3 undefeated teams would have meant one is left out of the championship game which I hated.

 

[atlantacowboy]

Right . Twok forgot to mention LSU also best Georgia rather handidly if I recall correctly.

This is a solid Alabama team which wasn’t really challenged until Georgia. The best team ever is Hyperbole rhetoric. SEC west was fairly weak this year except for LSU which was their toughest game in conference. And Bama two SEC west teams were Tenn and Kent.

Georgia had their shot. Let some of these other big schools have a shot. Shoot, nobody thought anyone could score on Michigan until the #2 offense in Ohio State showed up.

Oklahoma #1 offense has talent and speed than can test the Tide. Their defense will struggle. It could be a 60-50 game. Who knows maybe Bama will have a couple turnovers like they did with Georgia and make it interesting.

I’m looking forward to seeing Alabama challenged by a couple other powers than seeing if Georgia can beat them with a second shot,

A lot is riding on Tua's ankles. He hurt both of them saturday night. Jalen Hurts captured some pixie dust but I wouldn't bet on him to play like that for 4 quarters. This Bama defense is not as dominant as previous years. UGA had them but the FG miss and the stupid fake punt were all Bama needed. I heard a stat that said UGA the last 2 games against Bama has lead or been tied for 119 out of 120 minutes.............and they lost both games probably costing them 2 national titles. I think OU has a shot but Murray is going to have to be as perfect as Fromm nearly was b/c OU's defense is not in the same ballpark talent wise as UGA.

 

[Diehardblues]

Sorry but no one outside of the Big12 think they have a shot because they don’t play a lot of defense in that conference. Also doesn’t help they haven’t won a NC since 2005. Personally I preferred Oklahoma over Georgia because I didn’t want to see them play Bama again.

The playoff isn’t great but it’s much better than the BCS format. Having 3 undefeated teams would have meant one is left out of the championship game which I hated.

It goes both ways.

If these teams had to play these prolific passing offenses , QB’s and receivers in Big 12 every week they wouldn’t have top defenses.

Look what happened to Michigan’s top defense once they played a top offense.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Sorry but no one outside of the Big12 think they have a shot because they don’t play a lot of defense in that conference. Also doesn’t help they haven’t won a NC since 2005. Personally I preferred Oklahoma over Georgia because I didn’t want to see them play Bama again.

The playoff isn’t great but it’s much better than the BCS format. Having 3 undefeated teams would have meant one is left out of the championship game which I hated.

The big 12 conference had better defensive numbers in last years bowl games than the SEC did.

29.6 points per game given up by the SEC
27.9 points per game given up by the Big 12

 

[Diehardblues]

A lot is riding on Tua's ankles. He hurt both of them saturday night. Jalen Hurts captured some pixie dust but I wouldn't bet on him to play like that for 4 quarters. This Bama defense is not as dominant as previous years. UGA had them but the FG miss and the stupid fake punt were all Bama needed. I heard a stat that said UGA the last 2 games against Bama has lead or been tied for 119 out of 120 minutes.............and they lost both games probably costing them 2 national titles. I think OU has a shot but Murray is going to have to be as perfect as Fromm nearly was b/c OU's defense is not in the same ballpark talent wise as UGA.

I’m looking forward to see if Alabama can slow the #1 offense. No one else has.

Sooners have speed which can be an equalizer and give Riley a month to prepare. OU might not be able to stop Alabama either. I could see a 60-50 game.

I watched Kyler Murray win 3 consecutive state championship at Allen . He’s a phenomenal talent with blazing speed I’m not sure we’ve ever seen in a QB. And can make most of the throws with accuracy.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I’m looking forward to see if Alabama can slow the #1 offense. No one else has.

Sooners have speed which can be an equalizer and give Riley a month to prepare. OU might not be able to stop Alabama either. I could see a 60-50 game.

I watched Kyler Murray win 3 consecutive state championship at Allen . He’s a phenomenal talent with blazing speed I’m not sure we’ve ever seen in a QB. And can make most of the throws with accuracy.

You see a good deal of College QBs who can run or pass well. You don't see as many do both as well as this young man does it or in this offense.
I think they set a college record for points per game.

Going to be hard for Alabama to take care of the passing game AND the running game AND a QB that can make amazing plays either as designed or as a play breaks down.

Not to say they cannot it, it just will not be what they are used to when playing the normal SEC schedules.

Some of Oklahoma's ability might wind up being if M.Brown can play or not.

Do not care for the Sooners but think it would be a nice Chamionship game with Clemson vs the Sooners.

 

[atlantacowboy]

I’m looking forward to see if Alabama can slow the #1 offense. No one else has.

Sooners have speed which can be an equalizer and give Riley a month to prepare. OU might not be able to stop Alabama either. I could see a 60-50 game.

I watched Kyler Murray win 3 consecutive state championship at Allen . He’s a phenomenal talent with blazing speed I’m not sure we’ve ever seen in a QB. And can make most of the throws with accuracy.

They don't play defense in the Big 12. There is no way OU is going to score that much with Saban having a month to prepare.

Alabama is going to blow them out if Tua is healthy.

 

[DFWJC]

I get why the teams that are in made it.

It'd be real hard to put a two loss team in...heads would explode with 1 loss conf champs out there.
But I do think Georgia is either the 2nd or 3rd best team in the country.

Also, fwiw, I feel bad for UCF. Congrats to them toughing it out even after losing their statr QB.
I wonder if they'll beat another power team in their bowl game this year even with out their star? Guess we'll see.

Bama is a least slightly vulnerable to mobile QBs that can also throw it.
Clemson beat them for the title with Watson....so
Who knows?

 

[Doc50]

Alabama
Clemson
Oklahoma
Ohio State

Join a conference Notre Dame.

But the Irish will get in and the Buckeyes will be left out who I think would beat them based on common game with Michigan.

Big 10 Champ will be left out. If not Big 12 Champ will be left out. The playoffs become about school recognition or Central Florida would be 4th team.

And if you really want the 4 best teams Georgia has an argument. As usual it’s a mess beyond Alabama and why 8 teams is only solution.

Then Power 5 conferences get in with 3 wild cards . The committee would still be needed to determine the 3 Wild Cards.

Playoffs would be unanimously:

Alabama
Clemson
Oklahoma
Ohio State
Washington
Notre Dame
Georgia
Central Florida

Agreed, Blues.

The eight team playoff plan has always been the best -- let the teams decide it on the field. Make more bowl games relevant, and make everybody happy.

 

[BoysForLife]

With a 4 team playoff I really don’t like the idea of 2 teams from the same conference getting in assuming they’ve already played each other and had their shot to win.

I don't know, to me get the 4 best teams.

Which to me are Bama, Clemson, Georgia, and take your pick of either Ohio State or Notre Dame.

To be clear--I'm not an SEC guy. I went to a Big Ten school. But I'm also honest. A lot of people where I live complain about an SEC Bias. Well, there should be an SEC bias. When your conference produces 9 out of the last 10 national champions, you should get some leeway.

I just want to watch good games. Leaving out Georgia to get in either Oklahoma or Ohio State does nothing to promote a good game.

Bama Georgia Saturday night was an epic game. Even as a fan of a Big Ten team, I'm not naive enough to think that year in and year out we are on par. The best football in the country is played down in the Southeast and that is readily evident. I'd rather watch Bama and Georgia go at it again, as opposed to watching Bama beat the hell out of Ohio State or Oklahoma by 35.

The title game last year featured 2 SEC teams and it was a fantastic game. The two best teams met for the title and it was great theater. Absolutely amazing to watch. That should be the goal of the CFP, regardless of conference or regional implications. Just my $.02

 

[LACowboysFan1]

OSU lost to .a 6-6 team by 29 points. That's a big reason on why they did not get in. OU has the better loss. Also, ND definitely deserves to be in. Georgia has two losses and one of those were by 20 points. They aren't being punished for losing to Bama. They are being punished because they have two losses.

In the BCS era, only LSU has won the title with 2 losses, and both of those were triple-overtime losses. Georgia lost to LSU and blew a 14 pt lead to Bama, that's just too much.

As far as ND goes, I'm just not that impressed with them, they beat weak teams by small margins too many times - Ball State by 8, Pitt by 5, USC by 7, Vandy by 5. Had a couple of good wins like beating Syracuse by 31 but 8 of their games were at home, only #24 Va Tech was an away game, and Tech scored 23 on them.

But on a related note, Central Florida got "stiffed" by the process?



You don't get in by beating Navy, Temple, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic and USF!

Play at least a couple top 10 teams and beat them, and I'll consider it. Alabama beat the no. 4 team twice and the no. 3 team. Notre Dame beat the no. 7, 12 and 14 teams, and I don't even consider them that great even so...

 

[erod]

I'd prefer a 6-team playoff.

All 5 of the major conference champs, plus one.

Two byes
#6 plays #3 for the right to play #2
#5 plays #4 for the right to play #1

The UCFs of the world deserve nothing.

 

[erod]

I don't know, to me get the 4 best teams.

Which to me are Bama, Clemson, Georgia, and take your pick of either Ohio State or Notre Dame.

To be clear--I'm not an SEC guy. I went to a Big Ten school. But I'm also honest. A lot of people where I live complain about an SEC Bias. Well, there should be an SEC bias. When your conference produces 9 out of the last 10 national champions, you should get some leeway.

I just want to watch good games. Leaving out Georgia to get in either Oklahoma or Ohio State does nothing to promote a good game.

Bama Georgia Saturday night was an epic game. Even as a fan of a Big Ten team, I'm not naive enough to think that year in and year out we are on par. The best football in the country is played down in the Southeast and that is readily evident. I'd rather watch Bama and Georgia go at it again, as opposed to watching Bama beat the hell out of Ohio State or Oklahoma by 35.

The title game last year featured 2 SEC teams and it was a fantastic game. The two best teams met for the title and it was great theater. Absolutely amazing to watch. That should be the goal of the CFP, regardless of conference or regional implications. Just my $.02

Bama will not beat OU by 35. The Sooners will score a lot.

 

[4th_and_short]

Historically Saban’s defenses have struggled against mobile QBs. Murray is maybe the best one they’re going to face to date, so I think everyone saying how OU is going to get pummeled will be in for a surprise. Bama’s defense is good, but it’s not to the level it’s been in the past and OU can score with anyone. I expect a shoot out, and if Tua can’t play then I don’t think OU is as nearly the underdog as the line shows.

ND and Clemson is a good matchup as well. Clemson’s D revolves around their line but Book is a good QB and the Tiger back 7 is questionable. I think you’re gonna see a lot of quick perimeter passes, RBs coming out of the backfield, and stuff over the middle to challege the edge and Safeties, neutralize that D-line. And for all the talk about Clemson’s front 4, the Irish are no slouch against the run. They’ve got players on their line and LBers who are pretty good. I expect they’re gonna focus on stopping Etienne (sp??) and force the game into Lawrence’s hands.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

The UCFs of the world deserve nothing.

I would agree, but in one way I'd like to see them in there, get embarrassed like 45-10 by a Bama or Clemson and it'd put a stop to this "We were undefeated two years in a row therefore we're the National Champions" nonsense some of their fans spouting....

 

[erod]

I would agree, but in one way I'd like to see them in there, get embarrassed like 45-10 by a Bama or Clemson and it'd put a stop to this "We were undefeated two years in a row therefore we're the National Champions" nonsense some of their fans spouting....

Yep. They get all hyped up for these bowl games against disappointed teams that don't even want to be there and have never heard of UCF.

It's like the Bengals having to play an exhibition game against the Saskatchewan Rough Riders in February.

 

[BoysForLife]

Bama will not beat OU by 35. The Sooners will score a lot.

I think Bama’s defense is a lot better than you are giving them credit for. Kirby smart knows how to attack that defense better than most because he coached it for years

While I do think a lot of Lincoln Riley I don’t think he will be nearly as successful trying to exploit Alabama’s defense as Georgia was

 

[atlantacowboy]

I would agree, but in one way I'd like to see them in there, get embarrassed like 45-10 by a Bama or Clemson and it'd put a stop to this "We were undefeated two years in a row therefore we're the National Champions" nonsense some of their fans spouting....

UCF is a good argument for why they need to expand the playoff to 8 teams. Whats the point of playing meaningless Rose & Sugar Bowls? This isn't hard or rocket science. Only 3 of the 6 major bowls host games of any consequence under the current system. Its perfectly set up for 4 bowls to host national quarterfinal games, 2 bowls to host the semifinal games, and they can rotate the national title game among the 6. You take the 5 conference champs, the highest ranked non-power 5 school provided they are in the top 10, and then 2 wild cards. The NCAA would own December.

 

[atlantacowboy]

The big 12 conference had better defensive numbers in last years bowl games than the SEC did.

29.6 points per game given up by the SEC
27.9 points per game given up by the Big 12

Which simply means nothing. LSU's best defensive players are declaring for the draft and skipping the UCF game. So stats mean nothing. Its all about who actually plays.

 

[4th_and_short]

UCF is a good argument for why they need to expand the playoff to 8 teams. Whats the point of playing meaningless Rose & Sugar Bowls? This isn't hard or rocket science. Only 3 of the 6 major bowls host games of any consequence under the current system. Its perfectly set up for 4 bowls to host national quarterfinal games, 2 bowls to host the semifinal games, and they can rotate the national title game among the 6. You take the 5 conference champs, the highest ranked non-power 5 school provided they are in the top 10, and then 2 wild cards. The NCAA would own December.

The problem with this is scheduling across the conferences. You’d be adding three more games on top of the conference schedule + conference championship games. As it is already, the winner of this year will have played at least 14 games. So until they come to some sort of agreement and set a standard for regular season games across the board, I don’t think expansion will happen.