Interesting read re: excuses for Ohio St, TCU, Ok light...

[hogcard1964]

Found this to be pretty interesting.  I hope the favoritism ends soon, but I just don't see it.  There's no way Barry Alvarez should be allowed in any decisions regarding placement of teams.

If there's one thing we've learned about the College Football Playoff committee, it's that the group is fond of moving the goalposts. We wouldn't know this if it weren't for the weekly announcements of why certain teams are ranked in certain places. Sometimes value is placed on teams that are consistent on both sides of the ball, sometimes on teams that are flashy on offense.

Sometimes, the committee offers confusing reasons for why a team that lost a football game isn't actually that all bad. With that in mind, every week we're going to attempt to predict the playoff committee's possible excuses for why teams that lost the past week are actually still quite possibly headed to the playoff.

Keep your head up, Buckeyes fans!

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2015/11/24/9790118/playoff-committee-ohio-state-oklahoma-state-excuses

[Hogarusa]

Isn't that how rankings work? 

The only thing the playoff committee should do is release the rankings and not offer any reason as to why it is what it is.  But TV and social media doesn't allow that.

[hogcard1964]

Isn't that how rankings work? 

The only thing the playoff committee should do is release the rankings and not offer any reason as to why it is what it is.  But TV and social media doesn't allow that.

Yep

Teams like Notre Dame, Bama, Ohio St, Michigan... and a few others are ALWAYS allowed an excuse or two.

[Cinco de Hogo]

The latest I've heard is that the committee doesn't project but that certain teams have a built in "trust quotient".

[hogcard1964]

The latest I've heard is that the committee doesn't project but that certain teams have a built in "trust quotient".

If Dame wins out and they're actually left in the mix, it'll be interesting to hear the reasoning since TCU and Baylor were left out last year due to a lack of a conference championship game.

[scorekeeper]

SEC chest thumpers might not like to hear this but Bama and Ohio St both have one loss.
Bama was defeated by a now 3 loss Ole Miss team in a game that was not close.
Ohio St was defeated by a  1 loss Mich St team in a close game.

[HiggiePiggy]

SEC chest thumpers might not like to hear this but Bama and Ohio St both have one loss.
Bama was defeated by a now 3 loss Ole Miss team in a game that was not close.
Ohio St was defeated by a  1 loss Mich St team in a close game.

So losing by 6 points isn't a close game? 

[scorekeeper]

So losing by 6 points isn't a close game? 

Bama scored some garbage points at the end when Ole Miss came off the throttle. The score was 30-10 in the 3rd quarter when did Ohio St get behind that much? Bama got dominated.

[Inhogswetrust]

Isn't that how rankings work? 

The only thing the playoff committee should do is release the rankings and not offer any reason as to why it is what it is.  But TV and social media doesn't allow that.

^ THIS should have been one of the criteria for the committee from day one since it's inception. IF TV and social media want to speculate as to why teams are or are not included then that's their problem.

[Hogarusa]

SEC chest thumpers might not like to hear this but Bama and Ohio St both have one loss.
Bama was defeated by a now 3 loss Ole Miss team in a game that was not close.
Ohio St was defeated by a  1 loss Mich St team in a close game.

Difference is Bama will be a conference champ and Ohio St won't be. 

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Has tOSU played a ranked team this season besides the one that beat them?  Maybe Wisky?

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Difference is Bama will be a conference champ and Ohio St won't be. 

You better be a MI and MSU fan this weekend just to be sure.  Don't need an upset by PSU.

[Augustus]

Difference is Bama will be a conference champ and Ohio St won't be.

Also, Bama has an out of conference win over an 8-3 Big 10 team this year (that was ranked at the time & is currently ranked).

Ohio St's out of conference win is over a 5-6 ACC team.

But, I don't think it will matter, after Michigan beats them this weekend.

[Hogarusa]

If Dame wins out and they're actually left in the mix, it'll be interesting to hear the reasoning since TCU and Baylor were left out last year due to a lack of a conference championship game.

Reasoning will be simple, Notre Dame's schedule is far superior to what Baylor/TCUs were last season, lone loss came at #1 team in poor weather. Again I don't think the CFP should provide reasoning as that is where they get themselves in trouble but that will be the thinking

[Danny J]

Has tOSU played a ranked team this season besides the one that beat them?  Maybe Wisky?

Not that I am aware....as a matter of fact there were people on the SECn and ESPN who were welcoming tOSU to their first regular season game of the year against MSU. Their schedule was really back loaded. Iowa has no schedule to speak of until they play their conf champ game.

[Augustus]

Not that I am aware....as a matter of fact there were people on the SECn and ESPN who were welcoming tOSU to their first regular season game of the year against MSU. Their schedule was really back loaded. Iowa has no schedule to speak of until they play their conf champ game.

I think VaTech was ranked maybe #24 or #25 when Ohio St beat them in week 1?  But, LOL, VaTech is 5-6 now, so...

[Danny J]

SEC chest thumpers might not like to hear this but Bama and Ohio St both have one loss.
Bama was defeated by a now 3 loss Ole Miss team in a game that was not close.
Ohio St was defeated by a  1 loss Mich St team in a close game.

It is not just about the 1 loss. It is about the schedule as a whole. Last check Bama had the nations #1 SOS and tOSU isn't even in the same stratosphere. Granted that was before last weekend but I doubt tOSU closed the gap that much. They were squeaking by week after week looking really soft. Their offense especially was exposed against MSU. They won't make the playoff no way...no how.

IMHO....MSU right now is a lock for the playoffs. They look really good week after week.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Not that I am aware....as a matter of fact there were people on the SECn and ESPN who were welcoming tOSU to their first regular season game of the year against MSU. Their schedule was really back loaded. Iowa has no schedule to speak of until they play their conf champ game.

Yes, the Iowa schedule is pathetic. 

I hate it when people quote Bill Parcels..."You are what your record says you are." when referencing college football.  It's true for the NFL, but it's simply not for college.  In college, it's often more like..."You are what your schedule says you are.".  I mean Iowa is probably a nice team, but I'm certain their record is well inflated due to the schedule.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

It is not just about the 1 loss. It is about the schedule as a whole. Last check Bama had the nations #1 SOS and tOSU isn't even in the same stratosphere. Granted that was before last weekend but I doubt tOSU closed the gap that much. They were squeaking by week after week looking really soft. Their offense especially was exposed against MSU. They won't make the playoff no way...no how.

IMHO....MSU right now is a lock for the playoffs. They look really good week after week.

If MSU loses this weekend (I doubt), and tOSU wins, then I bet tOSU will be right back in the hunt.  Then if tOSU goes on to beat an undefeated Iowa team in the Championship, then I bet they make the playoff. 

It's why I'm rooting for all things Michigan this weekend.

[DeltaBoy]

TCU can only muddy the Water , the Big 12 needs OK State to win out or OU.

Mich State needs to win out. Or Iowa no way do I want the suckeyes in the final playoffs.

[DiamondHogFan]

SEC chest thumpers might not like to hear this but Bama and Ohio St both have one loss.
Bama was defeated by a now 3 loss Ole Miss team in a game that was not close.
Ohio St was defeated by a  1 loss Mich St team in a close game.

When you lose seems to carry more weight than who you lose too.  Ohio St lost early to Virginia Tech last year and look where they ended up.  If that game would have been game 7 or later, Ohio St doesn't make the playoffs last year.

If you're gonna lose, do it early so you have a chance to show what you can do down the stretch.

[rmcchris]

They never play anyone (any top 15 teams) until late in the year and then only a few.  In the SEC we start the season playing each other (lots of top 10-20 teams) and a few more top 15 teams when you throw in a tough non-conference games.  The overall strength of their conference is the issue, which leads to a poor strength of schedule.  See The OH ST.  Finally had to play a top 10 team.

[DoctorSusscrofa]

College football teams can't really be ranked based on a pre-set list of rules or standards. It's a game of talent, skill, and luck.  One team may lose by 7 because their opponent outplayed them, and another may lose by 7 because of freakish luck.  I'm ok with the committee seeing different reasons why a team deserves or doesn't deserve being in the final four.  I don't think there is a set, consistent rule for evaluating teams. It's very subjective. That's why the committee has more than 10 members. To get a variety of subjective points of view.  Who gets left out will always be controversial. But having 1 consistent set of rules would be too. With 1 set of rules, there might be a team that would never get in, because 1 rule (like strength of schedule) might eliminate them consistently. With no rules, and subjective evaluation, maybe a team with lower strength of schedule gets in because committee members watch and see that the team - despite the schedule - is actually better than someone with a tougher schedule. Subjective opinion will always lead to arguments. But rankings are always pretty subjective.

[hogcard1964]

Yes, the Iowa schedule is pathetic. 

I hate it when people quote Bill Parcels..."You are what your record says you are." when referencing college football.  It's true for the NFL, but it's simply not for college.  In college, it's often more like..."You are what your schedule says you are.".  I mean Iowa is probably a nice team, but I'm certain their record is well inflated due to the schedule.

Yep, but if Iowa beats Michigan St. in the Big10 Championship, they're in.  Same thing applies to Michigan St.

The way I see it right now, the winner of the ACC, Big10, SEC and unfortunately the Pac12 will be represented.  If you're not playing for a conference championship, you're not getting in.

[superior_wang]

we need an 8 team playoff.

[hogcard1964]

we need an 8 team playoff.

64   

[ZERO]

Bama scored some garbage points at the end when Ole Miss came off the throttle. The score was 30-10 in the 3rd quarter when did Ohio St get behind that much? Bama got dominated.

No one has "let off the throttle" on Alabama since 2008. I don't care how bad of a coach some people think Freeze is, that didn't happen. Bama caught up and lost by a TD. I'm not saying Ohio State isn't deserving, by the way. If they beat Michigan and Iowa, they have a valid argument.

[hogcard1964]

No one has "let off the throttle" on Alabama since 2008. I don't care how bad of a coach some people think Freeze is, that didn't happen. Bama caught up and lost by a TD. I'm not saying Ohio State isn't deserving, by the way. If they beat Michigan and Iowa, they have a valid argument.

If they only have one game left against Michigan and if Michigan St. wins out, I don't think they could play Iowa.

[ZERO]

You're right, MSU is likely going to beat Penn State. Unless OSU backs into the B1G Championship game, Alabama has the better resume from top down. Unless some Iron Bowl hijinks happen, of course.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

You're right, MSU is likely going to beat Penn State. Unless OSU backs into the B1G Championship game, Alabama has the better resume from top down. Unless some Iron Bowl hijinks happen, of course.

It's safe to say that Saban won't try a 60 yard field goal this year.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Having a "play off" format is fine. What is wrong is how the committee might be going about deciding who is most deserving and who might not be.

Everyone wants to say that conference champions should be automatic qualifiers. Ordinarily that sounds as if it makes great sense. But look at Ohio State right now. Sure, they have only lost one game, but how many ranked teams have they played? 1, and they lost to them. And, what are the won-loss records of the 10 teams that they have beaten? What if they win the Big Ten?

I'm just saying, judge and rank everyone based on the percentage of their schedule that is committed to ranked teams (at the time that they played them), their W-L percentage against ranked teams and then unranked teams (whether home or away) and the W-L percentages of the teams that they have played, and I think you get a clearer picture of who the best teams are and which ones are more deserving of being more highly ranked than others.

Ohio State is a joke and with their weak schedule and their results against 1 ranked team, they don't even deserve to be in the top 15.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

My top 8 prior to this coming weekend, based on the criteria I mentioned above, include:

1. Alabama (5 and 1 against 6 ranked opponents at the time they played them)
2. Clemson (simply because they are undefeated and are the same against 2 ranked opponents)
3. Iowa (11-0 and again, undefeated and they have only faced 2 ranked opponents, but won)
4. Michigan State (7-1 against unranked opponents but 2-0 vs. ranked opponents)
5. Oklahoma (again, 6-1 against unranked opponents, but 4-0 vs. ranked opponents)
6. N. Carolina (9-1 vs. non-ranked and 1-0 vs ranked opponents)
7. Toledo (9-1 vs. non-ranked and 1-0 vs ranked opponents)
8. Houston (9-1 vs. non-ranked and 1-0 vs. ranked opponents)

Outlyiers

9. Stanford (7-2 vs. non-ranked opponents and 2-0 vs. ranked opponents)
10. Notre Dame (8-0 vs. non-ranked opponents and 2-1 vs. ranked opponents)

Edit: In an 8 team play-off I would love to see the likes of Toledo and Houston make the final 8, but the season isn't over yet.