Clemson #1, Alabama #5 in polls - defies all logic!

[yallerdawg]

Clemson has a loss to an unranked 4-8 team.

Alabama has an away loss to a 9-2 #6 team (which is now ranked ahead of Alabama with 2 losses? ).

We'll see if the Playoff Selection Committee brings some mental consistency to this insanity.

If the record doesn't count, why play all those games?

The one saving grace - any of the top 4 teams lose, Alabama would bump up into the Final Four. Logically, that is.

[Glorfindel]

1. As a Georgian, I am required to despise Alabama above all else

but I agree with you, and feel your pain. On the other hand, as a Georgian, I have had lots of experience in graciously accepting losses, last-second or blowout (the heartbreak of this year's Superbowl comes to mind, among many, many others). So, please, do yourself no damage, and remember that tomorrow is another day.

[yallerdawg]

2. As an Alabamian, remarkably...

I'll be rooting for Georgia this weekend!

It's hard to see that Georgia head coach losing to the same team twice (he didn't do it when he was with Alabama)!

And after teams play Alabama, they seem to need a lot of time to lick their wounds.

Of course, the Dawgs have that one terrible ass-kickin' on their record, so, you know, Alabama still looks shinier!

[Old Crank]

3. Better

I thought you proved yourself on the field. Alabama is not based on that better than Auburn. Don't worry the selection group will keep Alabama in the final 4.

[yallerdawg]

4. Week after week after week, Alabama proved it on the field.

"Better" is not determined by one game on one Saturday.

Otherwise, let's just skip to the Iron Bowl each season, and send the SEC rep to the Championship based on that.

Check the record.

[underpants]

5. Couple of points.

First, as much as everyone cries about not scheduling cupcakes now you can't have two losses or it's the end of the world.

Second, Auburn has the hardest strength of schedule (below) and beat Bama head to head. You can lose but just don't lose late in the season. Bama does not even have a conference championship either.

https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/ranking/schedule-strength-by-other
Really Bama, Colorado State and Mercer?

Lastly, the winner of the SEC and ACC championship games look to be a lock to get into the playoff. If Oklahoma wins the Big 12 they'll be in too. Should TCU beat them that could open the door for Alabama. The big question is the Big 10 - if Wisconsin wins they're in if THE Ohio Sate wins things could get dicey for Alabama. They beat 1 team in the top 20 strength of schedule (Miss St is #22) but that was Fla State who are no longer ranked. OSU went 3-2 against the same top 20. Against the current top 25 OSU went 3-1 while Bama went 2-1.

[yallerdawg]

6. Auburn played Mercer, too.

And other patsies. Alabama beat LSU. Auburn didn't. Auburn got Alabama and Georgia at home! More luck! Clemson beat them, LSU beat them - on the road. Records matter.

Oklahoma State lost 3 games. Auburn lost 2.

Every time Alabama plays, it is the "Game of the Year" for their opposition. Starting with Florida State (#3 at the time) straight through to Auburn (#6 at the time).

One game does not define the season.

[underpants]

7. Good info.

I think the conference championship winners are going to be hard to keep out of the playoffs unless TCU wins - that's Bama's best shot to me.

The SEC just that strong this year top to bottom. The ACC and The Big 10 were clearly stronger conferences this year.

In my opinion.

[yallerdawg]

8. If Georgia beats Auburn...

how would they leapfrog Alabama?

Their one loss was a royal ass whippin' against a team Alabama contested right to the end.

And if Georgia should win in the rematch, they have Alabama to thank for softening Auburn up!

What comes to mind was the Alabama championship against LSU a few years back. Alabama skipped that SEC championship, too. And faced the team in the championship game that gave them that one loss.

Alabama in, Georgia in, too, if they beat Auburn - or move up to #5, tough break.

Malzahn heads to Arkansas!

[underpants]

9. That's a good point but UGA will still be a 1 loss conference champion

I do think that the committee will do everything I can to get Bama in there definitely over TCU and maybe MAYBE over OSU.

[d_r]

11. they aren't going to want

two teams from same conference, limits tv ratings and that's what it is all about. If you already have Georgia or Auburn then Alabama doesn't really bring any additional tv viewers to the show (except maybe people watching hoping they lose because they shouldn't have been there in the first place).

[d_r]

12. Auburn was "Game of the Year" for LSU nt

[d_r]

10. early loss better than late loss

always has been in this popularity contest.

It doesn't really work this way, but the impression is probably Clemson beat Auburn, Auburn beat Alabama.

And of course Auburn is ranked ahead of Alabama, we all saw that with our own two eyes.

The whole idea of a "national champion" in college football, short of an actual play off, is stupid to me. You have 100 something teams that each play 12 games. So, you don't have enough data to actually "pick" the top 2 or 4. If they have to do it, and I'd be fine if they didn't, then they should have an 8-team playoff with only conference champions. The conference championship game becomes a playoff game - want to be in the playoffs, win your conference champions. Some would argue that team B in a given conference is a "better" team than team A in another, and of course they would be correct, but ultimately it doesn't matter if you consider the conference championship as a play in game.

[yallerdawg]

13. I'd hate to see even more games.

These "kids" are unpaid amateurs. Yes, they get scholarships most often, but a lot of these programs are comparable to the pros and generate huge financial reward to everyone but the players..

Now "champions" are looking at 15, 16 games? And "success" would be measured by this?

SEC West is superior to SEC East. After 12 games, that one game would determine who goes to the championship series?

I think I prefer consensus polling and analysis of records. Every game counts. 4-8 Syracuse beat Clemson. No pud team beat Alabama.

[d_r]

17. Naw

We already have conference championship games in most major Conferences. You could take the regular season from 12 back down to 11 and only miss one whipping post. Then add one week for 8 teams to go down to four.

[yallerdawg]

19. 11 + 1 Conf + 1 Round of 8 + 1 Round of Four + 1 Final equals 15 games!

How is that a "Naw?"

Coaches like Saban are saying it's too much - and unfair - now. And when you go to 8, when does #9 get satisfaction? When it's opened up so much anyone can win?

[d_r]

21. Its the same

12+1 conf +round of 4 + final champ. game = 15

I'm just saying what would take the qualitative beauty pageant out of it.

If you want to win "national championship" then first win your conference (I couldn't care less what Saban says, but I think he said something like that).

In this scheme, #9 gets to go to a bowl game. If #9 wanted to be in the playoff they should have won their conference to get a slot.

Personally, I'd be happier just having bowl games and everybody arguing about who the mythical national champion was, like it used to be. But, if we are going to pretend that we have a "national champion" then I wish we would take the picking and choosing out and do it in a way that is fair to everyone.

[d_r]

18. Even simpler

But it will never happen . Just have eight conferences of 12 teams each. 96 teams is enough for division 1. Each conference has a championship game, each conference champion goes to 8 team playoff. No judgment calls, every game counts.

[yallerdawg]

20. Then start paying the players...

and call it the "NFL!"

This could be the future.

[d_r]

22. Already do it, so why not

I honestly don't see how getting down to 8 conferences of 12 teams each is related to paying players, but whatever. What I'm saying is that every division 1 team would start the year with an equal chance of getting to the final game without subjective picking.

[d_r]

23. honestly

I think now the teams are picked by tv ratings potential as much as anything. I think an actual play off would be less about the money than the current system, which is one of the reasons why we'll never see it.

[More_Cowbell]

14. 1978, USC beat Alabama

And they ended up tied for the national ranking, SC getting the coaches' poll and Alabama getting the AP poll.

That was my freshman year at USC, and we don't forget. I was rooting for Auburn all the way, last weekend.

[yallerdawg]

15. Well, now, that's a grudge.

[SCantiGOP]

16. There is one AD on the selection committee, want to guess which school

Yep, it's Clem's son. And there is a second member of the committee that graduated from Moo U.

[trof]

24. Auburn is OUT. Pretty sure.

Dawgs got 'em 28-7 with 6:00 to go.

[yallerdawg]

25. I have such conflicting emotions!

Rooting for Georgia, Miami, and Ohio State, all in one day.

This is as close to hell as I can imagine.

[voteearlyvoteoften]

26. Go Canes

[MaryMagdaline]

27. Go Canes yes

[Watchfoxheadexplodes]

28. Alabama is out

Go Wisconsin!!!

[ClarendonDem]

29. Clemson/Miami winner is in

After that, Wisconsin is in if they win. If they lose, then not sure -- Alabama, Ohio State, Auburn, and Wisconsin all have a claim. I'd guess Alabama.

[exboyfil]

31. You can't take Wisconsin over Ohio State if OSU wins

Auburn is also out.

[yallerdawg]

32. If teams were supposed to jump No. 5 Alabama...

if all they had to do was win while Alabama sat idle - why wasn't Alabama ranked 8 or 9?

Logically - if any teams lose ranked higher than Bama, Bama moves up!

[exboyfil]

30. It might come down to Alabama or Ohio State

Georgia and Oklahoma are now in. Clemson is dismantling Miami. Ohio State is winning so far against Wisconsin.

One loss but no conference title. USC won today as well. Who has Alabama beat this year? They lost to an Auburn team that got killed by Georgia today.

My Master's alma mater (Iowa) did embarrass Ohio State though. I would pick Alabama because Ohio State went to the playoffs before without winning their conference. One loss beats two losses.