Go Tigers!
I think LSU looks the strongest.
Their QB is clutch.
LSU and Clemson will play for the title after they wipe the floor with the ohio and poor okl.
Go Tigers!
Ugh, last time OSU faced Clemson in AZ, it did not go well for the Buckeyes.
The Bucks should have remained #1, but, they’re in, they have to deal with what they are given.
LSU should handle Oklahoma.
I’m going with Clemson over Ohio State.
Clemson’s been overlooked all yr.
First, LSU ending up ranked #1 over OSU was a foregone conclusion weeks ago. Anyone thinking that it would actually play out differently has been wasting their time speculating and wringing their hands.
Second, the absolutely pathetic CFP Committee has the first obvious, non-tortured top 4 since this entire fiasco began. And being #1 rather than #2/3 is actually a mixed blessing. Yes, Oklahoma is clearly the worst of the four, but don’t think for a second that Oklahoma is sure to lose. And if you’re LSU and you do beat Oklahoma, you then have to face either 1) a Clemson team that is a defending national champion and has learned that it can actually beat a high-quality opponent or 2) an Ohio State team that has just beaten the defending national champion.
From the other angle, I think OSU would rather meat Clemson in round 1 when it has not at any point this year played a truly high-quality opponent. (Sorry ACC fans but it’s true.) And if you are a Clemson or OSU fan, there are added bragging rights if you go all the way from defeating both of the CFP teams that came in undefeated.
The entire CFP set up involves hordes of know nothings sitting around navel gazing and yapping about distinctions that in the end have no solid basis in fact. Is LSU better than OSU and Clemson? Who knows? Surely not these CFP or ESPN knuckleheads. That’s why we play the games!
The convenient way that this has all settled out buys this colossally stupid arrangement another 2-3 years. But it remains colossally stupid. The Big 10 and Pac12 control something like 45 of the top 50 media markets in the US. It is a matter of time before the ADs, head coaches and conference commissioners there wake up to this economic clout and to the fact that their fans are ill-served by the present arrangement — even if we grant that historically the SEC has been a conference that deserves two CFP teams every year (highly debatable). The Big10 and Pac12 have always been more intent on conferences than national championships. Watch them opt out of the CFP after a few more instances of being left out. It’ll be back to the good ‘ol Rose Bowl matchup, which I LOVE to this day.
Which Oklahoma will show up? The one where Jalen is a turnover machine or the one where he is not? Every game the last 6 weeks have gone that way, except the OSU rivalry game. Jalen took care of the ball and OU blew them out.
If he can take care of the rock, OU still likely needs to win the turnover margin to have a chance here. If he continues to cough up the football, LSU wins by 20.
Yesterday Jalen was responsible for the first 20 points of the game. 10 for OU, a fumble that led to a Baylor field goal, and a Baylor touchdown from Jalen throwing DIRECTLY to a linebacker because Lee Morris fell down on his drag route.
1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Auburn
4. Georgia
ML/NJ (”Honest ACC Fan”)
Oklahoma does not belong here. It will be LSU v Clemson, and it will be fund to watch
I’d like to take this opportunity to pre-congratulate Joe Burrow for winning the Heisman.
Now here’s to hoping the Heisman curse is still a thing.
Big XII games aren’t going to prepare OU for playing the best in the SEC. It’s a whole different level in the SEC.
Body of work for the year - the Ohio Sate University is about one touchdown better than Clemson, and 10 points better than LSU. Last four games: about equal for all three, with Clemson games harder to tell because of much weaker opposition. LSU is about 10 points better than Oklahoma, who would be ranked #13 based on margin of victory and strength of schedule.
On this basis, Alabama was #4, less than 1/2 point softer than LSU and 9 1/2 better than Oklahoma. OSU played the #1 toughest schedule in the country, with LSU #3 toughest and Alabama #6. Clemson played the #31 toughest schedule, with the same margin of victory as Ohio State over the season. #5 would be Wisconsin, a full 5 points weaker than Alabama. But the number of losses and recency of losses matters to the human voters of the selection committee, which still does much better than the AP or coaches polls.
Go Tigers and Geaux Tigers!! Let’s have an all-Tiger final.
Helping the SEC is what this is, but it doesn’t matter. Clemson or OSU will beat LSU. SEC was the weakest it’s been in years. LSU is solid, don’t get me wrong. But they really had no competition this year.
These rankings are FUBAR!
Until they have a Championship of league champions this is just fantasy FB.
Put the Big 5 Champions together and 3 next best Champions. Then you have a real playoff.