Posted on 12/03/2017 5:25:37 PM PST by blam
The College Football Playoff committee has spoken and Alabama is in over Ohio State as the fourth team and will play Clemson in the Sugar Bowl semifinal.
Bama-vs.-Ohio State was debated heavily following the conference championship games on Saturday. Ohio State had a conference championship and more impressive wins. But they also had something Alabama did not have, a second loss, an ugly 33-point debacle against Iowa.
The decision was also controversial because it means this year's playoff will have no teams from the Big Ten and the Pac-12. Instead, it will have two teams from the SEC, including one team that did not reach their conference championship game.
Listening to playoff committee chairman Kirby Hocutt, it sounds like the Buckeyes' loss to Iowa may have sealed their fate even before the conference championship games.
"We compared [Alabama's resume] to a 2-loss Ohio State team, obviously that one loss at home to No. 2-ranked Oklahoma," Hocutt said on ESPN. "But more damaging was the 31-point loss to unranked Iowa."
Conference championships are supposed to be a bit of a tiebreaker if the teams are considered otherwise equal. In this case, the committee did not view the teams as equals.
(snip)
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
My hope is that my weak willed Hawkeyes will internalize this media assault and bring their PSU/OSU game to their bowl game on that basis. Playing BC in Yankee Stadium in the Pinstripe Bowl most of the team would have little reason to be psyched up otherwise. If they do they should be able to seduce any locals in attendance over to their cause. Cheering against anything Boston comes naturally in Yankee stadium!
Sorry, you seemed angry. But I’ve noticed that a lot of fans seem to get very defensive when I as a sports fan who doesn’t root for a specific team feel that specific requirements for post-season play is a good thing for college football. It’s not good for the sport if it becomes just a Southern thing (or a Northern thing or Western thing).
Agree. If I were the big ten I’d drop the Conf championship as it clearly means nothing.
Putting a team in so the Big Ten conference is included is what led to the last two years' embarrassments. The best four teams, irrespective of their alumni numbers and drawing power, should be selected.
Besides, if this sticks in Meyer's and the team's craw, with the kind of five star talent coming into Columbus, watch out for the next couple years. We'll be back.
First, there's the question of timing... Alabama plays only 1 viable game in the final 3 weeks, and loses that game convincingly... and somehow rises in the rankings.
Secondly, OSU played more Top teams (by the final rankings), and more higher-ranked teams, than Alabama.
OSU: #2 OU, #6 WISC, #9 PSU, #16 MSU
BAMA: #7 AUB, #17 LSU, #23 MSST
That's 2, 6, 9, and 16... vs 7, 17, and 23. Get it?
OSU went 2-1 vs the Top Ten... Bama went 0-1.
There is no way on earth that 0-1 vs the Top Ten is clearly better than 2-1 vs the Top Ten... by a team that rested for 2 of the most important final 3 weeks to get handed a free pass.
Pathetic.
Of course I know you're joking, but FCS started with 4 teams as well. Their tournament now has 24 teams!
That having been said, this year is a good argument for going to 6 teams, but rarely is that the case to my recollection.
Bottom LINE..............
YOU can’t tell me the last time Bama played football in the State of Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, or Minn.
Bama..... is the most OVER RATED HYPED TEAM that ESPN can give
birth to. BAMA LOST TO Another team IN ALABAMA.......after sleeping in their own BEDS the night before.
BAMA......is a dandelion and is afraid to travel North.
Lol
When Michigan or The OSU join the SEC ...
then Urban will have to find a job out West. Lol
I am a Bama gal. I am unconvinced that this Bama team is worthy of being in this year’s playoff. We shall see.
Folks have been making similar points to yours for a couple of weeks now. And, like you, most always completely ignored the 31 point OSU loss to Iowa and the 15 point at home loss to Oklahoma.
Most all dismissed those losses, thinking the so-called good wins more than made up for them. Well, the selection committee disagree and stated those losses were the reason Alabama was rated over OSU, especially the 31 point loss to Iowa, proably the worst loss of any top team, along with Clemson’s loss to 4-8 Syracuse.
Fans of any and all teams should have learned from that, that terrible losses cannot be simply dismissed when there are other teams with better records and no such terrible losses.
Nah. We just don't like Yankees.
We had to cancel the local re-enactment of the Civil War Battle Of Fort Blakeley because no-one would volunteer to be Union troops (Yankees).(ahem)
Hahaha.
You think Alabama intentionally threw a game against Auburn in the Iron Bowl? LOL
I have a feeling Clemson is going to take them to the woodshed.
I do share your concern.
Especially when all the analysts are saying that Jalen Hurts will have to have his biggest game ever if Alabama is to win.
Yep, that could be used as a prime example of "out of touch with reality".
I don’t care what the analysts say. I’m optimistic. But it will take a whole team effort for 60 minutes just as in the last two years.
Precisely!
In a year where there doesn’t appear to be one dominant team, this Alabama team is worthy, and they may handle Clemson.
The way this thing sets up, the National Championship game might actually be the unofficial SEC championship game as well.
Thinking conference champions should be given more weight. Otherwise, why even bother?
Funny how a team which gets out played and beaten by double digits in their season final still makes the top 4.
hmmm, you speak of strength of schedule, you might wanna checkout that SEC West and the quality throughout, and they play each other each year.
it’s those ‘independent’ schools chasing around playing below Division 1 teams that play weak opposition.
banging heads each week in the SEC deserves a HomeComing game below Division 1.
PS i’m NOT a Bama fan
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.