2014 NCAA Football Thread

[hailstateunis]

Here's what the Playoff and New Year's Six bowl games will look like:

Sugar: Alabama vs Florida State

Rose: Oregon vs Ohio State/ TCU/ Baylor

Orange: Georgia Tech vs Michigan State

Fiesta: Arizona vs Boise State

Peach: Mississippi State/ Ole Miss vs Ohio St./ TCU/ Baylor

Cotton: Mississippi State/ Ole Miss vs Ohio St./ TCU/ Baylor

[kewp80]

I personally think the Big 12 should get no team in for going against their bylaws at the end of the season. For I quote: If two teams are tied, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.

I feel if the Big 12 wants a team in the playoff then go by your damn rules and name Baylor the lone champion as they should. This crap is like a little kid changing the rules in the middle of a game he made up because he's a sore loser. "Oh wait, that rule only applies if the two teams we've been bending over backwards for ever since this league was created ends the season tied for number one." The conference is basically saying the TCU-Baylor game did not exist.

Therefore. In punishment of the Big 12 breaking their own rules and being sore losers I say the final four should look like this:

1. Alabama

2. Oregon

3. Ohio State

4. Florida State

I switched Ohio State and Florida State for traveling and historical bowl match-up purposes. Plus Ohio State looked damn impressive, with their third string QB, while Florida State barley survived again with the Heisman winning QB. If the Big 12 wants Baylor in the fold they should play by their own rules and name them sole conference champions.

[infrared41]

Honestly, though, I think if this season has shown us anything it's that six teams might be the limit to where you expand the playoffs, if we're going straight off rankings. Whoever finishes 7-8-9-10 wouldn't have too much of an argument to being able to actually win the thing.

If we are to go to eight, it can't be based straight off the rankings. If it's eight, it has to be tied into conference championships then the at-larges can be left to the rankings. I like the idea of Power 5 champs, Group of 5 champ, then two at-larges. So for example, this year we'd have Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Ohio State, and Baylor as the Power 5 champs. Group of 5 champ is Boise State. Two at-larges are TCU for sure, then either Michigan State or Mississippi State. I think that would work out great, actually.

If it's going to be 8 and you want to keep the regular season meaningful, here's how you do it.

8 teams. 6 highest ranked conference champions - no matter the conference. Conference champs have to be ranked in top 15. No more "Power 5" or whatever. 2 at large bids. If there aren't enough ranked conference champs you add an at large. More than 6 ranked champs, remove an at-large. And so on. Yes the rankings still play a role but there's really no way around it. The regular season is every bit as meaningful as it is now and everyone has a shot at making the playoff. Also, the bowl tie ins remain when possible. No seeding. Here's how it would look this season.

Conference Champions:

Alabama

Florida State

Ohio State

Oregon

Baylor

At large:

TCU

Mississippi State

Georgia Tech

Simple.

[hailstateunis]

Honestly, though, I think if this season has shown us anything it's that six teams might be the limit to where you expand the playoffs, if we're going straight off rankings. Whoever finishes 7-8-9-10 wouldn't have too much of an argument to being able to actually win the thing.

If we are to go to eight, it can't be based straight off the rankings. If it's eight, it has to be tied into conference championships then the at-larges can be left to the rankings. I like the idea of Power 5 champs, Group of 5 champ, then two at-larges. So for example, this year we'd have Alabama, Oregon, Florida State, Ohio State, and Baylor as the Power 5 champs. Group of 5 champ is Boise State. Two at-larges are TCU for sure, then either Michigan State or Mississippi State. I think that would work out great, actually.

If it's going to be 8 and you want to keep the regular season meaningful, here's how you do it.

8 teams. 6 highest ranked conference champions - no matter the conference. No more "Power 5" or whatever. 2 at large bids. Yes the rankings still play a role but there's really no way around it. The regular season is every bit as meaningful as it is now and everyone has a shot at making the playoff.

That's exactly how it should be done.

First round games should be hosted by the higher-ranked team the week after conference championships (or replace conference championships, whichever works best). Second round games would be hosted by New Years bowl just as they are now.

The argument here would be do the 4 teams that lose in the first round still go to bowl games. I think so.

[PSUcelticsWON95]

I still think, without a doubt, that Oregon is the best team in the nation.

My top 4 still stands as:

Oregon

Bama

FSU

OSU

The only problem is, the only team I want to see lose is Alabama

[infrared41]

Let me preface this by saying I'm an Ohio State fan and alumnus and I don't think the Buckeyes should make the playoff. That said, if you're the playoff committee and you have to piss off a fan base, who do you piss off?

a.) a few thousand TCU fans

b.) a few thousand Baylor fans

c.) a few million Ohio State fans

Just saying...

[CubsFanBudMan]

I think it will be:

1. Oregon, justified by avenging their only loss.

2. Alabama.

3. Florida State, gets the Sugar Bowl matchup the committee wants.

4. Ohio State, keeps the Rose Bowl, Big Ten and Pac-12 happy in first year of latest flawed system.

TCU and Baylor get left out because the "one true champion" Big XII couldn't decide on one true champion on the field or off. The Big Ten campaigned hard last night. The Big XII wanted to salvage TCU because they were already in the rankings, came up with co-champions instead of putting their might behind Baylor (who won on the field) and likely lost their seat at the playoff table because of it.

These are more like NCAA tourney seeds than football rankings of the past.

[Thad]

Wow, I was wrong. Credit to the committee for not trying to send a message with the one ranking that matters.

Time to make Urban's ass quit again.

[infrared41]

Well, we just pissed off a whole lot of people. Can't say I agree with the decision.

Looks like the committee decided they'd rather piss off two smaller fan bases.

[TheRicSlick]

Ohio State vs. Alabama.... Ohio State's going to get whipped.

Florida State to the Rose, selling those tickets is going too be a b!tch.

[Kramerica Industries]

Alabama and Florida State in different games, setting up the possibility of my nightmare championship game.

Damn you, committee.

[BlackBolt3]

The whole state of Texas is up in arms...

[burgundy]

You know why OSU got in? Money. They bring the fans in truckloads. TCU and Baylor both were more deserving, and both got royaly screwed.

[infrared41]

You know why OSU got in? Money. They bring the fans in truckloads. TCU and Baylor both were more deserving, and both got royaly screwed.

Pretty much. Like I said earlier, if you have to screw a fan base, you're going to screw the smaller ones. This is complete bull- .

I wanted my team to make the playoff, just not like this. The truth is, Wisconsin was way overrated. A 59-0 curb stomping is always impressive, but it's not like the Buckeyes did that to a legitimately great team. Wisconsin rode circumstances and a big game from Melvin Gordon to a ranking that they didn't deserve.

[PSUcelticsWON95]

OSU was more deserving. Yes they lost to VT, but that was a complete fluke. They killed one of the best defenses in the country with their third string QB. I think OSU has a great chance against Bama. And even though really like Oregon, I still hope FSU wins. If Oregon loses, maybe Mariota will stay another year.

[Beckhamcantbendmiami]

It's the same teams once again and the same teams screwed over again. What a surprise. Ohio State should not be in their, Tcu should by far. They get screwed over again for money. That's why i can't take college football, "tradition" calls for the same teams over and over. Osu could win 1 game and the committee would still find a way to put them in

[dbadefense1990]

So I guess the Big-12 regrets not having a conference title game now.

Ohio State vs. Alabama.... Ohio State's going to get whipped.

Florida State to the Rose, selling those tickets is going too be a b!tch.

I guess the CFP committee had a knee-jerk reaction to all the unfilled seats at yesterday's conference title games and decided to slot Alabama at the Sugar Bowl and Oregon at the Rose Bowl for the ticket sales. But I would figure they'd send OSU to the Rose since (1) it's a built-in Big-10 vs. PAC-12 RBG game as well and (2) OSU fans are more used to the travel to Pasadena than FSU fans are. Don't know their rationale there.

[OnWis97]

You know why OSU got in? Money. They bring the fans in truckloads. TCU and Baylor both were more deserving, and both got royaly screwed.

Pretty much.

Cannot disaree that OSU brings more money but I do feel that this is a viable ranking in the end. My issue is that it is inconsistent with last week's ranking How does Florida State jump TCU? It looks arbitrary.

[Sport]

Hahahaha

This must be how St. Louis Cardinals fans feel every year.

[infrared41]

The whole state of Texas is up in arms...

Not really. If this happens to Texas or A&M, maybe but it's not like TCU and Baylor have huge fan bases.