2014 NCAA Football Thread

[HedleyLamarr]

Not sure that a top-5 team that just won a game by 52 points has ever dropped two spots in the rankings a day later.....

[infrared41]

Provided everything stays as is, the only thing I've heard (from the FOX halftime show) that might work in Ohio State's favor is that Ohio State would be an outright conference champion while Baylor and TCU would be co-champs. That said, if the committee goes with that logic and puts OSU in over the other two, it would be some serious bull- .

I'd rather Ohio State go to the Alamo Bowl than back their way into the playoff on a technicality. So go Yellow Jackets and Wildcats!

[DS729]

38-0 Buckeyes at the half... Yikes.

Alabama wins in a blowout. Oregon wins in a blowout. TCU wins in a blowout.

Florida State leads #11 by a TD at half. Ohio State leads #13 by 38 at half. Baylor leads #9 by 10 at half.

What the hell do we do here? Haha

If OSU continues to pour it on, FSU wins, and Baylor can continue to add to their lead, things could get interesting. TCU's the only contending team who played an obvious creampuff squad (I don't think anyone thought Wisconsin was going to get blasted like this). The committee could very well decide that the best answer to the TCU/Baylor question is to leave them both hanging.

#1 Alabama

#2 Oregon

#3 Florida State

#4 Ohio State

#5 TCU

#6 Baylor

A longshot, but hey, you never know with this new system.

That's what I was thinking two, either way you're going to get a very controversial call on that decision, I think most people feel that TCU is the better team, but that head-to-head and conference championship are going to be very hard to justify for TCU.

Ohio State has been awesome tonight, how many of these guys can they keep on pulling out of their ass? Not many third-stringers can tear apart the second-best defense in the country, gotta give credit to the Buckeyes there, and Elliot has just been running through them, they definitely look like a Top-4 team in my opinion after this performance. I'm not looking forward to them coming into Blacksburg regardless of who the quarterback is next year. And all the guys who moved Ohio State back because they're "Not as good without Barrett" are complete imbeciles.

[HedleyLamarr]

Remember folks, Cardale Jones came to Ohio State to play football, not attend class.

We shouldn't be surprised by tonight's efforts....

[CLEstones]

Remember folks, Cardale Jones came to Ohio State to play football, not attend class.

We shouldn't be surprised by tonight's efforts....

No. He came to play football... Not play classes.

The CFP committee screwed up when they dropped FSU to #4. If TCU stays at #4, all the committee has to say is that blowing out #13 is better than blowing out Iowa State. Problem solved. It's hard to say blowing out #13 and just beating #11 is enough to drop TCU 2 spots.

#1 Alabama

#2 Oregon

#3 FSU/tOSU

#4 FSU/tOSU

[Still MIGHTY]

And another thing to add in, if Ohio State makes the playoff, I'd look for the committee to put the Buckeyes at #3. Why? You know the Rose Bowl would love to have their traditional Pac-12/Big 10 match-up as a national semifinal. Have their cake and eat it too. (Or move Oregon to #1 and Ohio State to #4. Either way.)

---

Although, Florida State is pulling away, field goal by field goal. Georgia Tech isn't exactly quick strike, and they have two scores to make up. So it might not matter. (FAKE EDIT: And INT. Florida State is in.)

The debate is going to be squarely on TCU vs Baylor, then TCU/Baylor vs Ohio State. And to me, it's gotta stay exactly how it is. TCU over Ohio State over Baylor. TCU has one loss, to Baylor at Baylor by three points. Ohio State has come on impressively, but their one loss is worse than either Big 12 team's loss. Baylor has been good, but all offense, lacking on defense, and their West Virginia loss is tough. Baylor does have the tiebreak over TCU, but I think it's clear the committee sees that as a virtual tie.

For me, no changes:

Sugar Bowl: 1) Alabama vs 4) Florida State

Rose Bowl: 2) Oregon vs 3) TCU

[PSUcelticsWON95]

Remember folks, Cardale Jones came to Ohio State to play football, not attend class.

We shouldn't be surprised by tonight's efforts....

No. He came to play football... Not play classes.

The CFP committee screwed up when they dropped FSU to #4. If TCU stays at #4, all the committee has to say is that blowing out #13 is better than blowing out Iowa State. Problem solved. It's hard to say blowing out #13 and just beating #11 is enough to drop TCU 2 spots.

#1 Alabama

#2 Oregon

#3 FSU/tOSU

#4 FSU/tOSU

I agree with your 4 teams, but here's how I think it should be:

1. Oregon

2. Alabama

3. Florida State

4. Ohio State

*Provided FSU and OSU win

[infrared41]

Ohio State has been awesome tonight, how many of these guys can they keep on pulling out of their ass? Not many third-stringers can tear apart the second-best defense in the country, gotta give credit to the Buckeyes there, and Elliot has just been running through them, they definitely look like a Top-4 team in my opinion after this performance. I'm not looking forward to them coming into Blacksburg regardless of who the quarterback is next year. And all the guys who moved Ohio State back because they're "Not as good without Barrett" are complete imbeciles.

Three so far.

[dfwabel]

Wisely, Archie Manning pulled up lame and realized he didn't want to deal with all this $hit in year one.

[Kramerica Industries]

Clearly the solution now is for a last second plot twist, and to take all six of these teams with Alabama and Oregon getting byes.

I mean, seriously. Two of the following three are about to happen:

"Buckeyes, you beat #11 by 45 points with your #3 QB. YOU'RE OUT!"

"TCU, you are #3 and won by 52 on the final day of the season. YOU'RE OUT!"

"Baylor, you beat TCU and finished with the same record in the same conference. YOU'RE OUT!"

It figures that the one season we don't see all the top teams losing in the final 2-3 weeks of the season is the year where all of them winning creates its own form of anarchy instead. You can't definitively argue that two of the three teams out of TCU, Baylor, and Ohio State won't deserve to go to the playoff. Whatever happens, a pretty serious injustice is going to happen for a couple schools tomorrow.

[CLEstones]

...and just think... If this was the BCS, we'd only be bitching about Alabama, Oregon, and Florida State... 3 teams for 2 spots.

Instead, it's Florida State, TCU, Ohio State and Baylor... 4 teams for the 2 spots after the top 2 spots.

Yes, the playoff fixed everything.

[Still MIGHTY]

Clearly the solution now is for a last second plot twist, and to take all six of these teams with Alabama and Oregon getting byes.

I mean, seriously. Two of the following three are about to happen:

"Buckeyes, you beat #11 by 45 points with your #3 QB. YOU'RE OUT!"

"TCU, you are #3 and won by 52 on the final day of the season. YOU'RE OUT!"

"Baylor, you beat TCU and finished with the same record in the same conference. YOU'RE OUT!"

It figures that the one season we don't see all the top teams losing in the final 2-3 weeks of the season is the year where all of them winning creates its own form of anarchy instead. You can't definitively argue that two of the three teams out of TCU, Baylor, and Ohio State won't deserve to go to the playoff. Whatever happens, a pretty serious injustice is going to happen for a couple schools tomorrow.

I think that six team model is the clear next step, and would definitely solve this year's issue. The question would be when do you play the games? Can't do them next week, it's Finals. They'd have to do them over the winter break amongst the slew of bowl games, but putting those quarterfinals around the low bowls would kill any audience for the small-time games. Or the week before New Year's? Or I don't know. Someone else can figure it out.

Like I said, Ohio State and Baylor both have extremely legitimate cases. But the committee's job isn't to pick who's earned it or who's deserves it, but to pick the four BEST teams. I'd say that TCU is better than Baylor. TCU is the more complete team to me (if that game is 5 minutes shorter or longer, TCU wins it). Then it's TCU vs Ohio State and Ohio State's loss to Virginia Tech is just worse than TCU's loss to Baylor. No way around it.

...and just think... If this was the BCS, we'd only be bitching about Alabama, Oregon, and Florida State... 3 teams for 2 spots.

Instead, it's Florida State, TCU, Ohio State and Baylor... 4 teams for the 2 spots after the top 2 spots.

Yes, the playoff fixed everything.

It may not have "fixed everything" but I've had more fun following college football this year than any year in recent memory. The playoff has made so many more games more important and relevant. It's exciting.

[HedleyLamarr]

If it comes down to TCU, Ohio State, and Baylor, I'd choose Baylor.

Baylor would be a conference champion, beat TCU head-to-head, swept their non-conference games (the games they have control of when it comes to scheduling), and didn't lose to a 6-6 team at home.

[See Red]

I think most people expected that switching to a four team playoff wouldn't eliminate difficult or controversial decisions on who to include but I never imagined it would be this difficult to determine a top four.

Florida State, I would think, has to be in. But who knows -- undefeated or not, they don't appear to have one of the four best resumes.

Including Ohio State and keeping Baylor and TCU out would save them a pretty big headache and I think that's the pretty obvious decision.

As far as ranking them, I don't have a clue. I'd like to see a traditional Rose Bowl matchup and then Alabama/Florida State both playing closer to home. I think that benefits everybody.

[Still MIGHTY]

If it comes down to TCU, Ohio State, and Baylor, I'd choose Baylor.

Baylor would be a conference champion, beat TCU head-to-head, swept their non-conference games (the games they have control of when it comes to scheduling), and didn't lose to a 6-6 team.

But they did lose to a 7-5 team by 14 points.

[See Red]

If it comes down to TCU, Ohio State, and Baylor, I'd choose Baylor.

Baylor would be a conference champion, beat TCU head-to-head, swept their non-conference games (the games they have control of when it comes to scheduling), and didn't lose to a 6-6 team at home.

Somehow TCU is technically a co-Champion with Baylor. I think the move that saves the biggest headache is saying sorry, TCU and Baylor, everybody else played a conference championship game, so you're out.

[BlackBolt3]

At this point, maybe the Big 12's One (Two) True Champion may hurt them. Really, it's considerable to put OSU in, since they are the outright champions.

Edit: My top four:

1.Alabama

2.Oregon

3.FSU/OSU

4.FSU/OSU

[PSUcelticsWON95]

If it comes down to TCU, Ohio State, and Baylor, I'd choose Baylor.

Baylor would be a conference champion, beat TCU head-to-head, swept their non-conference games (the games they have control of when it comes to scheduling), and didn't lose to a 6-6 team.

But they did lose to a 7-5 team by 14 points.

TCU only beat them by 1 point.

The FSU game wasn't as close as the score, IMHO. This was easily one of the best games FSU has played this year. If they just could've capitalized in GT territory more often instead of settling for 3 field goals then it wouldn't have gotten close at the end. FSU deserves a spot in the Playoff though. And I'd drop TCU out for Ohio State.

[Kramerica Industries]

Sadly, as much as my blood boils for Florida State, I can't deny them a top-four spot with an undefeated record, even if they don't have a top-four looking resume'. Alas, there have been eight games they were challenged seriously in, and somehow they emerged 8-0 in those games.

My rankings?

1. Alabama

2. Oregon

3. Florida State

4. Baylor

--

5. TCU

6. Ohio State

Anarchy.

[infrared41]

This was going to happen no matter how many teams were in the playoff. If it's 8 teams then teams 9 and 10 are going to complain. 16 teams and we're having the same debate about teams 17-20 and so on. For years, I was opposed to any type of playoff. And I was wrong. This has been the most exciting and intriguing college football season I've ever watched - and at my age, I've watched a few. This thing is awesome. It's perfect at 4 teams. Hopefully, the powers that be won't let this season scare them into expanding the field. And that's coming from someone whose team is going to be on the outside looking in.