2015 NCAA Football Thread

[Seadragon76]

First playoff ranking came out earlier today...

1. Clemson

2. LSU

3. Ohio State

4. Alabama

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5. Notre Dame

6. Baylor

7. Michigan State

8. TCU

9. Iowa

10. Florida

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11. Stanford

12. Utah

13. Memphis

14. Oklahoma State

15. Oklahoma

16. Florida State

17. Michigan

18. Ole Miss

19. Texas A&M

20. Mississippi State

21. Northwestern

22. Temple

23. UCLA

24. Toledo

25. Houston

[Dynasty]

Someone give me a reason as to why LSU is ranked #2 without mentioning Leonard Fournette.

[VikingsNotMinnesota]

So Michigan State beat Oregon, and then Michigan on the road, yet Baylor, who's played the little sisters of the poor, is ahead of them? If it's about looking dominant, then ok that makes sense, but then why is Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Alabama (two of which have losses) ahead of them? That just really confuses me. Also the fact that Iowa is ahead of Memphis. No way Iowa should be in the top 10, they've played nobody and haven't even looked amazing doing it. Otherwise not bad.

Someone give me a reason as to why LSU is ranked #2 without mentioning Leonard Fournette.

They beat Florida and have a really freaking good defense.

[HedleyLamarr]

Someone give me a reason as to why LSU is ranked #2 without mentioning Leonard Fournette.

1. Don't sweat this first poll. A lot of games still to be played. The deck gets reshuffled each week.

2. LSU is undefeated.

3. LSU gets credit for beating #10 Florida and #20 Mississippi State.

4. LSU gets a boost from their opponents' schedules. So LSU gets partial credit for #10 Florida beating #18 Ole Miss.

5. There is an element of "the eye test" and the numbers that go into offensive and defensive efficiency, etc.

The key for being high in the committee's rankings, much like how the BCS worked, is that teams on your schedule....and the teams on your opponent's schedules...need to win. Michigan State needs Michigan and Oregon to win all their games. Michigan State also needs the likes of Utah and Virginia Tech and BYU to win all their games.

[2001mark]

I have a playoff question which I'm not sure has been clarified.

Is the committee at all subjective about the ranking? Let's say one year hypothetically, Florida & Florida State both meet in the final week undefeated. If the computer rankings had them lined up to play again in a 1-4 or 2-3 playoff game (right after their conf title games), would the committee do that, or would they split them apart?

Frankly, I don't trust a single thing Condoleeza Rice puts her paws on.

[Seadragon76]

Yeah, this is the first poll. Things will change as a lot of the higher ranked teams start playing each other (especially in the Big XII)

[HedleyLamarr]

I would think the seeding process works out like this:

1. Figure out the four teams.

2. Determine the #1 seed (as they get their choice in the site of the semifinal game).

3. Determine the #2 seed.

4. Seeds #3 and #4 get adjusted to fit the best interests of the game, whether it's geographical or avoiding a rematch or whatever.

[Still MIGHTY]

I would think the seeding process works out like this:

1. Figure out the four teams.

2. Determine the #1 seed (as they get their choice in the site of the semifinal game).

3. Determine the #2 seed.

4. Seeds #3 and #4 get adjusted to fit the best interests of the game, whether it's geographical or avoiding a rematch or whatever.

If #4 was actually the case, the games last year would have been Oregon/Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Alabama/Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. They eschewed tradition and geography to send Florida State to the West Coast rather than stay in the South.

Committee is going to seed the teams as they should. 1 to 4.

I would think the seeding process works out like this:

1. Figure out the four teams.

2. Determine the #1 seed (as they get their choice in the site of the semifinal game).

3. Determine the #2 seed.

4. Seeds #3 and #4 get adjusted to fit the best interests of the game, whether it's geographical or avoiding a rematch or whatever.

If #4 was actually the case, the games last year would have been Oregon/Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and Alabama/Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. They eschewed tradition and geography to send Florida State to the West Coast rather than stay in the South.

Committee is going to seed the teams as they should. 1 to 4.

[HedleyLamarr]

You may have misunderstood what I meant by 'geographical'.

For better interests in the game, I was aiming for "what will get more people to watch". A game between two southeastern teams wouldn't do that. Getting a north-south game and an east-west game does. Also, there was an appeal for having a matchup between the 2013 Heisman winner against the 2014 Heisman winner (or the angle of "the top two QB's likely to go in picks 1-2 in the upcoming NFL draft"). Or the allure of Urban Meyer being in the bowl game in SEC country.

Once the top two seeds are determined, it becomes like the bowl selection process...generating the best matchup for TV and selling tickets. The bowls probably do some politicking as well. The Sugar Bowl knows Ohio State fans travel (even if they don't have tickets for the game) and New Orleans would benefit more from OSU fans staying for a week over FSU fans making the 5-hour drive and staying just a couple days. I'm sure the Rose Bowl begged for a Pac-10/Big Ten matchup.

[DS729]

You may have misunderstood what I meant by 'geographical'.

For better interests in the game, I was aiming for "what will get more people to watch". A game between two southeastern teams wouldn't do that. Getting a north-south game and an east-west game does. Also, there was an appeal for having a matchup between the 2013 Heisman winner against the 2014 Heisman winner (or the angle of "the top two QB's likely to go in picks 1-2 in the upcoming NFL draft"). Or the allure of Urban Meyer being in the bowl game in SEC country.

Once the top two seeds are determined, it becomes like the bowl selection process...generating the best matchup for TV and selling tickets. The bowls probably do some politicking as well. The Sugar Bowl knows Ohio State fans travel (even if they don't have tickets for the game) and New Orleans would benefit more from OSU fans staying for a week over FSU fans making the 5-hour drive and staying just a couple days. I'm sure the Rose Bowl begged for a Pac-10/Big Ten matchup.

I'm pretty sure most college football fans would watch the playoff games regardless of who's playing and their geographical position, because it's the playoff and their isn't much on anyway in that time span. Think about it this way would Oregon-Ohio State get better ratings or ticket sales than Oregon-Florida State? Sure, maybe. But even if it's not enough of a difference to have to change the seedings for it. Last year Alabama, and Oregon were the clear Top 2 with FSU being #3. The bickering was between who would get the last spot between Ohio State, Baylor, and TCU. If your "best suits geography" scenario is what plays out then why is FSU still #3? I'm pretty darn sure they pick the 4 best teams in the country regardless of the matchups they create.

On the actual rankings though, meh? I'm not sure about Clemson being #1, they have looked like a playoff team, but have they looked THAT much better than Ohio State or LSU and played a better schedule? I don't think so. I also don't like Notre Dame being #5, I get it they had a close loss to #1 Clemson, but who have they beaten? They also struggled mightily with Virginia as well. I think they're a Top 10 team, but I wouldn't put them ahead of undefeated TCU, Baylor, and Michigan State. But these are just the first rankings so they're going to get beaten to death anyway. There is still a lot of football to be played.

[dfwabel]

Future title game host cities

2018: Atlanta

2019: Santa Clara

2020: New Orleans

[2001mark]

I can't think the Playoff cares much about geography. I'd suggest they'd prefer fresh match-ups, which I suppose means they would care about geography & go against type.

At the end of the day, the CFP is 90% must see tv, not so much an attendance event.

As for future hosts, chalk that up to 'things I didn't realize until now'. When the Playoff was created, I thought the title game would end up being rotated through the 6 major bowl sites. Oh well, whatever.

[dfwabel]

I can't think the Playoff cares much about geography. I'd suggest they'd prefer fresh match-ups, which I suppose means they would care about geography & go against type.

At the end of the day, the CFP is 90% must see tv, not so much an attendance event.

As for future hosts, chalk that up to 'things I didn't realize until now'. When the Playoff was created, I thought the title game would end up being rotated through the 6 major bowl sites. Oh well, whatever.

Geography matters since the semifinals still need to sell their tickets and better yet, the need for hotel room nights. As long as the Committee is steadfast on having semifinals on New Year's Eve two out of every three years, geography will be a factor to encourage the four to five night trip.

The title game is on a Monday and airport access is more important as it is more of a last minute travel event, like the Final Four.

[HedleyLamarr]

This week's Georgia Report, if you like things that go off the rails.....

-Leading off, we have some dissension within the coaching staff, with D-Coordinator Jeremy Pruitt looking to be the focal point. Seems like he's not too thrilled with the general culture of Georgia football and some of the coaches seemingly being alright with the state of the program and settling for mediocrity. (If this is the case, put me on Team Pruitt. He's doing his job. I like to see my team's coach with some piss-n-vinegar attitude.)

-Next, we focus again on the QB situation. Last week's 3rd-stringer-turned-starter, Faton Bauta, was apparently thrust into the starting role by Richt in order to see, and this isn't made up...."if a secret can be kept around here". I would like to think Richt said that in a humor tone, but he's one of the guys that's pretty much a straight-shooter when it comes to the media.

-This week's starter has yet to be determined, though it's likely Lambert. Georgia's 2nd-string QB and now starting punter Ramsey has been sharing reps with Lambert with the 1's.

-Meanwhile, Bauta has seen a few snaps at QB this week with the starters, but with fewer reps. When he's not behind center, he's across the field with the scout team defense playing safety. That's right....your starting QB from 5 days ago is a scout team safety this week. I hearken back to the days of Eric Zeier, Mike Bobo, David Greene, Matt Stafford, Aaron Murray, and Hutson Mason playing defense during the week.

-Despite all this, two freshmen players thought they'd be able to sneak in a little time with the Natural Grass. Cheech and Chong have been suspended. Looks like Georgia's getting a head start on the Fulmer Cup.

-And Georgia is still a 14-point favorite over Kentucky this weekend. The same Georgia that's scored a total of 12 points their last two games and hadn't scored a touchdown in four weeks.

Congrats, Mark Richt. You're now the clown show of the conference.

[dfwabel]

Oh Temple's Matt Rhule, I kinda lika ya.

Nice of you to throw two passes from your own 1 then to commit a penalty in the end zone for a safety when up 14 in the 4th. Then the insuing free kick goes for a TD to cut their lead to 5.

So after cheap TD with 1:50 left, you go for 2 and make it for a Push if you get a stop.

Your DB intercepted a ball, was ready to take a knee at the 5 but after looking back, he goes into the endzone. You knew some folks at you -12.5 or more.

[HedleyLamarr]

A couple interesting nuggets I heard earlier in the week:

-Clemson is a 12-point favorite against Florida State. It's the first time FSU is a double-digit underdog for an ACC game since they joined the conference in 1991.

-Florida is a 21-point favorite against Vanderbilt, despite Vandy coming into the game (in November, mind you...not September) with the leading passer, leading receiver, and leading rusher between the two teams. It's not very often you can say the 21-point 'dog has the leader in all three of those categories.

[dfwabel]

Sad news from Starkville. Redshirt FR and his dad, a former Bulldog die in apparent one car accident.

http://www.hailstate.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=16800&ATCLID=210477841

[TheRicSlick]

Florida limps to a victory against Vandy.

[dfwabel]

Oh Dana Holgerson. You and WVU get your first Big XII win of the season, but up 5 with 1st and Goal from the 2, you take a knee and fail to cover.

Aunt Esther said it best,

[ninersdd]

Bizarre call in ASU-WSU. They called an inadvertent whistle on 4th down, which enabled the Cougs to get another chance and they scored.