21-22 College Football Thread

[tazzmaniac]

Strange day/week in college football. There's the team's switching conference thing off the field. Then on the field:

Cincinnati barely squeaked by a terrible Navy team and their quality win over Indiana is looking worse and worse every week as the Hoosiers got crushed again, this time by Ohio State, 54-7.

#14 Coastal Carolina lost to little regarded Appalachian State

#3 Oklahoma needed a huge 4th quarter to sneak past a bad Kansas team

#7 Penn State lost to an average Illinois team in a record 9 overtime game, as Mo already pointed out.

#8 Oklahoma State fell from the unbeaten by losing to a good, not great, Iowa State club.

#10 Oregon almost gave the game away to UCLA in the 4th quarter after being up 17 points in the 4th.

And in the "oh how the mighty have fallen" category, perennial national championship contender, Clemson, lost yet again and is now 4-3.

You're being kind with your adjectives.  Kansas is one of the worst P5 football teams.  Illinois is below average at best.  Iowa State hasn't ever sniffed being great.  They're a dreadful program whose recent upturn has been overhyped.  They've NEVER won more than 9 games in a season. 

Clemson's offense is dreadful.  121st out of 130 in both total yards and scoring.  They haven't scored more than 19 points against any of their 6 FBS opponents. 

Bama should be added to the list.  They should have been up 28 over Tennessee at half time instead they only had a 7 point lead in the 4th.  They're still making the same dumb mistakes that they were making at the beginning of the season. 

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

My prediction: Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Bama are going to win out in the reg. season. Bama beats GA in the SEC championship. They are all back in the playoffs.

An undefeated Cincy team makes the playoff, but I think they lose to SMU on 11/20. I think they're out.

Michigan collects two losses over their brutal end of the season. They're out.

[tazzmaniac]

My prediction: Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio State, and Bama are going to win out in the reg. season. Bama beats GA in the SEC championship. They are all back in the playoffs.

An undefeated Cincy team makes the playoff, but I think they lose to SMU on 11/20. I think they're out.

Michigan collects two losses over their brutal end of the season. They're out.

How is Michigan's end of season brutal?  They don't have tough B2B games.  Maryland and Indiana should be easy wins for a good team.  Michigan State, like Michigan, hasn't played a good team yet.  Penn State is playing more like the 4-5 team that they were last year.  Ohio State will be brutal.  Michigan will be doing good to stay within 2 touchdowns.   

As a Bama fan, I don't think this is their year.  They've shown little improvement since the beginning of the season.  Still making the same stupid mistakes.  Young players haven't been given in-game opportunity to develop and prove themselves.  OSU had their come-to-Jesus moment after their loss and made necessary changes.  Bama didn't after the A&M loss.  Maybe the bye week will help. 

If I had to guess how it plays out, Georgia finally gets over the Bama hurdle in the SEC championship.  Georgia and Ohio State dominant their opponents in the semi-finals regardless of who they are.  Ohio State beats Georgia in the finals. 

[nickagneta]

That Michigan-Michigan State game was an amazing well played game and very exciting too watch, even if you aren't a fan other either team.

Michigan lost so maybe their schedule is a bit more brutal than some think.

[nickagneta]

1st CFP poll came out

1. Georgia
2. Alabama
3. Michigan State
4. Oregon
5. Ohio State
6. Cincinnati
7. Michigan
8. Oklahoma
9. Wake Forest
10. Notre Dame

Cincy taking a major hit for their fluff schedule and also maybe the last two weeks, as they struggled for most of both games against terrible teams. Not sure I agree with Oregon at #4 but the did beat Ohio State so they got that right. But other than that it's a good first ranking

[Celtics2021]

Nebraska might be the best bad team ever.  3-7 overall, they’ve outscored opponents by 75 points, or 7.5 points per game.  This isn’t merely a product of a couple FCS games.  In conference, they’re 1-6, but still outscoring opponents by 14 points.

[Roy H.]

Nebraska might be the best bad team ever.  3-7 overall, they’ve outscored opponents by 75 points, or 7.5 points per game.  This isn’t merely a product of a couple FCS games.  In conference, they’re 1-6, but still outscoring opponents by 14 points.

They’ve definitely stayed in some games that I didn’t expect.

[Moranis]

Bama wins though cut it close with LSU, same with OSU and UC winning games that were closer than they should have been.  Could have been worse though as they could have been MSU who lost badly to Purdue.  Wake Forest also falls from the unbeatens losing 58-55 to North Carolina.

The Big Ten West now has four teams at 4-2 leading the division. Still some time to sort it out, but they could easily end up with a multi-way tiebreaker to see who will play in the East.

[nickagneta]

Bama wins though cut it close with LSU, same with OSU and UC winning games that were closer than they should have been.  Could have been worse though as they could have been MSU who lost badly to Purdue.  Wake Forest also falls from the unbeatens losing 58-55 to North Carolina.

The Big Ten West now has four teams at 4-2 leading the division. Still some time to sort it out, but they could easily end up with a multi-way tiebreaker to see who will play in the East.

The committee will live with Bama and OSU having close games with power conference foes and not penalize them for bad wins. UC having three close games versus the likes of Tulsa, Tulane and Navy, the committee will definitely hold that against Cincy. They needed to dominate those games for a chance at a CFP berth. If Bama, OSU and Oregon win out, it's those 3 and Georgia in the Final Four.

[Celtics2021]

Bama wins though cut it close with LSU, same with OSU and UC winning games that were closer than they should have been.  Could have been worse though as they could have been MSU who lost badly to Purdue.  Wake Forest also falls from the unbeatens losing 58-55 to North Carolina.

The Big Ten West now has four teams at 4-2 leading the division. Still some time to sort it out, but they could easily end up with a multi-way tiebreaker to see who will play in the East.

The committee will live with Bama and OSU having close games with power conference foes and not penalize them for bad wins. UC having three close games versus the likes of Tulsa, Tulane and Navy, the committee will definitely hold that against Cincy. They needed to dominate those games for a chance at a CFP berth. If Bama, OSU and Oregon win out, it's those 3 and Georgia in the Final Four.

Agree with what you say, although I’d add that if Oklahoma wins out they’d jump Cincy (with games against ranked Baylor, likely ranked Iowa St, and potentially a top-10 OK St. team still up, plus the conference title game, they have the meat of the schedule ahead).  Granted, Oklahoma has looked very beatable, but if they pull it off they’ll have the resume.

Also, if any of the 1-loss teams from the Big 10 East run the table, they’re ahead of Cincy.  That team will most likely be OSU, as you say, but if either Michigan or Michigan St. beat the Buckeyes and win that division, they’ll pull ahead of Cincy.

[Phantom255x]

College Football Playoffs need to be 8-teams, not 4.

I mean what's the point of teams like Cincy going on these runs if you're going to always just put the power conference teams ahead anyways.

Like seriously, Notre Dame ends up in some of these Final 4s and then they go in and get walloped by Alabama over and over. Lets give some of these other teams a chance with an 8-team bracket. 4-teams was always dumb and it seems those formats always have 2 SEC teams in it even if they have 1-2 losses.

Why don't you just admit then that it's a 4-team bracket with 2-3 SEC Teams, 1-2 Big 10 teams and 1 team from either the ACC or Big 12. That's basically what it is anyways.

I understand Cincy's schedule isn't as fierce as some of these other teams, but then how is CIN ranked #2 in the nation currently? Why not just keep them at like #10 and say, "sorry, schedule isn't as great".

[Celtics2021]

College Football Playoffs need to be 8-teams, not 4.

I mean what's the point of teams like Cincy going on these runs if you're going to always just put the power conference teams ahead anyways.

Like seriously, Notre Dame ends up in some of these Final 4s and then they go in and get walloped by Alabama over and over. Lets give some of these other teams a chance with an 8-team bracket. 4-teams was always dumb and it seems those formats always have 2 SEC teams in it even if they have 1-2 losses.

Why don't you just admit then that it's a 4-team bracket with 2-3 SEC Teams, 1-2 Big 10 teams and 1 team from either the ACC or Big 12. That's basically what it is anyways.

I understand Cincy's schedule isn't as fierce as some of these other teams, but then how is CIN ranked #2 in the nation currently? Why not just keep them at like #10 and say, "sorry, schedule isn't as great".

Cincy could have had a real non-conference schedule to help counteract that.  But they played a MAC team and an FCS team.  Their Big 10 win was against Indiana, which is the only team to have not won a conference game in the Big 10.  Winning by 14 at 2-7 Indiana is arguably their third toughest game on the schedule.  You shouldn’t get to go to the playoffs effectively based on one win.  I’m sure they’d get in during an 8-team playoff, but I’m not convinced they’d deserve to.  There are probably 8 other teams that could have gone undefeated with Cincy’s schedule.  There are certainly four.

[nickagneta]

College Football Playoffs need to be 8-teams, not 4.

I mean what's the point of teams like Cincy going on these runs if you're going to always just put the power conference teams ahead anyways.

Like seriously, Notre Dame ends up in some of these Final 4s and then they go in and get walloped by Alabama over and over. Lets give some of these other teams a chance with an 8-team bracket. 4-teams was always dumb and it seems those formats always have 2 SEC teams in it even if they have 1-2 losses.

Why don't you just admit then that it's a 4-team bracket with 2-3 SEC Teams, 1-2 Big 10 teams and 1 team from either the ACC or Big 12. That's basically what it is anyways.

I understand Cincy's schedule isn't as fierce as some of these other teams, but then how is CIN ranked #2 in the nation currently? Why not just keep them at like #10 and say, "sorry, schedule isn't as great".

College basketball has their playoff seedings where teams are generally ranked much differently than the regular rankings as well. It's because both playoff committees take into consideration strength of schedule and record versus other ranked teams and losses to bad teams.

Over the years the playoff field had expanded and expanded because team #33 or #65 or now team #69 are complaining and saying the playoff field should be expanded to include people at their level. Thing is with football, the money making bowl system is in place and teams need long times between games for recuperation. They might be able to convert some bowls into 1st round playoff games, but the bowl people will fight it. They wouldn't want their bowl champion to then go play in another bowl and if they win that bowl they go to the championship game. It dilutes the importance and prestige of the bowl.

It also means more money for the best teams while other teams get shut out of getting the cash from the bowl. Some programs absolutely need the cash infusion that these mid level bowls provide.

The NCAA might go to 8 teams but it won't be soon and it's going to take s lot of politicking and money negotiations on the side to make it happen.

[Moranis]

Bama wins though cut it close with LSU, same with OSU and UC winning games that were closer than they should have been.  Could have been worse though as they could have been MSU who lost badly to Purdue.  Wake Forest also falls from the unbeatens losing 58-55 to North Carolina.

The Big Ten West now has four teams at 4-2 leading the division. Still some time to sort it out, but they could easily end up with a multi-way tiebreaker to see who will play in the East.

The committee will live with Bama and OSU having close games with power conference foes and not penalize them for bad wins. UC having three close games versus the likes of Tulsa, Tulane and Navy, the committee will definitely hold that against Cincy. They needed to dominate those games for a chance at a CFP berth. If Bama, OSU and Oregon win out, it's those 3 and Georgia in the Final Four.

Probably, but I expect Bama to lose to Georgia in the SEC championship if they don't fall to Auburn before then.

[Phantom255x]

College Football Playoffs need to be 8-teams, not 4.

I mean what's the point of teams like Cincy going on these runs if you're going to always just put the power conference teams ahead anyways.

Like seriously, Notre Dame ends up in some of these Final 4s and then they go in and get walloped by Alabama over and over. Lets give some of these other teams a chance with an 8-team bracket. 4-teams was always dumb and it seems those formats always have 2 SEC teams in it even if they have 1-2 losses.

Why don't you just admit then that it's a 4-team bracket with 2-3 SEC Teams, 1-2 Big 10 teams and 1 team from either the ACC or Big 12. That's basically what it is anyways.

I understand Cincy's schedule isn't as fierce as some of these other teams, but then how is CIN ranked #2 in the nation currently? Why not just keep them at like #10 and say, "sorry, schedule isn't as great".

Cincy could have had a real non-conference schedule to help counteract that.  But they played a MAC team and an FCS team.  Their Big 10 win was against Indiana, which is the only team to have not won a conference game in the Big 10.  Winning by 14 at 2-7 Indiana is arguably their third toughest game on the schedule.  You shouldn’t get to go to the playoffs effectively based on one win.  I’m sure they’d get in during an 8-team playoff, but I’m not convinced they’d deserve to.  There are probably 8 other teams that could have gone undefeated with Cincy’s schedule.  There are certainly four.

Didn't Cincy also beat a Top-10 Notre Dame team?

Btw, to be clear to everyone I wasn't disagreeing with anyone or the points others are making, it's more so just my frustration with how the college football playoffs are formatted and decided upon. It feels like every year it's the same four teams. Usually 3 (or all) of Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma with maybe the occasional Clemson, Notre Dame, or LSU sprinkled in somewhere.

Even if those teams lose 1 or even 2 games, evidently it doesn't seem to hurt them.

An 8-team playoff could make the field more interesting and offer more representation and chances for some other teams not in the Power-5 Conferences.