Is there a scenario where we still back into the playoffs?

[Nolan]

Kinda sad that we will be glued to TV showing Clemson vs SMU

Strange days indeed, my friend.

 

[JDCrimson]

So based on this logic, is OM in if UNLV beats BSU?

IMO, this is pure baloney. Those odds are ridiculous, no one on the face of the earth who has a modicum of sense would take those odds against Alabama as explained in other posts. SMU vs Clemson is all or nothing. The winner is in the loser is out. Alabama is in regardless of the outcome of this game.

 

[Nolan]

As the week progresses I think you'll see people come around to the idea that Alabama's odds of the playoff even with a SMU loss are pretty darn good.

You are spot on here IMO.

 

[Nolan]

True, but after cheating scandal at Michigan, I just have a difficult time trusting any decision making process where Warde Manuel is involved, much less the Chair.

I don’t disagree, but there is a unique feature (not a bug) in college football you find nowhere else in sports: deference, when all things are generally equal, to blue bloods. IMO, this unspoken advantage crops up more often between blue blood institutions (Michigan, Bama) and TV execs.

In CFB, the helmet really, really matters. Warde Manuel knows that. Heck, TX is benefiting from it right now.

 

[Nolan]

A close friend of mine (a Domer) has the simplest theory: Alabama at Notre Dame is compelling TV. Therefore it will happen…

What‘s that saying about the simplest explanation… or, just follow the $$$.

 

[Aussie BamaFan]

i love how they are all having a sook "means cry in aus " that we made it in its glorious

 

[CrimsonNagus]

I’m glad this stupid format is getting blown up in year one. Auto-bids are dumb, auto-byes for those auto-bids is even dumber.

Boise getting a bye is a joke. If today’s bracket was final, PSU is the biggest winner. They would be double digit favors over both ASU and BSU. Oregon’s prize for being #1 is getting Tennessee or OSU. The 5 seed should not get the easiest path but, this nonsense they’ve created will do just that.

It could get worse if some upsets happen this weekend. If UNLV beats BSU, they jump from 20 all the way into the playoffs. In what sane world does the 20th ranked team deserve a shot at a title?

If Clemson beats SMU, we could see a 15th, 16th or 17th ranked team suddenly get a bye! Are you joking! I kind of want this to happen and blow this thing apart in year one. No one with a brain truly believes ASU, ISU or Clemson deserve a bye over teams like Tenn, OSU or UGA.

Auto-byes are stupid. The top four spots should go to the top four ranked teams in the country. You want to give the top 5 conference champs bids, fine. I don’t like it but fine, just seed them accordingly, not this stupid auto-bye crap.

I’m thrilled for Bama. I think we are in no matter what because I think both BSU and SMU are out if they lose. Don’t trust what Heather Dummy says (her prediction was once again wrong today, but she’s the insider). You can’t lose to #17 and #20 and not fall 4-5 spots. I want more chaos this weekend to really blow up this dumb 12 team format.

RTR!

 

[westide]

I think pulling for Boise makes more sense. The winner of UNLV vs. Boise is in as the MW conference champion. If UNLV wins and moves from outside the current top 12 to take a spot, there would be a chance that Boise would remain in since they are currently ranked ahead of Bama. So a UNLV win would decrease Bama's chances of getting in.

The sportscasters were saying that if Boise lost they would drop below Bama and be knocked out.

 

[OconeeTide]

Im gonna need police protection going to work today, people gonna be raging that Bama is ranked 11

 

[Bruce014]

I want to apologize for asking questions that are probably up-thread, but I have one family member in the hospital and the other flying to Europe (which is stressful)...

We made the penultimate playoff bracket at #11.

I know we have 3 conference championship games to watch, but it looks to me like things are going to be fine.

Is there any reason to really be worried now?

 

[crimsonaudio]

I keep reminding folks that there is a political aspect to this - Sankey and Petitti have clearly implied that if they feel their conferences are slighted by the committee, they will likely do something outside of the CFP starting in 2026.

Does that mean Bama doesn't deserve it over Miami? No, but it also means that even if their resumes were similar, it wouldn't be 'even'.

 

[RollTide_HTTR]

I want to apologize for asking questions that are probably up-thread, but I have one family member in the hospital and the other flying to Europe (which is stressful)...

We made the penultimate playoff bracket at #11.

I know we have 3 conference championship games to watch, but it looks to me like things are going to be fine.

Is there any reason to really be worried now?

If SMU loses a close one to Clemson we could be out. It's unclear.

The cleanest way in is for SMU to beat Clemson. Then we would be in no question

 

[crimsonaudio]

I don’t disagree, but there is a unique feature (not a bug) in college football you find nowhere else in sports: deference, when all things are generally equal, to blue bloods. IMO, this unspoken advantage crops up more often between blue blood institutions (Michigan, Bama) and TV execs.

In CFB, the helmet really, really matters. Warde Manuel knows that. Heck, TX is benefiting from it right now.

That's Danny K*nnell speak and without evidence. Texas has played an 'easy' SEC schedule but is 11-1 - and an easy SEC schedule is still a lot harder than most.

I'm fine with whatever the committee chooses, but I'm not going to denigrate a team that played a vicious schedule and dropped a few 'easy games' then turn around and reward someone 'only losing two games' vs a far easier schedule. It's crazy to me that in a 12 team playoff we still have people propping up what is essentially the old BSu schedule (or UCF from 2017) as if they're playing the same game.

 

[CajunCrimson]

Lots of stress happening.

We are at 11. We likely wont move higher regardless. Like CA suggested above and I mentioned earlier, the B1G wont have more teams than the SEC. You can be assured of that.

so, Bama is likely 11 regardless-of everything else. The ACC deserves 1 team. That’s all they will get. The B12 also deserves 1. The G5 gets one. Notre Dame gets the last.

Clemson losing makes it easier to sell, but I think we are ahead of SMU if they lose. ACC teams have dropped 5-6 spots when they lose. Their SOS is too low.

 

[BigAlinKnoxville]

Im gonna need police protection going to work today, people gonna be raging that Bama is ranked 11

You should send a group email that says:

"Sorry, but I'll be a little late this morning. I am...

(brace yourself)

(wait for it)

...coming in at 11."

 

[selmaborntidefan]

If we are not in the playoff (by whatever weird stuff), we did it to ourselves.

I cannot look anyone in the eye and say we are one of the four best teams in the USA.
I can see us at the bottom MAYBE of the eight best teams in the country.

But I have ZERO doubt we are one of the TWELVE best in the USA.

Indeed, at our peak, we ARE in the top four, we just haven't gotten enough out of the talent we have. Some of that is on coaching and some of that is on the unique new world of CFB.


But I was talking to my Oregon bud last night, and he (like me) has largely given up the sport.....but unlike Michigan last year or Georgia the two years previous or us in 2020 or LSU in 2019, there is NO DOMINANT TEAM this year.

Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State - even Ole Miss - have all had PERIODS (quarters maybe?) of sheer dominance where they looked like a powerhouse, but NONE has separated themselves where the so-called "eye test" tells you, "That's the team to beat."

If we can make it, we have as good a chance as anybody.
Given how many players on our team have post-season experience already, maybe better than anybody.

 

[92tide]

If we are not in the playoff (by whatever weird stuff), we did it to ourselves.

I cannot look anyone in the eye and say we are one of the four best teams in the USA.
I can see us at the bottom MAYBE of the eight best teams in the country.

But I have ZERO doubt we are one of the TWELVE best in the USA.

Indeed, at our peak, we ARE in the top four, we just haven't gotten enough out of the talent we have. Some of that is on coaching and some of that is on the unique new world of CFB.


But I was talking to my Oregon bud last night, and he (like me) has largely given up the sport.....but unlike Michigan last year or Georgia the two years previous or us in 2020 or LSU in 2019, there is NO DOMINANT TEAM this year.

Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State - even Ole Miss - have all had PERIODS (quarters maybe?) of sheer dominance where they looked like a powerhouse, but NONE has separated themselves where the so-called "eye test" tells you, "That's the team to beat."

If we can make it, we have as good a chance as anybody.
Given how many players on our team have post-season experience already, maybe better than anybody.

and ckd has a lot of experience coaching multi-game playoffs

 

[CajunCrimson]

If we are not in the playoff (by whatever weird stuff), we did it to ourselves.

I cannot look anyone in the eye and say we are one of the four best teams in the USA.
I can see us at the bottom MAYBE of the eight best teams in the country.

But I have ZERO doubt we are one of the TWELVE best in the USA.

Indeed, at our peak, we ARE in the top four, we just haven't gotten enough out of the talent we have. Some of that is on coaching and some of that is on the unique new world of CFB.


But I was talking to my Oregon bud last night, and he (like me) has largely given up the sport.....but unlike Michigan last year or Georgia the two years previous or us in 2020 or LSU in 2019, there is NO DOMINANT TEAM this year.

Georgia, Alabama, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State - even Ole Miss - have all had PERIODS (quarters maybe?) of sheer dominance where they looked like a powerhouse, but NONE has separated themselves where the so-called "eye test" tells you, "That's the team to beat."

If we can make it, we have as good a chance as anybody.
Given how many players on our team have post-season experience already, maybe better than anybody.

None of this thinking matters really. This is the SEC/B1G invitational, and each conference gets to invite two dates to make it look “open”.

 

[Cruloc]

I can see no way that if Boise and/or SMU lose that they don't drop out.

UNLV was up 24-23 over Boise late. Boise didn't go back ahead until 3:25 left in the 4th. Outside of UNLV, Boise State has played at Oregon and lost by 3. The rest of their schedule is absolute garbage.

SMU lost to BYU by 3. Outside of that, they've beaten Louisville by 7, Duke by 3. Those are their best wins.

You can't keep them in if they lose.

But, if they do lose, UNLV and Clemson jump way up.

I hope Boise and SMU win and then get ran through in the playoff. Problem with them winning....theirs no way either deserve a bye.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

and ckd has a lot of experience coaching multi-game playoffs

It's going to be the irony of all ironies if that is the deciding factor in who wins this thing.

Every single fan "disgusted with this new coaching staff" will extend immediate forgiveness if it ends in a national title, just like Saban was off the hook for the 2017 Iron Bowl loss just weeks later.