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

[Nothingfaced]

There has been so much hate that I’ve read online from several platforms toward Dabbo Swinney and Clemson.

I really don’t know if it’s warranted or not, but he’s won 2 out of the last 3 and 8 out of the last 10 ACC championships.

How is that not impressive?

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Everyone keeps saying Bama should've won,

Let's be clear: the issue is that we not only LOST IN NOVEMBER, we lost to a mediocrity, looked terrible doing it, and only scored three points. I understand that it's the "whole body of work," but let's just say had we lost to Georgia by 3 points rather than Oklahoma, we'd be sitting much better this morning. This is not the Kyler Murray Oklahoma team.

Which is kind of.....weird......

it works itself out on the field, yet Smu just had to show up? Definitely a participation trophy mindset. I hate it.

No, SMU had to lose close in this mentality, which they did.

Maybe we should cancel these conference championship games and schedule play-in games for the final two spots among the contenders.

And guess what will happen? There will be an argument over which four teams play those games, too.

 

[davefrat]

Really? playoffs are always better than a bowl which you could still also lose.

Sort of like the difference between losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament and making a run in the NIT.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

I agree, but army has a better record, a conference championship and a better loss than smu. Why aren't they in the mix?

I feel like this is a rhetorical question but the answer is perception and the fact they got obliterated by ND.

Nobody usually perceives the Academy schools as real contenders compared to the other teams either.

I wouldn't mind if Army was included and I could see them being able to beat an Indiana or SMU.

Honestly the whole thing is so stupid they should just say spots 9-12 are Wildcards and they can pick whoever they want for whatever reasons.

That would at least be transparent to an extent.

6-8 teams or so have pretty solid cases to be included and everyone else's resume has hard to overlook nicks and dings.

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

SMU had their playoff games against BYU and Clemson and lost both games.

If you play so few important games that we can single them out like that, team A shouldn't have to win to be relevant while team B can lose both and it still means nothing.

Someone remind the committee again what the record for the ACC champion Clemson was against the SEC. 0-2. What was Bama's record against the two teams from the SEC that beat Clemson 2-0? (South Carolina and Georgia) More proof that all leagues are not created equal. SMU had one shot to prove they belong in the CFP last night and hopefully blew it.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

There has been so much hate that I’ve read online from several platforms toward Dabbo Swinney and Clemson.

It's because he's a sanctimonious donkey, who in recent years:
a) has implied his 2018 Clemson team was the greatest of all-time
b) whined about having to play Ohio State, going so far as to say they should be ranked 11th
c) uses religion to hide behind, all criticism of him is "persecution"

You're welcome.

 

[Bpilktree]

SMU had their playoff games against BYU and Clemson and lost both games.

If you play so few important games that we can single them out like that, team A shouldn't have to win to be relevant while team B can lose both and it still means nothing.

Yes but they were close which is why they are in the discussion. If that game ended 34-17 or something close to that don’t think there is much discussion. I am hoping we get in but if don’t don’t I won’t be too upset either as I just didn’t get as attached to this years teams like the past. I think we are a very good team but not great like all the previous years talent wise. No matter what we play in I hope they show up like they did vs Georgia and not how they did some other games. I think it 50/50 we get in last year I was 80/20 we would get in.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Someone remind the committee again what the record for the ACC champion Clemson was against the SEC. 0-2.

That sounds a lot like the pro-FSU argument last year, when they were 2-0.

What was Bama's record against the two teams from the SEC that beat Clemson 2-0? (South Carolina and Georgia) More proof that all leagues are not created equal. SMU had one shot to prove they belong in the CFP last night and hopefully blew it.

I don't dispute any of this - but we are the ones who made the bed we have to sleep in, too. This whole thing likely turns on whether they opt to focus on the WINS (like 2014 Ohio State) or the LOSSES (like 2017 Ohio State).

 

[B1GTide]

Lifted, now out on a 2 hour hike. Gotta blow off stress

 

[64met]

IDK if we are in or not. Comparing resumes of Bama/SMU, its a no brainer. Bama is in. These talking heads like Heather D are annoying. Either way, in or out, RTR!

 

[CrimsonNagus]

Perusing the Twitterverse and am surprised at the favor Bama is getting. More than I thought.

r/CFB on Reddit is the opposite. I would say 90% are ready to go to war if Bama is in over SMU. It’s actually fun to see all the butt hurt these people are in because of Bama. The last 2 decades has really destroyed some people.

 

[AlexanderFan]

Yes but they were close which is why they are in the discussion. If that game ended 34-17 or something close to that don’t think there is much discussion. I am hoping we get in but if don’t don’t I won’t be too upset either as I just didn’t get as attached to this years teams like the past. I think we are a very good team but not great like all the previous years talent wise. No matter what we play in I hope they show up like they did vs Georgia and not how they did some other games. I think it 50/50 we get in last year I was 80/20 we would get in.

The only reason Clemson is in the discussion is because of an automatic bid because they beat another cupcake, and struggled to do it.

So your argument is that SMU deserves a spot because they have a close loss to a playoff team who is only a playoff team because they beat SMU in an automatic bid game.

Lot of holes there.

 

[KrAzY3]

That sounds a lot like the pro-FSU argument last year, when they were 2-0.

This is one reason I always come back to SoS. It doesn't say everything, and if you are high enough it loses relevance, but once we start to see enormous SoS gaps there is a mountain of evidence to suggest it means a lot, namely it has a very strong influence on the record of the respective teams.

The argument all along last year should have been about SoS instead of other stuff. FSU played a soft schedule and didn't look particularly good playing it, especially late. Alabama played a brutal schedule, and handed Georgia their only loss in the past two seasons.

As I said earlier, this is about making the regular season meaningful. If you can lose to every decent team you play and still get into the playoff, what does the regular season mean?

This isn't a close comparison. SMU played the 60th strength of schedule. Everything we've seen from SMU indicates they would have lost to Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. We don't even have to go further down the list than that, do we?

 

[4Q Basket Case]

Among the contenders for the final spot, we have the best wins. We also have the worst losses and looked absolutely horrible in Norman, just two weeks ago.

SMU was ranked #8 going into the ACCCG. If a team isn't unduly penalized for losing a CCG, I just don't see where they fall 5 spots out of the playoff altogether. Sure, they'll fall some. I just don't think it'll be clear to #13.

Some say that if the committee saw it that way, we would have been out of the Top 12 last week.

It's just as plausible to say that if the committee viewed SMU as undeserving, and had to win the ACCCG to get in, SMU could have been ranked lower -- say 9 or 10. They weren't. They were #8.

I'd like to think my posting history would be realistic -- neither a sunshine pumper nor an Eeyore. I'll be surprised if we make it. If we do, those astronauts stuck on the space station will year the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[Cruloc]

Listen committee.....I'm sick as a dog.....got the crap my 14 year old son had.....just put Bama in for crying out loud. Nobody wants to watch SMU in the playoffs other than Eric Dickerson and Craig James.

The whole thing is ridiculous....SMU lost to both ranked teams it played. It only played 2...and lost both for crying out loud.

You know what else is ridiculous.....Boise and Arizona State getting byes. Automatic bids and byes for teams that played ABSOLUTELY NO ONE ALL SEASON!!!!!!!!

 

[graydogg85]

I can’t wait to see the incredible level of meltdown, implosion and disintegration in January when Bama plays Clemson for the national title. In spite of a 12-team playoff. 😂

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

That sounds a lot like the pro-FSU argument last year, when they were 2-0.



I don't dispute any of this - but we are the ones who made the bed we have to sleep in, too. This whole thing likely turns on whether they opt to focus on the WINS (like 2014 Ohio State) or the LOSSES (like 2017 Ohio State).

I know, right. If Bama had just beaten either Vandy or OK, we could have won the SEC championship game last night.

 

[KrAzY3]

SMU was ranked #8 going into the ACCCG. If a team isn't unduly penalized for losing a CCG, I just don't see where they fall 5 spots out of the playoff altogether. Sure, they'll fall some. I just don't think it'll be that far.

Automatic bids mean falling 5 spots isn't required.

They will drop below one loss Indiana. They will drop below Boise State who blew out the #20 team.

The only question is if they fall a third spot, to below Alabama. Georgia fell 6 spots last year when they were the undefeated defending national champion and lost in a one score game to Alabama in the SECCG.

Edit:

NCAA College Football Rankings: AP Top 25 Football Poll

The official page for the AP Top 25 college football poll, a tradition since 1936. Keep up to date and view the latest ranking updates each week.

apnews.com

AP is out, Alabama is ahead of SMU. As I said earlier Alabama will be ahead in the BCS for what ever that is worth.

 

[Bpilktree]

I saw someone just posted if the put SMU in they just placed Texas in the semifinal game. Or whoever they put at 5. The 5 seed will get SMU then Boise State which is probably the easiest path to semifinals then anyone else.

 

[colbysullivan]

I agree, but army has a better record, a conference championship and a better loss than smu. Why aren't they in the mix?

Doesn’t fit the narrative