Game Thread: CFP Games on 12/21 (SMU/PSU TNT @ 11a) | (CLEM @ UTX TNT @ 3p) | (UTN @ OSU ABC @ 7p)

[colbysullivan]

Some of the teams winning these first round games by 14+ are going to lose by that much in later rounds. Texas and Penn State gets easy quarter final games but in the semis I wouldn't be surprised to see one or both lose big. Especially Penn State

Yep. It’s impossible to decrease the rarity of something (playoff spots) and also increase the quality.

 

[KrAzY3]

""Well, the only reason Alabama did lose to Vanderbilt was because they sent out the wrong player on special teams and got a penalty."

Yes, that and the minor issue of giving up FORTY points to VANDY
Good grief; it was the ref's

Let's revisit your premise.

Alabama would lose to Texas. I'm not trying to relitigate results, but if I'm anticipating future results like you are, I should use all the available data.

One point of data is that Alabama lost to Vanderbilt. That's true, they lost to Vanderbilt by 5 points. 7 of those points though came as a directly result of a coaching blunder, which had nothing to do with how the team played. Likewise, Texas only beat Vanderbilt by 3 points, so logically there's no basis on which to use the Vanderbilt result as proof Alabama would lose to Texas.

Furthermore, Alabama beat Georgia, which beat Texas, twice! That's a pretty significant data point as well.

Basically the only thing you can hang your hat on is the Oklahoma game, but that game had multiple mitigating factors, including two interceptions one of which caused by a receiver not making a block, and a TD that was completely legit being called back.

Not excusing that loss or pretending it didn't happen, but I see nothing there that proves Alabama loses to Texas either. It was Alabama's worst performance of the year, which would be their floor but not a likely future result either (Notre Dame lost to Northern Illinois but still beat Texas A&M by the same margin as Texas and Indiana soundly).

Texas played a much easier schedule hence they had a better record. They didn't play Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, or Missouri! It was the easiest SEC schedule of any of the contenders, and we all know teams playing soft schedules look better doing it (see Indiana). Anyway, I'm just not sure what you're basing your argument on.

 

[JDCrimson]

I long for the days when we all knew DEI stood for Dale Earnhardt, Inc...

 

[Cruiser]

Let's revisit your premise.

Alabama would lose to Texas. I'm not trying to relitigate results, but if I'm anticipating future results like you are, I should use all the available data.

One point of data is that Alabama lost to Vanderbilt. That's true, they lost to Vanderbilt by 5 points. 7 of those points though came as a directly result of a coaching blunder, which had nothing to do with how the team played. Likewise, Texas only beat Vanderbilt by 3 points, so logically there's no basis on which to use the Vanderbilt result as proof Alabama would lose to Texas.

Furthermore, Alabama beat Georgia, which beat Texas, twice! That's a pretty significant data point as well.

Basically the only thing you can hang your hat on is the Oklahoma game, but that game had multiple mitigating factors, including two interceptions one of which caused by a receiver not making a block, and a TD that was completely legit being called back.

Not excusing that loss or pretending it didn't happen, but I see nothing there that proves Alabama loses to Texas either. It was Alabama's worst performance of the year, which would be their floor but not a likely future result either (Notre Dame lost to Northern Illinois but still beat Texas A&M by the same margin as Texas and Indiana soundly).

Texas played a much easier schedule hence they had a better record. They didn't play Tennessee, South Carolina, LSU, or Missouri! It was the easiest SEC schedule of any of the contenders, and we all know teams playing soft schedules look better doing it (see Indiana). Anyway, I'm just not sure what you're basing your argument on other than the entirely outdated wins and losses without analyzing said results method.

This is not a science project; I doubt this Bama team would have fared better against this Texas team on the road based on our performance this season. Clemson was scrappy and has SEC bodys. But; we might have on any given night. Indiana and SMU is a different conversation. My opinion; that's all. You are welcome to yours.
Next game up. RTR

 

[TideEngineer08]

Congrats to Texas. You have always represented the SEC well.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

Wow, Tennessee got off the bus to play in 25 degree weather and is apparently folding like a lawn chair.

 

[OconeeTide]

I hope Ohio State puts 100 up on trashesee.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

and may I add, we should have beaten Tennessee, and there's no way we should have lost to Vandy.

OU is why Alabama didn’t deserve a spot.

Vandy is a bad loss but can be forgiven if you prove it was a fluke by getting better afterwards.

Tenn game was competitive and on the road vs a Top 10 team.

But you can’t excuse the soiling of the field at Norman.

Not only was it a completely inexcusable loss that happened in an inexcusable way but it also validated that the Vandy loss wasn’t a fluke.

I really don’t care how bad the lower seeded teams look in the CFBP.

That doesn’t mean Bama should have taken a spot.

Bama would have got dragged too.

 

[CrimsonBloodn62]

I hope the Ohio State stomps a mud hole in the Vols. I can't stand them. So far, a good start for the Buckeyes.

 

[KrAzY3]

This is not a science project

I didn't want to go back and forth and drag things off topic anyway, and I think I get your basic point. If bad Alabama shows up, they don't win. I just wanted to point out there's a good Alabama to. There was a bad Notre Dame as well (if people want to talk about a disqualifying loss, Northern Illinois would meet that criteria, they are a 7-5 MAC team), there was a bad Ohio State, there was a bad Tennessee, there were bad versions of a lot of these teams.

But... the real reason I was digging my heels in on the issue, and not that I'm trying to get you to respond but just generically responding to the topic about these playoff games. It should be a science project for the committee. They should have been digging as deep into the data as possible and not just distilling it down to really simplistic takes or feelings or what have you.

They're supposed to be experts and they're supposed to be spending all this time analyzing things and really it seems that their takes are as much as anything just their opinion. Not the results of sound analysis using the rigors of the scientific method. Why do they even exist if all they are is just another opinion based poll?

 

[crimsonaudio]

tennessee cannot get into a shootout with OSU but they're already down 14-0...

 

[ROCKEE]

GO STATE!

 

[PA Tide Fan]

Ohio State just doesn't lose 2 in a row at home.

 

[bamaga]

I have no confidence in Sark winning a big game. He didn’t do it last year, he didn’t do it this year in his 2 biggest games. Dabo knows how to coach in big games. Could be interesting, but Texas is expected to be business like in their approach and just dominate and control the game.

I have no confidence in Tennessee this year, they really are not that good. Day is coaching for his football life. I expect Ohio St to win big.

I don’t know what to expect in the SMU/Penn State game. Maybe the SMU billionaires paid the Penn St players to lose?

Mostly right. I repeat, I have no confidence in Tennessee, they are really not that good

 

[Keldeo]

Tenn is going to embarrass themselves so its makes Bama and rest of the SEC look bad.

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Well Tenn getting blown out will definitely cheer me up.

 

[B1GTide]

Tenn is going to embarrass themselves so its makes Bama and rest of the SEC look bad.

Who cares? Alabama is the only team in the SEC that I give a rip about. I hope all the rest lose

 

[TideEngineer08]

Tennessee isn’t that good. They earned their spot but this is bad match up for them.

 

[Joefus]

Good grief. Tenn is playing their worst game of the season and Ohio st is on fire

 

[Ledsteplin]

This looks worse than SMU and Indiana.