Drama - Conference Championships rival daytime soap operas
This ESPN article breaks down all the fun drama happening in the conference championships. To be honest, I didn't even think of all this with Michigan and TP (Channeling my inner GOJ today) front and center for us.
PAC12: Oregon vs Washington - Both teams are leaving the PAC12 due to the conference president being inept. Winner goes to the playoffs then plays for the B1G. Loser goes and plays for the B1G.
Big 12: Texas vs Ok State - Texas is on the way out with a likely win over OK State. At the beginning of the season, the Big 12 commissioner implored Texas Tech to make sure Texas didn't make it to the Big 12 championship. Which failed miserably when Texas told Tech to bite the curb last week. They took the initiative to replay the commissioner's speech in the stadium during the game. Now that commissioner is likely to hand them the Championship trophy as Texas leaves for the SEC.
ACC: Florida State vs Louisville - Fl State spent the summer complaining that the ACC sucks and it's primarily commissioner Jim Phillips fault. I didn't realize how ugly it was with Fl State saying they deserved more of the money from the league compared to other schools because they were so much better and the rest of the ACC was trash. Not sure how they came to that conclusion with Clemson owning the conference for the recent past.
B1G: This one we don't need a rehash on because we know all about it. We've vanquished anyone who stood in our way as we marched toward Indi yet again. OSU and their ilk still have more anguish coming as they watch us for the 3rd year in a row likely win the B1G and they have to hope to back into the playoffs at all.
So it seems that TP isn't the only buffoon running a league in CFB. I think the only one who hasn't actively tried to step on their own dick is the SEC, but when you have an office setup in the ESPN headquarters and the NCAA corporate offices I suppose you don't have to worry about those types of things.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39008688/championship-week-michigan-big-ten-texas-big-12-awkwardness
November 30th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
I guess it’s all villains all the time this cfb season. Go Blue!
November 30th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
So the Big 12 commissioner told Texas Tech to keep Texas out of the Big 12 title game? No wonder they "clarified" their tiebreaker rules to keep Oklahoma out.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:09 PM ^
Uh wtf was Texas Tech going to do to keep Texas out of it? That’s like slipping Vandy a $20 bill before playing bama and telling them to “make it look like it was an accident”
November 30th, 2023 at 12:14 PM ^
It was before the season when TTU was garnering some B12 dark horse pub. They then showed how misguided that was by going out to Laramie and losing to Wyoming to begin the season. For an encore, they blew a 9-point 4th quarter lead at home to Oregon. Whoops.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
Speaking of Oregon, they’re aren’t 100% in the CFP with a W. If the P5 Champs are…
13-0 UM
13-0 FSU
12-1 UT
12-1 Bama
12-1 Oregon
…isn’t Oregon #5? Bama would have a W over UGA, and UT would have a W over Bama.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^
Oregon is a better team than Bama and Texas. The only reason Bama is in is because it’s the SEC. Oregon is in over Texas.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:37 PM ^
I just don't understand why people are handing Oregon the Washington game. Washington beat them this year.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
Since that game they have played vastly divergently, from what I understand, with UW squeaking past bad teams, and Oregon destroying opponents, including quality teams.
November 30th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Plus the game was at Washington and Oregon lost it on some way too aggressive calls and a last second field goal.
Washington does have the underdog role coming into this game.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Oregon is favored by 9.5 and for a good reason.
Oregon kind of gacked the game at UW. Also, it was at UW. Oregon overall has played better all year, and in particular as of late.
No one is handing it to them. They're going to play the game. Washington is good and can win. But Oregon is the favorite.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:57 PM ^
People (and Vegas) think Oregon is going to win because the Ducks have played much better since that game (and IMO they were the better team during it -- I'll bet Lanning trusts his D more after those failed 4th downs), basically destroying everything in their path. Conversely, UW scored 0 offensive TDs against dreadful ASU and needed a 4Q pick six to win, let Stanford get within 2 late in the 4th, gave up 28 first half points to Utah, struggled against Wazzu, etc.
For me, the biggest thing is defense. Oregon's defense has been really good whereas UW's is a real weakness.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
In this scenario, I think it would be Michigan, Oregon, Texas, and Alabama.
Michigan: 13-0 B1G Champ
Oregon: 12-1 Pac-12 Champ, avenge only season loss.
Texas: 12-1 Big 12 Champ, Beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama: 12-1 SEC Champ, Beat 2x National Champion undefeated Georgia. Only loss is Texas.
If Alabama gets in, you have to have Texas too. Makes no sense to leave 1 out.
Oregon gets in because they are clearly a better team than Florida State.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
There’s a 0.0% chance an undefeated ACC Champ gets jumped by three (?!?!?) one-loss teams. Not happening.
November 30th, 2023 at 3:03 PM ^
This is the fun part:
- There is zero chance an undefeated ACC champion gets left out
- They can’t leave a 1 loss Pac12 team out since that is one of the two toughest conferences this year and Oregon is a top 2-3 team.
- There is zero chance they leave the SEC champion out.
- How can they leave a one loss Big12 champ Texas out when it beat Alabama head to head.
Given the facts, the SEC should lose out here but they will decide to screw someone else if Georgia loses.
November 30th, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
If Alabama beats GA in a close game, the SEC wants both one loss teams in. Ideally they are both out. Bama looked weak all year and beating Georgia doesn’t make them look stronger, it just makes Georgia look weaker.
December 4th, 2023 at 10:13 AM ^
There’s a 0.0% chance an undefeated ACC Champ gets jumped by three (?!?!?) one-loss teams. Not happening.
I'm sorry, what now? /s
I was just saying what the committee was going to do, not necessarily what I would do. I think the playoff system is currently broken. We'll see how 12 teams do starting next year.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
Besides Michigan winning all I care about is having OSU not play another game this season.
I want Ryan Rat (normally not a name calling guy but this one fits and was earned) and Buckeyes everywhere to marinate all off season in their defeat.
November 30th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
So you leave out a conf champ FSU at 13-0 but put in Bama who has 1.99 losses and needed a miracle to be a terrible Auburn team the weak prior. FSU didn't look any worse than that.
November 30th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
To be fair, FSU, since losing Jordan Travis, hasn't been playing well either. It does show that losing him has been a huge factor for this Seminole team.
If you pit this current FSU team against Alabama on a neutral field, who would you take? I cannot confidently pick FSU, especially without Jordan Travis. I would imagine the committee would feel the same. We already know Texas can beat Alabama, but if Georgia loses to the Tide? We would have a nice 12-1 trifecta between those three teams. Then you have to ask yourself, "How does FSU get in over those three teams?". And we can't say "Well, they're 13-0 and conference champ..." because James Madison should be in consideration if they remain undefeated.
If we look at scheduling, FSU has only 1 ranked win against a then #13 LSU team. Which, yes, that's a good win, but since losing JT, they have been really sluggish. This team is very different now than when they had him. No way this FSU team beats 'Bama on a neutral field.
Also, Alabama beat LSU, too.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
Isn't Texas's win over Bama already factored into their current CFP ranking (which is behind Oregon)? Oregon's conference championship game is against 12-0 Washington while Texas is playing 9-3 Oklahoma State. Oregon is currently ahead of Texas and is unlikely to be leapfrogged by them if they beat Washington.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
The Texas win over Bama is suddenly elevated if Bama also wins. At least, that's one way the CFP could look at it, if they felt like it.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^
It's the nightmare scenario for the CFP. There will be no good answers for them. At least we'd be #1.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
How does or will they factor this in:
Oregon 38 Texas Tech 30
Texas 57 Texas Tech 7
Texas should get the edge, a conference champ, with a win at Alabama, plus completely different outcome vs a common opponent
November 30th, 2023 at 2:48 PM ^
Not sure how comparable those games really are. TT played Oregon at home and Texas on the road. Oregon's TT game was in September, Texas's in November. Common opponent shouldn't mean nothing, but in this case should mean little.
Joel Klatt thought that Oregon was the likely to be left out if the choice comes down to them or Texas.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
If Oregon wins, they're in. Their only loss would be the current #3 team and they would have just beaten that same #3 team. The winner of the Pac 12 is in regardless, imo.
An Alabama win over UGA is better, but not by that much. And Oregon is already #5. I just can't see #7 Texas (playing a weaker team) and #8 Alabama jumping #5 Pac 12 champion.
The decision the committee would have to make in your scenario is which of Alabama or Texas to take, not Oregon. Alabama just beat #1, but lost to the team ranked 1 spot ahead of them. Texas beat Alabama and #12 Oklahoma, but their championship game opposition is not as strong. That's a toss-up for me, but I would love to see an SEC-less CFP.
November 30th, 2023 at 1:03 PM ^
This is one of my favorite comments ever.
+1000 good sir
November 30th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
I prefer "P-titty" over TP for his nickname.
Great recap of the article. Florida State has their logo in the dictionary next to "recency bias".
November 30th, 2023 at 11:51 AM ^
I guess Florida State shouldn't have signed that Grant of Rights or whatever. Speaking of, whatever happened to Clemson finding a way out of that?
November 30th, 2023 at 11:51 AM ^
When I saw TP I thought he was talking about toilet paper.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
I mean, in a way he was?
November 30th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
I prefer Fuckface McGee, but to each their own.
November 30th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
Tony Thimblecock.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
Tiny Pee-pee.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
I've also seen him called Pizza Tits and Petite Peepee
November 30th, 2023 at 11:49 AM ^
One of these could have been very easily avoided
November 30th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
Looks like Brohm has made his mark.
November 30th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
For some reason, the voice in my head said, as it saw this thread title, "This is MacDonald Carey, and these are Our Conference Championship Games...."
November 30th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Ranking these in terms of awkwardness is hard. Here's my shot at it.
1) Texas. Would have been great if it was Texas-OU, but alas.
2) Michigan--only because of what we expect to be the post-game trophy presentation (much like the expectation for Texas). This is behind Texas because Texas is leaving the conference. We're not...yet.
3) Florida State. I mean, they trashed their own conference and are stuck there.
4) Oregon v. Washington. There's no conference left anyway and they are coconspirators in killing it.
5) SEC. Saban will make it awkward somehow. He'll lobby to be #1 after UGA beats them.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:02 PM ^
To #5: If the undefeated teams all win, Saban finally has no argument. He can't say "well we went and played a tough Texas team and lost" that wouldn't matter because even if they didn't, they would have been 12-0 and lost to Georgia. Now, if Washington, Michigan, and FSU win, what will his argument to make the playoffs be? "We went and played a tough Texas team and lost, but we deserve to be in over them because we just beat a tough Georgia team."
I'm just hoping for the scenario where there are 3 undefeated conference champions and 3 one loss teams (Texas, Georgia, and Alabama). I would love to see what the committee does. My gut actually says that if Florida St struggles but wins vs Louisville and Alabama beats Georgia, the committee puts in either: Alabama at #3 and Georgia at #4, or Alabama at #3 and Texas at #4.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
I welcome all chaos as long as 1) we win and 2) OSU is left out. Bonus for getting FSU, Texas, or Washington (in that order) in the semis.
I am sure Saban won't lobby if he loses. But he had no business lobbying for it last year. Didn't stop him.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
I really hoping the SEC gets left out. It won't happen, but it would be funny to see their heads explode.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:52 PM ^
I think Texas' D is better than Washington's so I think I would rather play Washington than Texas. Both QBs are solid (Penix the better of the two) and both have two stud WRs. Both lines though I'm thinking Texas is a bit stronger. For me I would say my preference would be:
1. Florida St 2. Washington 3. Texas 4. Alabama 5. Oregon 6. Georgia
November 30th, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
I almost flipped it with UW and UT but I just figured UT in the Big 12, meh. The Bama game was a long time ago. But your order works for me too.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
Now, if Washington, Michigan, and FSU win, what will his argument to make the playoffs be? "We went and played a tough Texas team and lost, but we deserve to be in over them because we just beat a tough Georgia team."
This gets interesting if Oregon beats Washington. Then you have Michigan, FSU, Texas, Alabama, and Oregon as conference champs.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
I know FSU has looked shaky and is down their starting QB. But, if they win ugly against Louisville how do you leave an undefeated P5 conference champ out?
November 30th, 2023 at 12:47 PM ^
If they need to do it to get an SEC team in . . . they will do it. All of the ESPN talking heads are already trying to trash FSU as a viable CFP candidate to set the stage.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Also, you see how they set the stage for the SEC. They keep teams like Tennessee woefully overranked so they can use wins over teams like that as a reason that they are "more deserving." It wouldn't surprise me if they drop Louisville to like 24 if they lose FSU and find a way to put Missouri or Ole Miss to jump Oregon if they lose to Washington (or possibly even drop Washington below them)
November 30th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
The scenario being discussed right now with a possible Georgia loss to Bama and Texas and FSU winning is really interesting. I genuinely don't know what the Committee would do in that situation.
Add a play-in game? Do it.
November 30th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
Michigan men don't let Michigan men read ESPN.