So when Bama beats Georgia, cfp has to be this right?
November 26th, 2023 at 9:35 AM ^
I think if Texas wins they would have to get it. SEC isn’t viewed quite as strong this year.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
If Texas was to get usurped by Bama, who they BEAT, the next civil war is no longer a conspiracy.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:23 AM ^
Are we just doing this exercise because we are trying to find a scenario where we don't play Washington or Oregon in the Rose Bowl?
November 26th, 2023 at 8:26 AM ^
No. Im doing it cause I want espn to be exposed when they somehow finagle a 1 loss sec team over a team that beat them head to head and also has 1 loss (Texas).
November 26th, 2023 at 8:33 AM ^
ESPN doesn't rank the teams, lol.
That would look bad on the CFP. It would have nothing to do with ESPN, other than they get almost exclusive rights to talk about it.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
It's a really interesting situation- ALL SEASON they talked about how Michigan didn't play anyone (at least until there were more "fun" things to talk about). Then if they turned around and put Bama in over Texas, the message would be "there is no point in scheduling difficult OoO opponents because it doesn't even matter if you beat them head to head".
November 26th, 2023 at 8:40 AM ^
They don't put anyone in.
And if that doesn't happen, they are still going to get on ESPN and cry about the SEC *not* getting in.
Their entire network will be dedicated to it. Feinbaum will be on every hour crying about it.
But it's not their decision. It's their decision on how they cover it.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:51 AM ^
Yes, technically ESPN doesn't do the rankings. But lets not act like the network that has the rights to the games are not involved on some level. Viewership is still important. Do you think ESPN is bashing Michigan and Harbaugh as bad if ESPN still had the Big Ten media rights? Hell no because you don't trash your money maker (well only Petitti does). There is a reason why ESPN also says Bama is in the hunt even the year they had 2 losses.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:03 AM ^
For fucksake. Listen to yourself.
You literally just said, "Do you think ESPN is bashing Michigan and Harbaugh as bad if ESPN still had the Big Ten media rights?"
EXACTLY!
That's what they do...they talk. Now their motives, ethics, bias, or downright college football knowledge? All of that can be called into question. ESPN fucking sucks.
Now...what are we talking about? Not how it'll be covered, we are talking about SELECTING the teams. ESPN has no part in that unless you want to get deep and say that their coverage shapes opinions of the group who was does select the teams.
This isn't about how ESPN is going cover the CFP. Yes they based Michigan because they don't have the B1G. But did ESPN suspend Michigan? No. Did ESPN line up on the field and lose to Michigan yesterday? No. They just talked about it...
We have to be able to separate the two.
ESPN did bash Michigan and they'll continue to do so. That has nothing to do with the people sitting in a hotel room in Texas selecting the teams for the CFP.
November 26th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
You're not that naive. Stop.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:24 AM ^
I would imagine this is the playoff committee’s nightmare scenario. For the sake of discussion, if it was oregon that won the pac 12, i could see the playoff committee jumping bama over oregon (both 1-loss conf. champs). I could also see them jumping bama over texas and saying that head to head is not the end all tiebreaker. But i agree that no matter what the playoff committee decides, there’s going to be a very angry 5th team with a very good case.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:28 AM ^
Maybe, but the odds are very high that FSU will lose. The question is who gets the 4th spot then? Probably the SEC champ.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:31 AM ^
Louisville is garbage. FSU is already favored by 5.5. I don’t think they’re a lock, but no way do i think there’s even a good chance they lose.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
Are they high? Louisville had an outside shot of a CFP if they won out and completely shit the bed at home to a mediocre UK team.
November 26th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
They are 4.5 point favorites to open. The odds are LITERALLY not high that they will lose. The odds are in their favor to win.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:29 AM ^
If you put Oregon in with one loss, why not Bama over them?
November 26th, 2023 at 8:31 AM ^
I just can't see a universe where a 1-loss SEC gets left out of a playoff. I understand Texas fans would freak out though, which would be hilarious to me.
November 26th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
I'd rather have Texas in than an SEC team.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:31 AM ^
I'm certain they discuss such things this week... Playing the "what if" game ahead of conference championships
November 26th, 2023 at 8:42 AM ^
You’re joking. No way the SEC is cut out of the playoffs. Hopefully, however, only one SEC team this year,
November 26th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
As long as Michigan is in and ohio state is out
November 26th, 2023 at 9:26 AM ^
Ohio being out is the key. Them backing in last year took away some of the sting from their loss. They love their smack talk about how they were a missed FG away from likely winning the NC last season. I can't quite envision a path for them to get in this year, but I'm sure it's there. It cannot happen.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:44 AM ^
Georgia potential gets in off of last two years (only SEC and OSU have that stipulation where prior seasons matter in the rankings). Bama is where its gets interesting because yes they would be SEC champs but wouldn't Texas also be Big 12 champs and have the head to head with Bama. But Pete and Stephen A would be standing on the table for Bama to get in and ESPN would make sure it happened.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:44 AM ^
I agree with op. Georgia did not start the rankings at one. We'll have a better idea if they drop Georgia to number two behind us this next week. If they don't have an iron grip on the number one spot, I think the sec could be left out.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:45 AM ^
Don't rule out the B1G imposing another sanction on us for whatever. They can do it whenever they feel like doing it.
The sooner we are out of the B1G, the better.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:58 AM ^
I can be as negative and cynical as the next person, but after yesterday there's no way the Big Ten would do that going into the playoffs. Winning on the field -- and doing so in a game that was very closely fought, and won through grit and skill -- takes something like that off the table. If the Big Ten were to do something like that, the condemnations would rain down from all quarters.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:11 AM ^
Don't underestimate Petitti's weakness. Give it a day and Day and Smith will be lobbying behind the scenes.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
I yield to nobody when it comes to negativity and cynicism, but Don out in the AZ heat is correct—the way Michigan won yesterday removes any wiggle room Pettiti may have thought he had to impose more sanctions without widespread condemnation.
I think that U-M’s 11th-hour decision to drop the lawsuit and accept the BIG’s punishment was ultimately the wise decision in the long run—by accepting Pettiti’s horseshit punishment and then triumphing in spite of it, U-M took the wind out of his sails.
But most importantly, the fact is that Michigan is the only conference team with a chance of making it into the playoff—a one-loss OSU isn’t making it in this year, even if Pettiti concocted some additional bullshit justification to keep Michigan out of the BIG title game.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:43 AM ^
The B1G will definitely screw over the UM as much as possible even to the possibility of kicking UM out of the playoffs so that OSU can get in.
November 26th, 2023 at 11:34 AM ^
No.
My tinfoil hat is as big as anyone's on this site, but Petitti shot his wad. The 3-game suspension was calculated to give OSU the best chance to win the conference. Despite it all, Michigan won, so now Big Ten interference is over.
The ONLY possibility now is the NCAA intervening after the title game but before the CFP, which I suppose is possible. If that happens, Jim could be suspended, but the CFP could / would still take us.
But Big Ten involvement is over.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:46 AM ^
If bama beats Georgia it would be,
1 Michigan
2. Bama
3. Georgia
4. pac12 winner or Texas
November 26th, 2023 at 8:54 AM ^
So head to head would matter with regard to Bama/Georgia but not Bama/Texas in this case? Also I doubt they would schedule this rematch in the semi's.
November 26th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
It’s not what I want or what makes sense, but the committee would do everything they can to get two SEC teams in.
November 26th, 2023 at 8:58 AM ^
Disregard
November 26th, 2023 at 9:02 AM ^
I might be wrong but it seems the CFP committee cares more about “eyeball test” and SEC clout than head to head matchups. So if Bama beat Georgia, I’d expect something like this
1) M
2) UGA
3) Oregon/Washington
4) Bama
November 26th, 2023 at 9:02 AM ^
We should and will probably be #1. I’m ok with playing FSU but would rather not play Oregon first round. I’m sure the evil empire is begging the big and ncaa to make us bowl ineligible as I type this to free up some much needed sec space.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
UGA is not losing. They show up whenever they want to. That GT game was never in doubt, wheras Bama needed a miracle. UGA will win by 10 points, we'll win by 17, and hopefully FSU can win and stay ahead of an Oregon team that I think is about to smash UW.
My hopeful top four will be:
1 UGA v 4 Oregon (Sugar Bowl)
2 UM v 3 FSU (Rose Bowl)
I do not want to face a Pac12 team on the West Coast, though one last traditional Rose Bowl would be cool for nostalgic reasons.
November 26th, 2023 at 12:07 PM ^
Oregon is playing well, but I doubt they smash UW. They might win the game, but smashing them is a different thing altogether. FSU would definitely be the one to face if possible, although I highly doubt the matchups would go that way for us.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
It’s just pretty cool the number of possibilities this year for the playoff. Also think it unlikely OSU backs in again this year although they will certainly have the best loss.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:29 AM ^
Best loss is a dumb thing that they need to not consider. There's 11 other teams that are tied with ohio for "best" loss.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
I don't see them leaving out an undefeated FSU team.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
If they put Bama in and Texas wins their matchup as well the committee is the BCS computers all over again. They can't do it.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:10 AM ^
Bama would be in the playoff.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:12 AM ^
Alabama would be in over Oregon if Oregon beats Washington.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
Bama, Georgia, Texas, and osu - any of the osu's are better than FSU right now.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:19 AM ^
I'm not sure how I feel about FSU. Jordan Travis is done for the year. Are they still a top 4 team? Likely not. But that then gets into is the top 4 teams supposed to be the best resume or best 4 teams at that moment?
November 26th, 2023 at 9:32 AM ^
I strongly disagree with penalizing a team for injuries in rankings. Now if they lose, sure drop them. But I've heard people say that even if they win you need to move the SEC loser ahead of them because of the injury. That's wrong. Period.
Older Michigan fans are probably still angry to this day we missed out on a Rose Bowl because we were penalized for an injured QB.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:19 AM ^
The SEC glazing will start by 12:00pm today.
Alabama was gifted a game by a DC who if I had the time or energy would investigate for gambling on his own game.
2 man rush with another spying a QB from 4 and Goal at the 30?
Might be the single dumbest call of the year after Mario Cristobal.
November 26th, 2023 at 9:20 AM ^
All I know is I want the Rose Bowl....
1) I live in California (technically although I'm basically never there)
1a) Flights around New Years are expensive so I'd rather save money for the championship game
2) I'm already going to NO this weekend for the Lions so I don't need to go again next month
3) It's the Rose Bowl. We play in the Big 10. It has to be the Rose Bowl
November 26th, 2023 at 9:20 AM ^
Pundits I've watched seem to think Michigan and Georgia are in regardless of the result of their respective championships