If the thesis were simply that at the highest level, i. e. 4 team playoff/national champion, talent is the "primary determinant" I think that Ari would still have a case. Even saying the original HS recruiting rankings are the best proxy might be valid too. The results of the playoff era have backed it up IMO.
Where Ari has gone wrong in the past was his absurd declaration that *only* talent - and talent solely determined by HS recruiting rankings for that matter - can produce a champion. He admitted last year he was in a panic when Michigan and TCU made the playoff. It's weird he didn't take that moment to soften his position. Or even watching the last 3 Michigan - OSU games should have taught him that raw recruiting rankings aren't the whole story.
It's not random, it is TV. Part of the terms of the TV contract is that certain match-ups happen more frequently. In the West, Wisconsin and Nebraska are premium TV draws. So OSU and Michigan will always get at least one of them during a 4-5 year period. Wisconsin was Michigan's match-up but now it is supposed to rotate to Nebraska
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If the thesis were simply that at the highest level, i. e. 4 team playoff/national champion, talent is the "primary determinant" I think that Ari would still have a case. Even saying the original HS recruiting rankings are the best proxy might be valid too. The results of the playoff era have backed it up IMO.
Where Ari has gone wrong in the past was his absurd declaration that *only* talent - and talent solely determined by HS recruiting rankings for that matter - can produce a champion. He admitted last year he was in a panic when Michigan and TCU made the playoff. It's weird he didn't take that moment to soften his position. Or even watching the last 3 Michigan - OSU games should have taught him that raw recruiting rankings aren't the whole story.
When did Iowa change their colors to Cyan & White?
It's not random, it is TV. Part of the terms of the TV contract is that certain match-ups happen more frequently. In the West, Wisconsin and Nebraska are premium TV draws. So OSU and Michigan will always get at least one of them during a 4-5 year period. Wisconsin was Michigan's match-up but now it is supposed to rotate to Nebraska