College football 2016 Week 14/championship week running thread

Ohio State already got a bye.

 

They never seem to bring that up, but there is a lot to be said for that.

However, with the schedule being what it is -- i.e. a matter of filling what at this point are weeks off -- I don't think they'll keep the two marquee teams on the sidelines when there is money to be made.

 

So a six-team playoff this year would have Bama and Clemson with byes and I'm guessing 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. That would put Ohio State and Michigan in an immediate rematch and Penn State vs. Washington.

How would that be scheduled? They are probably going to want to keep the semifinals and title game in the usual spots. Would the quarterfinals or play-ins or whatever be played immediately after the conference title games so the winners get more time to prepare for the semis? Wait two weeks and put them in mid-Decemberto get a break after the regular season?

Also, does that round get bowls attached to it? I'm thinking no, because that would force a bigger bowl to get played much earlier. They could just be called the CFP play-in or CFP quarters.

I'm not a fan of expanding the playoff at all, but it seems inevitable. I'm just trying to wrap my head around what that scenario would look like.

 

The biggest problem I see is the weather. You're going to be scheduling games in Dec/Jan in places where they shouldn't be played. I guess you could say the NFL does it, but in those places (Green Bay for example) they have a heating system that at least keeps the field playable.

 

Here is a back-of-the-napkin ranking of college football's best 25 wins this season, taking into account quality of opponent, location, and margin of victory. You can see pretty clearly why Ohio State deserved to be included, and also why Penn State has a legitimate gripe. (I didn't realize how much Clemson skated this year.) It also makes me wonder if perhaps Alabama isn't a little more vulnerable than we think they are.

1. Pittsburgh 43, Clemson 42 (road)
2. Penn State 24, Ohio State 21 (home)
3. USC 26, Washington 13 (road)
4. Michigan 49, Penn State 10 (home)
5. Ohio State 45, Oklahoma 24 (road)
6. Houston 33, Oklahoma 23 (road)
7. Pittsburgh 42, Penn State 39 (home)
8. Iowa 14, Michigan 13 (home)
9. Ohio State 30, Michigan 27 (home)
10. Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 23 (road)
11. Penn State 38, Wisconsin 31 (neutral)
12. Alabama 52, USC 6 (road)
13. Michigan 14, Wisconsin 7 (home)
14. Washington 41, Colorado 10 (neutral)
15. Michigan 45, Colorado 28 (home)
16. Louisville 63, Florida State 20 (home)
17. Stanford 27, USC 10 (home)
18. Utah 31, USC 27 (home)
19. USC 21, Colorado 10 (home)
20. North Carolina 37, Florida State 35 (road)
21. Clemson 37, Florida State 34 (road)
22. Central Michigan 30, Oklahoma State 27 (road)*
23. Oklahoma 38, Oklahoma State 20 (home)
24. Baylor 35, Oklahoma State 24 (home)
25. Kentucky 41, Louisville 38 (road)

 

Pretty good list ... left out Wisconsin beating LSU in "neutral" Green Bay, though.

You need a bigger napkin.

 

Of course they are, by definition, because they've pretty much been deemed unbeatable.

Just like the 1984 Huskers or the 2002 Hurricanes or 2015 Kentucky basketball.

 

Houston beat Oklahoma at NRG Stadium.

 

'86 Hurricanes, too. Sandusky took time enough off from serially molesting boys through his shell charity to game plan the Nittany Lions defense to victory.

 

Of course anyone is beatable, but I can't remember a team I'd be more comfortable putting money on than Alabama this year.

 

Can't believe you would bring that up.

 

I know. It's over and done with. The healing began as dawn broke before the 2011 Nebraska game, as the first Natural Lights were cracked open, and ended with a rousing rendition of "Fight On, State" as the boys left the field after a valiant effort.