College Football Playoff Rankings Running Thread

With the possible exception of, winning a conference championship. Big 12's lack of championship game muddies that a bit, but I'm actually one of those that believes H2H (Baylor over TCU) counts.

 

This is the type of SEC comment that makes me cringe. Yes, Arkansas is good. To simply assume that they would shove one of TCU, Baylor, Kansas State or Oklahoma out of the top four in the conference, though, is a nonsense argument. Maybe you're right. Or maybe Arkansas wouldn't match up well against Big 12 opponents and their spread quarterbacks. We won't ever know, or could know.

During realignment, we heard similar comments. One in particular comes to mind: Mizzou and Texas A&M struggled to win championships in the Big 12, so how do they expect to compete in the SEC? Well, Mizzou might win back-to-back SEC East titles, and the Aggies had a Heisman winner in Manziel, who spent his redshirt season in the Big 12.

So maybe those Big 12 teams were always on the SEC's level but never got credit for it, simply because they're not SEC teams. Maybe Arkansas (6-5, with four losses to current top-14 teams, plus Texas A&M) is not all that different than Texas (6-5, with three losses to current top-12 teams, plus No. 21 Oklahoma and BYU) or even a West Virginia (6-5), which -- like Arkansas -- competed well in a loss to Alabama, beat a playoff contender (Baylor) and has generally been a pain to conference contenders.

Maybe we shouldn't just assume SEC schools could win other conference divisions, simply because SEC.

 

Perhaps.

But here's the thing: For all its accomplishments, Arkansas is dead last in an SEC West division of 7 (and 11th overall out of 14). Texas and West Virginia are 5-6 in a conference of 10. Middle of the pack.

Ergo, bottom of the SEC = middle of the pack in another conference. Taking that as an example, it's not much of a stretch to believe No. 2 in the SEC > No. 1 in another conference.

 

That depends as always. Had I a vote, I would have had Mississippi State in the top four. But I wouldn't have had Alabama number one of the four, although they'd be in.

 

People can talk all they want and the Committee can discuss it, but there is NO WAY you leave out an undefeated defending national champion. There is no argument to support such a move. No "game control" mechanism, no "weak schedule" variable. The Seminoles have earned a spot if the finish out unblemished. End of debate. Perfection, in their position, says it all.

 

So what you're saying, is that the Vortex of Domination swallowed up all of their victories???

 

Talking about No. 2 in the SEC being No. 1 in another conference is far, far different (and much more reasonable) than the comment I took issue with about Arkansas being a top-four Big 12 team or Big Ten West champ.

Not buying Arkansas as bottom of the pack SEC based on record. You have to account for SOS between the East and West divisions there. Arkansas is exactly where Texas and West Virginia are this season: Middle of the pack conference teams.

 

To that end, last-place Arkansas has beaten a team with a winning SEC record. First-place Missouri has not (and will not, unless it wins the SEC championship game).

 

That's cool. Arkansas is better than its "record" because of who they are playing in the SEC West.

Likewise, whoever No. 2 is in the SEC West should get bonus points just the same as well. Perhaps enough bonus points to put them above a Big 12 or Big 10 champ. Arkansas is not really a last-place team . . . and No. 2 in the SEC West is not really a No. 2 team. Same argument.

 

Top 7 are same as last week:

1. Alabama
2. Oregon
3. Florida State
4. Mississippi State
---
5. TCU
6. Ohio State
7. Baylor

UCLA is now No. 8.

 

I don't get TCU over Baylor at all, but other than that, few quibbles. As of now, Mississippi State deserves the four slot based on what I've seen of them. Don't think Alabama should be rated ahead of Florida State, but we have learned the committee is a font of conventional wisdom.

 

This. If they don't lose, they must be in. "Game control" is fucking ridiculous.