Running CFB playoff thread

Except the ratings for Michigan-Washington championship last year were about 20% higher than the recent games featuring Alabama and Georgia.

 

Since this is already a robust thread, let’s just use this one for the pairings once announced and ongoing discussion. Once bids are finalized I can work on a separate thread for the participation trophy bowls.

 

Surely the committee is already hard at work drafting their statement of why SMU was left out.

 

My prediction.

1) Oregon
2) Georgia
3) Arizona State
4) Boise State

First Round

5) Texas vs. 12) Alabama
6) Notre Dame vs. 11) Indiana
7) Ohio State vs. 10) Clemson
8) Penn State vs. 9) Tennessee

SMU, Miami and Ole Miss are the 1st three out.

 

Is there any chance it’s Indiana that drops out? Yes, only one loss. But is SMU a better team than the Hoosiers at 11-2, with one of its losses in the league championship game?

 

2022: Rematch of SEC title game.
2023: 65-7 final score

There are usually reasons for these things.

 

Which is idiotic to say because you are getting new data, however slight. You are seeing how much weight previous wins or losses against teams playing this weekend should now carry.

They make criteria on the fly from week to week, much less year to year. You might as well put your faith in front office sources the week before the draft.

 

Last year I said FSU should go but I could see a case for Alabama. And they did win a conference title, which is at least a tangible accomplishment.

This year I can’t see a legitimate case. They made two teams bowl eligible who otherwise would not have been. GTFO with that weak effort. Literally all they had to do is not have two guys with duplicate numbers not line up for the same punt return and they negate Vandy’s 10-million play scoring drive and escape Nashville.

Whoever gets the last at large is a charity case. I’ll watch if it’s us but I’m under no delusion that we’re a great team or even a pretty good one. We have Top 10 talent but not the will to harness it.