Official 2021 College Football thread

[JonInMiddleGA]

per Saban, WR John Metchie "probably going to be out the rest of the way"

Their offense is really thin at this point. This is not a team that anybody ought to look to crown, no matter how things appeared today.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by bob

I’d assume 1 Alabama 2 Michigan 3 Georgia 4 Cinncinati

Yep. This is what I figure it ends up being. I think maybe college football is trolling us, and just making sure Saban gets one more championship before he retires.

[Ksyrup]

That Iowa fan looked like a Crying ShaqJordan.

[Brian Swartz]

Ngl, that escalated much more quickly than I expected.

[jbergey22]

Wow, Iowa defense is looking like Grambling trying to stop Alabama.

And a turnover. Going to need a few of them to stay in this Iowa.

[Brian Swartz]

If you told me there would be over 300 yards of offense in the first quarter of this game, I would have told you you're watching the wrong teams and check what channel you're on. Almost nothing going the way I expected it to so far.

[Ksyrup]

The only thing worse than getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for jawing at your opponent is when you're talking trash after a play in which you did absolutely nothing.

[Brian Swartz]

We do seem to have reached the 'let's see who can get the stupidest penalty' phase of the game.

[Solecismic]

That seems like the winner - hard to top that one. Hopefully, they'll settle down now and keep the pressure on rather than go into the rope-a-dope that got them in trouble a lot earlier in the season (i.e., three-and-outs that look exactly like that last one).

I think it will be 1. Alabama, 2. Georgia. Obviously, they had some struggles today, but against the top team. Cincinnati is in. The last spot is Baylor's or Notre Dame's if Michigan can't hold on. I would have thought Notre Dame based on Baylor's ranking behind Ohio State and Mississippi, but it's probably going to be a tough decision.

[cuervo72]

Can someone tell this punt returner to stop fair-catching the ball inside the 5?

[bronconick]

Georgia's secondary got tested. They failed miserably, but they got tested.

[HerRealName]

I wasn't listening. How was that not called targeting? I'm confused.

[Brian Swartz]

That's three consecutive fair catches inside the 10.

"We sincerely apologize for the disturbing display of football that you were subjected to in the first quarter. We now return you to your regularly scheduled rock fight/3-and-out parade"

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by HerRealName

I wasn't listening. How was that not called targeting? I'm confused.

I just asked the same question.

[NobodyHere]

Don't worry tarcone, my bad luck will always give hope to Iowa

[tarcone]

2 big plays otherwise Michigan has done nothing

Our scatter armed QB is living up to that title

That no call on targeting was a sign that someone wants MichIgan in the playoffs.

Im tired of the biased broadcasting. If you dont see that Iowa's defense is the best unit in this game your are blind.

[Brian Swartz]

It's legit worth asking if anyone will score again for the rest of the game.

[tarcone]

In response to the UM guy fair catching.

Tsylors punts have back spin and either go straight up or bounce high so are fast dudes can pin people.

The announcer alluded to the PsU game. Taylor dropped 6 inside the 10 and 3 of those inside the 5.

[Brian Swartz]

Good start to the second half. Now we're officially in 'just don't do anything stupid' territory.

[bronconick]

Dagger.

[Ksyrup]

Over the last several years, the old "plant your heels at the 10" has gone out of the window. I routinely see guys faircatching inside the 10, although the 3 yard line is pretty ridiculous. I don't understand what changed.

[Brian Swartz]

Yeah there's a point at which even if it's likely to be downed there, no point in fair-catching. Even the best punters have balls bounce into the endzone sometimes.

[miami_fan]

The ACC title game is not too bad.

[NobodyHere]

I'm rooting for Michigan, which means Iowa will win

[tarcone]

Jeez, I laughed that announcer who said the score would be 24-3 Michigan

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Over the last several years, the old "plant your heels at the 10" has gone out of the window. I routinely see guys faircatching inside the 10, although the 3 yard line is pretty ridiculous. I don't understand what changed.

Declining football IQs, declining coaching quality, declining coaching discipline.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Gonna disagree 100% with this. Georgia's overall body of work this year is still head and shoulders above anyone else's, including Alabama. Otherwhise what we're basically saying is stuff like losing to Texas A&M, almost losing to Auburn and should have lost, etc., isn't as bad as losing to a far better team in the SEC championship. If we're going that way it makes more sense to eliminate the conference title games entirely and just base the champion off the regular-season records.

Who has Georgia beaten this year? What's the best win? Against 9-3 Clemson or 9-3 Kentucky? Those are the only teams they've beaten this year which are ranked right now (and they are 20 and 23).

Sagarin (which I use for the same reason John does) in his Conference Rankings has the SEC East ranked 6th (SEC West is 1). The Big Ten East is #2 and the Big 12 is #4. He has Michigan's strength of schedule above Georgia's as well.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I'm rooting for Michigan, which means Iowa will win

In 12 more quarters maybe if Michigan never got to have another possession.

[jbergey22]

On to the ACC Championship game. B1G Championship was a flop. I stuck with it until the blocked punt.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

In 12 more quarters maybe if Michigan never got to have another possession.

I'm not sure Michigan's defense and special teams still wouldn't outscore this Iowa offense.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm not sure Michigan's defense and special teams still wouldn't outscore this Iowa offense.

Solid point!

[bronconick]

Only need 9 field goals or 14 safeties now.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Issidiqui

Who has Georgia beaten this year? What's the best win? Against 9-3 Clemson or 9-3 Kentucky? Those are the only teams they've beaten this year which are ranked (and they are 20 and 23).

It isn't just who they've beaten, but how they've done it.

** Florida: Georgia 34-7, Alabama 31-29
** Arkansas: Georgia 37-0, Alabama 42-35
** Tennessee: Georgia 41-17, Alabama 52-24
** Auburn: Georgia 34-10, Alabama 24-22 (4 OT)

Tennessee is a similar result. The other three are not. I agree Georgia has no marquee wins, but consistency of performance against good teams is another measurement. Not having a bad loss is another. Getting beat pretty soundly by Alabama obviously matters, but not enough to just throw out everything else they've done, which is what it means if you say they're out of the playoff because of that game.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by bronconick

Only need 9 field goals or 14 safeties now.

ROFL that's brutal.

Edit: In fairness to Iowa, they've had a heck of a year. They've gone as far as a team without a credible offense can go.

[JPhillips]

I know they've had a loss and a couple of poor games, but I still think if Alabama plays well nobody can beat them. Any of GA, UM, or Cincy will get killed by the Crimson Sabans.

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I know they've had a loss and a couple of poor games, but I still think if Alabama plays well nobody can beat them. Any of GA, UM, or Cincy will get killed by the Crimson Sabans.

Quite the program. Even when they lose half their team to the NFL and think they may have a down year they always end up in the top two. The consistency Saban has brought is incredible.

A never ending supply of 1st round round players just sitting around waiting their turn.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

It isn't just who they've beaten, but how they've done it.

** Florida: Georgia 34-7, Alabama 31-29
** Arkansas: Georgia 37-0, Alabama 42-35
** Tennessee: Georgia 41-17, Alabama 52-24
** Auburn: Georgia 34-10, Alabama 24-22 (4 OT)

Tennessee is a similar result. The other three are not. I agree Georgia has no marquee wins, but consistency of performance against good teams is another measurement. Not having a bad loss is another. Getting beat pretty soundly by Alabama obviously matters, but not enough to just throw out everything else they've done, which is what it means if you say they're out of the playoff because of that game.

Alabama has the more difficult schedule and also has beaten Ole Miss, ranked #8 - far better than any team UGA has beaten. And they just took Georgia to the woodshed in a head to head on a neutral site. They definitely deserve to get in over Georgia. They've just shown it.

And I'm not just talking about them. Michigan has a harder schedule, better wins (Ohio State, Iowa) and a Conference Championship. Cincinnati should get it because they are undefeated.

Hell, Sagarin has even Notre Dame with a harder schedule than Georgia.

I've never been a fan of a Conference Champ loser getting in. You had your shot and you blew it. I'd actually be a big fan of 1 slot max per Conference. I mean if Georgia loses against Michigan in the first round of the playoffs, will you be arguing they should get into the final anyway because they had a more impressive season in your eyes?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I know they've had a loss and a couple of poor games, but I still think if Alabama plays well nobody can beat them. Any of GA, UM, or Cincy will get killed by the Crimson Sabans.

I think Michigan may have a shot. They are clicking on all levels right now.

[sovereignstar v2]

Listening to Gus Johnson, watching Iowa's offense, or getting waterboarded. *enters deep thought*

[NobodyHere]

Ok, the Lions could still fail at this point but the Wolverines probably won't

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Isiddiqui

if Georgia loses against Michigan in the first round of the playoffs, will you be arguing they should get into the final anyway because they had a more impressive season in your eyes?

Of course not, that's a completely different scenario. The playoff by definition is a 'lose once and you're out' situation.

If that's how we were to define a champion, we could end the season right now and declare Cincinnati the champion. Everyone else has lost a game.

Originally Posted by Isiddiqui

They definitely deserve to get in over Georgia. They've just shown it.

This ignores the rest of the season. It makes that one game everything. I mean, we all recognize the rest of the season matters to a degree. That's why the teams that play in conference title games are determined by their record to that point. Minnesota beat Wisconsin in their last game. But they still don't get a shot, because the rest of their games matter

At some point you have to draw a division between 'your performance the rest of the year matters for this' and then 'beyond this point, it's elimination and one bad game means you're out'. We have a committee that chooses teams for the playoff, and the conference title games aren't part of that playoff. They could be in an enlarged playoff, but they aren't now. I just don't get this whole 'best win matters but worst loss doesn't, go ahead and underperform consistently and squeak out wins and we won't care' philosophy. It's so unbalanced IMO.

I should also say that as much as I'd like to be proven wrong, I think Michigan's won their last game of the season. They're likely playing Georgia in the semifinals and the only playoff team I think they could beat is Cincinatti. But they got there, and won the Big Ten. That's a far better season than I expected. I'll take it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Michigan has a harder schedule, better wins (Ohio State, Iowa) and a Conference Championship. Cincinnati should get it because they are undefeated.

Don't talk about harder schedule and then pretend that schedule matters if you include Cincy.

And, tbh, don't talk about better wins if you're including Iowa. To stick with Sagarin, they're an underdog to at least one (Clemson), by tomorrow probably at best Pick 'Em to another (Kentucky) and not more than a field goal above two more (Auburn, Arkansas).

It's hard for anybody to have a really impressive resume when there simply aren't very many (if any) great teams left, and precious few even very good ones.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

Of course not, that's a completely different scenario. The playoff by definition is a 'lose once and you're out' situation.

And a Conference Championship is basically a pre-playoffs. It's a single game elimination. It's not a regular season game.

This ignores the rest of the season. It makes that one game everything.

So like the Playoffs?

We have a committee that chooses teams for the playoff, and the conference title games aren't part of that playoff. They could be in an enlarged playoff, but they aren't now.

And I'm arguing they should be treated that way and I'd vote that way. You shouldn't get multiple single game elimination bites at the apple.

[lungs]

Big Ten West to the MAC.

[tarcone]

Holy shit. I agree Lungs. We shouldnt have been there.

WE have MAC level QBs. HAHA no we dont

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Don't talk about harder schedule and then pretend that schedule matters if you include Cincy.

And, tbh, don't talk about better wins if you're including Iowa. To stick with Sagarin, they're an underdog to at least one (Clemson), by tomorrow probably at best Pick 'Em to another (Kentucky) and not more than a field goal above two more (Auburn, Arkansas).

It's hard for anybody to have a really impressive resume when there simply aren't very many (if any) great teams left, and precious few even very good ones.

Better records always matter, and then strength of schedule. Otherwise Ohio State would be an automatic playoff team (Sagarin's 3)

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Isiddiqui

I'm arguing they should be treated that way and I'd vote that way. You shouldn't get multiple single game elimination bites at the apple.

That's fine if every conference champion is in. They're not, we have a smaller playoff than allows that. Conference title games could be a play-in round under such a system, but we don't have enough spots which means we have to judge teams by other criteria.

[Solecismic]

Feels great. It's been a long time since Michigan put together a run like this.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Holy shit. I agree Lungs. We shouldnt have been there.

WE have MAC level QBs. HAHA no we dont

Pretty much. Normally I'd be pretty upset about Wisconsin losing to Minnesota but it saved us the mercy of a possible repeat of the 59-0 debacle in 2014 Championship game.

Even the defenses in the West probably look better than they are because they have the advantage of playing against the West's offenses. Wisconsin's defense gave up 38 and 41 points to the two actual good teams they played this year. Iowa gave up 42 points to the one good team they played.

It's a sad state of affairs in the division, my friend!

edit: I probably didn't account for Graham Mertz pick 6s in my points calculations.

[tarcone]

Well, that sucked. If UM isnt #1 its rigged