Week 12 Discussion

[Amoo316]

Re: Week 12 Discussion

I've got Michigan over OSU, but either way a close loss and some chalk or chaos I think the loser gets a very close look.

I think the "non bias" committee will favor a non conference champ OSU over UM in a last second loss, but that's just me. OSU tends to get the benefit of the doubt over other programs in this system.

I think as long as UGA doesn't lose to LSU, both UM and OSU have a great chance of getting in after a close loss. USC would have to really blow out Oregon in the PAC12 title game to leapfrog one of them, but especially OSU.

[canes21]

Re: Week 12 Discussion

Agreed.

Let's say it's all chalk from here on out. Ohio State beats Michigan in a close game, Georgia and TCU both win out. So Georgia, Ohio State and TCU are in.

Why is Michigan eliminated for losing at Ohio State while Clemson gets a pass for losing to Notre Dame in a noncompetitive game? Michigan would have a better loss than Clemson and I'd argue Michigan's win over Penn State trumps any of Clemson's wins.

Both are 1-loss teams in this scenario. One has a conference championship, the other doesn't.

And even if we eliminate Michigan, how is there even a debate between Clemson and USC? Clemson has a terrible loss and would have one win (UNC) over a CFP Top 25 team. USC has a tough loss (on a 2-point conversion) at Utah and would have CFP Top 25 wins over Oregon State, UCLA, whoever it plays in the Pac 12 title game and, oh yeah, that Notre Dame team that throttled Clemson.

I agree that if chalk plays out USC definitely deserves to go in ahead of Clemson.

Let's say it's chalk other than LSU upsets Georgia. So Ohio State and TCU are in. USC is likely the third team in for the reasons listed above. That leaves Clemson and LSU for the final spot since we're eliminating teams that didn't win their conference.

So we either reward Clemson for running through a mediocre ACC while giving them a pass for Notre Dame. Or we give LSU two mulligans (FSU and UT). Meanwhile Georgia (arguably has the two best wins of the season) and Michigan are out.

If this happens, I personally think Clemson deserves to go in ahead of LSU. They won more, lost less. They'll also have the win to LSU's loss versus their lone common opponent. Georgia and Michigan being out aren't issues here because both had their chances to stay alive when playing LSU and Ohio State. They directly caused themselves to be eliminated.

I think the conference championship game is my biggest issue. Georgia has proven itself to be the best team in the SEC this year and is a lock for the playoff. If you made winning your conference a requirement, then Georgia has nothing to gain and everything to lose by playing that extra game (ask 2017 Auburn how it feels about that). Meanwhile, LSU gets a mulligan for Tennessee, and has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I'd be a lot more open to a conference championship requirement if all conferences were 10 teams with a nine-game conference schedule and no championship game. But we know that's never going to happen.

Responses above in red.

I feel like this sums up Clemson perfectly. Until UNC lost to Tech last week, it had pretty much the same resume as Clemson, yet the Heels weren't sniffing the playoff.

I don't see how this sums Clemson up. Not perfectly. They'll have played 13 games and only have lost 1 of them. That's a damn good year. They aren't blowing everyone out, but I don't care as much about style points. Win the games you play and earn yourself a spot in the playoffs. Clemson has done that nearly flawlessly to this point.