CFB PLAYOFF FINAL AND NO SEC

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I hate those ideas!

Agree. Having the top four ACC teams have a playoff is one of the dumbest in a long string of dumb ideas.

 

[RonJohn]

I give Phillips credit for considering unconventional ideas to overcome the SEC/B10’s polling advantages and keep the ACC relevant in the CFP. Consider that SMU made the CFP by the skin of their teeth, despite being the ACC’s regular-season champs. Had Clemson beaten SMU in the ACC Championship by just a few points more, the ACC would have been a one-bid league.

For those that say ACC teams should simply “just win the games”, that’s the point of this proposal – reward teams that win their games but due to polling bias favoring blue-bloods, don’t make the playoffs. This bias arguably kept FSU out of the 2023 CFP and nearly kept out SMU this year. Whether either of these teams deserved to be in the playoffs is another discussion.

This proposal is a hyper-technical solution to address the exact circumstances of last year. What if this is put in place, and next year the three top ACC teams all have two or three losses? It would be entirely possible that the regular season winner of the ACC with two losses could be left out, while a three loss team being declared the conference winner could get in. That regular season winner wouldn't even have the opportunity to play to get in to the playoffs. Any changes made to address what happened last year, will have consequences more dire in future years. I think that because last year actually worked out in the favor of the ACC teams. I don't understand making strange changes to "fix" something that hasn't actually happened yet.

The bigger issue is the ability of the SEC to hype their conference and teams from the beginning of the year. If the ACC wants better opportunities to get more teams in the CFP, then they need to work on trying to manage the media messages. I heard SEC coaches, pundits, etc stressing that SMU had only played one highly ranked team, and they had lost that game while Alabama had played a tough schedule and beaten top 25 teams. I never once heard SEC coaches, pundits, ADs, etc stressing that SMU's only loss came against a top 15 team by only a few points and didn't lose to anyone outside of the top 25, while Alabama lost two games to unranked teams, and one of those by three TDs. If the ACC can't counter the overhype of the SEC and the SEC minions, it won't matter what changes are made to the championship game format. I will go even further and say that if the ACC can't counter that overhype, it won't even matter how many games the ACC wins. If the ACC wins every single out of conference game, the SEC minions will be pushing a narrative that the SEC teams didn't really care about the ACC games, or the officiating negates the wins, or something. ESPN will run with that narrative and "everyone" will believe it.

 

[roadkill]

This proposal is a hyper-technical solution to address the exact circumstances of last year. What if this is put in place, and next year the three top ACC teams all have two or three losses? It would be entirely possible that the regular season winner of the ACC with two losses could be left out, while a three loss team being declared the conference winner could get in. That regular season winner wouldn't even have the opportunity to play to get in to the playoffs. Any changes made to address what happened last year, will have consequences more dire in future years. I think that because last year actually worked out in the favor of the ACC teams. I don't understand making strange changes to "fix" something that hasn't actually happened yet.

The bigger issue is the ability of the SEC to hype their conference and teams from the beginning of the year. If the ACC wants better opportunities to get more teams in the CFP, then they need to work on trying to manage the media messages. I heard SEC coaches, pundits, etc stressing that SMU had only played one highly ranked team, and they had lost that game while Alabama had played a tough schedule and beaten top 25 teams. I never once heard SEC coaches, pundits, ADs, etc stressing that SMU's only loss came against a top 15 team by only a few points and didn't lose to anyone outside of the top 25, while Alabama lost two games to unranked teams, and one of those by three TDs. If the ACC can't counter the overhype of the SEC and the SEC minions, it won't matter what changes are made to the championship game format. I will go even further and say that if the ACC can't counter that overhype, it won't even matter how many games the ACC wins. If the ACC wins every single out of conference game, the SEC minions will be pushing a narrative that the SEC teams didn't really care about the ACC games, or the officiating negates the wins, or something. ESPN will run with that narrative and "everyone" will believe it.

Your points are valid, but countering the SEC's deeply ingrained hype machine is easier said than done. And it's just as likely we could see a repeat of last year's situation than have the possible scenario you described.

I am not necessarily endorsing Phillips' proposal nor do I think it will be adopted. I did think a response with some rationale was warranted for those knee-jerk reactions of "this is crazy".

 

[forensicbuzz]

Your points are valid, but countering the SEC's deeply ingrained hype machine is easier said than done. And it's just as likely we could see a repeat of last year's situation than have the possible scenario you described.

I am not necessarily endorsing Phillips' proposal nor do I think it will be adopted. I did think a response with some rationale was warranted for those knee-jerk reactions of "this is crazy".

Jim never said those were proposed options for the ACC. He was throwing out ideas of what types of things could be done. None of us know the lead-up questions that elicited that answer, so people need to pump the brakes a little.

 

[Richard7125]

I thought the idea was originally brought up by the SEC discussing how to determine automatic qualifiers for 4 potential spots among 6 or 7 teams who may not have played each other. The idea is good in that sense. I think Philips usurped the idea.

 

[FredJacket]

Have we forgotten...

Only one B12 team got in ... deservedly so.
Alabama & Ole Miss got left out ... deservedly so.

The 12 team field was not some egregious miscarriage of justice. It was a pretty good field within the rules of the CFB playoff.

All this hand wringing / preemptive worry is excessive, I think.

The SEC & B1G cabal is living rent-free in some heads.

 

[RonJohn]

Your points are valid, but countering the SEC's deeply ingrained hype machine is easier said than done. And it's just as likely we could see a repeat of last year's situation than have the possible scenario you described.

I am not necessarily endorsing Phillips' proposal nor do I think it will be adopted. I did think a response with some rationale was warranted for those knee-jerk reactions of "this is crazy".

Countering the hype machine is very difficult. However, that is the current game. Any operational changes, technical changes, or overwhelming wins by the ACC will be cancelled out by the hype machine. Alabama received great credit for beating the mutts. They received almost no damage by losing to 2-6 OK by 3 TDs. People believe that an SEC team playing Miss State is facing a rough opponent, even though Miss State only won two games all season. That is all hype, and very little reality. If the ACC doesn't get into that game, it won't matter what the reality is.

 

[stinger78]

I give Phillips credit for considering unconventional ideas to overcome the SEC/B10’s polling advantages and keep the ACC relevant in the CFP. Consider that SMU made the CFP by the skin of their teeth, despite being the ACC’s regular-season champs. Had Clemson beaten SMU in the ACC Championship by just a few points more, the ACC would have been a one-bid league.

For those that say ACC teams should simply “just win the games”, that’s the point of this proposal – reward teams that win their games but due to polling bias favoring blue-bloods, don’t make the playoffs. This bias arguably kept FSU out of the 2023 CFP and nearly kept out SMU this year. Whether either of these teams deserved to be in the playoffs is another discussion.

As long as the powers that be can hide behind the “compelling games” excuse, that crap will happen.

The reality is that we don’t have broad agreement on what the CFP is: a true playoff between conferences to determine a champion, or a made for TV invitational extravaganza to make money. Currently it is the latter, but they are pretending it is the former.

 

[roadkill]

Have we forgotten...

Only one B12 team got in ... deservedly so.
Alabama & Ole Miss got left out ... deservedly so.

The 12 team field was not some egregious miscarriage of justice. It was a pretty good field within the rules of the CFB playoff.

All this hand wringing / preemptive worry is excessive, I think.

The SEC & B1G cabal is living rent-free in some heads.

I for one think the current format is ok and like the results so far.
But it's been reported that the SEC and B10 are already lobbying to bump the CFP to 14-16 games and modify the qualification rules to improve their chances of getting 5-6 teams in apiece. Phillips acts proactively on behalf of the ACC for a change, floats some ideas to counter the P2 cabal, and gets blasted for it.

 

[FredJacket]

Re ACC ideas. Here's one.

Play a 10 game conference schedule & the ACC champ is regular season champ. No conference championship game.

This idea way better than gimmicky 2v3 play-in that could end up being a nothing game (neither team in top 12 with committee) & often a rematch from regular season.

 

[roadkill]

Re ACC ideas. Here's one.

Play a 10 game conference schedule & the ACC champ is regular season champ. No conference championship game.

This idea way better than gimmicky 2v3 play-in that could end up being a nothing game (neither team in top 12 with committee) & often a rematch from regular season.

That's a recipe for the ACC to get zero bids to the CFP some years.

 

[FredJacket]

That's a recipe for the ACC to get zero bids to the CFP some years.

Currently... zero is impossible. Champ is auto bid.

 

[forensicbuzz]

Currently... zero is impossible. Champ is auto bid.

not really. If 2 G5 champions are ranked higher than a P4 champion, there is no auto bid for the P4 champ.

 

[Root4GT]

As long as the powers that be can hide behind the “compelling games” excuse, that crap will happen.

The reality is that we don’t have broad agreement on what the CFP is: a true playoff between conferences to determine a champion, or a made for TV invitational extravaganza to make money. Currently it is the latter, but they are pretending it is the former.

Five Conference Champions got into the CFP and all had the opportunity to show they were the best team. All lost, Nothing wrong with that. As for the rest of the Conference Champions, that would be an absurd joke of a playoff at best!

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Notre Dame played gutsy ball in the second half. Three things struck me while watching the game.

1. This looks like a whole different level of football than we see in the SEC.

2. QB running plays have to be a big part of a winning college football team offense.

3. College defenses mostly take away the deep ball forcing lots of screens and tight end throws.

 

[Towaliga]

Have we forgotten...

Only one B12 team got in ... deservedly so.
Alabama & Ole Miss got left out ... deservedly so.

The 12 team field was not some egregious miscarriage of justice. It was a pretty good field within the rules of the CFB playoff.

All this hand wringing / preemptive worry is excessive, I think.

The SEC & B1G cabal is living rent-free in some heads.

The term “living rent free in your/some heads” has been used so many times (ad nauseum) on GtTSwarm that it’s beginning to live rent free in my head.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

The term “living rent free in your/some heads” has been used so many times (ad nauseum) on GtTSwarm that it’s beginning to live rent free in my head.

Invasion of the body snatchers means it’s hard to know what conversation is real anymore.

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

Notre Dame played gutsy ball in the second half. Three things struck me while watching the game.

1. This looks like a whole different level of football than we see in the SEC.

2. QB running plays have to be a big part of a winning college football team offense.

3. College defenses mostly take away the deep ball forcing lots of screens and tight end throws.

I was just finally happy to see a National Championship game where we didn't have to watch an $EC team nor hear their propaganda shoved down our throats for 3+ hours.

 

[stinger78]

Although B1G is approaching the edge of the envelope.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

I was just finally happy to see a National Championship game where we didn't have to watch an $EC team nor hear their propaganda shoved down our throats for 3+ hours.

Absolutely!

We would have heard over and over how awesome these teams were and how strong the conference is and how no one else compares. Didn’t hear that at all last night about the B1G. Wonder why.