Reflections on the National Championship Game

[Vespidae]

What are the odds that most of us can predict half of the final 4 next year?
I’ll go with BAMA/LSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, and Ohio State. Got to love parity.

You just did. And that's probably going to be accurate for the next ten years.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

You just did. And that's probably going to be accurate for the next ten years.

I agree with everything but LSU. They just lost their 2 best coaches, a once in a lifetime QB, 7 underclassmen, 13 seniors, and a former player is handing out $$ on the field. It would not surprise me to see LSU drop to 8-4 or worse next year. They are really going to miss Brady and Aranda.

 

[RickStromFan]

You just did. And that's probably going to be accurate for the next ten years.

It's why the NFL is more interesting to me. This year is a great example: No one in August saw TENN nor SF getting this far. No one 3 weeks ago saw TENN getting this far.

Conversely, there's no "TENN" in college football nor will there ever be.

 

[4shotB]

It's why the NFL is more interesting to me. This year is a great example: No one in August saw TENN nor SF getting this far. No one 3 weeks ago saw TENN getting this far.

Conversely, there's no "TENN" in college football nor will there ever be.

I am leaning more and more in the NFL direction myself. The parity thing, as you say, is its biggest drawing card. There is no one who can predict right now the 4 league championship particpants next year but we have a good shot at picking the CFP participants. I think paying players at the college level would be the proverbial last straw for me. If I want to watch paid FB players, I will do it at the next level up.

 

[kyle.smith828]

I thought it kind of interesting that while the committee and the critics wailed about Clemson's ACC schedule, Oklahoma seems to get there most years by winning the Big 12, a collection of hustlers after the big prize. But I'll play: Clemson, Alabama, OSU (over my protests) and Oregon. If the committee is determined to have two SEC teams, the second will be Auburn, not LSU. And again I am hoping that Miami, FSU, VT and the sleeper in the bunch, UNC, toughens up in a hurry. I am convinced Clemson's struggles in the first half against OSU was a direct result of a weak schedule, in turn dictated by the conference.

The committee will be determined to have 2 SEC schools. They cant go two seasons in row without 2 SEC schools! They're not going to let THAT happen again!

I don't believe in Malzahn. Never have. The Auburn squad that got to the NC in his first season as HC was perhaps one of the luckiest teams in the history of CFB. Theyll win some games next year, no doubt, but theyll poop away at least 2 winnable games.

The elephant in the room here UGA. Hate to break it to you, but Jamie Newman is a Baller. White at RB will easily rush for 1k plus yards and Pickens at WR seems to be legit.

I hate it as much as the rest of you, but Newman is going to push that UGA offense forward. Theyll be a better team in 2020.

The Final Four will be: UGA, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State.

 

[Vespidae]

It's why the NFL is more interesting to me. This year is a great example: No one in August saw TENN nor SF getting this far. No one 3 weeks ago saw TENN getting this far.

Conversely, there's no "TENN" in college football nor will there ever be.

Gene Stallings made a comment last year about Alabama. For something like 48 games in a row (don’t recall the exact number), they were favored to win. Just amazing. And totally unbalanced.

Clemson? Half the team is studying Pre-Business, which is a freshman program. Even the seniors. The rest? Parks and Recreation. Insane.

 

[Vespidae]

The committee will be determined to have 2 SEC schools. They cant go two seasons in row without 2 SEC schools! They're not going to let THAT happen again!

I don't believe in Malzahn. Never have. The Auburn squad that got to the NC in his first season as HC was perhaps one of the luckiest teams in the history of CFB. Theyll win some games next year, no doubt, but theyll poop away at least 2 winnable games.

The elephant in the room here UGA. Hate to break it to you, but Jamie Newman is a Baller. White at RB will easily rush for 1k plus yards and Pickens at WR seems to be legit.

I hate it as much as the rest of you, but Newman is going to push that UGA offense forward. Theyll be a better team in 2020.

The Final Four will be: UGA, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State.

Didn’t UGA just lose their entire OL? Rumblings are UGA is not happy right now as some left to NFL, some to other schools, and some just don’t like Kirby.

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

I think (hope) UGA has peaked. I have little faith in their transfer QB with what I saw in the bowl game. They will always win 9-10 games, but hopefully AU, UT, and UF are about to make some noise. I just wish they played Bama and LSU more often.

 

[Skeptic]

I think Justin Jefferson could be another Julio Jones

Well, there is this QB fellow ...

 

[Skeptic]

The committee will be determined to have 2 SEC schools. They cant go two seasons in row without 2 SEC schools! They're not going to let THAT happen again!

I don't believe in Malzahn. Never have. The Auburn squad that got to the NC in his first season as HC was perhaps one of the luckiest teams in the history of CFB. Theyll win some games next year, no doubt, but theyll poop away at least 2 winnable games.

The elephant in the room here UGA. Hate to break it to you, but Jamie Newman is a Baller. White at RB will easily rush for 1k plus yards and Pickens at WR seems to be legit.

I hate it as much as the rest of you, but Newman is going to push that UGA offense forward. Theyll be a better team in 2020.

The Final Four will be: UGA, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State.

Georgia in the playoffs would be like having your idiot nephew apply to Harvard. Anybody can but there is no point to it.

 

[chris975d]

Didn’t UGA just lose their entire OL? Rumblings are UGA is not happy right now as some left to NFL, some to other schools, and some just don’t like Kirby.

Being very close to Athens, and having quite a few customers that are deep into UGA (athletics/academics/administration), I hear a surprising amount of discontent for Kirby as a head coach, and it’s actually increased since he was hired. There are A LOT of people that have/had interactions with him that aren’t too kind in what they same about him.

 

[CTJacket]

It's why the NFL is more interesting to me. This year is a great example: No one in August saw TENN nor SF getting this far. No one 3 weeks ago saw TENN getting this far.

Conversely, there's no "TENN" in college football nor will there ever be.

The last 'Tennessee Titans' in CFB was in 1990...
I don't like the NFL, but I agree with you that if there aren't structural changes then it's going to devolve into a 5-8 team rush for the playoffs every year. Even LSU isn't that big of a surprise in terms of being good, they always recruit lights-out. Being THIS good on offense was, but it's because Coach O made a good hire/change, they've always had talent.

 

[WreckinGT]

I am leaning more and more in the NFL direction myself. The parity thing, as you say, is its biggest drawing card. There is no one who can predict right now the 4 league championship particpants next year but we have a good shot at picking the CFP participants. I think paying players at the college level would be the proverbial last straw for me. If I want to watch paid FB players, I will do it at the next level up.

The NFL is just a better product in general. Its not just parity in who makes the playoffs, there is parity in nearly every game. The worst team in the league can beat anyone on any given day. Every game feels like it is worth watching. College football feels like it is so concentrated into just a few games every week and even those tend to not be all that competitive anymore. I have lost a lot of interest outside of Tech games.

 

[YJMD]

I doubt there is a single player on LSU's roster that would start in the NFL. There may be a number of future NFL players, but, most likely, not even Jefferson will be a rookie starter, and he's the most NFL ready.

I really disagree with that. Kristian Fulton is a serious stud at QB and is very consistent and well rounded. He will be ready. Jefferson is a stud and is somewhat similar. His strengths in particular are skills rather than attributes. I don't know if he'll be a #1 receiver type long-term but I think he's definitely NFL starter ready. And of course there's Burrow. He'll be #1 either by the Bengals because they are ready to install him as the franchise QB or because they made a trade to someone else who is ready for that. He has the highest ever QB draft grade, and it's his pocket presence and understanding of defenses which creates the majority of that. He doesn't have any weaknesses in the tools department either.

Obviously there are always busts and injuries, and plenty of times guys who could start on a different roster get drafted and have to wait their turn some. These guys though are all high draft prospects because of their skill set and consistency rather than projecting upside. But while they may not have the most exceptional tools, all of them have the requisite athleticism to be every down players. That's the best possible scenario for early play.

 

[forensicbuzz]

I really disagree with that. Kristian Fulton is a serious stud at QB and is very consistent and well rounded. He will be ready. Jefferson is a stud and is somewhat similar. His strengths in particular are skills rather than attributes. I don't know if he'll be a #1 receiver type long-term but I think he's definitely NFL starter ready. And of course there's Burrow. He'll be #1 either by the Bengals because they are ready to install him as the franchise QB or because they made a trade to someone else who is ready for that. He has the highest ever QB draft grade, and it's his pocket presence and understanding of defenses which creates the majority of that. He doesn't have any weaknesses in the tools department either.

Obviously there are always busts and injuries, and plenty of times guys who could start on a different roster get drafted and have to wait their turn some. These guys though are all high draft prospects because of their skill set and consistency rather than projecting upside. But while they may not have the most exceptional tools, all of them have the requisite athleticism to be every down players. That's the best possible scenario for early play.

I have no doubt that there is starter quality talent on the LSU roster, I just doubt that any of them will be rookie starters. I think they'll get playing time, but doubt it as a starter. Of course, that's situational too, as you pointed out. That was my only point. Jefferson is probably the closest, especially if he goes to a team that is starting a 3 WR set. Regardless, my point was that LSU would most likely be demolished by the worst NFL team.

 

[YJMD]

I have no doubt that there is starter quality talent on the LSU roster, I just doubt that any of them will be rookie starters. I think they'll get playing time, but doubt it as a starter. Of course, that's situational too, as you pointed out. That was my only point. Jefferson is probably the closest, especially if he goes to a team that is starting a 3 WR set. Regardless, my point was that LSU would most likely be demolished by the worst NFL team.

Is there ever a college team that wouldn't?

 

[forensicbuzz]

Is there ever a college team that wouldn't?

Nope. But there are those on here suggesting such.

 

[RickStromFan]

The NFL is just a better product in general. Its not just parity in who makes the playoffs, there is parity in nearly every game. The worst team in the league can beat anyone on any given day. Every game feels like it is worth watching. College football feels like it is so concentrated into just a few games every week and even those tend to not be all that competitive anymore. I have lost a lot of interest outside of Tech games.

Exactly. You have several "Miami beats New England" type of games every year in the NFL that are just head-scratchers on paper. Yet, college football hasn't seen one of those since...App St over Michigan?

 

[TooTall]

Final Four next year: Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Florida. Without an experienced quarterback teams like Oregon, Alabama and LSU will come up short.

Go Jackets!

How will clempson make it with 2 loses to the Yellow Jackets? How will ND make it with a blowout loss to the Yellow Jackets?

Go Tech!!! Wreck everyone's season and improve our own!!!!

 

[JacketOff]

Exactly. You have several "Miami beats New England" type of games every year in the NFL that are just head-scratchers on paper. Yet, college football hasn't seen one of those since...App St over Michigan?

I think comparing the Dolphins over the Patriots to App St. over Michigan is a little extreme no? I’d say it’s way more similar to USCe over UGAg, or Illinois over Wisconsin, which there are generally quite a few games like that in college football every year. There’s also not as much parity in the NFL as people like to imagine there is. I mean this is the first time since like 2000 that Brady, Big Ben, or Peyton aren’t playing for the AFC Championship.