Other College Football

[DirkPiggler]

so, in terms of "giant upsets" in Bowl games, we are talking Boise State in 2007 and TCU over Michigan in 2022-- 15 years apart.  Yes, upsets do happen, but "giant upsets" are extremely rare, or so it seems to me.  I haven't done any research, so I am sure some of you guys will come up with half a dozen others in the last 15 years.  But how many out of the total number of bowl games?

Alabama shit the bed in the Sugar Bowl against Utah in 2008 as well.

Oklahoma spanked a much better Alabama team in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.

Georgia Tech stomped Miss State's best team ever the following year.

Houston smoked heavily favored FSU in 2015.

I can keep going, but nearly every year there is some team that feels like it underachieved and lacks motivation against a perceived lesser team in a major bowl without playoff implications.

[bigpig]

The system needs to eliminate the human element as much as possible.

Someone mentioned an old idea to just use conference title games and have automatic qualifiers.

There are four power conferences now that the Pac is dead. Four conference title games = 8 teams. The four winners play the semi-finals, the two winners play for the title.

That's it. Tough breaks to the independents and the mid-majors. Of course, the rise of super conferences and the elimination of divisions makes that impossible now.


Even then, someone would complain when there's a division that's really weak and another that's really strong. An 8 win team might get an upset in the conference title game and go in over an 11 win team that was in the same division as an undefeated team. Tough breaks. It's still fairer than the arbitrary committee.

[BleedinRed]

Or, we could have a 36 team playoff and do it the right way.

[DirkPiggler]

The system needs to eliminate the human element as much as possible.

Someone mentioned an old idea to just use conference title games and have automatic qualifiers.

There are four power conferences now that the Pac is dead. Four conference title games = 8 teams. The four winners play the semi-finals, the two winners play for the title.

That's it. Tough breaks to the independents and the mid-majors. Of course, the rise of super conferences and the elimination of divisions makes that impossible now.


Even then, someone would complain when there's a division that's really weak and another that's really strong. An 8 win team might get an upset in the conference title game and go in over an 11 win team that was in the same division as an undefeated team. Tough breaks. It's still fairer than the arbitrary committee.

I never liked the idea of a selection committee for the four team playoff, and like it even less for the expansion to twelve.

The problem with the BCS wasn't so much the formula used as it was the limitation to two teams.  By having a selection committee you bring in human biases and the interests of those funding the process i.e. ESPN.  The example I always used was this...suppose you had 12-1 Oklahoma State and 11-1 Notre Dame vying for the fourth spot, with equivalent resumes.  Does anyone think that the TV execs wouldn't make their desire known for the national media darling to get in over the program that isn't even really relevant in its small home state?

Put in the top twelve teams in a BCS-like formula into the playoffs, seeded by their computer generated ranking.  Or give the four conference champions automatic bids and pick 5-12 using the formula.  Take the human element and the desire to maximize revenue versus selecting the better team out of it. 

[animal]

We will potentially end up in a situation where the national champion is a 1 loss team where another P5 program is undefeated on the season....

So this may be a year where certain powers make sure the champion is undefeated.

[Hogfan58]

And what happened to TCU in the finals?  That's at least part of what they are trying to avoid this year.  They don't want another rout in the finals.

I heard a lot of talking heads mention this last night. What they don't mention is who TCU beat to get to the finals...oh, it was Michigan. Sign stealing Michigan. Fuck them, I hope Bama rolls them. 

[vegashog]

is it the committee's job to predict winners and base their selections on that?

[Texzilla]

The system needs to eliminate the human element as much as possible.

Someone mentioned an old idea to just use conference title games and have automatic qualifiers.

There are four power conferences now that the Pac is dead. Four conference title games = 8 teams. The four winners play the semi-finals, the two winners play for the title.

That's it. Tough breaks to the independents and the mid-majors. Of course, the rise of super conferences and the elimination of divisions makes that impossible now.


Even then, someone would complain when there's a division that's really weak and another that's really strong. An 8 win team might get an upset in the conference title game and go in over an 11 win team that was in the same division as an undefeated team. Tough breaks. It's still fairer than the arbitrary committee.

This was the genius of Frank Broyles 30 years ago.  Made it easy. 

[Texzilla]

is it the committee's job to predict winners and base their selections on that?

It's their job to listen to the entity that paid for this made for TV event and take their instructions. If I'm paying the bill I'm looking for the most eyeballs.  No one delivers ratings like the SEC.  It's the way of the world. 

[AporkalypseNow]

I heard a lot of talking heads mention this last night. What they don't mention is who TCU beat to get to the finals...oh, it was Michigan. Sign stealing Michigan. Fuck them, I hope Bama rolls them. 

Right.  That's a GREAT point had TCU not beaten an undefeated B1G champ FIRST, then got rolled by UGa.

[jdcatty]

Alabama shit the bed in the Sugar Bowl against Utah in 2008 as well.

Oklahoma spanked a much better Alabama team in the 2013 Sugar Bowl.

Georgia Tech stomped Miss State's best team ever the following year.

Houston smoked heavily favored FSU in 2015.

I can keep going, but nearly every year there is some team that feels like it underachieved and lacks motivation against a perceived lesser team in a major bowl without playoff implications.

Maybe one "nearly every year" but certainly not consistently when there are at least 5 "major" bowls every year.

[DirkPiggler]

Maybe one "nearly every year" but certainly not consistently when there are at least 5 "major" bowls every year.

I would think one per year is pretty consistent.  Especially when you consider that most major bowls are fairly evenly matched in terms of talent and motivation.  I don't see how it could get more consistent than that.

[Son of Spam]

I would think one per year is pretty consistent.  Especially when you consider that most major bowls are fairly evenly matched in terms of talent and motivation.  I don't see how it could get more consistent than that.

I think the bowls are pretty evenly matched until players start opting out. Then maybe not.

[TC]

To reiterate: it doesn't matter what you DID, only what fortune tellers THINK you'll do.

[jdcatty]

I would be curious to know what the line would have been in a Michigan FSU matchup.

[Show-Me Hog]

Imagine the Orange Bowl having second thoughts because our starters were out. Imagine never having heard of Roland Sales.

It's just crazy to me that some committee thinks it can predict how good a team will be after a starter goes out. Of course, it's crazy to me because you can't predict that. All you have to go on is scoreboard. "I think they'll be worse" is bovine excrement. As the Hogs proved on January 1, 1978.

[buff2.0]

Oh noes, we can't have another TCU-losing-to-Georgia situation!

https://x.com/ErickaP30/status/1732056091360370790?s=20

[Pig Benis]

I would be curious to know what the line would have been in a Michigan FSU matchup.

I believe the projected line was Michigan -10 or 11

[DrMongoose]

if you look at the bodies of work - Why is Michigan #1?

who did the beat of note besides Ohio State ( who beat Notre Dame - oooo wow!)

   3 ranked teams   - in 13 games.
      then #10 Penn State -  now CFP #10
      then #2 Ohio State -  now CFP #7
      then #16 Iowa -  now CFP #17 despite NO OFFENSE!!


it will be interesting to see how Oregon and Washington do next year as Big 10 members - might be easier than the Pac-12.

[buff2.0]

Let's not forget one of the greatest trolls ever

https://x.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1730997646658068940?s=20