Central Florida can always lay claim to the crown due to their unblemished record and the way theu dispatched an Auburn team that defeated Alabama. In the end their case is as strong as the eventual winner.
I actually watched the full 2nd half from the bed. I didn't want to risk waking Cindy with the noise of the walker and wheel chair getting back to my computer. When Bama and Georgia were both named in the semifinal games, I saw the possibility of an all SEC final. This result is the best tool to justify moving to an 8 team playoff. Let the cards fall where they may. Congrats to KP on the win but I must pick Georgia since they are the SEC East team. However, may the best team win and that is probably Bama. Defense wins championships.
kp, I know you've been concerned about Hurts at QB. The kid they had playing in his place last night was really good. What was his name? :wink:
Congrats kp, I didn't see the 2nd half but it was pretty clear when I went to bed that the Alabama defense was holding the day. I think this should be a heck of a Nat'l Title game. Georgia offense though is exactly the type of offense that Alabama defense is built to defend. So I'll give the Tide the edge. But then the Alabama offense is also what Smart should be glad to be facing. I expect a low scoring game. Turnovers and kicking game.will be the factor.
It must not exist then. Rewatch last years Championship game. Clemson won that game on a pick. I don't know where our defense has been this year but they showed up last night. Let the haters hate. All they have to do it beat us. Clemson and Oklahoma had their chances. UCF made a big statement. I think their problem is two-fold. One their schedule and two the fact that they came from out of nowhere. They will get more attention earlier next year.
For those on the "UCF is co-champion etc etc. bandwagon or let's have an 8 team playoff".... the NCAA schedule rankings have Clemson, Ok, Bama and Ga all in the top 7 of schedule strength whereas UCF's schedule was ranked #54. So they would have been included in an 8 team playoff you say? Not so fast my friend..... they were 12th in the final playoff rankings so no inclusion in an 8 team playoff. Great team... won them all.... but we'll never know how they would have fared with an SEC schedule more than winning a bunch of games like an Auburn perhaps..... but how would they have done week in and week out? Two maybe three losses... enough to keep them out of a playoff? Do they have the depth it would take to compete well all season long in the SEC?
It's that same argument that has been around since the 80's when an undefeated BYU team won the NC by beating a mediocre Mich team in the Holiday Bowl. Since then Boise State has had some great seasons where they got up there in the rankings and even beat some Power 5 teams in bowls but never were really considered for the Nat'l Title due to schedule and the conference they played in at the time. Bottom line is I don't know what a Group of 5 team would have to do to get into the CFP, but it'd have to be spectacular. They'd have to have a couple of Power 5 teams on their schedule and hammer them and continue the beatings in their conference. Probably the only way is for them to do what I said 2 years in a row with a large part of the 1st years team coming back including a QB, so that they were in the top 25 at least to start the season then rape and pillage their way through the year..they might make it. But even then it'd probably require several Power 5 Conf Champions to have 2 losses.
Yep.... like I said #12 in the playoff rankings won't get you into too many playoffs. Now if you want to make a case for Ohio State I might be inclined to listen.... except that Bama just manhandled Clemson whereas OSU's last encounter with the Tigers left the Buckeyes with a stinging 31-0 embarassment.
I do think we ended up with the best 4 teams this year. Ohio State was close no doubt. But I don't think they would have beaten any of the 4 teams in the semi-finals this year. Just think though, all of these teams needed some big time plays to get to where they are. Georgia had a WR make an incredible catch falling out of bounds in the endzone to beat Notre Dame, it was nearly not a catch. Alabama was on the ropes at Miss State. Oklahoma was down to mediocre Baylor and a decent Iowa State team before Mayfield performed his magic. And Clemson had a bad loss to a bad Syracuse team and struggled with both Wake Forrest and NCState. it's tough to be undefeated, a lot of bounces have to go your way. 8 team playoff would certainly make conferences feel better as in all but rare years their Champs would be in the top 8 and it would allow for IMHO a fair shot for the Irish as well. Group of 5 teams would still need some help though. Going to 16 teams and eliminating the bowls for the most part would make everybody happy, Group of 5, Conferences, Irish, etc. Everybody would have a shot. But then like MLB and NFL you'd have to be prepared for some big time upsets and a 'wild card" type of team winning it all because they got hot and other teams maybe had some critical injuries.
kp... what has been called or not called in the past is not relevant to the game last night. That score did not factor in the outcome of the game, which Bama dominated, so I don't bring it up as a reason Clemson lost... just that it was a textbook example of when the penalty SHOULD be called. Not only was it a pick, but the Bama guy was blocking and HOLDING the defender prior to the ball being thrown. As I said it wouldn't have changed the outcome, but should have been called.
Pick play is a problem all across football. Ask ND fans about the pick play called on us in the FSU game in 2015. It's become like holding, you could call it on almost every passing down it seems in the NFL/College game. There is no real solution unfortunately.
Since most of us use comparitive results to argue which team or conference is better, here is a website everyone will find useful. http://www.myteamisbetterthanyourteam.com/default.asp?sport=CFB&winner=Florida&loser=Alabama&year=2017&method=2
Lol...it was a shorter route for Notre Dame is better than Alabama than it was for Florida is better than Alabama!
That is greatness Bob! I did a random scroll and it found a way for Incarnate Word to be better than Alabama! :lol:
Scott, my point was it is almost never called. I guess if you don't want to look at context then you're right what is called or not called in the past doesn't matter. Kind of like travelling in the NBA. If you don't look at the past then it would seem like a travesty every time it occurred. 8)
Bob, that is a fun site. I flipped it and it was a 2 game run for Alabama over Florida. You. Would never lose an argument with that webpage. :lol:
I'll say.... it's long ass road for Florida to be better than Alabama... but first the Gators have to be better than Georgia.... which may an even longer road... :wink: :cry:
It can show a route that "proves" that Tennessee was better than both Alabama and Georgia this past season. For that, I call BS! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Back to the semi's. I've decided that Lincoln Riley's decision to squibb kick right before the half was the turning point in the game. Gave them just enough position to make 1 play and then the kid with the glasses made a 55yd FG. Also I wonder how much Baker Mayfield jumping all around and running up the field after the trick play where he caught the TD passes made the Georgia Defense say ok no more.
Terry, I think that is the double-edged sword of players that celebrate that enthusiastic. He fired up his team but he also motive his opponents to shut him down. Coach Bryant used to preach to act like you've been there before. I kind of like that approach. I'm sure most coaches would like for their players to save the over-the-top celebs for after the game.