A bad loss early in the season apparently doesn't matter.*

[droner]

`

[Black Diamond Vol]

Worst final four I can possibly imagine.  I can't root for a single team.

[Ridge Runner]

Worst final four I can possibly imagine.  I can't root for a single team.

The Bama-Ocrio State game may be the  ultimate stadium implosion game.

[Black Diamond Vol]

The Bama-Ocrio State game may be the  ultimate stadium implosion game.

Yep.  But I'll be rooting for two meteors on NYD.  I used to like Oregon, before they transformed into Nike U.  Now they're at the epicenter of much that is wrong with college sports.  But I can't pull for FSU either.  Terrible, terrible, terrible.  No matter who wins, we all lose.

[droner]

Here is UT's problem, assuming we get to the point where we're in the running for the playoff.

If more weight is given to how you finish rather than the total season, UT will have to win the SECCG in order to get in because our schedule peters out at the end of the season.

[Ridge Runner]

Yep.  But I'll be rooting for two meteors on NYD.  I used to like Oregon, before they transformed into Nike U.  Now they're at the epicenter of much that is wrong with college sports.  But I can't pull for FSU either.  Terrible, terrible, terrible.  No matter who wins, we all lose.

Yeah, if not for Jameis Winston, FSU would be the least of the four evils, but I just can't pull for that overprivileged, over-protected jackass. I thought Georgia Tech was going to get them for awhile.

[BanditVol]

Here is UT's problem, assuming we get to the point where we're in the running for the playoff.

If more weight is given to how you finish rather than the total season, UT will have to win the SECCG in order to get in because our schedule peters out at the end of the season.

You are completely over-thinking this.  45-0 nuff said.  With a third string QB.  That cannot be denied.  As much as I despise Urban Crier and ToastSU, that is impressive.

Later games should matter more I would think.

As for our future prospects....well, I like your optimism. 

I seriously hope we do have to face the problem of being a one loss team and not getting in, and the sooner the better.

[VinnieVOL]

To me it's hard to argue with OSU making it in after what they did to Wisconsin.  It's my understanding that the goal of the committee is to select the 4 best teams right now, and as much as I dislike the 4 they chose I think they got it right.

That being said, I hope Bama beats OSU by 100.

[Clockwork Orange]

To me it's hard to argue with OSU making it in after what they did to Wisconsin.  It's my understanding that the goal of the committee is to select the 4 best teams right now, and as much as I dislike the 4 they chose I think they got it right.

That being said, I hope Bama beats OSU by 100.

Yeah, the problem is not really that OSU was included but rather how it happened-- TCU wins by 52, doing exactly what it should have done, and drops three spots. This is precisely why they shouldn't have been releasing weekly rankings. It made their work on this final weekend harder and more controversial than it needed to be.

[Volznut]

I don't think it was about "weight" at what you do at the end of the season. Ohio state got in by TCU basically because of $$$. TCU doesn't have the fanbase Ohio state has, and they won't get the TV ratings or bring the fans to the bowl like Ohio state.

[Volznut]

To me it's hard to argue with OSU making it in after what they did to Wisconsin.  It's my understanding that the goal of the committee is to select the 4 best teams right now, and as much as I dislike the 4 they chose I think they got it right.

That being said, I hope Bama beats OSU by 100.

can't root for Bama. No way.

[Clockwork Orange]

I'm pulling for Oregon. Don't care who wins in Alabama-OSU as long as that team loses in the finals.

[Creek Walker]

This is why I don't like the playoff. It cheapens the regular season, while failing to solve anything. I predicted that it wouldn't be long before people were crying foul over some team that didn't make the top four teams and there would be a call to expand the field to eight. Here we are in year one, and that's already happening. Well, guess what? Expanding it to eight teams isn't going to satisfy everyone, either...not in the long run. Heck, the basketball tournament was at 64 teams and they recently expanded it to 68 to keep "deserving" teams from being left out. And every time the playoff field is expanded, it cheapens the regular season just a little bit more.

[Memphisvolunteer]

I agree with the poster above.  They shouldn't have released weekly rankings.  They had TCU third on Tuesday and TCU went out and beat their oppt by 52 points and they drop 3 spots.  That is just insane.  Also, they said on Tuesday that head to head against Baylor didn't mean anything and that basically TCU was ahead of Baylor in the rankings because they were a better football team and had played a tough non-conference schedule.  But then at the end, they drop TCU behind Baylor...just doesn't make sense!

With that said, I said last night that this may be the only time I ever root for Bama just so OSU loses to another SEC team.  I honestly think that OSU will get buried by Bama.  I watched several of OSU's last games and they were trailing Indiana in the 4th and scored 2 TD's at the end to make it look better.  they struggled against Michigan and another team I watched.  They can't do that against Bama.  I just don't see them scoring that much against bama and I expect bama to kill them with Cooper and then ground control with Yeldon and Henry.

With the poster that said our schedule peters out at the end.  OSU played Indiana and Michigan to end the regular season so I don't think that will have anything to do with it if we can get back into the national scene.  Playing in the SEC, you are going to get the benefit of the doubt.

[Memphisvolunteer]

This is why I don't like the playoff. It cheapens the regular season, while failing to solve anything. I predicted that it wouldn't be long before people were crying foul over some team that didn't make the top four teams and there would be a call to expand the field to eight. Here we are in year one, and that's already happening. Well, guess what? Expanding it to eight teams isn't going to satisfy everyone, either...not in the long run. Heck, the basketball tournament was at 64 teams and they recently expanded it to 68 to keep "deserving" teams from being left out. And every time the playoff field is expanded, it cheapens the regular season just a little bit more.

I have heard people talk about doing Power 5 champions and then 3 at-large but I agree that people would be arguing about the 3 at-large teams.  My solution is to do a 6 team playoff with the top 2 seeds getting a bye (like the NFL).  The 6 teams would be the champions of the 1)SEC, 2) ACC, 3) Big 10, 4) Big 12, 5) PAC 12, and 6) MWC/American/C-USA with which ever team is ranked higher.  Or an 8 team playoff with the champions of all the before mentioned teams.  That way, the regular season means something and winning your conference means something.

[VOLMAN]

they did. TCU didn't win its own conference, I thought it was weak seeing the coach in the locker room seemingly trying to convince the committee that they were "co-champions"....how do you declare yourself co-champions with the team that beat you head-to-head??? Even the BIG 12 wouldn't declare a champion. TCU drilled a 2-10 team, so what....OSU (of which I an no fan btw, hate 'em consider them one of the media darlings), with a 3RD STRING QB, beat Wisconsin, who had a top 10 D and one of the best rushing attacks in the country, 59 to ZERO....even I had to give them cudos for that accomplishment. I couldn't have voted TCU over OSU given those facts. I think the BIG 12 may have a championship game next year, you want your last victory before the selection committee makes its selection to be against a good team, not some 2-10 flunky.   

[Clockwork Orange]

This is why I don't like the playoff. It cheapens the regular season, while failing to solve anything. I predicted that it wouldn't be long before people were crying foul over some team that didn't make the top four teams and there would be a call to expand the field to eight. Here we are in year one, and that's already happening. Well, guess what? Expanding it to eight teams isn't going to satisfy everyone, either...not in the long run. Heck, the basketball tournament was at 64 teams and they recently expanded it to 68 to keep "deserving" teams from being left out. And every time the playoff field is expanded, it cheapens the regular season just a little bit more.

Why do you say the regular season has been cheapened this year? I think a big playoff could slightly cheapen the regular season, but how is this year's any "cheaper" than it was a year ago?

I still think the best way to expand the playoff-- which will happen and needs to happen-- is to include byes for the top teams. Then the regular season is in no way cheap-- every game will count for those teams competing for byes. Give me a 6- or 12-team playoff, with NO automatic bids.

The bottom line here is that both TCU and Baylor earned a shot every bit as much as OSU and Oregon did, and both were left out. This year is a fine example where two teams were definitely not enough, but four weren't either. Six would have gotten it done this year.

[Creek Walker]

Why do you say the regular season has been cheapened this year? I think a big playoff could slightly cheapen the regular season, but how is this year's any "cheaper" than it was a year ago?

I still think the best way to expand the playoff-- which will happen and needs to happen-- is to include byes for the top teams. Then the regular season is in no way cheap-- every game will count for those teams competing for byes. Give me a 6- or 12-team playoff, with NO automatic bids.

The bottom line here is that both TCU and Baylor earned a shot every bit as much as OSU and Oregon did, and both were left out. This year is a fine example where two teams were definitely not enough, but four weren't either. Six would have gotten it done this year.

Ohio State was embarrassed AT HOME by a weak Virginia Tech team. To me, that's all the playoff needed. I don't disagree with OSU being selected as one of the four teams. After they destroyed Wisconsin it would've been criminal to leave them out. But it still cheapens the regular season. The way Alabama has played this second half of the season warrants their No. 1 ranking, but how many Alabama fans shrugged after their loss to Ole Miss because they knew they would still be one of the top four teams, regardless? I liked it better when the entire season hinged on every. single. game. It makes every game better and the rivalry games even bigger.

[Clockwork Orange]

Ohio State was embarrassed AT HOME by a weak Virginia Tech team. To me, that's all the playoff needed. I don't disagree with OSU being selected as one of the four teams. After they destroyed Wisconsin it would've been criminal to leave them out. But it still cheapens the regular season. The way Alabama has played this second half of the season warrants their No. 1 ranking, but how many Alabama fans shrugged after their loss to Ole Miss because they knew they would still be one of the top four teams, regardless? I liked it better when the entire season hinged on every. single. game. It makes every game better and the rivalry games even bigger.

But even if you ignore the OSU issue, who would the two selected teams have been for the old BCS? Alabama and Oregon? But what about FSU, who was unbeaten? The point is, two teams just wouldn't have gotten it done and years in which it works are the exception rather than the rule. I happen to think that's true for four teams as well.

To me it's worth the very small sacrifice of regular season importance in order to get three really interesting intersectional games and a more or less "true" champion at the end of the year. And if it expands to 6, 8, or 12-- even better from that standpoint.

JMO.

[BanditVol]

can't root for Bama. No way.

X 1000

[TheRealOrange]

Why do you say the regular season has been cheapened this year? I think a big playoff could slightly cheapen the regular season, but how is this year's any "cheaper" than it was a year ago?

I still think the best way to expand the playoff-- which will happen and needs to happen-- is to include byes for the top teams. Then the regular season is in no way cheap-- every game will count for those teams competing for byes. Give me a 6- or 12-team playoff, with NO automatic bids.

The bottom line here is that both TCU and Baylor earned a shot every bit as much as OSU and Oregon did, and both were left out. This year is a fine example where two teams were definitely not enough, but four weren't either. Six would have gotten it done this year.

I guess I am a real outlier when it comes to this stuff.  I became less interested in the "post season" with the advent of the BCS (never watched a BCS game other than in 1998), and I am even less interested now with its replacement.  I can almost guarantee that I won't watch one game other than the Vols, and maybe not even that game.  I didn't watch the Vols on TV all season.  Not one game.  I prefer being there, and even then I prefer the tailgates over the games.  College football has lost me for the most part, even during the regular season.  Sad, but true. 

[Clockwork Orange]

I guess I am a real outlier when it comes to this stuff.  I became less interested in the "post season" with the advent of the BCS (never watched a BCS game other than in 1998), and I am even less interested now with its replacement.  I can almost guarantee that I won't watch one game other than the Vols, and maybe not even that game.  I didn't watch the Vols on TV all season.  Not one game.  I prefer being there, and even then I prefer the tailgates over the games.  College football has lost me for the most part, even during the regular season.  Sad, but true. 

Why, do you think? Age, apathy due to UT's mediocrity, changes in the sport, all of the above? Most of those have hit me, too, but I still love it. I'll still watch meaningless games on TV, especially early in every season, and I will watch all of the playoff games this year if I can.

[Memphisvolunteer]

they did. TCU didn't win its own conference, I thought it was weak seeing the coach in the locker room seemingly trying to convince the committee that they were "co-champions"....how do you declare yourself co-champions with the team that beat you head-to-head??? Even the BIG 12 wouldn't declare a champion. TCU drilled a 2-10 team, so what....OSU (of which I an no fan btw, hate 'em consider them one of the media darlings), with a 3RD STRING QB, beat Wisconsin, who had a top 10 D and one of the best rushing attacks in the country, 59 to ZERO....even I had to give them cudos for that accomplishment. I couldn't have voted TCU over OSU given those facts. I think the BIG 12 may have a championship game next year, you want your last victory before the selection committee makes its selection to be against a good team, not some 2-10 flunky.   

Would you have said the same thing had it been Texas or Oklahoma that got bypassed by Ohio State?  I don't think the committee would have jumped a big name program like that. 

[Creek Walker]

The point is, two teams just wouldn't have gotten it done and years in which it works are the exception rather than the rule. I happen to think that's true for four teams as well.

I disagree. The years in which the BCS failed to crown a true national champion were the exception. How many years can you name off the top of your head where the best team wasn't crowned? Auburn in 2004 obviously comes to mind. I'm sure there are a couple of others, but they were few and far between.

If the BCS were still in play this year, Florida State would've wound up as the No. 2 team. Voters would've seen to that. And I think Alabama is a clear-cut No. 1 based on their play the past month and a half.

[volmeister]

I don't think it was about "weight" at what you do at the end of the season. Ohio state got in by TCU basically because of $$$. TCU doesn't have the fanbase Ohio state has, and they won't get the TV ratings or bring the fans to the bowl like Ohio state.

Why would Condoleeza Rice, Archie Manning, or anybody else on the selection committee care about who brings the most fans?