NCAA Football

[moonslav59]

The playoffs are starting to take shape, but an upset or two could shuffle everything.

The top 4 get a bye, and the next 4 host the first round games.

Here is a breakdown based on AP rankings

1. Oregon 11-0 plays Wash, then the conference championship game vs Ohio St (if they beat MI) or Penn St. They are no slam dunk for #1.

2. Ohio St 10-1 plays Michigan (win and they play ORE in conf gm)

3. Texas 10-1 plays at #15 TX A&M (winner plays GA)

4. Penn St. 10-1 plays MD. (need OSU to lose to make conf gm)

5. Notre Dame 10-1 plays at USC as last game. Ohio St may play ORE for Big Ten Championship. It's possible ND is ranked top 4 in the AP. but cannot be top 4 in the playoff structure. Sad,

6. Miami 10-1 plays at Syracuse. A win & they play SMU

7. Georgia 9-2 plays GA Tech and then SEC champion gm (vs TX or TX A&M)

8. Tennessee 9-2 plays at Vandy (no conf gm possible)

9. SMU 10-1 plays CA and ACC championship gm vs Clem or MIA

10. Indiana 10-1 plays Purdue. A win gets them in.

11. Boise St 10-1 plays ORE St. Win this and conf game & in.

12. Clemson 9-2 plays #18 S Carolina

13. Alabama 8-3 plays Auburn and might need someone to lose to make the top 12.

14. Ole Miss 8-3 & 15. S Carolina 8-3

16. Arizona St 9-2 plays at AZ and may play a conf championship game to sneak in. I think they may have better odds than Ole Miss and S Carolina

[moonslav59]

The Georgia- Georgia Tech game, last night, was one for the ages. That GT team looked like a top 10 team.

Had Georgia lost, it would have really given so many other teams a shot at the top 12- one being Alabama.

Some big games, today:

Ohio St is tied with Michigan at half. Win or loss, OSU is in.

#8 Tenn is tied with Vandy at half. Win and in. Loss and maybe in.

#12 Clemson is tied with #15 So Carolina in the 3rd Q: a Clemson win and their in. A So Car win might put them in over #13 Alabama.

Later....

#1 Oregon v Washington (Ore is in, even if they lose here and the conf game.)

#4 Penn St v MD (Penn St is in, even with a loss)

#5 ND at USC (ND should be in, even if they lose.)

#6 MIA at Syracuse (Upset special?)

#9 SMU v CA (Need to win to be in)

#10 Indiana v Purdue (IN needs a win.)

#13 Alabama v Auburn (may be shut out of the playoffs.)

#16 AZ St at AZ (may sneak in with 2-3 upsets)

[moonslav59]

Some big upsets, today. It looks like ALA may sneak in, afterall.

My top 15 teams:

1. ORE 12-0 (plays Penn St)

2. Texas 11-1 (plays Georgia)

3. Penn St. (Plays Ohio St)

4. Notre Dame 11-1

5. Ohio St 10-2

6. Georgia 10-2 (plays Texas)

7. Indianna 11-1

8. Tennessee 10-2

9. SMU 11-1 (plays Clemson)

10 Boise St. 11-1 (plays UNLV)

11. Alabama 9-3

12. So. Carolina 9-3

13. Ole Miss 9-3

14. Miami 10-2

15. AZ St. 9-3 (plays COL for Big 12 Championship and top 4 berth)

Clemson 9-3, IA St 10-2, UNLV 10-2, COL 9-3 (plays AZ St for Conf champ)

The college FB Playoffs seed the big 4 conference winners 1-4, so AZ St or COL will get a vert fortunate placement, while better teams have to win a game to advance.

The Oregon-Penn St winner should be #1. The loser maybe be the 5-7 seed.

The Texas-Georgia winner should be #2. The loser might be #5-7, if Texas or 9-12, if GA.

The SMU-Clemson winner will be top 4 seeded. If Clemson loses, they should be out of the top 12. If SMU loses they may slide in at #12. Probably not.

The AZ St-COL winner is the 4 seed, while the loser is out.

#5 should be ND or the loser of ORE-Penn St.

#7 should be the loser of GA-TX or Indiana/Tennessee/Ohio St. (#8-10)

Boise St and SMU could move up to #9 or 10, assuming they win, but maybe not. If one loses, AL likely makes it to #12. So. Carolina and Ole Miss could make a case over AL.

 

[moonslav59]

Conference playoffs to go...

The updated rankings came out, and it looks like Alabama will sneak in.

The final seeding will be the top 4 filled by the highest ranked of the 5 major conferences, which is really messed up. Two winners from:

15 AZ St v 16 IA St

 20 UNLV v 10 Boise St.

8 SMU v 17 Clemson (#12 MIA will be booted out)

The current rankings:

1. ORE, 2. Texas, 3. Penn St. 4. ND, 5. GA, 6. Ohio St., 7 TN, 8 SMU, 9 IN, 10, Boise St, 11 Alabama, 12 MIA 13 Ole Miss, 14 So Carolina

The final bracket will likely look like this:

BYE 1-4: 

1. Oregon- Penn St winner

2. Texas- Georgia winner

3.  SMU or Boise St (if winners)

4. Boise St /SMU or AZ St/IA St winner

5. Oregan - Penn St. Loser

6. Texas (if loses to GA) or Notre Dame

7.   Notre Dame (Georgia if TX wins)

8.  Ohio St.

9. Tennessee

10. Indiana

11. Alabama

12. Worst winner from SMU-Clemson/ Boise St- UNLV/ AZ St-IA St

(So Carolina, Ole Miss and Miami are out.)

1st round might be:

AZ St @ Penn St

Alabama @ Texas

Indiana @ Notre Dame

Tenn @ Ohio St.

 

[Thunder]

Given my new location in Western PA, I have fallen in love with Penn State this season. Most of the fanbase has very mixed feelings about the game tomorrow. They desperately want to win, to reassure themselves that James Franklin is capable of winning championship level games, but they also want to be able to host a CFP game, and the raucous environment that would come with it in State College. Can't do both. Either you win tomorrow and get the money off your back, or you host a first round game. Quite the position to be in.

[Jasonbay44]

6 hours ago, Thunder said:

Given my new location in Western PA, I have fallen in love with Penn State this season. Most of the fanbase has very mixed feelings about the game tomorrow. They desperately want to win, to reassure themselves that James Franklin is capable of winning championship level games, but they also want to be able to host a CFP game, and the raucous environment that would come with it in State College. Can't do both. Either you win tomorrow and get the money off your back, or you host a first round game. Quite the position to be in.

I have an influencer friend who’s a senior at Penn state and whenever she posts on Snapchat I always think about how awesome the atmosphere there looks. Definitely a place I’d love to watch a game. 

[Thunder]

8 hours ago, Jasonbay44 said:

I have an influencer friend who’s a senior at Penn state and whenever she posts on Snapchat I always think about how awesome the atmosphere there looks. Definitely a place I’d love to watch a game. 

 

Would that be Katie Feeney? 

[Jasonbay44]

2 hours ago, Thunder said:

 

Would that be Katie Feeney? 

Yes. I wasn’t sure how popular she was outside of Maryland/Pennsylvania. Shes really living the dream, but I’m happy for her. She’s always been super nice, especially to the HS/college girls I work with who are obsessed with the lifestyle she’s living.

[Thunder]

Well to be fair, I am also in PA so I’m definitely within her local sphere of influence. But yeah I’ve been following her since she was a freshman and I was a senior at UConn in 2020-21. So many people in my HS went to PSU, so I was already casually intrigued by the football program when I started following her.

My interest in her goes beyond football though. I’m far from being the most masculine person on the planet so I vibe with some of the other content on her platform as well. Definitely not one of those obsessed fan girlies though

[moonslav59]

I'm hoping Oregon beats Penn St for selfish reasons. If that happens, I think the seeding would go like this:

1. Oregon

2. Texas (assuming they beat TX A&M)

3. SMU or Boise St

4. Boise St or AZ St/IA St winner (or Clemson/UNLV assuming they upset SMU or Boise St)

5. Notre Dame vs worst big 5 champ

6. Penn St vs Alabama

7. Georgia vs IN

8. Ohio St vs TN

9. Tennessee

10. Indiana

11. Alabama

12. Worst big Conference winner 

In terms of best match-ups: ND vs IN

[moonslav59]

#10 Boise St won their conference title, so they will likely be seeded #3 or #4- sad, but true. If #8 SMU beats #17 Clemson, I think they get the #3 slot. If Clemson wins, I'm not sure if they get the #4 slot or #15 AZ St does. AZ St beat #16 IA St 45-19, today.

Update projected:

1. Oregon- Penn St winner

2. Texas or Georgia

3. SMU (if they beat Clemson) or Boise St

4. Boise St or Clemson/AZ St

5. Notre Dame or Oregon (if Penn St wins)

6. Penn St or ND (assuming ORE wins)

7. Texas, if they lose to Georgia

8. Ohio St (up one, if GA loses)

9. Tennessee (up one, if GA loses)

10. Indiana (up one, if GA loses) Georgia might be 10th, if they lose

11. Alabama or SMU, if they lose to Clemson

12. AZ St or Clemson 

Miami has a case to be made over ALA, maybe So Carolina and Ole Miss, too.

 

[Jasonbay44]

5 hours ago, Thunder said:

Well to be fair, I am also in PA so I’m definitely within her local sphere of influence. But yeah I’ve been following her since she was a freshman and I was a senior at UConn in 2020-21. So many people in my HS went to PSU, so I was already casually intrigued by the football program when I started following her.

My interest in her goes beyond football though. I’m far from being the most masculine person on the planet so I vibe with some of the other content on her platform as well. Definitely not one of those obsessed fan girlies though

Yeah that’s fair. She went to HS in Maryland and is friends with a girl I work so she’d be around a decent amount and still stops by sometimes during her breaks. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her over the past few years. . I know she does a lot of like dancing trend content and stuff but I mainly follow her socials for the experiences she has. I remember watching her stories and seeing her interview Justin Jefferson on like a Tuesday and one time at work she faced time Joey Porter Jr and let one of the girls I work with whose a Steelers fan talk to him which was cool. 
 

 

[Jasonbay44]

Not sure if Arizona State will win a playoff game but I love watching Cam Skattebo play. Dude is such a beast 

[moonslav59]

2 hours ago, Jasonbay44 said:

Not sure if Arizona State will win a playoff game but I love watching Cam Skattebo play. Dude is such a beast 

It could end up being AZ St at ND.

[moonslav59]

I do not think an 11-2 Texas deserves to be seeded ahead of 11-1 ND.

1. Oregon 12-0 or Penn St. 11-1

2. Georgia 11-2

3. SMU 11-1 or Boise St 12-1

4. Boise St 12-1  (or AZ St. if SMU loses)

5. ND 11-1  or Oregon, if they lose.

6. Texas 11-2

7. Penn St (if they lose)

8. Ohio St 10-2

9, Tennessee 10-2

10. Indiana 11-1

11. Alabama

12. AZ St or Clemson (if they beat SMU)

10. 

[Thunder]

That win by Arizona State today was impressive. Would love to see them get a bye to the quarterfinals and then make a run. As a huge college basketball/professional baseball fan, I love this new format. You could rewarded for winning your conference, and it sets up the opportunity for the hottest team to make a run to the championship. Best of both worlds!

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Thunder said:

That win by Arizona State today was impressive. Would love to see them get a bye to the quarterfinals and then make a run. As a huge college basketball/professional baseball fan, I love this new format. You could rewarded for winning your conference, and it sets up the opportunity for the hottest team to make a run to the championship. Best of both worlds!

Close call, but I think Boise St gets the #3 slot and AZ St gets the #4 slot (bye) over Clemson.

Here would be my rankings:

1. Oregon 13-0

2. Georgia 11-2

3. Boise St 12-1

4. AZ St 11-2

______________________

5. Notre Dame 11-1 vs 12. SMU 11-2 (They may pick 9-3 Alabama)

6. Texas 11-2 vs 11. Clemson 11-2

7. Penn St 11-2 vs 10. Indiana 11-1

8. Ohio St. 10-2 vs Tennessee 10-2

________________________

13. Alabama 9-3

14. Miami 10-2

15. Ole Miss 9-3

16. So Carolina 9-3

17. BYU 11-2

18. Missouri 9-3

19. Army 12-1

20. Memphis 10-2 (Illinois & Syracuse 9-3)

[Thunder]

I would personally put Alabama in over SMU, as well as Miami for that matter. Sure, they have 3 losses, but neither SMU or Miami have wins against currently ranked teams. Alabama beat Georgia, which is now incredibly valuable due to Georgia winning the SEC

[moonslav59]

4 hours ago, Thunder said:

I would personally put Alabama in over SMU, as well as Miami for that matter. Sure, they have 3 losses, but neither SMU or Miami have wins against currently ranked teams. Alabama beat Georgia, which is now incredibly valuable due to Georgia winning the SEC

Ole Miss is 9-3, too. They beat GA and killed So Carolina 27-3.

I do think both teams, maybe even 9-3 Missouri are better than SMU and MIA, but records should count, and losing 3 games is not good.

MIA lost to GA Tech, same as GA, but that loss to SYR hurt.

SMU makes the playoffs, if they didn't have to play a conference game (like AL, MIA and Ole Miss & others.) Their only loss before that nail-biter, last night was to an 11-2 BYU team, who could argue they belong over ALA.

This playoff system sure generated some late season buzz, and it's better to be arguing over who is better, a #11 and #12 teams vs a #13 and #14 team than leaving out a #2, 3 or 4 team.

[moonslav59]

The final selections are in...

I think ND was unfairly placed 7th, behind 2 loss Penn St and Texas, but I guess they felt a team should not be penalized for playing in a conference championship game.

Alabama is OUT !!!!!!!!!!!!! Hurray!

1. Oregon 13-0 (plays winner of 8 Ohio St.- 9 Tennessee)

2. Georgia 11-2 (plays winner of 7 Notre Dame- 10 Indiana)

3.  Boise St 12-1 (palys winner of 6 Penn St-11 SMU)

4.  AZ St 11-2 (plays winner of 5 Texas-12 Clemson)

Penn St and Texas get rewarded by facing scrub conference winners in round 2, instead of Oregon or Georgia. While Texas played in the SEC, they did not face Alabama, Ole Miss, So Carolina and Tennessee. They played two tough SEC teams (Georgia, twice, and lost both games.) They beat no top 25 teams. (A & M was ranked top 25, at one time.) ND beat A&M, too, at College Station. We lost to No Illinois, early on, and theyw ere ranked top 25, at one point. We beat Louisville, once a top 25 team, and a tough GA Tech team on the road. (GA lost to Tech.) We also handed Army their only loss of the season and beat USC away and killed a pretty good Navy team. I can understand Penn ST ahead of us, but not Texas.

[moonslav59]

This is how they ranked the teams (not seed.)

1. Oregon 13-0

2. Georgia 11-2

3. Texas 11-2

4. Penn St 11-2

5. Notre Dame 11-1 (dropped one slot by not playing)

6. Ohio St 10-2

7. Tennessee 10-2

8. Indiana 11-1

9. Boise St. 12-1

10. SMU 11-2

11. Alabama 9-3 (left out)

12. AZ St 11-2 

13. Miami 10-2

14. Ole Miss 9-3

15. So Carolina 9-3

16. Clemson 10-3 (They moved up only 1 slot)

17. BYU 10-2

18. IA St 10-3

19, Missouri 9-3

20. Illinois 9-3

21. Syracuse 9-3

22. Army 11-1

23. Colorado 9-3

24. UNLV 10-3

25. Memphis 10-2

[moonslav59]

Halftime, and ND is looking okay.

Weird how the NCAA didn't make all the first round playoff games prime time events. 

They are playing during NFL games: how dumb!

[moonslav59]

ND actually looks like a contender, but being matched up with Georgia, next round is a real bummer. We are a top 4 team, being forced to play the 2nd best team in the country in the round of 8 is just plain messed up.

ND is 0-3 vs GA over the years.

Today's games:
Penn St is up 21-0 on SMU in the 3rd,  Clemson is at Texas, this afternoon and Tenn is at Ohio St., tonight (nice Big 10 vs SEC match-up.)

[moonslav59]

The semi finals are set:

12/31: Penn St v Boise St in Fiesta Bowl

1/1: Texas v Arizona St in Peach Bowl

1/1: Ohio St v Oregon in Rose Bowl

1/2" Georgia v Notre Dame in Sugar Bowl

To me, #1 Oregon and #2 Georgia face tougher opponents than #TX and #4 Penn St.

[dgalehouse]

N.D. looked dominant against an overrated Indiana until they went into that dumb soft prevent defense in the fourth quarter and created a little unnecessary drama. Now, the real tournament begins. Go Irish. Beat Georgia. 

[moonslav59]

8 hours ago, dgalehouse said:

N.D. looked dominant against an overrated Indiana until they went into that dumb soft prevent defense in the fourth quarter and created a little unnecessary drama. Now, the real tournament begins. Go Irish. Beat Georgia. 

Maybe Indiana was over-rated, but we are 5-0 vs ranked teams, this year- more wins than anyone else, except Texas at 5-2. AZ St is 4-0. GA is 4-2.

We certainly have our work cut out for us w GA, but I think we have ashot.

[Thunder]

This next round of games will be interesting. All 8 teams have a legitimate chance of advancing. I could see all 4 of these games going either way. If I was a betting man, I wouldn't touch them with a 20 foot pole

[moonslav59]

Loved seeing Alabama lose, today. 

I could see the argument that they were better than others who made the playoffs. but this loss kinda puts the kibosh on that.

Penn St plays tonight.

[Old Red]

Georgia- Notre Dame PP until tomorrow night.

[moonslav59]

I had a strong feeling Oregon was over-rated.

AZ St almost beat Texas.

Truck bombing by some nutcase Texan forced delay of ND game to tomorrow.