T-Rode's Unpopular Opinion - Session 1: BCS vs. CFP

[TheDayMan]

I would argue that Penn State in 2016. Won the conference title AND beat Ohio State in the same season that Ohio State was put in the CFP. Yes, Penn State lost to Pittsburgh. But if the point is to find the best teams in the country, how is Ohio State better than the team that beat them?

They lost to Pittsburgh and got absolutely bent over by Michigan. A top 4 team can lose a game, especially if it’s a good game and to a good team (which penn state was). They could have survived just the Pitt loss, they might have been the only team to make it in with two losses had the Michigan loss been competitive, but those losses together suggest they have flaws that a top 4 team doesn’t have.

 

[TheDayMan]

You mean the Penn State that got BLOWN THE FUCK OUT by Michigan and lost by 6 scores on top of losing to Pitt?

Come on man, you know that part isn’t worth bringing up when you’re trying to argue they 100% deserved to be in.

 

[Yo Tee]

You mean the Penn State that got BLOWN THE FUCK OUT by Michigan and lost by 6 scores on top of losing to Pitt?

Yeah, that team. The team that lost to Pitt who, let's not forget, also beat the National Champs that year.

 

[Yo Tee]

They lost to Pittsburgh and got absolutely bent over by Michigan. A top 4 team can lose a game, especially if it’s a good game and to a good team (which penn state was). They could have survived just the Pitt loss, they might have been the only team to make it in with two losses had the Michigan loss been competitive, but those losses together suggest they have flaws that a top 4 team doesn’t have.

Penn State beat Ohio State and won the conference, yet Ohio State gets the spot? Also, let's not forget, Ohio State BARELY beat Northwestern and a Michigan State team that sucked absolute dick that year.

 

[7Samurai13]

Yeah, that team. The team that lost to Pitt who, let's not forget, also beat the National Champs that year.

Yes but you are ignoring the 39 point loss the suffered. But keep focusing on only the Pitt loss. When you have Harbaugh, a guy who later that season beat a team 77-0, feeling bad for you and calling off the dogs, you lose all right to argue that you should be in the playoffs.

 

[Yo Tee]

Yes but you are ignoring the 39 point loss the suffered. But keep focusing on only the Pitt loss. When you have Harbaugh, a guy who later that season beat a team 77-0, feeling bad for you and calling off the dogs, you lose all right to argue that you should be in the playoffs.

I'm not ignoring it. It was a bad loss against a top 5 team at the time and Penn State wasn't ranked. Penn State then wins 9 straight including 2 wins against teams in the top 10. I'm not saying Ohio State was not a good team. I'm just saying that if the goal is to get the best teams in the country, I believe Penn State was the choice over Ohio State.

 

[TheDayMan]

Penn State beat Ohio State and won the conference, yet Ohio State gets the spot? Also, let's not forget, Ohio State BARELY beat Northwestern and a Michigan State team that sucked absolute dick that year.

If the whole conference champions being pretty arbitrary outside of giving you one extra data point against a probably good team isn’t something you’re going to get, just for argument’s sake forget about that aspect for a minute, you can count the game itself just forget the title that comes with it, also ignore the playoffs, then line up their schedules, look into their losses, and seriously tell me Penn State deserved to be ranked higher than Ohio State. If you do I’ll roll my eyes, but I’ll move on and not bug you about it anymore.

 

[TheDayMan]

I'm not ignoring it. It was a bad loss against a top 5 team at the time and Penn State wasn't ranked. Penn State then wins 9 straight including 2 wins against teams in the top 10. I'm not saying Ohio State was not a good team. I'm just saying that if the goal is to get the best teams in the country, I believe Penn State was the choice over Ohio State.

 

[7Samurai13]

I'm not ignoring it. It was a bad loss against a top 5 team at the time and Penn State wasn't ranked. Penn State then wins 9 straight including 2 wins against teams in the top 10. I'm not saying Ohio State was not a good team. I'm just saying that if the goal is to get the best teams in the country, I believe Penn State was the choice over Ohio State.

I agree but you keep only wanting to talk to about Pitt. Ohio State lost a road game on a freak blocked punt at the end of a game that they were competitive game. Penn a State lost a game to a bad team and on top of that lost a game that they were never competitive in. You have to look at the losses as well as the wins.

I felt at the time Penn State should have gone over Ohio State but I would hardly call them a worthy conference champion when you lose a game by 3 baker’s dozens.

 

[TheDayMan]

I agree but you keep only wanting to talk to about Pitt. Ohio State lost a road game on a freak blocked punt at the end of a game that they were competitive game. Penn a State lost a game to a bad team and on top of that lost a game that they were never competitive in. You have to look at the losses as well as the wins.

I felt at the time Penn State should have gone over Ohio State but I would hardly call them a worthy conference champion when you lose by 3 baker’s dozens.

That year was more an example of 4 being more than enough than the argument for expansion some want to turn it in to.

 

[Yo Tee]

If the whole conference champions being pretty arbitrary outside of giving you one extra data point against a probably good team isn’t something you’re going to get, just for argument’s sake forget about that aspect for a minute, you can count the game itself just forget the title that comes with it, also ignore the playoffs, then line up their schedules, look into their losses, and seriously tell me Penn State deserved to be ranked higher than Ohio State. If you do I’ll roll my eyes, but I’ll move on and not bug you about it anymore.

If Penn State weren't the conference champions, I would without a doubt say the committee got it right. But that's just not a fact that can be forgotten.

 

[TheDayMan]

If Penn State weren't the conference champions, I would without a doubt say the committee got it right. But that's just not a fact that can be forgotten.

Yes, it is. It is totally meaningless if your goal is to find the best 4 teams. They’re fun within your conference, they’re fine for traditional bowl tie ins, they mean nothing when you’re ranking teams.

Edit: again, meaningless outside of the extra game against what should be a decent team... should be... is Northwestern a sure thing to play in the Big 10 championship at this point?

 

[7Samurai13]

Yes, it is. It is totally meaningless if your goal is to find the best 4 teams. They’re fun within your conference, they’re fine for traditional bowl tie ins, they mean nothing when you’re ranking teams.

Edit: again, meaningless outside of the extra game against what should be a decent team... should be... is Northwestern a sure thing to play in the Big 10 championship at this point?

Yeah, after Purdue and Wisconsin lost last week it gave both of them 3 conference losses while NW has one conference loss and NW owns the tie breaker against both of them.

 

[Yo Tee]

Yes, it is. It is totally meaningless if your goal is to find the best 4 teams. They’re fun within your conference, they’re fine for traditional bowl tie ins, they mean nothing when you’re ranking teams.

Edit: again, meaningless outside of the extra game against what should be a decent team... should be... is Northwestern a sure thing to play in the Big 10 championship at this point?

Yes, Northwestern is locked into the B1G title game.

I think it is important if the last playoff spot is between two deserving teams in the same conference. Why shouldn't it matter in that scenario? This year, Northwestern isn't deserving of a playoff spot so the Big 10 title game really isn't important in deciding a playoff spot.

 

[7Samurai13]

Yes, Northwestern is locked into the B1G title game.

I think it is important if the last playoff spot is between two deserving teams in the same conference. Why shouldn't it matter in that scenario? This year, Northwestern isn't deserving of a playoff spot so the Big 10 title game really isn't important in deciding a playoff spot.

Because just because you win your conference it doesn’t necessarily mean you are the best team in your conference. Was Georgia the best team in their conference last year? A team that goes 9-4/8-5 must be better than a team that was in a tougher division that went 11-2 that also has a head to head win against them? So why must we only include only conference champs?

 

[NU_FTW]

I honestly hope it never gets above 6-8 team playoff. There is absolutely no reason to have more than that, its hard to justify 8, 6 could be reasonable to make sure you are getting the best possible teams in there. There will be years like this year where it will seem absurd to think any G5 team could hang with the front runner, and there will be years where it isnt as clear and 6 teams would make it easier for that G5 to get in and prove itself. There are 2 count them 2 teams that are clearly 1 and 2 and there is no question about it, and there are 2 teams that are 3 and 4 and after that there is a clear talent drop where you can poke holes in claims to be ranked higher for the rest. need to also eliminate double conference entries what a bunch of hot garbage that is, there is a CCG for a reason, if you dont like the current CCG format go to a committee to decide the conferences top 2 foes.

 

[Yo Tee]

Because just because you win your conference it doesn’t necessarily mean you are the best team in your conference. Was Georgia the best team in their conference last year? A team that goes 9-4/8-5 must be better than a team that was in a tougher division that went 11-2 that also has a head to head win against them? So why must we only include only conference champs?

Like I said, if both teams are deserving to be in the playoff picture, which both Ohio State and Penn State were, I believe the team who wins their conference title SHOULD have the edge. I believe Georgia and Bama were pretty equal last year. I can't honestly say who was the better of the two.

 

[TheDayMan]

Yes, Northwestern is locked into the B1G title game.

I think it is important if the last playoff spot is between two deserving teams in the same conference. Why shouldn't it matter in that scenario? This year, Northwestern isn't deserving of a playoff spot so the Big 10 title game really isn't important in deciding a playoff spot.

It shouldn’t matter because if you look at both teams’ resumés one is clearly better, and it wasn’t the team that won the conference. I would factor in the conference title if all things were equal, but they weren’t.

You’re claiming the committee got it totally wrong, but based on your responses here you’re only concidering two factors, the conference title and head to head. The committee considered everything. Ohio state’s impressive out of conference win, penn state’s shitty out of conference loss, penn state getting absolutely murdered by a team Ohio state beat, the head to head being a close loss on the road, penn state’s weaker schedule in general, one close loss vs two embarrassing losses.

Again, line up their schedules, look into the significant games, forget about everything else, and seriously tell me Penn State deserved to be ranked higher.

 

[Yo Tee]

It shouldn’t matter because if you look at both teams’ resumés one is clearly better, and it wasn’t the team that won the conference. I would factor in the conference title if all things were equal, but they weren’t.

You’re claiming the committee got it totally wrong, but based on your responses here you’re only concidering two factors, the conference title and head to head. The committee considered everything. Ohio state’s impressive out of conference win, penn state’s shitty out of conference loss, penn state getting absolutely murdered by a team Ohio state beat, the head to head being a close loss on the road, penn state’s weaker schedule in general, one close loss vs two embarrassing losses.

Again, line up their schedules, look into the significant games, forget about everything else, and seriously tell me Penn State deserved to be ranked higher.

I already answered you. If Penn State didn't win the conference title, the committee got it right.

 

[trojanfan12]

We haven’t had a year yet where a worthy conference champ was left out.

This is opinion based. But even if we were to agree that it hasn't happened yet, that certainly doesn't mean it won't happen or that it can't happen.