Like the BCS, people are missing the boat. The release of the weekly rankings has been pure gold for discussion. Probably more than the creators of it ever imagined. We can call it stupid or think X amount of teams for a playoff is better, but the reality is people continue to talk about this more than any other season. The discussion is a lot less interesting if we are trying to argue who amongst Missouri, Arizona State, Clemson, and Auburn should be omitted from the 16 team bracket.

I can't post the original word I thought so I'll shorten it to BULL. Florida State scheduled three teams from the other Power 5 conferences + Notre Dame. The entirety of the SEC West scheduled four combined. The entire SEC gets mega boosts on their SOS and so schedules no one OOC. You can't predict what a team will be like years in advance when you have to make these schedules. FSU tried, and yet are still getting hammered for playing cupcakes. They can't change who their conference is or who it is perceived to be.

 

TCU's big OOC opponent was Minnesota. Don't give me this message crap.

FSU is not getting hammered for playing cupcakes. They are getting hammered for looking like crap (in winning) each week.

FSU is not getting hammered for playing cupcakes. They are getting hammered for looking like crap (in winning) each week.

 

I believe they're getting hammered for BOTH. It's not just "well they barely won", it's "they barely won while playing nobody". Was Auburn given demerits last year for winning crazy close games? They won six games by 7 points or less including a total fluke Hail Mary. Not all of them were against the likes of Alabama.

Like the BCS, people are missing the boat. The release of the weekly rankings has been pure gold for discussion. Probably more than the creators of it ever imagined. We can call it stupid or think X amount of teams for a playoff is better, but the reality is people continue to talk about this more than any other season. The discussion is a lot less interesting if we are trying to argue who amongst Missouri, Arizona State, Clemson, and Auburn should be omitted from the 16 team bracket.

 

No doubt.

 

But let's say FSU squeaks by Georgia Tech on a last-second field goal; while an inspired Ohio State squad rallies behind their third-string QB and routs Wisconsin.

 

If the committee relegates FSU to #5 - denying an undefeated power conference champion team the chance to compete in a 4-team playoff, heads could roll.

I believe they're getting hammered for BOTH. It's not just "well they barely won", it's "they barely won while playing nobody". Was Auburn given demerits last year for winning crazy close games? They won six games by 7 points or less including a total fluke Hail Mary. Not all of them were against the likes of Alabama.

 

No. But most of us know the reason.

I believe they're getting hammered for BOTH. It's not just "well they barely won", it's "they barely won while playing nobody". Was Auburn given demerits last year for winning crazy close games? They won six games by 7 points or less including a total fluke Hail Mary. Not all of them were against the likes of Alabama.

 

Sure, there is some of that, but 95% of it is how FSU has looked in their games. Had Auburn started the season as the prohibitive favorite (10+ points) in every single game and coming off a national title I think this would ring more true. Auburn kept exceeding expectations and FSU has not. Had FSU been in between of replicating their success season and with what has happened this season, they would be #1 at this time without a doubt.

I believe they're getting hammered for BOTH. It's not just "well they barely won", it's "they barely won while playing nobody". Was Auburn given demerits last year for winning crazy close games? They won six games by 7 points or less including a total fluke Hail Mary. Not all of them were against the likes of Alabama.

 

Auburn was number 4 last year going into the Bama game, same as FSU is now. Have no idea how their schedule stacks up against FSU's this year.

 

Where is the win on FSU's schedule that is equivalent to Auburn's win over Bama last year?

I believe they're getting hammered for BOTH. It's not just "well they barely won", it's "they barely won while playing nobody". Was Auburn given demerits last year for winning crazy close games? They won six games by 7 points or less including a total fluke Hail Mary. Not all of them were against the likes of Alabama.

 

:clap::clap::clap: Great point, and of course they weren't. Outside of 2 fluke wins you mentioned, they also barely got by a 6 loss Miss. St team and a 6 loss Wash St. team.

No doubt.

 

But let's say FSU squeaks by Georgia Tech on a last-second field goal; while an inspired Ohio State squad rallies behind their third-string QB and routs Wisconsin.

If the committee relegates FSU to #5 - denying an undefeated power conference champion team the chance to compete in a 4-team playoff, heads could roll.

I think there's a good chance the Badgers rush for 500 yards against Ohio State this weekend.

The bottom line is, going by the "eye test" is a recipe for disaster. Winning games and head to head should be above all else. If this system were in place in 2002, I wonder where OSU would be? They barely got by a bunch of teams but that's just the way they played. Ended up with them barely getting by one of the better teams that decade.

Sure, there is some of that, but 95% of it is how FSU has looked in their games. Had Auburn started the season as the prohibitive favorite (10+ points) in every single game and coming off a national title I think this would ring more true. Auburn kept exceeding expectations and FSU has not. Had FSU been in between of replicating their success season and with what has happened this season, they would be #1 at this time without a doubt.

 

So we can accept that it is in fact because they don't look as good as last year. That's a high standard to hold a team to.

Auburn was number 4 last year going into the Bama game, same as FSU is now. Have no idea how their schedule stacks up against FSU's this year.

 

Where is the win on FSU's schedule that is equivalent to Auburn's win over Bama last year?

As for the first question, not as good. Though Auburn did lose, FSU has not. The second question, no team.

Auburn was number 4 last year going into the Bama game, same as FSU is now. Have no idea how their schedule stacks up against FSU's this year.

 

Where is the win on FSU's schedule that is equivalent to Auburn's win over Bama last year?

 

Auburn was #4 AND had a loss. Do you believe they'd have just been 4th had they not?

 

No, they don't have a win the equivalent of Alabama, this is not disputed. of course, as you're pointing out, that helped them make a leap up in rankings.

So we can accept that it is in fact because they don't look as good as last year. That's a high standard to hold a team to.

Comes with the territory especially when you return a Heisman trophy winner. Standards are higher when you are a champion. Welcome to the club. FSU set their own bar. And I didn't say they had to look as good, just somewhere in between. It is impressive they are undefeated. But they are about as unimpressive of a undefeated team you will find.

The only argument I've heard trying to clear up the TCU/Baylor mess is that Baylor's loss to West Virginia is worse than TCU's loss to Baylor.

 

Not agreeing or disagreeing that's just how it was explained last week on TV.