The world anxiously awaits the decision of the Committee for determining the college football playoff Final Four teams. If ever there was a year screaming for the 12-team format, well, this was it. SU asks going forward, will there still be Conference championship games? I mean, how many games to these student-athletes (earning millions in NILs) need to play if there will be extra playoff rounds?
And, then, what is the purpose of the conference championship games? Suppose Michigan and Ohio State meet in the last game next year. If they finish 1/2 in the Big Ten, do they then play each other again the following week? And if they both make the playoffs, is it possible they play a 3rd time at some point in the same season? Does anyone really want to see that??
Here is the way SU sees it for this year. Btw, I apologize in advance if FOX cuts in for a commercial break while I write this. FOX has made watching college football truly painful. I know it’s all about the money but at some point, it’s stupid. And, of course, they cut away for a dramatic and important video review of a fumble. Do better.
Washington and Michigan are #1 and #2. The PAC-12 Conference was the best conference this year and you can make the case that Washington had the most wins against top teams like Arizona, USC, Oregon, etc. Both are undefeated. SU believes that the Committee will make Michigan #1 but I would have no problem with Washington in that slot.
What is interesting this year is the number of undefeated teams. It feels like there are more than usual. Florida State won the ACC and while they are down their starting quarterback, they are still undefeated. Let’s assume they get their second string QB back now for January 1st, are they deserving to be in?
The SEC teams will say that the SEC is the best conference and it would be a farce if one of those teams was not included. Note to reader: they were not the best conference this year. Georgia’s best win this year was over Missouri (meh) while Alabama lost to Texas (at home), barely won over Auburn and had some other close games against mediocre teams. But they beat Georgia and Nick Saban is making his claim to be included.
Texas won the Big 12 and beat Alabama. Their only loss was to Oklahoma. They are deserving this year. Let’s assume they are in and let’s assume Georgia has to be out now as they lost the head-to-head to Alabama. That leaves Alabama vs. Florida State.
Supposedly, the Committee can include “best available players” in its decision. They could use that to disqualify Florida State as they lost their starting quarterback. But SU asks this question: if Alabama’s quarterback was injured last night, would the Committee count them out for that same reason? Or if Georgia had won last night but lost its QB, would they be disqualified even with an undefeated record?
For college football it’s a win-win as this creates a lot of buzz, controversy and conversation for the next month. Some school will be pissed off – that is clear. Again, next year it doesn’t matter as there will be 12 teams in. We get one more year of this.
For SU, after sleeping on this, I do think it should be Michigan, Washington, Texas and Florida State. I don’t see how you don’t allow the winner of one of the Power Five conferences into the playoffs with a perfect record. They beat everyone on the schedule. Nick Saban will say he has no motivation to play top teams out of the conference (Texas for this year), and should not be penalized for that. He’s right on that point but Alabama has always played those teams. They just happened to lose this one – and at home. Feels like that home loss here should make a difference.
The floor is open: what do you think?
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Go Blue! Agree with you but think FSU gets left out for SEC.
Marshall, I agree with you that the Committee will go with Alabama. Too much SEC influence in college football, and you can make the case that in January, they can field a better team than Florida State but it does not seem fair to FSU.
I think the question they are supposed to answer is: Who are the best four teams in College Football? With that as the backdrop, and who are the four best teams? I think FSU drops out of that top foursome. With any equation you use, it’s hard to see how UGA makes it, but you kind of what the (two-time) defending champs to be in the playoffs. Hard choices for sure. Embarassing for college football that it’s taken this long to expand the playoffs to 12 teams(and I think it should be 16 teams), so I guess Karma is making an appearance
Agree with you, Josh. This year, there is no ideal process for determining who is in. I do think Alabama will ultimately get the nod as the SEC is the most powerful conference with the deepest pockets and most rabid fan base. The Committee will base it on putting the team out there with the best available players and call it a day.
If there is a “selection committee” whose decisions should be scrutinized, it would be the Dr. Pepper “throw the ball into the oversized can at halftime for $100,000” selection committee. Seriously… would it really be such a bad thing to have a former high school quarterback or shortstop amongst the contestants? Just unwatchable and a joke trotting people out there who are not sure whether they are right-handed or left-handed and who are touching a football for the first time in their lives.