Official 2007 NCAA Football Season

[ACCBiggz]

What about Auburn the year they went 13-0 and weren't allowed to compete for the national championship, or the 2 other teams (Boise State & LSU) that finished undefeated. How about the fact that 4 times since the 1990 season, there have been Co-National Champions in college football.

[oldskool]

Golden State says "What you talkin bout Biggzy".

In reality, if these "two" teams you seem to think are above and beyond all other NCAA FBS teams (good luck picking them, by the way) then having a 16-team playoff isn't going to matter; these two are so clearly superior that they will just beat all the other schmoes, eh? Eh?

For the sake of argument:

Did Boise State deserve a shot at the national title last year, eh..maybe. Could you say that they didn't deserve the shot if, after taking down OU in the Fiesta Bowl, they advance to the playoff and proceeded to defeat LSU and USC, leading to a Boise State/Florida showdown?

What harm does a playoff cause? If there truly are two above-and-beyond teams in the FBS, then they'll just win their way through and have the true, definitive national title game without any possibility of whining about so-and-so missing the dance, because the "best" team to miss will have been ranked 17th or worse.

If there aren't two distinct above-and-beyond dominant forces (this is true 9 out of 10 years, and the 10th year is still close), then the playoff is going to give you two teams that are inarguably #1 and #2 because of the caliber of teams they defeated.

To top it off, it eliminates the BCS conferences dodging the mid-majors as well as the "below-average" majors looking to step up. How many big-time programs scheduled Boise State this year? How many scheduled Rutgers, or West Virginia, or Louisville? What do they have to "gain" by beating one of those teams compared to what they have to lose? The teams I mentioned won't become "elite" without beating the big-name teams, and they know it. They also know that an elite team beating one of those up-and-comers won't hold them back nearly as long as deliberately dodging them with the schedule. It's bad for their conference to lose to an out-of-conference "middle-class" team, regardless of how good that team may be, so they don't want to risk it.

Like I said, with a playoff you eliminate all doubt and all questions.

Nobody "backs in" to the title match because somebody else happened to lose in their conference title game while the beneficiary sits idle as conference champs of a non-title-game-possessing conference.

Nobody "steals a spot" in the biggest game of the year by because they have a weaker conference schedule than another team.

Nobody "gets in by the luck of the draw" because an AP/coach voter decided he did/didn't want to see a rematch.

As for a "permanent playoff feeling", that's still going to be there. Teams will want to prove their dominance early in the season (who knows, maybe there won't be so many cupcake games early on...), and once you hit about week 5 every game is either a conference battle, a rivalry game, or in many cases both. Are you implying that Ohio State's going to dog it against Michigan in late November because they're 11-0 and all but guaranteed a top 16 finish? Is LSU going to pack it in in the SEC title game because they've got a top-ten finish locked? Will USC put in the backups against UCLA because a loss can't possibly knock them down from #2 to #17?

You've got 119 teams (soon to be 120) in the FBS all playing different teams at different times of the season under different circumstances. Do you really, truly, honestly think a convoluted mathematical formula (that consists of 66% personal opinion on the AP and coaches polls, and 33% personal opinion of the computer runners that determine what decides strength of schedule and whatnot) that says "You two. You're the best." is better than a playoff?

EDIT: To further emphasize my point: Right now saying "South Florida should play LSU for the national title" would be absurd. In a 16-team staggered playoff system (where 1-16 and 2-15 are on opposite sides of the brackets, so 1-2 can only be the final game) USF would have to defeat South Carolina, Cal and USC consecutively to get to LSU (while LSU would have to defeat Hawaii, Kentucky and Ohio State, by the way).

Could you argue that a USF team that beats South Carolina, Cal and USC in consecutive weeks doesn't deserve to be in the top 2 teams in the country?

Edited October 3, 2007 by Gorilla Monsoon

[ACCBiggz]

In reality, if these "two" teams you seem to think are above and beyond all other NCAA FBS teams (good luck picking them, by the way) then having a 16-team playoff isn't going to matter; these two are so clearly superior that they will just beat all the other schmoes, eh? Eh?

[buck...]

the whole school thing is stupid. Basketball has a tournment, every sports in high school and college have tournments. It is no differnt, the tournment would be four games, four weeks. Even if you take a two week break, you finish earlier then usual.

[ACCBiggz]

the whole school thing is stupid.

[ACCBiggz]

Wrestler-turned-movie star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has made history at his former college by handing over $1 million to fund football facilities at the University Of Miami. The action man, who played football at the Florida university a decade ago, now becomes the most generous former student athlete in the school's history. Johnson's cash gift will help to fund renovation in the university's athletic department. The Miami Hurricanes' football locker room will be renamed in the actor's honour. In making the donation on Tuesday, Johnson said, "My wife Dany and I have always said that being a student athlete here at the University Of Miami has always been a tremendous part of our lives. I have said it time and time again, that this program was a launching pad for my success." Johnson and his wife met at the university. They announced their separation in June.

[buck...]

the whole school thing is stupid.

Yep. That whole learnin' thing is garbage.

And :lmao: at the basketball/other sports has a tournament argument.

[JStarr]

I understand both sides of the playoff argument, and I myself wouldn't complain too much about a Final Four-style playoff system. But the "academic" argument is such total bullshit. When Memphis is playing three games in eleven days and Marshall is having to travel there on a Tuesday night, all so ESPN can have something to air other than the 2134th airing of the 2003 World Series of Poker, no one can tell me that a playoff that's going to fall during winter break anyway is going to be any undue academic strain on these players.

[ACCBiggz]

"I think some of the arguments that have been advanced against the playoffs have not been credible. The academic effect, it's just not a credible argument. I haven't advanced it, but it's been out there."

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

And Boise State was not the other undefeated that year, it was Urban Meyer's Utah squad that got put against Pittsburgh instead of Auburn.

Edited October 4, 2007 by TheSqauredCircleMessiah

[ACCBiggz]

So do you question the integrity of every other sports champion, because they went through a playoff?

Edited October 4, 2007 by ACCBiggz

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Recent example is the Steelers, they won the Super Bowl, but I would not put them as the best team

[ACCBiggz]

Clearly we'll just go back and forth, so it's pointless to continue arguing. The best teams aren't always the most talented, so using that whole "play the games" crap is just ignorant. Like I said, the structure of the NFL is different anyway.

Kentucky/South Carolina tonight! I'm hoping for some Andre Woodsen greatness.

[ACCBiggz]

...and I didn't get it. The ol' ball coach ended Kentucky's little party.

[buck...]

he looked out of it to me. i think he may have gotten a concussion with one of those hits, but i don't know. and, yea why I left the previous conversation.

[DMN in the House]

UCLA.

That is all. Utah was an anomaly. This team wil beat either Cal, or USC, although I doubt both.

[HailtotheYo]

In short, if the BCS really did work and put the TWO BEST teams in the nation in the national title game ... USC would have been in the Title game the last like .... 6 years. Let's be real, the BCS has its advantages as does a playoff. Sadly, politics and money drive EVERYTHING now so we'll never have a system in place that really gives us a true national champion in college football.

Now, on to this week .... the hell week.

#9 Florida (4-1) @ #1 LSU (5-0)

LSU wins by 10 or more. They are simply too good, and Florida's speed will be negated by their inexperience on Defense. They're facing a true offensive unit .... and the speed is overrated anyway, see the Ole miss game for examples.

Kansas (4-0) #24 Kansas State (3-1)

This is interesting to say the least. Kansas has a top 5 D .... K State is showing signs of their late 90's dominance. I think the Cats will continue with their momentum building as Kansas is still a year or two away from having the athletes to win this one.

#20 Cincinnati (5-0) #21 Rutgers (3-1)

Cincy wins. Rutgers is good, but Cincy not only beat them last year, but completely outplayed them. The teams are different, and Rutgers got WORSE. Brian Kelly is doing an OUTSTANDING job .... he's got a better team than the one that was beating OSU a few years back.

#25 Nebraska (4-1) #17 Missouri (4-0)

I have to go with Mizzou. The Texas guy at QB, the SUSPECT 'black shirt' D at Nebraska, and a Freshman playmaker for the Tigers. In Mizzou ... they get this one in revenge for that what '98 game they should have won.

#15 Virginia Tech (4-1) #22 Clemson (4-1)

I now pick back up my Clemson love. After having them trip up against GT last week, I pick them to get back on track. They have an established QB unlike the Fresh standout at VT. The Clemson D's athleticism and overall talent level on offense will be too much for a VERY lackluster VT. They have the Wisconsin syndrome, but they don't play in the piss poor Big 10.

#4 Ohio State (5-0) #23 Purdue (5-0)

As for the piss poor Big 10 ... here we got. Intriguing. I have to go with Purdue ... they've been so close for so long. OSU has looked amazing, and down right horrid this year. Too inconsistant. The D is strong, but they don't have Ginn Jr, Holmes, or Krenzel to bail them out this time. Boilermakers aren't just a good drink.

#12 Georgia (4-1) Tennessee (2-2)

The way things go for me, the Vols will probably erupt at home and beat the 'dog' outta Georgia. I don't think so though. I go with Dawgs in the hostile environment. Usually they lose 2 early before they win games and somehow finish with 9 wins. This year, they sneak in a few before they lose again.

#10 Oklahoma (4-1) #19 Texas (4-1)

Wow, I can see this being ugly either way. In all honesty, OU SHOULD win this. They've played the most consistantly all year, and have at least had the performances they've supposed to against their schedule. This is a Texas team that looked horrid against .... Arkansas Sate.

#5 Wisconsin (5-0) Illinois (4-1)

Ron Zook has done wonders, and Illinois is playing just like a young team should .... like they don't know any better. The talent is there and the coaching is there. Illinois upsets another Big 10 *cough* power *cough* .

[whiskers]

#25 Nebraska (4-1) #17 Missouri (4-0)

I have to go with Mizzou. The Texas guy at QB, the SUSPECT 'black shirt' D at Nebraska, and a Freshman playmaker for the Tigers. In Mizzou ... they get this one in revenge for that what '98 game they should have won.

[ACCBiggz]

USC would have been in the Title game the last like .... 6 years.

[HailtotheYo]

USC would have been in the Title game the last like .... 6 years.

That's just a flat lie.

Absolutely not. They've consistantly been the best over that time span. Period.

The year you're talking about .... you mean when USC lost in what triple overtime to their Rival and Oklahoma lost the conference Title game to K State, and LSU lost at home to Florida ? That year ? Yeah, I'll take USC's loss as lesser than those other two. Florida was 8-5 that year, K State was 11-4 including a three game losing streak with one of those to Marshall .... while Cal was 8-6. Not very convincing, but not any worse than the losses for the other teams.

Of course, anytime you can have more than one undefeated team at the end of the season ..... something isn't right.