CFP
Something Smells Fishy
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
“If somebody in that committee room doesn’t think Georgia’s one of the four best teams in the country, I don’t know if they’re in the right profession,” UGA head coach Kirby Smart after the team’s SEC championship game loss.
Forget about who got in and just look objectively at Georgia’s resume heading last Saturday’s game
– Won last 2 national championships.
– Won an SEC record 29 straight games, three straight 12-0 regular seasons.
– No. 1 in the country 24 straight weeks heading into Saturday in AP and Coaches poll.
– Hadn’t lost a game in 727 days.
– Has dominated college football and the SEC, the toughest conference in CFB, for two years.
– Lost first game Saturday in more than 2 years by just 3 points and its two best offensive players were playing injured.
If you look objectively at the facts, there is no way UGA is not one of the top 4 teams in the country.
I don’t care who you cheer for, there is no way a team that has basically dominated college football for the last two years can lose one game by 3 points and drop out of the playoffs.
How do you go from being the overwhelming No. 1 team in the country for the previous 24 weeks and lose a championship game by just three points – with two of your best offensive players injured – and completely fall out of the playoff picture. There is no doubt Georgia is easily one of the best four teams in the country and should have been included in the playoff.
Now on to Florida State. Florida State should bolt from the ACC now after the 13-0 ACC champion got left out of the playoffs.
The precedent has been set now and it’s clear they should bolt to a more respected conference like the SEC or even the Big 10.
The committee had FSU in the playoffs after Ohio State lost to Michigan only to drop them out a week later after they won the ACC.
If Georgia would have beat Alabama, the committee was still going to put Texas in over FSU. FSU winning without their top 2 QB’s stirred up the controversy but the plan was already in motion.
FSU was one of the best teams in the country prior to the Jordan Travis injury. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl a few years ago with a back-up quarterback and beat Tom Brady and the Patriots in that game. Brady is the recognized GOAT at the QB position.
The ACC let you down FSU. You would have never been left out if you were in the SEC. It’s time to get your lawyers working to find a way to exit the ACC.
The problem with this playoff committee is the messaging they use, and then have the ESPN talking heads spin it to drive viewership.
Greg McElroy had the nerve to say that “no team could ever overcome sub-par QB play and win a National Championship”. Well Greg Alabama did it in 2009 with McElroy at QB. He passed for 58 yards in the title game win against Texas.
As of today, the best four teams are: Alabama, Georgia, Florida State, and Texas. Cheaters like Michigan did not deserve to go at all.
The gutless NCAA gave them a slap on the wrist. Ohio State lost to Michigan, and FSU has a championship defense. The Chicago Bears won a Super Bowl with a Championship defense and average QB.
The four most deserving teams are: Alabama, Florida State, Texas, and Washington.
Too much subjectivity in the only major sport in the entire country that does not have a true playoff system.
Also, ESPN is ruining college football. Guess who has the SEC TV rights starting in 2024? That’s right ESPN. The same ESPN that revealed the rankings live last week with the same talking heads that said FSU did not deserve a spot. Coincidence?
You better believe they strong armed this committee into Alabama. Go back prior to the reveal and look how Herbstreit had his helmets aligned in the background.
Enough is enough.
The Perfect Playoff System
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Let me start by saying that I have absolutely no issue with Alabama receiving the fourth and final spot in the College Football Playoffs.
It’s not so much because I think the Tide deserve to be in the playoffs, but rather because of this lesson I learned at the age of 14; if you don’t want to be left out of something then don’t give them a reason to leave you out.
In this instance, both Alabama and Ohio State gave the committee reasons not to be chosen as that fourth team. Because of that I would’ve been fine with either of those teams making in.
The issue I have isn’t with who made the playoffs, it’s with the system itself. And no, I’m not listening to the Danny Kanell “Everybody is sucking at the SEC teet” greatest hits that he brings out this time of year.
Most everyone was pleased to get rid of the BCS because it didn’t allow for any subjectivity, so now we have a process that is almost completely subjective.
The guidelines with which the committee follows are reminiscent of a Jackson Pollack painting, they just throw whatever criteria they decide to use that particular season and voilà, by the end of the year they have four teams and a playoff.
One of the things I hate the most is that only the Power 5 conferences truly have a shot at making the playoffs. I have no idea how Central Florida would contend with Clemson in a opening round game, but I’m sure nobody gave the Coastal Carolina baseball team a second thought last year, until they won the College World Series.
And please don’t tell me teams like UCF need to schedule better out of conference games either. Did you not hear the all knowing and powerful Nick Saban talk about P5 schools only playing other P5 schools? No legit playoff contender wants to schedule someone like the Knights; if you win you were supposed to; if you lose it could all but end your playoff hopes.
There’s just something wrong with a competition that basically excludes half of participants before it even begins.
They also need to figure out something with conference championships, too. As I mentioned, under the current rules I have no issue with Alabama being in the playoffs.
However, those rules are stupid if a team that didn’t even participate in their conference title game, makes it the final four.
Notice I’m not talking about a team that loses in their conference title game, but rather a team that doesn’t even get there. The fact it’s happened two years in a row makes me trust this process about as much as I’d trust a male politician at a high school prom.
The solution is simple, if you don’t make it to the conference title game you don’t make it to the college football playoffs. I know that can be harsh when you’re looking at a team like Alabama this year, who’s only lost happens to be within the conference, but timing is everything.
You think Georgia’s in the playoffs if they win that first meeting with Auburn, but lose by 23 in the rematch? Possibly, but I doubt it.
Of course, I’ll end up watching all three of the games, which is exactly what the NCAA is counting on. So, they win yet again and it’s likely nothing will change.
Sorry UCF, I really did try my best.
