Book Recommendation: The Thinking Fan's Guide to the College Football Playoff

PaulD

All-SEC
Dec 29, 2006
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near Perry, Georgia, United States
If you're interested in getting an idea how the selection committee may pick the teams for the semifinals (Sugar and Rose) and the other top bowls (Orange, Peach, Cotton, Fiesta), I can recommend Stewart Mandel's The Thinking Fan's Guide to the College Football Playoff. Although he does whine a bit much about the Alabama-LSU BCS Championship Game, he does show why we shouldn't assume that the same factors that set up the BCS rankings will apply now. He even includes an exercise at the end. If you want to sound knowledgeable to your friends (and here!), this is a good book to have.
 

JDCrimson

Hall of Fame
Feb 12, 2006
5,347
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I know that the conflict of interest rules the committee has prevents members from voting for their own teams. However their conflict rules don't prohibit committee members from voting for teams associated with other committee members. I guess you could say there is still the potential for "respect" or "affiliation" bias - voting for another member's team out of respect since they serve on a committee together.

That being said I think it is worthwhile to follow the seasons of teams who have a relationship with a committee member as those teams have the greatest potential to benefit from respect/affiliation bias.

I don't remember who all the committee members are but it's comforting to see Stanford and WVU lose. Nebraska doesn't seem to be a risk either based on their game today. Although it's early Ole Miss may have some potential benefit if they keep winning.

If we keep winning at minimum I think we have 3 votes from Rice, Long, and Manning.
 
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CullmanTide

Hall of Fame
Jan 7, 2008
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Cullman, Al
The playoff is set up for controversy and failure and I believe intentionally. There will be an outcry for more teams next season which of coarse means more cities involved and more money.
 

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