The Barn vs. The Rebels: Who you pulling for?

KrAzY3 said:

Based on the posts, I'd say most people here believe that rational.

I've also said, several times, that I think Alabama can get pushed down a seed. The thing is, Alabama is #3 in the polls, and they play a team ranked ahead of them. So, we're talking #2. The committee, as of right now, assuming Alabama wins out, has to move them down not one, not two, but three spots hypothetically to keep them out! They'd have to go from 2, to 5. That's just not easy to do. I hate the committee, but managing that will take something masterful.

So, for the current scenario of Big 10+Pac 12+SEC champ jumping Alabama to play out, requires quite a bit beyond merely those teams winning out. Of course it's possible, if they are corrupt to the core, but if there is any logic, and rational, if they follow their rules, I don't see how they could pull that one off. Either they severely under rank Alabama from the start, or they won't be able to move them out of it if they win out. They can't get away with saying #2 Alabama one week, then Alabama doesn't play and they say #5 Alabama, not without utterly destroying their credibility in a fashion the BCS never managed.

I absolutely am hanging my hat on the first committee rankings, I think we'll know what they are from the start. Either they're colluding against Alabama or they're not. If Alabama is in their top four, we know they're not pulling any shenanigans. If they somehow justify putting Alabama six or lower, we know something is up.

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crimsonaudio said:

Doesn't mean a thing, but CBS's predicted CFP Selection Committee's top 10 is:

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uaintn said:

I think that stupid committee will go through more gyrations than Bourbon Street stripper to keep there from being two SEC teams in the Final Four. I think that was one of the purposes of this committee. And that's not SEC bias, necessarily, we are just the only conference likely to make it a consideration. I think they'd do the same thing to keep out two PAC 12 teams. Some of it is about prestige, but some of it is about money. The other conference commissioners howled when it was an all SEC Championship because the SEC got all the money, exposure, etc.

Unless we win the SEC Championship game, I believe our chances of making the Final Four are very, very slim and would require all sorts of unexpected events in other conferences. If you believe that the Committee will actually put in the four best teams in college football, as opposed to four of the best records (not the same thing), then I have some beachfront here in Tennessee to sell you.

I want every other team in the conference to have 2 losses. It clearly does not matter whom I pull for, else we'd be undefeated right now. I'll use that time worrying about beating LSU.

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Bama1985 said:

The first rankings are not as significant as the post Conference Championship weekend rankings. The committee during the first rankings cannot consider conference champions because it has not been determined yet. Unless PAC 12 Champ, Big 12 Champ, Big 10 Champ, and Notre Dame have more than 1 loss there will not be 2 SEC teams.

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crimsonaudio said:

Doesn't mean a thing, but CBS's predicted CFP Selection Committee's top 10 is:

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KrAzY3 said:

I know your use of bold must mean something, but the committee's first ranking will mean a great deal because it will make any subsequent move noticeable.

I've followed the process as closely as anyone, and I've been upset about it the whole way. I was against a playoff when that put me in the extreme minority on this site, so I'm not here to applaud the process.

However, the committee has rules that go beyond merely conference champions. They've stated that and multiple members have stated that the conference championship criteria is not a critical component. They also have stated that injuries matter, and that SoS matters, also since you bring up Big 12, common opponents matter. So, Alabama for instance has a trump card over Baylor in addition to everything else.

Part of the issue is our expectations though. If we hold the committee to a low standard, it becomes more likely that's what we'll see. They should be held accountable and be expected to in the least follow their own rules. Which by the way, lend no credence at all to the idea of both passing up a non-SEC champ for a conference champ and choosing Notre Dame over them.

There's just no way the committee can justify demoting Alabama several spots in their last ranking (unless they lose). It won't happen, because they won't have anything aside from one of many criteria to do that on. It's not that they won't want to, it's just that they don't have complete liberty. If they want to screw over Alabama, they have to start with the first poll and they have to place all teams carefully to even make that a possible scenario. They rank the wrong team too high or too low and it will blow up their ability to make the changes they need (if once again screwing over one conference is their goal) later. Remember, once they rank a future Alabama opponent high, they will have trouble discounting that win later.

I've stated before that I think their purpose might be as much to keep 3 from one conference out as anything, and it's easy to see that possible scenario, but it's not easy to see Alabama as the third SEC team if they don't lose. I do think Pacaderma's quote about spread the wealth is on the mark. The BCS, due to computer rankings, could have placed a third SEC team in the top four, and that would have been even more likely if Ole Miss had beat LSU. They won't allow that, of course. I also would fully expect them to mess with seeding, or bump a borderline SEC team out, but if Alabama wins they're not borderline.

I'd be kind of surprised by that exact ranking, but if it's something like that, there's just no way Alabama is left out if they win out. It simply won't matter what else happens.

Finally, the first rankings will be their most important ever, and will set a precedent. Up until now, guys like Gilmore and Kanell have been just making stuff up with nothing to base it on. Either the committee is run by unethical garbage like those guys, and we'll know it soon, or it's going to set a precedent that either leans towards the polls, or leans toward SoS, in both cases Alabama will be very highly ranked.

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Bama1985 said:

Conference Champions are a criteria that will come into play if all teams are sitting at one loss. There is no way around it; Conference Champions are playing an extra high quality game. We need Ole Miss to lose and Bama to win the SEC Championship. Keep telling yourself it doesn't matter if it will help you sleep well. But we are trying to prepare you to expect the unexpected if there are multiple one loss teams. Bold and Italicized to help you focus.

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Alasippi said:

I think Krazy3's about to kick some butt. I have no comment.

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Bama1985 said:

Conference Champions are a criteria that will come into play if all teams are sitting at one loss. There is no way around it; Conference Champions are playing an extra high quality game. We need Ole Miss to lose and Bama to win the SEC Championship. Keep telling yourself it doesn't matter if it will help you sleep well. But we are trying to prepare you to expect the unexpected if there are multiple one loss teams. Bold and Italicized to help you focus.

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GeorgiaTider said:

Neither one. I think Auburn wins.

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81usaf92 said:

yep can you pass the popcorn
:biggrin:

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alwayshavebeen said:

Good. That rules Notre Dame out.

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