Phil steele's pick for the 4 team playoff and the SEC bowl games

81usaf92

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Well I just picked up my Phil Steele magazine since its a tradition of mine. He usually has reasonable picks that everyone despite their bias can sorta see where he is going, but this year he seems to think 1. FSU is an unstoppable force ,2. Bama and LSU are going to be both 1 loss playoff teams, and 3. He is another person that is high on the Vols this year

Here are his projections

CFP
National title: FSU over Bama
Peach Bowl: Bama over Oklahoma
Fiesta Bowl: FSU over LSU

Other bowls

Sugar: Tennessee vs TCU
Outback: UGA vs Michigan
Taxslayer: Florida vs Nebraska
Citrus: Mississippi vs Michigan St
Music City: Auburn vs Louisville
Liberty: Kentucky vs WVU
Belk: Mizzou bs UNC
Bham: Arkansas vs Cincy
Texas: aTm vs Okie lite
Independence: MSU vs Pitt

Fwiw he has us over Tennessee in the SECCG.
 

gtowntide

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I like Phil Steele and enjoy his magazine but I've got to disagree with his playoff picks. I don't think there's any way the SEC gets two teams in. I just can't see that happening. There's a lot of love for the vols this year but I just don't see it. I see UGA winning the east and losing to Bama in the SECCG.
 

seebell

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Ohio State to the Rose Bowl? Clemson should be real good again.

Phil Steele's College Football Top 40 Countdown (21-40)
21. June 25th26. Oregon31. Oklahoma St36. Northwestern
22. June 24th27. North Carolina32. USF37. Air Force
23. Georgia28. San Diego St33. Penn St38. Mississippi St
24. Texas29. Auburn34. Florida39. Cincinnati
25. USC30. Texas A&M35. Pittsburgh40. Utah
 

ALA2262

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Four months ago here:

February 29th, 2016, 09:24 AM
#17

RTR91

Recruiting Moderator, Football ModeratorJoin DateNov 2007LocationPrattvillePosts27,012Post Thanks / Like

Re: Way TOO Early Bold Prediction


Originally Posted by ALA2262
2011 deja vu all over again. Bama and LSU will be the top two teams, again. Winner of their game will go 13-0 and the loser 11-1, again. And there it ends. Winner will be in the CFP. Loser will NOT be in the CFP.



Read enough of your posts to know you like Phil Steele. I'm sure his list of the most returning starters for each team is playing into your reasoning.

LSU is ranked first in the SEC and FBS with 18 starters returning in 2016. Alabama, OTOH, has 11 starters returning. As we all know, Alabama rotates enough guys that losing a starter at one position (DL) isn't like losing a starter at another (OL).​



 

81usaf92

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I like Phil Steele and enjoy his magazine but I've got to disagree with his playoff picks. I don't think there's any way the SEC gets two teams in. I just can't see that happening.
His reasoning is because the Big 10 and the PAC 12 will have a 2 loss champion. He is even going bold enough to say Washington will win the PAC 12.
 

81usaf92

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Apr 26, 2008
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Four months ago here:

February 29th, 2016, 09:24 AM
#17

RTR91

Recruiting Moderator, Football ModeratorJoin DateNov 2007LocationPrattvillePosts27,012Post Thanks / Like

Re: Way TOO Early Bold Prediction


Originally Posted by ALA2262
2011 deja vu all over again. Bama and LSU will be the top two teams, again. Winner of their game will go 13-0 and the loser 11-1, again. And there it ends. Winner will be in the CFP. Loser will NOT be in the CFP.



Read enough of your posts to know you like Phil Steele. I'm sure his list of the most returning starters for each team is playing into your reasoning.

LSU is ranked first in the SEC and FBS with 18 starters returning in 2016. Alabama, OTOH, has 11 starters returning. As we all know, Alabama rotates enough guys that losing a starter at one position (DL) isn't like losing a starter at another (OL).​



I honestly think he wanted to pick LSU and Tennessee, but I have a feeling he isn't willing to bet against CNS coached teams. You can see that his metrics are strongly favoring UT and LSU over Bama, but he is unwilling to put them ahead of us due to CNS's decade of dominance.

Here is what he puts about those three teams:

ALABAMA
They face their top 3 SEC foes (Miss, Tenn, and LSU) on the road and USC at a neutral site. They don't fare well when they are a preseason #1 and have a killer road schedule, but this team is capable of taking home another title.

LSU
They do face 5 bowl teams on the road, but 5 of my 9 sets of power ratings are calling for 12-0 as they avoid Tennessee and get Bama and Ole Miss in Death Valley. Since their 11' title game, LSU has lost 3,3,5,& 3 games but look like a national title contender this year.

Tennessee
They get their toughest game of the year (Alabama) at home. Butch Jones has said for years how young his team is, but this year they get 57 lettermen back and lose only 16. They get Florida at home, and maybe this is the year they end the streak by the Gators. Add it all up and UT is my favorite to win the East. Four of my 9 sets are calling for 12-0 and that makes them a national championship contender.

 

ALA2262

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I honestly think he wanted to pick LSU and Tennessee, but I have a feeling he isn't willing to bet against CNS coached teams. You can see that his metrics are strongly favoring UT and LSU over Bama, but he is unwilling to put them ahead of us due to CNS's decade of dominance.

Here is what he puts about those three teams:

ALABAMA
They face their top 3 SEC foes (Miss, Tenn, and LSU) on the road and USC at a neutral site. They don't fare well when they are a preseason #1 and have a killer road schedule, but this team is capable of taking home another title.

LSU
They do face 5 bowl teams on the road, but 5 of my 9 sets of power ratings are calling for 12-0 as they avoid Tennessee and get Bama and Ole Miss in Death Valley. Since their 11' title game, LSU has lost 3,3,5,& 3 games but look like a national title contender this year.

Tennessee
They get their toughest game of the year (Alabama) at home. Butch Jones has said for years how young his team is, but this year they get 57 lettermen back and lose only 16. They get Florida at home, and maybe this is the year they end the streak by the Gators. Add it all up and UT is my favorite to win the East. Four of my 9 sets are calling for 12-0 and that makes them a national championship contender.

What he thinks AND knows is that ut is not going to beat Bama twice. And that Bama is not going to lose to both of them. Has ut winning at home and losing in Atlanta. I believe it's 1999 deja vu all over again. Beat them on the road and in Atlanta! :biggrin:
 
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Redwood Forrest

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Last year I got lucky and had the final four ranked higher than the four mags, AP and USAToday Coaches Poll. I had Alabama winning it all while everyone else picked Ohio State and TCU in the CG except Athlon who picked Ohio St beating Alabama.

I am crossing my fingers this again this year:

National title: Bama over Ohio St
Peach Bowl: Bama over UCLA
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio St over FSU
 

selmaborntidefan

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What makes his entire argument stupid is his two SEC teams in the playoff BOTH have one loss. That for sure will never happen. I could see two teams in a unique circumstance like 2011, but even then one was undefeated.
 

MOAN

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If Bama makes it to the title game against FSU as he predicts, the only thing I see wrong is him picking FSU to win. Saban disciples choke when they go up against the master!! He orta know that lol!!! ;)
 

CrimSonami

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No.

UT could be at 2 losses by the time we arrive in Knoxville. UF will push them to edge and possibly over. Not likely they survive both UGA and aTm on the road back to back after CJM and the Gators leave town.
 

TideEngineer08

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If there are no undefeated teams...

If Alabama is 12-1 and SEC champions
If the Big Ten champion has 2 losses
If the PAC 12 champion has 2 losses
If Notre Dame has 2 losses
If LSU is 11-1 and the lone loss is to Alabama by less than 7 points..

Then you tell me how the SEC does not get 2 playoff teams. All of those things happening is very plausible. Frankly, the only thing I think isn't that plausible is LSU recovering from losing to us.
 

tide96

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Or any other conference. They will NOT set a precedent that would force them to allow 2 SEC teams in. That is why they are in control and the BCS guys are not.
Perhaps, but who do you think would have made it in 2011 under the current system? LSU and Okie St make it, but what other two teams would you take over Alabama? A two loss Oregon? A one loss Stanford that also didn't win its conference? Maybe Boise State is an easy pick down at #7, but then you are REALLY stretching to no put Bama in.

Hard to believe Alabama would have been passed over.
 
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LSUgrad2BamaDad

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Perhaps, but who do you think would have made it in 2011 under the current system. LSU and Okie St make it, but what other two teams would you take over Alabama? A two loss Oregon? A one loss Stanford that also didn't win its conference? Maybe Boise State is an easy pick down at #7, but then you are REALLY stretching to no put Bama in.

Hard to believe Alabama would have been passed over.
Of course Alabama would have made it and I think it was even too much of stretch to put them down to #4 so to force SEC vs SEC in the semis. They would have hoped that either LSU or Alabama would have lost to prevent an all SEC final. I think if 2 SEC teams make it this year, somehow they will be forced to play each other in the semis.
 

TideEngineer08

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Perhaps, but who do you think would have made it in 2011 under the current system. LSU and Okie St make it, but what other two teams would you take over Alabama? A two loss Oregon? A one loss Stanford that also didn't win its conference? Maybe Boise State is an easy pick down at #7, but then you are REALLY stretching to no put Bama in.

Hard to believe Alabama would have been passed over.
If I'm not mistaken, the committee ran simulations on prior years and Alabama was included for the 2011 year.
 

deliveryman35

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I guess Phil thinks we will play FSU two games in a row.(We open the 2017 season against them in ATL) Wonder what his pick would be for the 2017 opener?

I still think that Clemson w/DW bests FSU in the ACC. I think we'll be very good but if, IF, LSU can find a qb I think they should be favored to win the SEC West, which seemingly would put them in the National Playoff. Here's how I see it:

LSU/Bama
Clemson
Ohio State
Oklahoma

Remember that Ohio State and OU meet early in the season in Norman. I think the Sooners will win that game and have a BIG season. Ohio State can afford the loss since they play an easy schedule after that. I still think they get in the playoffs.
 
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