Question: So, how do you feel about a 4 team playoff now?

[G8RNGA]

I'd actually like to see it expanded to top 8 teams. It's so much better when it's settled on the field and kept out of the hands of pollsters

 

[BroadwayJoe777]

A 4 team playoff is OK, but it will be much harder to become a national champion than ever before.
Especially coming from the SEC West.

 

[GrayTide]

FSU is arguable, but Bama? Give me a break. And weren't you one of the Debbie Downers saying we'd be a 3-4 regular season loss team after the Ole Miss game?

What happened was Bama played their C- game and Ohio State played their A- game. Two good teams that BOTH belonged, one outplayed the other and won. And even with that, a couple different bounces of the ball and WE are playing Oregon.

That would be me and IIRC I predicted either 9-3 or 10-2 regular season. Why is it always about what could have happened rather than what really happened.

 

[Ldlane]

That would be me and IIRC I predicted either 9-3 or 10-2 regular season. Why is it always about what could have happened rather than what really happened.

Really went out on a limb! Are you Tim Brando?

 

[DzynKingRTR]

I don't understand why. We went to the Sugar Bowl, but we just lost. Same as last year. It just happens to be a part of a larger picture now.

I just feel that 4 will lead to 8 and that will lead to 16. then the regular season will mean nothing. teams will start sitting starters when they are secured a playoff spot.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

I just feel that 4 will lead to 8 and that will lead to 16. then the regular season will mean nothing. teams will start sitting starters when they are secured a playoff spot.

Not when you need home field advantage. Although I agree with you that 16 is too many.

 

[selmaborntidefan]

FSU is arguable, but Bama? Give me a break.

FSU would, in fact, be in a BCS title game simply because they were the only unbeaten and are defending national champions. The polls would have ensured that.

And weren't you one of the Debbie Downers saying we'd be a 3-4 regular season loss team after the Ole Miss game?

He'll owe up to it, but he wasn't singing a solo - and you might ought to go look at how close we came to losing to both Arkansas and LSU. Without that self-inflicted faux pas (the penalty), we probably lose the LSU game in regulation.

What happened was Bama played their C- game and Ohio State played their A- game. Two good teams that BOTH belonged, one outplayed the other and won. And even with that, a couple different bounces of the ball and WE are playing Oregon.

But that's not even his point. ON THE FIELD Ohio State won. Period. And Oregon won. And thus, you would not have the two best teams playing. What this did was expose the BCS for the fraud it actually was - "the two best teams" is all I heard for 16 years. But now you have ironclad evidence (as I knew we would) that that was NEVER true - look at the betting lines. Even if the argument is "we almost won," the fact is that we didn't.

And did it ever dawn on you that Ohio State might have had something to do with us playing our C game?

 

[REBELZED]

FSU would, in fact, be in a BCS title game simply because they were the only unbeaten and are defending national champions. The polls would have ensured that.

All I was arguing was his suggestion that Bama didn't deserve to be in the playoff and that Oregon would have "embarrassed" us.

He'll owe up to it, but he wasn't singing a solo - and you might ought to go look at how close we came to losing to both Arkansas and LSU. Without that self-inflicted faux pas (the penalty), we probably lose the LSU game in regulation.

How many games did we squeak by in 2009 when we went undefeated? How many close games have other championship teams won en route to championships? The fact is that we DIDN'T lose to LSU and we DIDN'T lose to Arkansas because our team FOUGHT for the wins. Even when the naysayers were calling for Coker, claiming we were in for at least 4 losses, and saying the game had passed Coach Saban by.

But that's not even his point. ON THE FIELD Ohio State won. Period.

When did I say Ohio State didn't win? Again, I was arguing against lumping us in with FSU as "not belonging" and acting like OSU completely annihilated us. Fact of the matter was we lost by one TD and had a decent chance to send it into OT. It's not like we were embarrassed.

And Oregon won. And thus, you would not have the two best teams playing. What this did was expose the BCS for the fraud it actually was - "the two best teams" is all I heard for 16 years. But now you have ironclad evidence (as I knew we would) that that was NEVER true - look at the betting lines.

Woo buddy, that's some serious extrapolating there. One instance of an underdog winning a close game is "ironclad evidence?" I believe most unbiased observers (ie: people NOT already clamoring for a playoff) would agree the BCS got it right more often than not. Could #4 have beaten #1 or #2 in some of those years? Sure. Same as any other upset game. But #10 could have beaten #1 or #2. Heck, an unranked team COULD have beaten those teams on any given day (see Oklahoma State 2012). To say Bama's loss to OSU is "ironclad evidence" is total exaggeration IMO.

This year was more of an exception in that there were a bunch of pretty good teams, but no outright dominant teams. Most years by the time you get to 4-6, there's been a fairly clear step down.

Even if the argument is "we almost won," the fact is that we didn't. And did it ever dawn on you that Ohio State might have had something to do with us playing our C game?

One last time, the argument was not "we almost won." The argument was against the suggestion that Bama didn't belong in the playoffs after a one TD loss to #4. And until we rewind time and run Henry 15 more times that game, no one will ever convince me we brought our A game or that OSU had anything to do with us playing a C game.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

But that's not even his point. ON THE FIELD Ohio State won. Period. And Oregon won. And thus, you would not have the two best teams playing. What this did was expose the BCS for the fraud it actually was - "the two best teams" is all I heard for 16 years. But now you have ironclad evidence (as I knew we would) that that was NEVER true - look at the betting lines. Even if the argument is "we almost won," the fact is that we didn't.

And did it ever dawn on you that Ohio State might have had something to do with us playing our C game?

And when the playoff goes to eight teams and the number 8 seed beats one of the top four seeds in the opening round you'll have the same argument. That the four seed model didn't really produce the two "best" teams.

 

[Craxycat]

And when the playoff goes to eight teams and the number 8 seed beats one of the top four seeds in the opening round you'll have the same argument. That the four seed model didn't really produce the two "best" teams.

Thank you. I read that post last night, and decided not to post on it because I didn't know how to do it without being ugly. It is especially hard to hear Bama fans so down on the previous 'system' just like the rest of college ball was down on the ones before (I mean how many times have we heard the arguments about Bama not REALLY having that many NCs).
Now we are in a system that makes it harder for teams who have hard schedules through the year...that is a fact. Period. Am I going to celebrate that fact? Probably not as much as the teams that don't have a meat grinder (FSU I am looking your way). I am DEFINITELY not going to spit or look down on a team that was playing for their life all season long as 'inferior' to the ones that won instead of them. Nor would I take this as an end all be all of why the BCS could never have been right.
On a side note I don't hate on OSU either, they took a LOT of hits at QB kept on chugging...whereas I can't say they had a hard schedule it obviously was hard on them so props for surviving.

 

[Ldlane]

And when the playoff goes to eight teams and the number 8 seed beats one of the top four seeds in the opening round you'll have the same argument. That the four seed model didn't really produce the two "best" teams.

Not if it's Conference Champions only. I think FSU and the ACC were exposed in the Rose Bowl. You play a weak schedule, you get beat by someone better. We have accept the fact that we can't "coast" in based on perception alone and that is what the Stat Sheets do, they create a perception of "strength". You have to prove it on the field and you have bring your "A" game for the playoffs!

 

[twofbyc]

Seriously...if FSU had lost one game in the regular season they are not in the playoffs. I am not against going to 8 but one regular season game has to go, and schools (read: ones who don't make the playoffs) ain't going for that. So, I think going to 8 will cause more problems than it solves, except in the minds of those who think everybody needs a "fair shot". Winning your regular season games gives you a "fair shot".
TCU, Baylor and even MSU had arguments for "being there" and, face it, if OSU beats Wisky in a close game, they probably don't make it in. So, next year, TCU doesn't have to worry about FSU keeping them out; they just have to win.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Not if it's Conference Champions only. I think FSU and the ACC were exposed in the Rose Bowl. You play a weak schedule, you get beat by someone better. We have accept the fact that we can't "coast" in based on perception alone and that is what the Stat Sheets do, they create a perception of "strength". You have to prove it on the field and you have bring your "A" game for the playoffs!

I dont buy that. I'd venture to say if you told LSU they have three weeks to prepare for OSU they'd have a great chance of beating them. Yeah, that 8-4 LSU team that we struggled more to score against than we did osu. This playoff system doesnt validate that old system didnt produce the best two teams. Because any system we put in place we'll always be able to find problems with and say theres a better way. Its all subjective.

 

[CrimsonForce]

At this point going forward it will probably be the SEC, B1G, Pac-12, and Big12 champs in the playoffs. ACC won't be in unless FSU or maybe GT runs the table which I don't see happening next year. An undefeated Notre Dame would get in also but I don't see that happening next year..