OT: D1

[ctrabs74]

It’s possible. If say, Georgia and Michigan run the table and Florida State loses to Louisville then Washington/Oregon is essentially a play in game and I think OSU would be next in line, though it might be a real close call if Texas is a one loss Big 12 champ.

The most interesting (and potentially awful) scenario would be if Bama beats Georgia and Washington, Florida State and the OSU/Michigan winner are unbeaten. How far would Georgia fall and Bama rise in that scenario? Could an unbeaten get left out?

I think that if it came down to a one-loss Ohio State (with the win over Michigan and a loss to Iowa) and Texas beats Texas Tech and whomever they face in the Big 12 title game (which could be Oklahoma State, Oklahoma or Kansas State), then I think Texas would jump OSU in that scenario thanks to their head-to-head win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

Of course, there's always the chance that Texas somehow pulls a Texas and loses to Texas Tech this Friday in Austin... because that would be the most Texas thing ever.

[IUP24]

It’s possible. If say, Georgia and Michigan run the table and Florida State loses to Louisville then Washington/Oregon is essentially a play in game and I think OSU would be next in line, though it might be a real close call if Texas is a one loss Big 12 champ.

The most interesting (and potentially awful) scenario would be if Bama beats Georgia and Washington, Florida State and the OSU/Michigan winner are unbeaten. How far would Georgia fall and Bama rise in that scenario? Could an unbeaten get left out?

It's these conversations that back up my opinion that they should have never agreed to expand the playoff (I know, I know - more people get more money this way). I truthfully liked having 1 and 2 just go at it. These things all mostly play themselves out and at the end of the day, and at the end of the day, the more you add, the more you devalue the regular season and conference championships.

In your scenario, why should Georgia get in if they were to lose? The SEC championship game is a play-in game at that point. Why should Georgia get another shot to play Bama on another neutral field a few weeks later? And how would that be fair to Alabama? That's not different than in like 2012 when LSU went on the road and won in Tuscaloosa 9-6 when they were 1 and 2 in the country. LSU's reward was to play Alabama on a neutral field 6 or 7 weeks later and they were made quick work of by Saban.

Assume everything just holds serve this weekend...

1. The SEC championship is a "quarterfinal" game. Win and you're in for either UGA or Bama.
2. OSU/Michigan on Saturday is a "quarterfinal" game. Both teams will overmatch Iowa in Indianapolis.
3. Florida State has an opportunity to punch their ticket by beating Louisville in Charlotte. Ohio State got into the playoff (and won the national championship) with the committee knowing they were down to their 3rd string QB.
4. The PAC-12 title game is a "quarterfinal" game. That has surprisingly been the toughest and deepest league by a wide margin this year. Win and you're in for either team.

It's not overly complicated for me. Texas has played great football, has a win over Alabama, and lost only to Oklahoma. That said, if I put them up against a 1 loss Bama (even with a head to head win over them) or a 1 loss Oregon, the conversation ends their. Both have beaten more ranked teams and their conferences this year were both better than the Big 12. I accept some may disagree with that opinion, but that's my take. There have been other scenarios where the committee has shown in the past that the totality of the season's resume means more than simply one win head to head - to which I recognize that we can certainly debate those parameters and how they've inconsistently been utilized. Louisville's loss to a 3-win Pitt team sinks them to needing chaos to happen this weekend and next to have a shot if they were to win the ACC.

I look at all the scenarios and all I see are playoff games the next two weeks and the scenarios being pretty cut and dry.

[Chuck Norris]

It's these conversations that back up my opinion that they should have never agreed to expand the playoff (I know, I know - more people get more money this way). I truthfully liked having 1 and 2 just go at it. These things all mostly play themselves out and at the end of the day, and at the end of the day, the more you add, the more you devalue the regular season and conference championships.

In your scenario, why should Georgia get in if they were to lose? The SEC championship game is a play-in game at that point. Why should Georgia get another shot to play Bama on another neutral field a few weeks later? And how would that be fair to Alabama? That's not different than in like 2012 when LSU went on the road and won in Tuscaloosa 9-6 when they were 1 and 2 in the country. LSU's reward was to play Alabama on a neutral field 6 or 7 weeks later and they were made quick work of by Saban.

Assume everything just holds serve this weekend...

1. The SEC championship is a "quarterfinal" game. Win and you're in for either UGA or Bama.
2. OSU/Michigan on Saturday is a "quarterfinal" game. Both teams will overmatch Iowa in Indianapolis.
3. Florida State has an opportunity to punch their ticket by beating Louisville in Charlotte. Ohio State got into the playoff (and won the national championship) with the committee knowing they were down to their 3rd string QB.
4. The PAC-12 title game is a "quarterfinal" game. That has surprisingly been the toughest and deepest league by a wide margin this year. Win and you're in for either team.

It's not overly complicated for me. Texas has played great football, has a win over Alabama, and lost only to Oklahoma. That said, if I put them up against a 1 loss Bama (even with a head to head win over them) or a 1 loss Oregon, the conversation ends their. Both have beaten more ranked teams and their conferences this year were both better than the Big 12. I accept some may disagree with that opinion, but that's my take. There have been other scenarios where the committee has shown in the past that the totality of the season's resume means more than simply one win head to head - to which I recognize that we can certainly debate those parameters and how they've inconsistently been utilized. Louisville's loss to a 3-win Pitt team sinks them to needing chaos to happen this weekend and next to have a shot if they were to win the ACC.

I look at all the scenarios and all I see are playoff games the next two weeks and the scenarios being pretty cut and dry.

Georgia, especially in the last few weeks, has firmly established itself as the number one team. I have a hard seeing them bumped all the way out by one loss unless they lose really badly. And while it’s not supposed to matter that they’re the two time reigning champs and haven’t lost in well over two years, I’ll bet it would matter. If it comes down to one loss Georgia vs unbeaten FSU without their star QB, I’d bet my house Georgia gets in.

[IUP24]

Georgia, especially in the last few weeks, has firmly established itself as the number one team. I have a hard seeing them bumped all the way out by one loss unless they lose really badly. And while it’s not supposed to matter that they’re the two time reigning champs and haven’t lost in well over two years, I’ll bet it would matter. If it comes down to one loss Georgia vs unbeaten FSU without their star QB, I’d bet my house Georgia gets in.

I'm not disagreeing, but it always works itself out. The SEC Championship is a playoff game. Win and in. Loser goes home. Again, I understand your view on Georgia.

[Chuck Norris]

I'm not disagreeing, but it always works itself out. The SEC Championship is a playoff game. Win and in. Loser goes home. Again, I understand your view on Georgia.

It does. I enjoy looking at/debating the what ifs. Believe me, I don’t want to see Bama and Georgia in the playoff.

[IUPNation]

He’s still James Tenandtwo!

[Fightingscot82]

Frank, Jr. fired.

[Ship69]

I meant that Ohio State could beat Michigan and lose to a "weaker" Iowa and potentially get left out depending on what happens elsewhere. I doubt Ohio State makes the playoffs with a loss to Michigan (I should have made that clearer), though crazier things have happened.

Iowa and its truly horrible offense beating beating Michigan in a title game would almost be grounds for keeping Michigan out of the playoff as far as I'm concerned. Look past the Hawkeyes inflated record, and you see a team that was pounded by Penn State, lost to a mediocre Minnesota team, and barely edged Illinois, Northwestern, and Nebraska teams that were nothing special. Northwestern likely would have beat them if its first-string QB had played. The Hawkeyes were in line to set a weird record for the team winning the most games without averaging 250 yards a game on offense.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Iowa and its truly horrible offense beating beating Michigan in a title game would almost be grounds for keeping Michigan out of the playoff as far as I'm concerned. Look past the Hawkeyes inflated record, and you see a team that was pounded by Penn State, lost to a mediocre Minnesota team, and barely edged Illinois, Northwestern, and Nebraska teams that were nothing special. Northwestern likely would have beat them if its first-string QB had played. The Hawkeyes were in line to set a weird record for the team winning the most games without averaging 250 yards a game on offense.

Michigan is going to destroy Iowa. The top 3 in the BIG East Division are head and shoulders above any of the West teams. Thankfully they’re doing away with the divisions starting next season.

[Chuck Norris]

Iowa and its truly horrible offense beating beating Michigan in a title game would almost be grounds for keeping Michigan out of the playoff as far as I'm concerned. Look past the Hawkeyes inflated record, and you see a team that was pounded by Penn State, lost to a mediocre Minnesota team, and barely edged Illinois, Northwestern, and Nebraska teams that were nothing special. Northwestern likely would have beat them if its first-string QB had played. The Hawkeyes were in line to set a weird record for the team winning the most games without averaging 250 yards a game on offense.

Iowa cracks me up. I watched some of the Nebraska game. If it’s 3rd and longer than 5 yards to go, they literally don’t even try to convert. They’re more than happy to kick a field goal or punt depending on where they are on the field. I would suspect Michigan will smoke them, but man would I laugh if the Wolverines had an off day and we got treated to a 10-7 slugfest and Iowa shocks the world.

[Fightingscot82]

Michigan 2 weeks ago: FIRE HARBAUGH

Michigan now: National Championship or bust!

Ohio State 2 Weeks Ago: National Championship or bust!

Ohio State now: FIRE RYAN DAY!

FBS coaches axed: Hogerson, Terry Bowden, Arnett.

Former Edinboro HC Justin Lustig is rumored to have been called about the Syracuse job. He was AHC & STC for Dino Babers after his 18 months in Edinboro.

[Ship69]

Michigan is going to destroy Iowa. The top 3 in the BIG East Division are head and shoulders above any of the West teams. Thankfully they’re doing away with the divisions starting next season.

I like the idea of divisions as I think an 18-team conference without them is just weird. I'm not a fan of the way they set up the divisions now. That should have been reevaluated a couple of years ago. Doing something as simple as putting Michigan or Ohio State in the West (logically Michigan) and trading out someone else would have evened things considerably. It's really been all about OSU, Michigan and Penn State as the other Eastern teams don't scare anybody. The funny thing to me now is that with the addition of the four good Pac 12 programs you could set up geographical divisions that would be fairly competitive. They're nuts if they don't set up some kind of pods or divisions for the non-revenue sports, but then again the whole conference expansion thing has gone nuts.

[iupgroundhog]

I like the idea of divisions as I think an 18-team conference without them is just weird. I'm not a fan of the way they set up the divisions now. That should have been reevaluated a couple of years ago. Doing something as simple as putting Michigan or Ohio State in the West (logically Michigan) and trading out someone else would have evened things considerably. It's really been all about OSU, Michigan and Penn State as the other Eastern teams don't scare anybody. The funny thing to me now is that with the addition of the four good Pac 12 programs you could set up geographical divisions that would be fairly competitive. They're nuts if they don't set up some kind of pods or divisions for the non-revenue sports, but then again the whole conference expansion thing has gone nuts.

I agree. I haven't checked out how they will make the schedule so I can't comment on that. However, with no east and west divisions, it seems like scheduling will be kind of random and end up raising more question marks about where teams stack up competitively.

9 each in 2 divisions seems logical to me.

[iupgroundhog]

Frank, Jr. fired.

With his long resume I am pretty sure Frank, Jr. will land in a high-profile position - however - I think IUP could use an OC/QB coach "consultant", even if it was just for a couple of months in early 2024.

[CHIP72]

Notable news for people who follow DI-AA/FCS football in the eastern half of the PSAC's footprint - Delaware has announced they are moving up to DI-A/FBS to join Conference USA in the 2025-26 season.

IMO, Delaware's move to FBS was increasingly likely with many of their ex-CAA foes, like James Madison, making the jump, but UD should have never joined Conference USA; they should have targeted the Sun Belt, which is where many of the stronger ex-FCS programs in the eastern U.S. have gone in recent years.