Under acceptable circumstances, I don’t have a problem with 2 teams from one conference playing in the CFP. What I object to is a team with one less game played getting in based on losing a conference game. Seriously, LSU’s reward for winning a tough game is to play one more game than the LOSER of that game. Alabama gets an extra week of practice, an extra week to heal up, an extra week NOT risking their starters on the field.
How about this? To get their spot, Alabama has to play (and beat) the highest ranked team outside the top 4 that’s not already playing in a conference championship? Call it the Wild Card Bowl.
The only teams in consideration should be the 10 (+10, +1 until the current contract is up, then ND needs to join a conference or give up their shot) teams that play in a conference championship game.
This is not about 'Bama, it’s about a system that appears to reward losing (as long as you do it in the SEC or BIG16 - both of which have ESPN contracts).
I do believe that despite their current #5 ranking, Alabama is still on the outside looking in. I certainly feel that’s the case of LSU loses to Georgia in a tight game and Ohio St and Clemson win out. And it’s possible that Oregon could leapfrog Alabama if they can finish out their 2019 campaign in dominant fashion. Remember that Oregon had Auburn on the ropes in week 1, and they’ve looked like a better team since then.
I think the way that Alabama sneaks back in is if LSU crushes Georgia and Oregon or OU is less than impressive down the stretch.
I can’t quite go out and say Ole Miss will beat LSU, but I think they’re going to make the Tigers sweat. I don’t know why but this game scares me. Coming off an emotional high, I could see the Tigers taking the week off. If they were playing Idaho or North Texas, yeah, take the week off. But Ole Miss can actually beat teams, even good ones.
They barely escaped with a last-second FG to beat last-place WSU a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea how the voters figure they should be in the top ten, let alone contending for the top 4.
I lived in Eugene for a couple of years, and I post out of love. I don’t want to see them embarrassed on the national stage.
I think we will know once they face Utah in the PAC-12 title game. The Utes are for real; if the Ducks can beat 'em - and I think they can - then I think they’re legit.
p.s. I also lived in Eugene for a few years. It took some getting used to, but I kinda got into it. Remember the hot dog stand across from Rennies? Taylor’s? McMenamins? Jackalope?
Fucking Dave Aranda!!! Another Big 10 scam artist coordinator who can’t fucking do shit once he coaches in the SEC! Fuck that piece of shit. Orgeron ought to fire his ass now!!!
I’m guessing you’re much younger than I am. I was in my 40’s when I lived there, in the mid-90’s, and I don’t know any of the places you named, probably because I didn’t go out much. I moved to the Oregon coast in the late 90’s and visited Eugene frequently for the next 20 years or so, but mostly for the VA clinic. I did go to a few games when Mariota was playing, because, duh.
I was thinking the same thing yesterday after it was announced that he had a hip injury. Hip injuries are devastating, particularly to someone who aspires to play sports at the professional or semiprofessional level.
I watched Marcus Lattimore’s gruesome injury that ruined what would have been a career and a sure first-round draft selection. The same is probably true for Tua. I don’t think Saban was necessarily nuts for leaving him in the first half. If this had happened in the 4th quarter with his team up 45-7, that would be different, but he wanted his players to be sharp for the better part of a game - I get it. It’s just unfortunate how it occurred.
I just read a blurb on this, it said that is why it’s so critical that they set the thing asap at the stadium, to prevent problems due to lack of blood flow.
Speaking of Hurts, I just ran across the fact that he graduated from HS in 2016, and he graduated from Bama in 2018.
Even at Bama (heh), how in the world did he complete a four-year degree in a little over two years, with all the time commitments of being on the biggest team in college football?
I still think Bo was the most exciting player I’ve ever seen. What a shame his career was cut short.
It’s gotten to the point where I think 'bama getting to the playoff with one loss is almost guaranteed. I, too, am tired of seeing them involved and I also hope that Auburn beats them. Maybe with Tua out that becomes more of a possibility.
I agree 100%. I’ve lived in Pac-8/-10/-12 country almost my entire life but I don’t think any team from the Pac-12 deserves to be mentioned as being in contention for the playoff. For those of you pushing for Or[COLOR=“Yellow”]egon[/COLOR]'s inclusion, you DO realize that the Auburn team that they lost to is, at best, a “tier two” SEC team, right? Personally, I hope U[COLOR=“Black”]tah[/COLOR] gets to the Pac-12 title game (I don’t think their participation in that game has been settled just yet thanks to that loss to U[COLOR=“Yellow”]SC[/COLOR] and U[COLOR=“Yellow”]SC[/COLOR] continuing to win conference games this season despite it being obvious to any neutral observer that U[COLOR=“Yellow”]SC[/COLOR]'s football team, from a national perspective, simply isn’t all that good this year) and beats the D[COLOR=“Yellow”]ucks[/COLOR] because I think that Or[COLOR=“Yellow”]egon[/COLOR] playing against one of the top teams from the Big Fourteen or from the S.E.C. will be an epic beat-down. Those of you who are in favor of competitive games in the CFP should also be pulling against a Pac-12 team’s inclusion as hard as you can.
Oregon was dominating Auburn and, in a week one game, somehow blew it. But it was week one. They’ve been impressive enough to be in the conversation. Teams get better during the season, particularly as young players mature from week to week.
That being said, right now, I’d say that Utah is actually more impressive than Oregon, but if the Ducks can beat the Utes in the PAC12 title game, then I’d say they’re definitely in the conversation. But the PAC 12 winner is probably going to need some help. They can either hope that A&M stuns LSU and then LSU drops the SEC title game, or that Ohio St chokes. Clemson’s not choking, so forget it. They’re in. And don’t let the weak schedule fool you: the Clemson Tigers are still very, very dangerous.