Peach Bowl

[AppSt94]

Do you think TCU is pissed that they are not in the playoff? They are laying the lumber to the best scoring defense in the country.

[Rick0714]

Somewhere "reasonable" Ohio State fans are thanking the Money Gods of the Big 10 that they somehow got the nod to be in the playoffs. I don't think OSU could stay within 21 pts of TCU in each team's average game. This coming from a guy who felt the Big 12 was highly overrated.

[EastHallApp]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

[appst89]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

Just for me, there is nothing that Ohio State can do to make me believe they should have been in this playoff. Now that they are in, anything can happen, but that won't change the fact that they should have never been there in the first place.

[AppSt94]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

Just for me, there is nothing that Ohio State can do to make me believe they should have been in this playoff. Now that they are in, anything can happen, but that won't change the fact that they should have never been there in the first place.

I agree. TCU was punished for the Big XII not having a CCG.

[HeffnerIV]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

That's a fair argument, but Alabama beat a number of good teams throughout the season. OSU got in because they walloped a program from their same conference- a conference everyone has known for years was mediocre at best.

For the record, I almost always root against Alabama. Tomorrow I'm hoping they pound Ohio State.

[bcoach]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

[EastHallApp]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

That's a fair argument, but Alabama beat a number of good teams throughout the season. OSU got in because they walloped a program from their same conference- a conference everyone has known for years was mediocre at best.

For the record, I almost always root against Alabama. Tomorrow I'm hoping they pound Ohio State.

Its not like Bama - or the rest of the SEC for that matter - had a bunch of great nonconference wins. The SEC West started out with a bunch of highly ranked teams, beat up on mostly nobodies outside the league, and everyone decided they were invincible. Now they're playing real competition in the bowls and, lo and behold, they're struggling.

As for the Big XII, the key game for people wanting to say they got jobbed - other than OSU-Bama, of course - will be Baylor-Michigan State. That's one of the Big XII's co-champs against the B1G's second-best team (who OSU blew out on the road). Baylor needs to win that one convincingly for the conference strength argument to hold water.

[EastHallApp]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

Of course we will. Just as we do in basketball, when people argue over who #68 should be. The only way to avoid these arguments is to put every team in the playoffs.

[NewApp]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

Of course we will. Just as we do in basketball, when people argue over who #68 should be. The only way to avoid these arguments is to put every team in the playoffs.

How many games would that take to cover all the teams in the brackets.

[AppSt94]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

That's a fair argument, but Alabama beat a number of good teams throughout the season. OSU got in because they walloped a program from their same conference- a conference everyone has known for years was mediocre at best.

For the record, I almost always root against Alabama. Tomorrow I'm hoping they pound Ohio State.

Its not like Bama - or the rest of the SEC for that matter - had a bunch of great nonconference wins. The SEC West started out with a bunch of highly ranked teams, beat up on mostly nobodies outside the league, and everyone decided they were invincible. Now they're playing real competition in the bowls and, lo and behold, they're struggling.

As for the Big XII, the key game for people wanting to say they got jobbed - other than OSU-Bama, of course - will be Baylor-Michigan State. That's one of the Big XII's co-champs against the B1G's second-best team (who OSU blew out on the road). Baylor needs to win that one convincingly for the conference strength argument to hold water.

That is a great point on the SEC. Their reputation has elevated their perception. This had an adverse affect on TCU as they were coming offa losing season. I just don't like how this playoff thing shook out. It should have been done on the body of work. I don't think that the only undefeated team in the playoff, and is the defending champion is a number 3 seed. I also disagree that a team slides three spots on the final week for winning. The whole thing is a farce.

[bcoach]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

Of course we will. Just as we do in basketball, when people argue over who #68 should be. The only way to avoid these arguments is to put every team in the playoffs.

Actually no. The only people left to argue then would be #69. the rest of the world could care less. The real argument it normally somewhere in the top 5-6 in football. If they went to 16 there would be very little argument.

[EastHallApp]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

Of course we will. Just as we do in basketball, when people argue over who #68 should be. The only way to avoid these arguments is to put every team in the playoffs.

Actually no. The only people left to argue then would be #69. the rest of the world could care less. The real argument it normally somewhere in the top 5-6 in football. If they went to 16 there would be very little argument.

I take it you have never watched or read any coverage of the NCAA selection show. Last team(s) left out is annually one of the biggest topics of discussion and, usually controversy. There is a 100% chance it would be the same in football for a playoff of 8, sixteen or any other number.

The difference, of course, is that at some point the teams left out wouldn't have had a legit chance to win it all.

[Goapps15]

While I agree that TCU is better than Ohio State, their resume was not much better than theirs. In fact I'd argue Ohio State had better and more impressive wins. After seeing Clemson hammer TCUs second best win before yesterday it confirmed that feeling.

Also loved Paul Johnson's jab at the SEC after the Orange Bowl. The SEC doesn't have the gap on the rest of college football that it once did.

[HeffnerIV]

So if OSU beats Bama tomorrow, does everyone start saying Bama should have been left out? They're the ones who lost to this same Ole Miss team, after all.

That's a fair argument, but Alabama beat a number of good teams throughout the season. OSU got in because they walloped a program from their same conference- a conference everyone has known for years was mediocre at best.

For the record, I almost always root against Alabama. Tomorrow I'm hoping they pound Ohio State.

Its not like Bama - or the rest of the SEC for that matter - had a bunch of great nonconference wins. The SEC West started out with a bunch of highly ranked teams, beat up on mostly nobodies outside the league, and everyone decided they were invincible. Now they're playing real competition in the bowls and, lo and behold, they're struggling.

As for the Big XII, the key game for people wanting to say they got jobbed - other than OSU-Bama, of course - will be Baylor-Michigan State. That's one of the Big XII's co-champs against the B1G's second-best team (who OSU blew out on the road). Baylor needs to win that one convincingly for the conference strength argument to hold water.

I think the problem people have when they argue that the SEC is not the strongest conference in football is that they're only able to cite small samples here-and-there, like the Peach and Orange Bowls yesterday, and that's fair in the short term. But the SEC reputation wasn't built in a couple of bowl games one season. Their dominance has been almost exclusive the last decade. Just in the BCS Championships which started in '98, Nine of the 16 champs have been SEC members and five different programs. Seven of the last Eight champs were from the SEC. You're right, they rarely play anyone outside the conference, but they get a pass because of the competition they'll play in cinference games.

I have no SEC team and absolutely no loyalty to them. My objectivity just has too strong of a case against any subjectivity I might have against them.

If you look at the B1G's top two, Michigan St. and Ohio St. DID play tough OOC. MSU took a beat down in Eugene and Ohio St. lost at home to a VT team who turned out to be an average team at best.

[9Steelman]

The new playoff system has caused teams to score as much as possible, and keep playing your best players all 60 minutes. Second and third team players will not play as much because running up the score is necessary for style points/seeding tempers will flare up more often/hard feelings will occur.. Not sure that anyone thought of these issues when creating playoff system. #5 in football is entirely different than #69 in basketball. #69 would win never championship but # 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 could win football championship.

[bcoach]

Someday when there is a playoff we will not have to go through these arguments.

Of course we will. Just as we do in basketball, when people argue over who #68 should be. The only way to avoid these arguments is to put every team in the playoffs.

Actually no. The only people left to argue then would be #69. the rest of the world could care less. The real argument it normally somewhere in the top 5-6 in football. If they went to 16 there would be very little argument.

I take it you have never watched or read any coverage of the NCAA selection show. Last team(s) left out is annually one of the biggest topics of discussion and, usually controversy. There is a 100% chance it would be the same in football for a playoff of 8, sixteen or any other number.

The difference, of course, is that at some point the teams left out wouldn't have had a legit chance to win it all.

I have watched and I am very sure that the guys on the show care a lot more than the rest of the country does.

[EastHallApp]

Well, to get back to the original point, it was definitely a huge statement win by TCU, and now it looks like Baylor is doing the same. Will be fascinating to see how the playoff games go tonight.

[Cincy App]

Congratulations Michigan State and Wisconsin! Go Big Ten!!

The Big Ten has looked deeper than the Big 12 this bowl season (i.e. - Oklahoma & Texas games). There will always be controversy with the last team in though - whether it's 2 teams or 4 or 8.

[hapapp]

Well, to get back to the original point, it was definitely a huge statement win by TCU, and now it looks like Baylor is doing the same. Will be fascinating to see how the playoff games go tonight.

No so fast my friend! Looks like Michigan State made sure that Baylor couldn't join TCU in making the selection committee look bad. Michigan State and Wisconsin upheld the honor of the Big 10 today. Of course, the real test comes later today as an Ohio State team that has never beaten Alabama must try and prove its worth to a doubting audience.