2014-2015 NCAA College Football Thread

[ItachiZaku]

UGA is still a title contender. They could still make the playoffs.

For as underwhelming as they have seemed, they are still 5-1 and ranked 10th. Easily still in it. And with GA, they have many capable backs to back up Gurley, but FSU behind Winston?

Also, if everything pans out negatively as hoped, FSU would be stripped of wins, include the National Championship and Heisman. If not... they'll just shrug it off, just as they have shrugged off everything else recently.

[Stommped]

For as underwhelming as they have seemed, they are still 5-1 and ranked 10th. Easily still in it. And with GA, they have many capable backs to back up Gurley, but FSU behind Winston?

Also, if everything pans out negatively as hoped, FSU would be stripped of wins, include the National Championship and Heisman. If not... they'll just shrug it off, just as they have shrugged off everything else recently.

Which really means nothing after the fact. Stripping scholarships/bowl eligibility is the only way to hurt a program. It will be a long time before Penn St. is relevant again.

[Vampiroth]

I bet FSU suspends Jameis if they lose to ND.

[Pendulous]

The problem is that after the fact is a terrible way to go. For fans, we still watched the games, and we watched a team that should have been ineligible, play in a playoff spot that should have gone to someone else. As far as pure entertainment goes, it doesn't make jack a difference if several years later, Reggie Bush gets a Heisman stripped, or a team gets a championship stripped. A larger playoff system will help with that though. Four is just not enough. Eight is reasonable. Twelve would be ideal, and would solve the problem that originated with the BCS, in that great teams like the undefeated Boise St. had no chance of proving themselves. It's not really an issue this year, but sometimes a team pops up that is in a non-automatic-qualifying conference, that just kicks all sorts of ass.

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I bet FSU suspends Jameis if they lose to ND.

If that happens, there needs to be an investigation on FSU, not just Winston.

[Stommped]

The problem with expanding the playoff is that the regular season games would become far less important. A mega important game like this Saturday's FSU-ND wouldn't matter all that much under expansion because the loser would most likely still be ranked in the top 8 or 12 if they finish the season with just that 1 loss. Under the current system with just 4 teams, it's really unlikely for the loser to be able to get back into the top 4 because of their easy schedule.

That's what happens with college basketball, you have a 25 game schedule and 68 teams make the playoffs. Regular season games are virtually meaningless if you have a somewhat good team because you will make the playoffs anyway. The difference is they view this as worth it because they are able to play a bunch of games in a short time span and create the mega popular March Madness because of all the possible out comes that can happen from a 68 team tournament. Obviously you can't do this with football.

[xuros]

Did you guys read/understand the scenario I laid out? The SEC East sucks outside of Georgia, and they could easily have 2-3 losses going into the SEC championship game. If they upset the SEC West champion how would the committee justify a 2-3 loss team getting into the final 4? There's no chance. Now it's very unlikely that Georgia will beat the SEC West Champ, and if they are good enough to do that then they probably will win the rest of their games.

I just dont see that happening.

[Stommped]

I just dont see that happening.

Which part? Georgia winning the SEC title game, or the committee leaving out a 2 loss SEC champion? I don't see how you would justify putting a 2 loss team from the weaker SEC East over a potential 1 loss Alabama, Ole Miss, etc. who played a much tougher schedule.

Of course all this goes out the window if Georgia can beat Auburn. Then they'll only be a 1 loss team and everything will be fine. But I don't think they will, especially without Gurley.

[Pendulous]

The problem with expanding the playoff is that the regular season games would become far less important. A mega important game like this Saturday's FSU-ND wouldn't matter all that much under expansion because the loser would most likely still be ranked in the top 8 or 12 if they finish the season with just that 1 loss. Under the current system with just 4 teams, it's really unlikely for the loser to be able to get back into the top 4 because of their easy schedule.

That's what happens with college basketball, you have a 25 game schedule and 68 teams make the playoffs. Regular season games are virtually meaningless if you have a somewhat good team because you will make the playoffs anyway. The difference is they view this as worth it because they are able to play a bunch of games in a short time span and create the mega popular March Madness because of all the possible out comes that can happen from a 68 team tournament. Obviously you can't do this with football.

Yeah, but that's 68 teams. Eight or twelves teams should not make regular season games less important, especially since you still only play twelve games. Two losses would still have a good chance of kicking you out. Remember that the top ranked teams aren't likely to play each other (the current situation in the SEC West aside), so you're going to be taking conference champions and high-ranked teams anyway. They get more opportunity to prove themselves to high-ranked out-of-conference teams, and thus making a little less arguments about who really is the best team that year. Plus, the situation you laid out about Georgia is more likely to settle, since they would get in an eight or twelve team playoff, as would the SEC West winner.

[xuros]

Which part? Georgia winning the SEC title game, or the committee leaving out a 2 loss SEC champion? I don't see how you would justify putting a 2 loss team from the weaker SEC East over a potential 1 loss Alabama, Ole Miss, etc. who played a much tougher schedule.

Of course all this goes out the window if Georgia can beat Auburn. Then they'll only be a 1 loss team and everything will be fine. But I don't think they will, especially without Gurley.

Georgia winning the SEC. With Gurley out and their other issues. Not going to happen.

[Vampiroth]

One player doesn't make a team. Chubb proved his is a more than capable back to handle the load while Gurley is suspended. I suspect Georgia's defense is only going to get better under their new DC.

[Stommped]

Yeah, but that's 68 teams. Eight or twelves teams should not make regular season games less important, especially since you still only play twelve games. Two losses would still have a good chance of kicking you out. Remember that the top ranked teams aren't likely to play each other (the current situation in the SEC West aside), so you're going to be taking conference champions and high-ranked teams anyway. They get more opportunity to prove themselves to high-ranked out-of-conference teams, and thus making a little less arguments about who really is the best team that year. Plus, the situation you laid out about Georgia is more likely to settle, since they would get in an eight or twelve team playoff, as would the SEC West winner.

Yeah I just think if you look at this year specifically, these matchups in the SEC West have been awesome, but they would just be a little bit less exciting if we knew they only had to be in the top 12 to get a chance, and then the FSU-ND matchup I mentioned. This game is basically a play-in game for the playoffs because the loser most likely has no shot at getting back in the top 4. But every season is different, so who knows. One thing is with 12 teams, the top 4 teams would still be kind of important for teams to get in since they would get a bye in 1st round. Though they have a month off before the playoff starts anyway :P

[Projali]

The problem is that after the fact is a terrible way to go. For fans, we still watched the games, and we watched a team that should have been ineligible, play in a playoff spot that should have gone to someone else. As far as pure entertainment goes, it doesn't make jack a difference if several years later, Reggie Bush gets a Heisman stripped, or a team gets a championship stripped. A larger playoff system will help with that though. Four is just not enough. Eight is reasonable. Twelve would be ideal, and would solve the problem that originated with the BCS, in that great teams like the undefeated Boise St. had no chance of proving themselves. It's not really an issue this year, but sometimes a team pops up that is in a non-automatic-qualifying conference, that just kicks all sorts of ass.

One could argue that Marshall is the Boise State of this year. Mountain West has better teams than CUSA does, though. It'd be interesting to see how Marshall would fare against a team with a big D-line.

[Pendulous]

One thing is with 12 teams, the top 4 teams would still be kind of important for teams to get in since they would get a bye in 1st round. Though they have a month off before the playoff starts anyway :P

How do the current playoffs work? I assume they're being played at a neutral place, but when? You'd have to cut down a little on the time between the regular season and playoffs, unless the playoff games are scheduled in between the first waves of bowl games.

Is the game listed on this week one of the playoffs games?

[Stommped]

How do the current playoffs work? I assume they're being played at a neutral place, but when? You'd have to cut down a little on the time between the regular season and playoffs, unless the playoff games are scheduled in between the first waves of bowl games.

Is the game listed on this week one of the playoffs games?

No the bowl system you've been familiar with stays exactly the same. So two of the old "BCS" bowls (plus the Peach and Cotton) will be used as semi final games , then the winners play in the National Championship. The semi final bowls will rotate year to year. So this year the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl will serve as the semi final games, both played on New Years Day, then the NC on the 12th.

Here's a link that shows the schedule for the next 12 years.

[Vampiroth]

The count on signed Jameis Winston items authenticated is up to 2000. LOL

[Gumboy]

The count on signed Jameis Winston items authenticated is up to 2000. LOL

Yeah, I'm sure THAT is legit. If FSU lets him play this week they should be investigated as well, right away. I notice FSU is letting a player that was suspended for awhile for breaking team rules come back for this important game to..I'm just sure that is unrelated to, right?


What a joke...

[Pendulous]

So what do we have this week?

No. 14 Kansas State at No. 11 Oklahoma. K State sneaked into the rankings. I don't see either team being great this year. Each one has a hard schedule coming up.

No. 21 Texas A&M at No. 7 Alabama. Bama's had turnover issues this year. But A&M's only real challenges have come out to be losses. I would bet a Nick Saban led team would put it together and come out on top.

No. 15 Oklahoma State at No. 12 TCU. Poor TCU. I can see them bouncing back and winning this game after the legendary loss to Baylor.

No. 5 Notre Dame at No. 2 Florida State. Already talked about, but I'm glad they play each other, so at least one of them will have a loss.

[Vampiroth]

A couple of games Im interested in are; Baylor vs WVU, UGA vs Arkansas, and Kentucky vs LSU.

I think baylor could get upset.

[Gumboy]

I honestly think alabama could lose to a&m this week.

[Vampiroth]

If A&M plays like they did against SCAR that is for sure. Bama hasn't looked like a powerhouse this season.