December 7th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
While I hate OSU as much, or more, than the next UM fan, having coaches like Mullen, Briles, Patterson, etc. sitting home while OSU sneaks in has to make the Michigan job look like a clearer path to the CFP than what they have currently. It's obvious the Big Ten champ got extra consideration, so why not look at that job opening a little closer, if no Harbaugh?
December 7th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
And when the Big Ten gets in the Playoff next time, they'll get in as the lowest seed because they lost the first time.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
that'll speak huge volumes of the state of Michigan vs. OSU right now.
When they needed to, OSU went out and got their first choice coach. Now they are on the brink of a national championship, with just 3 losses in 3 years and 3-0 vs. Michigan. Meyer is 50 years old. If Hackett chokes and loses out on all the top candidates, Michigan likely won't be competitive with OSU for a generation.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^
Tressel wasn't a "home run" hire and he took them to a level of winning not seen since Woody. Michigan doesn't need a "name" hire. We need a good x's and o's coach.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:07 PM ^
He is the exception and not the rule. Sometimes you get lucky, but most of the time you don't.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
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December 7th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^
OSU made it...
the Big 12 declined to declare a champion even for the purposes of the selection committee (even in the days prior to CCG's, the head-to-head winner in case of a tie was declared the conference rep).
they wanted to leave that decision to the selection committee.
The selection committee basically said that it was none of their business to declare the champion of the Big 12.
and they made the right decision.
Here's to hoping that 'bama whips OSU 59-0...but the selection committee got this one right.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
I'll repost this analogy, because this is what I think happened...
Say last week TCU was a 90, #3
FSU was 89, #4
OSU was 88, #5
Baylor was 87, #6
...now you get 5 points for an elite win, 4 for a solid win, 3 for an average win, 2 for a meh win, 1 for a cupcake
This week...
TCU is 91
FSU is 93
OSU is 92
Baylor is 91 or 92 depending on if you think Kansas St. is elite or solid.
....see how your rankings just flipped? It's not knocking TCU, they actually went UP in points. However, it's rewarding OSU, FSU and Baylor more based on their entire resume and who they just beat.
I don't think it can be said any clearer. You may not agree with it, and that's fine. But that is why the "we were #3 and we beat ISU is a shit argument."
The better argument is TCU is the better team, we weren't a 90 to begin with, we were a 95. That's better than arguing for ISU.
I think if TCU was #6 going into yesterday, there would be far less clamor for them. Because they would've only beaten ISU, while everyone else won solid games.
Again, not saying it's right. Just feel like that's what happened. They rewarded the teams for filling their resumes in the last week of the season.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
...chickens out of coachng gig at UF because he knew he couldn't hang with Saban and Alabama...jumps to Ohio State because he knows it's easier winning a weaker conference to get the inside lane to a BCS championship vote...rules change, has to line up against Sabana and Alabama just to get a shot at the championship game.
Of course, their situation is still better than ours. Not that they're the only ones.
December 7th, 2014 at 4:26 PM ^
You honestly believe Urban Meyer left Florida because he was afraid of Saban?
December 7th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
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December 7th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
December 7th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^
Because this is not a fairy tale where the good guys win and everything winds up well in the end. The SEC dominates the National Championships, because they are dirty as hell.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^
But it's depressing.
Makes me sick, because everything is there.
Go get a great AD, go get a great head coach, and let's matter again.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:30 PM ^
merely indifferent.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
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December 7th, 2014 at 2:18 PM ^
We need you. I'm jealous. Not afraid to say it. I want to be elite, I see no reason why we can't be elite.
I used work at UCF and they were always playing the "respect" card...and it's like, come on, you're UCF. Shut up. Go be the best Boise St. you can be.
That's not the case here. We're not UCF. We're not Illinois or Northwestern where we have to be realistic.
Realistically we can be elite. We've got facilities, support, funds, history, tradition, etc.
Go get Jim Harbaugh and let's matter again. I want to be playing in those late night games on Saturday with a single digit next to our name. Like Alabama does, like the Mississippi schools did.
Even if we lose some of those games. At least we're playing in them. At least we matter. Watching Alabama/LSU, Alabama/Auburn some of those Ole Miss, Miss St. games. You just want to play in big games with everything on the line. With the entire nation watching.
Jim, please come bring us back to that level. Even if we're in the "first 2 out" a time or two, at least we know we're fucking good.
We deserve to be elite.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^
And TCU/Baylor have cases to be upset...but let's keep a little perspective. Without any playoff, we'd be talking about Oregon being left out in favor of an underwhelming but unblemished FSU against Bama. And honestly, there's a good argument for Oregon being #1. So let's just remember that while the 4 team playoff is also imperfect, the previous BCS crap was worse. The controversy would be much worse if this year was still a BCS year.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
Good point. This would have been one of the worst BCS years ever.
The lazy media, which always falls on the crutch of linear interpolation, would just plug in FSU because they won it last year.
Oregon would have been locked out.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
Right. Fair or not, OSU had to play another game against a quality team and had another opportunity to lose than either Baylor or TCU. They absolutely demolished Wisconsin.
Baylor's OOC scheduling was laughable, and both TCU and Baylor's SOS were worse than Ohio State's. Ohio State had a bad home loss, but they are a completely different team than they wree at that point in the season.
The bottom line is, all three teams had an argument to be in, but Ohio State being in is not inherently wrong.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^
in the Fiesta Bowl.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:32 PM ^
This is a terrible idea. Have them play other conferences so they can prove that they belonged or didn't.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
And that makes sense...
But they'd be ranked higher than anyone else they'd play. They're supposed to beat anyone else. They're "the best of the rest."
What are they going to prove by beating teams ranked below them?
In fact, many people feel we have 6 solid teams in the country and a big gap until the next best.
December 7th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^
Both of their OOC schedules left a bit to be desired. In Baylor's case a LOT to be desired. If they play, say, a Georgia or Arizona or other top Power 5 team and lose, then they really don't have much of an argument to have made the playoffs. If they win, then they have a legitimate gripe.
Having them play again in a rematch would be unsatisfying to pretty much everyone - having them play other conferences gives them an opportunity to tell the playoof committe why they were wrong (or prove them right).
December 7th, 2014 at 4:54 PM ^
December 7th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
December 7th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
Staee played Oregon tough? We played Ohio tougher.
December 7th, 2014 at 5:15 PM ^
December 7th, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
LAST WEEK
"Wisconsin has the 2nd ranked defense."
OSU Fan: "They haven't played anyone!"
TODAY
"Good luck with that Bama defense."
OSU Fan: "We just ran over the 2nd ranked defense!"
December 7th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Bama's defense is not as good as year's past. Very good up front, but their secondary is not good. Auburn gave the game plan for how to beat them....if you have a somewhat decent defense.
I don't think OSU will win, but I think it could be a 31-24 type game.
December 7th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
I hope Ohio State stomps a mud hole in Bama's ass to make all the SEC domination crap stop.
December 8th, 2014 at 12:21 AM ^
if ever there was a year to not give a shit about SEC domination, this would that year.
December 7th, 2014 at 3:35 PM ^
If K-State had beaten Baylor, the the Big 12 would still have had co-champions but putting TCU in the playoff would have been a no-brainer.
December 7th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
I think half the anger in this discussion is simply because Ohio is in and we're home not bowling hoping Harbaugh comes to the rescue. Much like Notre Dame... To hell with Ohio. Satan err.. Saban will put a Manti T'eo and ND "exposed" ass whooping on them which is better than them getting into a bowl game they might actually win imo.
December 7th, 2014 at 9:51 PM ^
December 7th, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^
The Big 12 just got shafted. OSU lost AT HOME to a terrible Va Tech team. Then for many weeks, they have been getting media credit for looking much improved. Folks, they looked improved because they were playing horrible B1G teams. Remember Michigan looking improved against Indiana? You can't use the "eye test" to judge teams playing in different conferences against different competition. Michigan looked great against App St. Did that mean anything?
You also can't decide that multiple conference losses means a team is bad, if the conference they are playing in is good. Every conference game has one winner and one loser, so the overall conference winning percentage is always .500. You can't judge this without looking at out of conference games. Why wasn't Marshall ranked when they were still undefeated?
The B1G got embarrassed repeatedly in games out of conference. Yes, Indiana miraculously beat Missouri. But OSU lost to Va Tech, MSU lost to Oregon, Nebraska nearly lost to McNeese St (!), Michigan got crushed by ND and Utah, Iowa lost at home to Iowa St. Minnesota lost to TCU. What happened when the Big 12 played the B1G?
OSU is getting credit for beating "good" teams MSU and Wiscy. Why does anyone think they are good? Because of their records, which they have achieved against the rest of the B1G. Minnesota had a good B1G record and Oklahoma is getting trashed today because of their Big 12 record. If Minnesota and Oklahoma were to play next week, would any of you predict that Minnesota would win? And others have said it: if TCU or Baylor played an extra championship game, they'd be in. So OSU gets extra credit for another game against the garbage B1G. This is insane. Either the committee is stupid or they are partially crooked (swayed by money and/or politics).
And, yes, I am aware that I am probably going overboard here because I hate OSU so much. I hate them more than I hate any team in any sport. But regardless, OSU lost at home to a horrible Va Tech team. TCU whipped a B1G team. This selection is insane.
December 7th, 2014 at 4:07 PM ^
1. Do you honestly believe that OSU is not better now then they were in September? They are the 2nd youngest team by average age in the FBS, and they had a RsFr QB playing in his 2nd game in TWO years against VaTech.
2. Yes, TCU beat Minnesota more convincingly than OSU. You should also consider that TCU got Minnesota AT HOME in 76 degree and partly cloudy weather... OSU had to travel to Minnesota in 12 degree and snow. Plus, Minnesota scored two TDs off some rare mistakes via Jalin Marshall fumble and muff punts, those TDs still count, but those mistakes are not the norm for a Meyer-coached Special Teams.
3. Regardless how overrated Wisconsin may be (#2-rated defense, Heisman candidate RB), it is still very hard to justify a 59 point SHUTOUT unless the team they played was just that utterly dominate.
December 7th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
The Big 12 only had one "bad" nonconference loss, and that was from its worst team. The B1G had several. The Big 12 and the B1G played 3 games against each other in the non-conference. The Big 12 won all 3; the B1G lost all 3. The Big 12's worst team beat Iowa, which was a mid level B1G team. But they have just selected the B1G champ over the Big 12 champ for the playoff--even though the team they've chosen lost to a weak Virginia Tech team AT HOME. Based on what? Based on in-conference games, which makes no sense. There is no rational justification for this. Nothing in the individual teams' nonconference resumes or the B1G and Big 12 nonconference resumes as a whole justifies this.
December 7th, 2014 at 4:43 PM ^
I think one the root issues here is that the committee was releasing rankings each week. Thus, even if they have a logical formula / methodology for choosing teams, the swings week-to-week that differ from how a normal poll would function are confusing and angering people
Just sit quiet and sort it out once a year like the basketbal committee does. They can do 68 teams in a weekend, you can do 4
December 7th, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^
Why not have a defacto playoff system by letting in 8 teams. 5 League champions and 3 at large. People say the best team may be left out but if they are the best team they should win the conferance. I can't believe with three wild card teams the best team would ever be left out
December 7th, 2014 at 5:57 PM ^
I viewed the 4-team playoffs as a trial run to see how a playoff format would be recieved (revenue, public perception, and etc). It the results are positive than they will probably move to an 8-team playoff in the near future. I just don't thnk the NCAA was will to make to full jump to 8-teams in one go.
December 7th, 2014 at 6:25 PM ^
Adding the 2 additional games that woudl be required to move to the 8-team playoff would ruin the academic mission of the NCAA.
December 7th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
Tell that to DIVs I-AA, 2, and 3
December 7th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
In some ways, I think the committee just punted on the Big 12 teams, and said to the Big 12, if you can't make up your mind who to push for the playoff, we're not going to do it for you. Otoh, for those saying TCU unfairly dropped in the polls, another way of saying that is someone else rose in the polls. I'm not saying it's necessarily right in this case, but I'm glad teams aren't locked into some slot and can never pass another team if they both keep winning. If you want to blame anybody for OSU getting in the playoff over TCU, blame the Big 12 or Wisconsin for their performance. If they had shown a pulse, we might not be having this conversation.