SEC - will the committee give them more love?
Will we get jobbed by the committee? They can argue that we didn't cover the spread to a weak RU team, and Georgia whooped (not really a whooping) a ranked (rank as in P U) four loss Auburn team, so they must be better than Michigan and, THEREFORE, are deserving of the four spot in this week's ranking. We all know that the committee wants two, if not three SEC teams...
November 11th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
No. Stay focused. Beat Indiana. Beat OSU. Beat NW. Profit.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
This post is dumb
November 11th, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^
Plus 1. Succinct.
November 11th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^
All speculative CFP posts are dumb
November 12th, 2018 at 2:10 AM ^
No they're not. Many are constructive discussions about what the ranking might be or after the fact discussions of what makes sense and what doesn't.
This one isn't even speculative and gives no information other than to start complaining like an MSU fan would about getting "no respek".
Fact of the matter is UGA is ranked ahead of Michigan in a lot of the resume metrics and the quality metrics. Reasonable minds could easily rank them ahead of Michigan this week. And then more reasonable minds would put Michigan back in front if they win at OSU.
It's bad, lazy poll mentality to think that if you just win, you shouldn't get passed by a team that was previously ranked behind you. It depends how you win and how the other teams beat win (and whom everyone played).
November 11th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
It's way too early for this. We still have one big win coming
November 11th, 2018 at 11:49 AM ^
I'm just going to stay focused and control what I can control.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^
So, the TV remote and the type of beer you drink?
November 11th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
I'm just going to take it one game at a time.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
But are you here just so you won't be fined?
November 11th, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^
That's a good idea. Stick to the fundamentals.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
Michigan controls their own destiny, end of story.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
Can get jobbed if Alabama somehow loses, story continues.
November 11th, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^
But won't. The end.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
We will get passed over by two 2 loss SEC teams. This will force all conferences to fight for a larger bracket next year. Thus, the committee will then be able to have 3 SEC teams in the 8 team tournament every year.
Conspiracy!!
Agree - bad post and the OP should feel bad.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
There is zero chance that the CFP includes
ND
SECx2
ACC,
and excludes a B1G winning Michigan whose only loss is to an undefeated ND. ZERO CHANCE.
They would be leaving out the PAC12, BIG12, and B1G champions in favor of a second SEC team and a non-champion ND. If that happens, it's the end of the four-team playoff format.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:10 PM ^
Precisely the possible narrative being played out...possibly
November 11th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^
not to mention, what would be our "lowest quality win" is against the B1G West champion. And our only loss is an undefeated ND team at their house.
and for us to get there, we will have to beat a top ten O$U team in Columbus.
we win out, we'll be more than deserving to get into the CFP.
Bama just needs to beat UGA and this will all be moot.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
Thank you for the dose of sanity!
November 11th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
This is patently not true.
In the case of everyone winning out except Alabama losing to Georgia, you can EASILY argue that Alabama deserves to be #4 instead of Michigan.
In that case, Georgia jumps to #1 or #2 (easy since ND's SOS is weak and they just beat friggin bama and remember 1 loss LSU was ranked above ND). In which case, Alabama's loss is better than Michigan's loss and Alabama is in over Michigan.
To me, the current rankings of ACC/SEC teams are pointing exactly this scenario. Not sure what this is so hard to believe for some...
November 11th, 2018 at 4:34 PM ^
A better loss, maybe, but we'd have a conference championship and a 12 game win streak... they'd have a 1 game losing streak. Losing in early September and steadily improving trumps choking in December.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:54 PM ^
I've been saying this for weeks -- totally agree Comrade.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:51 AM ^
No, Georgia will not jump us because we "only" beat Rutgers by 35 LOL. Jeez. There will be no change to the top six of the playoff rankings this week.
Furthermore, I have a horribly difficult time seeing more than 1 SEC team getting in. Even if Georgia beat Bama in the SECCG, if Clemson, ND, and Michigan win out, Georgia would get in at 4 and Bama would be left out. Absolutely.
That's the nightmare scenario for the committee, and it's extremely unlikely so the discussion is probably moot, but a 12-1 non-conference champion is not going to make the playoff over a 13-0 ACC champ, a 12-1 Big Ten champ, a 12-1 or 13-0 SEC champ, and a 12-0 Notre Dame. Not going to happen.
The only way the SEC gets 2 teams in is if Notre Dame drops a game AND the Big 12 champ has 2 losses. Even then, Washington State could go 12-1 and win the Pac 12 and get a look.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^
If you think Bama is getting left out, you’d better prepare yourself for a massive disappointment if they lose to Georgia. They’ve been #1 all year, they’ve destroyed everyone they’ve played, they’re the defending champs, have the best player right now, and have the best coach in the history of the game.
Assuming Clemson and ND win out, they’re in. If Georgia wins out and wins the SEC, they’re in. That leaves us and Bama to contend for the final spot, assuming of course we beat OSU and win the BTCG (neither are a given). The committee is NOT leaving Bama out. They want Clemson-Alabama Part IV. If it comes down to us and Bama, we WILL get screwed. Mark my words.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^
You're wrong. A 12-1 Michigan who won the Big Ten, whose only loss is to an undefeated Notre Dame, in week 1, at Notre Dame, is not getting left out. No. Matter. What. On top of our brand and the ratings and all that off-the-field crap, we'd have won a power 5 conference, won 12 games in a row, just beaten a 10-1, top ten opponent on the road, and have multiple wins over top 25 teams, AND we scheduled a tough OOC opponent in a true road game. We will not be left out if we are 12-1, no matter what happens.
Now, if the committee was so intent on getting that 12-1 SEC runner up Bama in, the team that would get booted would be Notre Dame, since they didn't play in a conference championship game. The committee would justify it by saying that we don't have the 13th data point for Notre Dame, we don't know that Notre Dame would have won that game had they played a conference championship, we think Bama looked more impressive during the year, etc.
I don't think the committee would bump a 12-0 Notre Dame. If Clemson, Notre Dame, Michigan, and Georgia win out, that would be your top 4 and Bama would fall to 5. However, if a team were to get bumped for Bama, it would be Notre Dame. Then the rankings would be Clemson, Michigan, Georgia, Bama.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
Very good take. People who think a 12-1 Michigan doesn’t make it need to pull their heads out of their butts.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Just stop. In your scenario you have the committee putting Bama - a loser to the only really good team they played (on a neutral field) over a conference champion that just beat a top 10 team in the biggest of all rivalry games ON THE ROAD.
Just fucking stop it.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
This is an interesting scenario and very much the Doomsday one for the CFP. Like you, I don't think it will happen. However, I think it's too soon to say if Clemson, ND, or Michigan would get screwed (I'm agreeing that they would try and sneak two SEC teams in). But whomever they chose, that would be the death of the current system.
The only choice to preserve the current system would exclude Alabama and just say to them "You've got to win your conference championship" just like they tell every other non-SEC conference.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
Your last point about preserving the status quo is the most important. There would be immediate upheaval if either a 12-1 Michigan or a 12-0 Notre Dame were left out. The committee could only put a 12-1 Alabama in the playoff if they were ready to expand to 8 next year. If they don't want a full-on revolt on their hands, they would rightfully leave a 12-1 Bama out of the playoff...that's why I maintain that that is exactly what would happen in that unlikely scenario.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:32 PM ^
I like your post prior to mine. I think you worded the argument very well and better than me (I was typing mine before yours posted). The question would be whether the committee would want to go nuclear.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:35 PM ^
And you think SEC is going to just standby if 12-1 Alabama is left out? And guess who has the most pull these days?
November 11th, 2018 at 1:41 PM ^
"The SEC" the institution will have a team in the playoff no matter what. They don't have an argument.
Saban will be mad, but the SEC won't have a conniption over not getting a second team in. And, I don't know, who has the most pull? Tell me. Only 3 of the 13 committee members are SEC folk, and none of them are tied to Bama (Vanderbilt, Arkansas, and Florida).
November 11th, 2018 at 6:46 PM ^
If the idea is to keep Michigan out then there it at least one more member, Gene Smith, that would undoubtedly vote against Michigan.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^
Possibly like the tie game between us and tOSU, where the conference sent them instead of us...history tends to repeat itself. The good guy gets screwed a lot...
edit: I hope that is not the case.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
Agreed. We could be invaded by mars and Alabama will make the playoffs.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
If Bama loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship game, Clemson stays undefeated, ND is undefeated, OK is 12-1, and Michigan is 12-1 B10 champ the playoff ranking will look something like this:
1. Clemson
2. Georgia
3. ND
4. Bama
Michigan ends up playing OK in some bowl game or something like that. Harbaugh goes on a media rampage and the committee talks about expanding to 8 allowing for all power 5 conference champs and three wild cards.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^
You conspiracy types keep saying this as though it's a fact. Where is your evidence? There is none.
I'm sorry, but you're just looking for things to be upset about. It's not happening.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
The loser of the SEC Championship Game would never get put in the playoff over the winner of the Big Ten Championship Game with same record. I don't care if it was Jesus Christ himself that was the SEC runner up, it just wouldn't happen.
November 11th, 2018 at 2:22 PM ^
I'm starting to wonder how many people on this blog have been watching some of the TV sports shows that covered this topic.
I'll admit Rece and Herbie did lean towards Michigan, but pretty much everyone else is saying that Michigan would be the team left out if that scenario happens.
It just seems like only some bias Michigan fans are on the internet saying Michigan wouldn't be out in that scenario.
Though if you go outside of our fan base, almost everybody else is saying the opposite.
No matter what Michigan fans feel, the general public opinion is saying that Alabama is just too great of a team to be left out of the playoff in that scenario.
Our only hope would be the committee not following the general public opinion by selecting Michigan.
November 11th, 2018 at 3:45 PM ^
I hope you’re right, because just about every talking head outside of the Michigan camp says that if Bama loses to Georgia and ND and Clemson stay undefeated, then Michigan will be getting left out in the cold.
Even John Bacon said on the Michigan Insider podcast this week that if this situation comes to fruition, he would not trust the committee to put Michigan in. I’m not going to. But the lone silver lining if this happened would be that there’s no way the playoff field wouldn’t be expanded to 6-8 teams after all the flak the committee would get.
November 11th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
Agreed.
Most of the committee is non-SEC, and I don't think the non-SEC members want to set a strong precedent of breaking one-loss team arguments by going with a second non-champion SEC. It's not good for non-SEC conferences.
Should a one-loss Georgia hand Alabama its only loss, Michigan and the non-SEC members should loudly remind the committee of 2014. In 2014, the SEC West was getting the same unvetted love the SEC's getting this year. In fact , the SEC West was being touted as an NFL-lite division. What happened to the top 5 teams from the SEC West in their bowls that year? They ALL lost.
With the SEC sporting zero wins over current non-conference Top 25 teams, the committee needs to take the hype with a grain of salt when it comes time to choose the playoff participants for real. Is Georgia better and more deserving than Michigan? The honest answer is that we don't know. On the other hand, should Georgia beat Alabama we'd know that Georgia was more deserving than Alabama.
Two loss 2017 Ohio State had two significant blemishes, a 31 point loss at Iowa and a 15 point loss at home to Oklahoma. Should Michigan win out, it won't be any more blemished than any other one-loss team, and it will be in possession of a conference championship, which the CFP selection guidelines cite as a consideration for this exact potential scenario.
November 11th, 2018 at 2:18 PM ^
Bama would sport one win against a current ranked team and would be fresh off a loss in the most important game of the year.
Michigan would have at least two such wins and be on a 12 game winning streak.
I fail to see how a loser of a conf championship game would not be eliminated when there are a handful of other teams that would stack up against them.
November 11th, 2018 at 3:12 PM ^
On paper, it's a no-brainer. Alabama would not have a better resume.
If Alabama gets in it would be as some kind of "lifetime achievement award" for past successes, which the committee is not supposed to do. They are supposed to pick based on this season's achievements.
If Alabama loses its CCG on a neutral field while having only one ranked win the entire season, that's not much of an achievement despite how good they looked getting to that point.
November 11th, 2018 at 11:54 AM ^
Stop, man. Just stop. The Georgia situation will sort itself out in championship week. If they lose, they are not in.
If we beat OSU, we will have a far bigger win on our resume than anything Georgia would have, assuming they don’t beat Bama. Which they won’t.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
Fucks sake. This a garbage post and reads as almost open trolling. I can't believe the team is this good and there's still stupid shit like this going up.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:11 PM ^
Really? You can't believe it? Have you ever interacted with Michigan fans before?
November 11th, 2018 at 1:03 PM ^
Yeah but I guess I foolishly believed that a sustained run of success like they've had this year would stop some of the stupidity. My own fault for believing that though.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^
You'll have to ask the committee a bit later, as they've run into a bit of a snag finishing off Greg Sankey. Apparently, that great big tire that he pushes around as part of his workout got stuck during....ANYWAY....
November 11th, 2018 at 12:17 PM ^
If anything, UGA didn't beat Auburn in anything close to the way we destroyed PSU. And UGA's "big" win last week over UK looks pretty weak considering how badly Tennessee just took it to them.
November 11th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
We have a winner in the 'Stoopidist Post of All Time' thread contest...