CFB Week 14: Championship Week

Conigliaro's Potential · Nov 30, 2021

I'm salivating already.

(This college season has been so much more enjoyable to me than the NFL season - not just because my Falcons have been so mediocre-to-gawdawful, but because the storylines have felt way more compelling in the college game, and so many more college teams are feel-good stories in the way that so few pro teams are.)

canderson · Nov 30, 2021

Go pokes!!!!!!!!

Kremlin Watcher · Nov 30, 2021

Why is Utah -3 over Oregon? That seems like a sure bet on the Ducks.

Conigliaro's Potential · Nov 30, 2021

Kremlin Watcher said:
Why is Utah -3 over Oregon? That seems like a sure bet on the Ducks.

Because Utah won by 70 bajillion points when the two teams met a few weeks ago, maybe?

Joe D Reid · Nov 30, 2021

Kremlin Watcher said:
Why is Utah -3 over Oregon? That seems like a sure bet on the Ducks.

I think I actually agree, but...Utah beat Oregon by 31 like two weeks ago.

Zososoxfan · Nov 30, 2021

Granted this is the first time I'll truly care about Championship week, but it seems like there are 4-5 matchups that are fairly even and any of them going to the dog changes the playoff outlook, if 2 surprises happen then we're in for considerably more craziness.

Kremlin Watcher · Nov 30, 2021

Joe D Reid said:
I think I actually agree, but...Utah beat Oregon by 31 like two weeks ago.

I must have missed that one. Don’t usually have the stamina for West Coast games after starting at 11:00 (beer may be involved).

Ale Xander · Nov 30, 2021

Awesome Fossum said:
Opportunities to lose to Georgia by 30 don't come around every year.

They do in Nashville.

Was (Not Wasdin) · Dec 1, 2021

If Michigan and Cincinnati win, and Georgia beats Alabama in a close one, does Alabama still get in (assuming an OK State win)? I think they do, which I dont think has ever happened before (a 2 loss non-conference champion). The interesting thing to me in that case would be the seeding-would they leave it as is to avoid the GA-Alabama rematch in a couple of weeks?

JoePoulson · Dec 1, 2021

There have a been a few 1-loss non-conference champs to play for the title, but I can't find any with 2-losses. So yea that would be unprecedented but not all that surprising if it does happen this year. Even going back to the BCS, with Nebraska in 2001 and Oklahoma in 2003, they each only had one loss. Looks like LSU was the only 2-loss winner, in 2007, but they won the SEC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Football_Playoff

"To date, 24 of the 28 teams selected for the College Football Playoff have been undefeated or 1-loss conference champions from Power Five conferences. Two 1-loss Power Five teams have been selected without playing in their conference championship game, while one other has been selected after losing its conference championship game. One undefeated independent team has been selected. No teams from the "Group of Five" conferences or with two or more losses have been selected."

canderson · Dec 1, 2021

Was (Not Wasdin) said:
If Michigan and Cincinnati win, and Georgia beats Alabama in a close one, does Alabama still get in (assuming an OK State win)? I think they do, which I dont think has ever happened before (a 2 loss non-conference champion). The interesting thing to me in that case would be the seeding-would they leave it as is to avoid the GA-Alabama rematch in a couple of weeks?

I don't see a 2 loss Bama team getting in if OK State beats Baylor.

I do somewhat think Cincinnati loses to Houston though - they're ripe for a loss after several dogfights and they have to be distracted by coach change talk. Baylor beating OK State wouldn't be a surprise either. And Michigan is MIchigan so a loss to Iowa there would be par the recent course.

Then you'd get a Georgia / Alabama / Notre Dame / Ohio State final 4. It'd be gross, but that's what TV wants.

Eric1984 · Dec 1, 2021

canderson said:
I don't see a 2 loss Bama team getting in if OK State beats Baylor.

I do somewhat think Cincinnati loses to Houston though - they're ripe for a loss after several dogfights and they have to be distracted by coach change talk. Baylor beating OK State wouldn't be a surprise either. And Michigan is MIchigan so a loss to Iowa there would be par the recent course.

Then you'd get a Georgia / Alabama / Notre Dame / Ohio State final 4. It'd be gross, but that's what TV wants.

You really think a 2-loss OSU team would get in over a 2-loss Michigan team that took OSU to the woodshed? It's not like Michigan doesn't have a huge national following of its own that draws viewers.

Average Reds · Dec 2, 2021

Eric1984 said:
You really think a 2-loss OSU team would get in over a 2-loss Michigan team that took OSU to the woodshed? It's not like Michigan doesn't have a huge national following of its own that draws viewers.

It's probably important to realize that his comment is reflective of the anti-Michigan bias on the board more than any rational basis. Which is why, if Michigan loses, neither team will make the playoffs.

For the record, betters are reading way too much into last week's game, because it's insane to think of Michigan as a 10 point favorite over Iowa. I do think Michigan should control the game and win, but the strength of Iowa's defense is such that it should be a low-scoring game. If Iowa can avoid going into an early hole, they will stick around and hope to get lucky late. (Which is their only chance, because their offense is not good and Michigan's defense is almost as good as Iowa's.)

canderson · Dec 2, 2021

Average Reds said:
It's probably important to realize that his comment is reflective of the anti-Michigan bias on the board more than any rational basis. Which is why, if Michigan loses, neither team will make the playoffs.

For the record, betters are reading way too much into last week's game, because it's insane to think of Michigan as a 10 point favorite over Iowa. I do think Michigan should control the game and win, but the strength of Iowa's defense is such that it should be a low-scoring game. If Iowa can avoid going into an early hole, they will stick around and hope to get lucky late. (Which is their only chance, because their offense is not good and Michigan's defense is almost as good as Iowa's.)

I"m not really anti Michigan, but I could see these people voting for Ohio State who is off instead of jumping Oregon (if they win the Pac 10) all the way up. It makes zero sense, but this is ESPN essentially calling the shots.

mauf · Dec 2, 2021

I don’t follow B1G football closely, but Iowa appears to have limped to the finish. Sure, they won 4 in a row after back-to-back losses, but all 4 opponents were unranked, and 3 of the 4 were one-score games. Michigan isn’t as good as they looked last weekend, but I expect them to win.

Bama isn’t as good as they’ve been the past few years. The talent is still there to beat anyone on any given day, but I don’t think they’ll beat UGA. A 2-loss Bama could get in, but only if they lose respectably and two of Michigan, Oklahoma State, and Cincinnati lose. If UGA routs Bama and two of those other three lose, then you have a chaos scenario where Baylor, Iowa, and tOSU could all have a shot at the fourth spot.

Was (Not Wasdin) · Dec 3, 2021

Awesome Fossum said:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32771214/nebraska-cornhuskers-qb-adrian-martinez-enters-transfer-portal

I cannot believe that Martinez still has eligibility. Feels like he's been the Nebraska quarterback for a decade. Shades of Chad Henne.

Not only does he have a year of eligibility remaining, he still has a redshirt year, so he could sit out a year and then use it. How old was Chris Weinke when he quarterbacked Florida state to the natty, 27 or 28? Martinez would still only be 22 or 23 i think.

mauf · Dec 3, 2021

Awesome Fossum said:
Is Oregon also losing in that scenario? If not, they're a two loss Pac 12 champ that beat tOSU and avenged their worst loss. I think Alabama is the only school that has a prayer with two losses and no conference champion.

Good point. The H2H win and the conference championship would presumably put Oregon ahead of Ohio State. And depending on how good they look, they might leapfrog Baylor too, even if they win the Big 12. So yes, they’re in the mix in the chaos scenario. And tOSU would need Utah to beat Oregon, in addition to all the other chaos.

Conigliaro's Potential · Dec 3, 2021

mauf said:
Bama isn’t as good as they’ve been the past few years. The talent is still there to beat anyone on any given day, but I don’t think they’ll beat UGA.

I absolutely think Bama will beat UGA to clinch their spot in the playoff. UGA's resume this year isn't actually that impressive - their best wins are Clemson, Kentucky and Arkansas (in some order), and I don't think they've faced anything like as good a team as Alabama so far. Bama is due for a bounce-back game, and certainly not as good of an offense as Bama's. It also wouldn't surprise me at all if UGA plays nervously and/or if Kirby coaches stupidly (like he did against Bama last time). On paper, I agree that Georgia is the better team, and I agree that Bama isn't as good as it has been in the past...but until Kirby defeats Saban for the first time, I'm going to keep giving the Tide the benefit of the doubt.

Humphrey · Dec 3, 2021

Awesome Fossum said:
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32771214/nebraska-cornhuskers-qb-adrian-martinez-enters-transfer-portal

I cannot believe that Martinez still has eligibility. Feels like he's been the Nebraska quarterback for a decade. Shades of Chad Henne.

Same w/Anthony Brown at Oregon this year. Been around forever.

shawnrbu · Dec 3, 2021

Any reason UTSA is an underdog at home tonight?

canderson · Dec 3, 2021

Utah with a pick 6 to go up 14-0.

JCizzle · Dec 3, 2021

Oregon looks awful.

shawnrbu · Dec 3, 2021

Best crowd I have ever seen for a Pac 12 Championship Game. Pac 12 has found a home in Vegas.

canderson · Dec 3, 2021

Game is similar to the first meeting that Utah absolutely dominated the duck.

absintheofmalaise · Dec 3, 2021

The Dr Pepper tuition challenge was more interesting than either of these games.

Ale Xander · Dec 3, 2021

I feel envious of Utah fans. They get to make that pretty drive, especially in winter, down I-15 from SLC to Las Vegas (2nd time they have to keep going through Baker and Barstow though, meh) 2 times in one month, as pretty as interstate hwy drives get.

SemperFidelisSox · Dec 3, 2021

Utah will now play either Iowa or Ohio St. in the Rose Bowl.

shawnrbu · Dec 3, 2021

Utah 76
Oregon 17

Well deserved champs.

Conigliaro's Potential · Dec 4, 2021

Kremlin Watcher said:
Why is Utah -3 over Oregon? That seems like a sure bet on the Ducks.

Ahem.

JCizzle · Dec 4, 2021

Oklahoma State is not making a strong argument for a playoff spot thus far.

canderson · Dec 4, 2021

Pokie shitting the bed isn’t a surprise.

Average Reds · Dec 4, 2021

Fans of Notre Dame must be excited by the performance of the creamsicles.

JCizzle · Dec 4, 2021

I haven’t heard the name Tim Rattay in a longggg time. I remember arguing for him to start over Jeff Garcia almost 20 years ago. Pretty sure he was the guy the Niners took a few spots ahead of Brady too - oops.

Ale Xander · Dec 4, 2021

JCizzle said:
I haven’t heard the name Tim Rattay in a longggg time. I remember arguing for him to start over Jeff Garcia almost 20 years ago. Pretty sure he was the guy the Niners took a few spots ahead of Brady too - oops.

Rattay actually went 13 picks after Brady

canderson · Dec 4, 2021

Damnit, Gundy.

shawnrbu · Dec 4, 2021

Baylor is woodshedding Okie Lite.

Mystic Merlin · Dec 4, 2021

What a mystifying upheld call, that was clearly a lateral.

Aaaand promptly 21-3.

Ale Xander · Dec 4, 2021

Wow Baylor

there is no chance in reality but a guy can hope that they can jump ND

54thMA · Dec 4, 2021

shawnrbu said:
Baylor is woodshedding Okie Lite.

Oh gee, what a shame.

SemperFidelisSox · Dec 4, 2021

Always great to see Mike Gundy fail.

JoePoulson · Dec 4, 2021

Big 12 gonna Big 12, like clockwork.

JCizzle · Dec 4, 2021

Ale Xander said:
Rattay actually went 13 picks after Brady

Ah whoops, clearly mixed that up.

CFB Week 14: Championship Week

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