College Football pick'em 2017- Gameplay and scoring thread

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Playoff prediction:
1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Alabama (because of the light Ohio State win, would not shock me if they put Ohio State in though due to the wanting conference diversity...)

[WritOfCertiorari]

I agree with the two guys up there actually, they'll probably pick Bama. Ohio State ironically set that precedent last year.

[FairBol]

Here's my final four. 

1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Ohio State
4. Georgia
----------------
5. Wisconsin

[Dereich]

A terrible night of football. The college football rich got richer and the poor stayed poor. The only positive is that one of Bama or Ohio State won't make the playoff...though even that is sour since Bama Jr. will be in.

My guess:

1. Clemson
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio State

The committee has said they focus on wins and not losses; the quality of Bama's loss and the terribleness of OSU's loss won't matter as much as they should. Fresno State's loss makes Bama's schedule even worse, with only two top 25 wins vs three for OSU. And, if it comes down to a tie, the championship thing should make the difference.

[Pragmatic Conservative]

A terrible night of football. The college football rich got richer and the poor stayed poor. The only positive is that one of Bama or Ohio State won't make the playoff...though even that is sour since Bama Jr. will be in.

Agreed though I personally hope Ohio State gets instead; because I actually kind of like Urban Meyer and I am tired of Bama almost always playing for a championship.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Alabama
--------------------
5. Ohio State
6. USC
7. Auburn
8. Penn State
9. Wisconsin
10. UCF
11. Miami
12. TCU

Sugar: Clemson vs. Alabama (III)
Rose: Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Orange: Auburn vs. Miami
Peach: Wisconsin vs. UCF
Fiesta: Ohio State vs. USC
Cotton: Penn State vs. TCU

[Del Tachi]

I have a hard time picking between Ohio St/Alabama.  Alabama only has one rivalry loss in to what was the hottest team in the country a week ago.  Ohio State definitely has more quality wins, but the 55-24 loss to Iowa is a big black eye for the Buckeyes.

Interestingly, Georgia/Oklahoma to the Sugar and Ohio State to the Rose would reflect the traditional conference tie-ins associated with those bowls...hmmm....

And honestly Georgia deserves to be #1.  Clemson has a terrible loss, and UGA came back to beat a more talented team on a bigger stage.

My vote (if I was a committee member) would be:

1) Georgia
2) Clemson
3) Oklahoma
4) Alabama

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

If Ohio State gets in, it will be affirmative action for stupid dying Midwesterners who can't bear to see their once mighty conference dip into irrelevancy. Hopefully that doesn't repeat for basketball season where the quality is even more pathetic!

[Illiniwek]

Hoping for Bama. They are the better team.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Hoping for Bama. They are the better team.

Thank you. You are one of the good ones. Roll Tide

[Alabama_Indy10]

I think Alabama should be in using Ohio State's precedent from last year. No conference championship. Also, I remember the argument last year against Penn State when people said something like "no team who got beat by 20+ points should be considered for the playoff." You can't just overlook a 31 point beat down by a 7-5 team. If Alabama had lost by 31 to a similar 7-5 team (Texas A&M) they would have been out of the discussion a while ago.

[NewYorkExpress]

1. Oklahoma
2. Georgia
3. Clemson
 4. Alabama

5. Ohio State
6. Wisconsin
7. USC
8. Auburn
9. UCF
10. Penn State
11. Washington
12.

Sugar: Oklahoma vs Alabama
Rose: Georgia vs Clemson

Orange: USC vs Miami(FL) (ACC tie-in)
Peach: Wisconsin vs UCF
Fiesta: Auburn vs Ohio State
Cotton: TCU vs Penn State

I know this means Georgia and Alabama have the potential of playing each other in the final, but they didn't play in the regular season, and I imagine the committee would be much more interested in preserving the option of a Clemson/Alabama match rubber match for all the marbles.

I'm not sure if a conference can have three teams represented in the playoffs/New Year's six bowls. If they can't that could be a problem for Alabama/Auburn/Ohio State/Wisconsin/Penn State.

[Pragmatic Conservative]

I think Alabama should be in using Ohio State's precedent from last year. No conference championship. Also, I remember the argument last year against Penn State when people said something like "no team who got beat by 20+ points should be considered for the playoff." You can't just overlook a 31 point beat down by a 7-5 team. If Alabama had lost by 31 to a similar 7-5 team (Texas A&M) they would have been out of the discussion a while ago.

Without that win against Oklahoma then I think the committee seriously considers Penn State. Alabama has no top 15 wins while Ohio State will probably have two top 10 wins. Sure the losses are bad but I think the quality wins should factor significantly into the equation; Alabama struggles down the stretch and weak schedule should probably leave them out but we’ll see (personally I think they will get in even if Ohio State probably should get in over Alabama.)

[Alabama_Indy10]

I think Alabama should be in using Ohio State's precedent from last year. No conference championship. Also, I remember the argument last year against Penn State when people said something like "no team who got beat by 20+ points should be considered for the playoff." You can't just overlook a 31 point beat down by a 7-5 team. If Alabama had lost by 31 to a similar 7-5 team (Texas A&M) they would have been out of the discussion a while ago.

Without that win against Oklahoma then I think the committee seriously considers Penn State. Alabama has no top 15 wins while Ohio State will probably have two top 10 wins. Sure the losses are bad but I think the quality wins should factor significantly into the equation; Alabama struggles down the stretch and weak schedule should probably leave them out but we’ll see (personally I think they will get in even if Ohio State probably should get in over Alabama.)

It really hurt Alabama to lose at the end of the season. If the shoe was on the other foot and Alabama lost earlier in the season against an equally good opponent like Auburn, they would be in the playoff no doubt. Just like if Ohio State lost by 30+ points late in the season.

Alabama's wins weren't as good but judging their whole body of work, they absolutely dominated their opponents. They absolutely dominated and there was a feeling that "man, this is the best team in the country." Ohio State didn't have that and it's extremely difficult to forget about that 31 point loss to a 7-5 team.

[100% pro-life no matter what]

1. Oklahoma
2. Georgia
3. Clemson
 4. Alabama

5. Ohio State
6. Wisconsin
7. USC
8. Auburn
9. UCF
10. Penn State
11. Washington
12.

Sugar: Oklahoma vs Alabama
Rose: Georgia vs Clemson

Orange: USC vs Miami(FL) (ACC tie-in)
Peach: Wisconsin vs UCF
Fiesta: Auburn vs Ohio State
Cotton: TCU vs Penn State

I know this means Georgia and Alabama have the potential of playing each other in the final, but they didn't play in the regular season, and I imagine the committee would be much more interested in preserving the option of a Clemson/Alabama match rubber match for all the marbles.

I'm not sure if a conference can have three teams represented in the playoffs/New Year's six bowls. If they can't that could be a problem for Alabama/Auburn/Ohio State/Wisconsin/Penn State.

There's nothing stopping 3 teams from one conference from being in the NY6.

[WritOfCertiorari]

I think Alabama should be in using Ohio State's precedent from last year. No conference championship. Also, I remember the argument last year against Penn State when people said something like "no team who got beat by 20+ points should be considered for the playoff." You can't just overlook a 31 point beat down by a 7-5 team. If Alabama had lost by 31 to a similar 7-5 team (Texas A&M) they would have been out of the discussion a while ago.

Without that win against Oklahoma then I think the committee seriously considers Penn State. Alabama has no top 15 wins while Ohio State will probably have two top 10 wins. Sure the losses are bad but I think the quality wins should factor significantly into the equation; Alabama struggles down the stretch and weak schedule should probably leave them out but we’ll see (personally I think they will get in even if Ohio State probably should get in over Alabama.)

It really hurt Alabama to lose at the end of the season. If the shoe was on the other foot and Alabama lost earlier in the season against an equally good opponent like Auburn, they would be in the playoff no doubt. Just like if Ohio State lost by 30+ points late in the season.

Alabama's wins weren't as good but judging their whole body of work, they absolutely dominated their opponents. They absolutely dominated and there was a feeling that "man, this is the best team in the country." Ohio State didn't have that and it's extremely difficult to forget about that 31 point loss to a 7-5 team.

It was more of a scheduling thing for them this year. Their best win was against LSU, which isn't really as impressive as it could have been, and Ohio State just beat a top 4 Wisconsin team in a game they pretty much fully controlled all the way through. I think what makes it worse is that Georgia beat Auburn. If Auburn had won, at least Alabama's only loss would have been to a playoff team.

I agree with your second point, but do you remember that Mississippi State game? They looked pretty crappy in that one, and it doesn't help that was late in the season. Then the Bulldogs barely beat Ole Miss. It's weird to say I guess, but this was a down year for Alabama, somehow!

[Alabama_Indy10]

I think Alabama should be in using Ohio State's precedent from last year. No conference championship. Also, I remember the argument last year against Penn State when people said something like "no team who got beat by 20+ points should be considered for the playoff." You can't just overlook a 31 point beat down by a 7-5 team. If Alabama had lost by 31 to a similar 7-5 team (Texas A&M) they would have been out of the discussion a while ago.

Without that win against Oklahoma then I think the committee seriously considers Penn State. Alabama has no top 15 wins while Ohio State will probably have two top 10 wins. Sure the losses are bad but I think the quality wins should factor significantly into the equation; Alabama struggles down the stretch and weak schedule should probably leave them out but we’ll see (personally I think they will get in even if Ohio State probably should get in over Alabama.)

It really hurt Alabama to lose at the end of the season. If the shoe was on the other foot and Alabama lost earlier in the season against an equally good opponent like Auburn, they would be in the playoff no doubt. Just like if Ohio State lost by 30+ points late in the season.

Alabama's wins weren't as good but judging their whole body of work, they absolutely dominated their opponents. They absolutely dominated and there was a feeling that "man, this is the best team in the country." Ohio State didn't have that and it's extremely difficult to forget about that 31 point loss to a 7-5 team.

It was more of a scheduling thing for them this year. Their best win was against LSU, which isn't really as impressive as it could have been, and Ohio State just beat a top 4 Wisconsin team in a game they pretty much fully controlled all the way through. I think what makes it worse is that Georgia beat Auburn. If Auburn had won, at least Alabama's only loss would have been to a playoff team.

I agree with your second point, but do you remember that Mississippi State game? They looked pretty crappy in that one, and it doesn't help that was late in the season. Then the Bulldogs barely beat Ole Miss. It's weird to say I guess, but this was a down year for Alabama, somehow!

They still beat a Florida State team in what was called “One of the Biggest Opening Games of All Time”. People seem to forget about that game because of the way FSU turned out. But if you look at it, Alabama was in control against the #3 team in the country when Francois went out. Who should they have scheduled then? They scheduled the #3 team in the country.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Exactly! Injuries matter! FSU is an elite team with Francois. And Mississippi States last game clearly doesn't count with the loss of Fitzgerald. That is still an elite team inT15 with full health.

On the other hand, not sure Bosa accounts for 5 scores!

THERE IS NO TEAM MORE DISRESPECTED THAN ALABAMA!

[Green Line]

I don't see how the committee can pick OSU over Bama, hate to say it.  That Iowa loss is so much worse than anything on Alabama's resume.  Hopefully I'm wrong!

[Green Line]

I don't see how the committee can pick OSU over Bama, hate to say it.  That Iowa loss is so much worse than anything on Alabama's resume.  Hopefully I'm wrong!

Man, sometimes I hate it when I'm right!

[WritOfCertiorari]

If it makes anyone feel better, at least we won’t have to see Ohio State get destroyed again. Alabama-Clemson should be a great matchup and Oklahoma-Georgia is intriguing. This could be the best playoffs yet.

[Dereich]

If it makes anyone feel better, at least we won’t have to see Ohio State get destroyed again. Alabama-Clemson should be a great matchup and Oklahoma-Georgia is intriguing. This could be the best playoffs yet.

Frankly that won't be difficult, as every playoff to date has had at least two blowouts.

[WritOfCertiorari]

Mostly because they picked teams like Washington and Michigan State that, while “deserving” a spot, were obviously not as good as the other playoff teams. If we were just going by who deserves to be in the playoff, we would probably have UCF in there. Instead they can prove themselves against Auburn in the Peach Bowl and will likely be given some respect by the committee.

The committee is now trying to minimize its risks and create good matchups, rather than going for the team that did its work and “deserves” in. That’s better for the playoffs itself, but makes this more like the BCS than the NCAA basketball tournament.

[Green Line]

Frankly, I would have taken Ohio State or Wisconsin over Georgia.  Not impressed by them.

[Alabama_Indy10]

The committee’s job is to get the 4 best teams into the playoff. I believe they have succeeded.