2020 College Football Discussion and Pick 'Em Thread

[7,052,770]

I think the vast majority of fans would rather see this than whatever is announced tomorrow:

8 Cincinnati @ 1 Alabama
5 Notre Dame @ 4 Texas A&M
winners to Sugar Bowl

6 Oklahoma @ 3 Clemson
7 Oregon @ 2 Ohio State
winners to Rose Bowl

The format doesn't even work that well this year with the reduced season, and it's still much better than what we get. If the rules just required every P5 conference represented instead of champions necessarily, you might sub in Colorado or USC for Oregon.

Or, they could abolish the P5/G5 split altogether and just require at least 6 conferences represented, and you could sub in Coastal Carolina for Oregon.

[Santander]

so TAMU got beaten up by Alabama, Notre Dame got beaten up by Clemson, but they will leave undefeated Cincy out.

It is fundamentally unfair that a team can go undefeated and still not have even a shot at a championship, especially this year when Cincinnati was unable to schedule some high-quality non-conference games, but we really can't blame the selection committee for leaving out a team with Cincinnati's very soft resume.

If you put it to a vote of college football fans, I think an overwhelming majority would prefer an 8-team system that included 5 P5 autobids, 1 G5 team, and 2 at larges. SEC and Big 10 fans would see their conferences get extra teams in pretty often, the other P5s would be glad to have the guarantee, and the G5s would love it. Too bad college football is run by out-of-touch olds.

In the vast majority of seasons, there aren't even 4 teams that could legitimately claim to be the best team in the country, and never more than 5-6. Having quarterfinal games would further ruin the heritage of prestige bowls, too.

There should be no such thing as a "claim" to being the best team. It should be definitively settled on the field.

For years the minority of fans who lurved the BCS claimed that the BCS always got it right in the end. Then in year 1 of the playoff, Ohio State, who didn't have a "claim" and would have gotten no consideration whatsoever under the BCS, won it and proved they were the best after all. In 2017, Alabama did it again. It's reasonable to think that it would have happened a few more times with a 4-team playoff during the BCS years.

Looking at who's been selected under the 4-team model and who just missed out, it's easy to see that an 8-team playoff would have picked up pretty much everyone with a legitimate case for deserving to play for a title, as well as making sure every P5 conference is represented, as well as at least 1 G5 cinderella each year:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_Football_Playoff#Selections_by_year

There should not even be a national championship game. It should be settled by polls, and if the polls disagree, so be it. Let both schools hang banners, who cares? (UCF is a literal national champion, regardless of if they played in a "championship game" or not) But if there is to be one (a purely revenue-generating exercise), it should only be settled by teams with a legitimate claim of being the best. We are talking about teams with the claim of being the best team, not teams with a claim of being the #4 or #5 best teams. Winning a one-off game doesn't make you the best team, otherwise the national championship might as well be like boxing where you give it to whoever beats Alabama during the season.

The year all 5 P5 champions go undefeated, we can discuss having a 6-team playoff.

[7,052,770]

There should not even be a national championship game. It should be settled by polls, and if the polls disagree, so be it. Let both schools hang banners, who cares? (UCF is a literal national champion, regardless of if they played in a "championship game" or not) But if there is to be one (a purely revenue-generating exercise), it should only be settled by teams with a legitimate claim of being the best. We are talking about teams with the claim of being the best team, not teams with a claim of being the #4 or #5 best teams. Winning a one-off game doesn't make you the best team, otherwise the national championship might as well be like boxing where you give it to whoever beats Alabama during the season.

The year all 5 P5 champions go undefeated, we can discuss having a 6-team playoff.

I guess you and I just have a different philosophy about this and won't be able to agree, but there is no other sport that restricts playoffs to only teams who can "claim" to be the best just based on their regular season, even though pretty much every sport gives teams a better opportunity to do that than college football does.

2014 Ohio State and 2017 Alabama had no "claim" before the playoff started and their inclusion at all was controversial, but I'm glad they got their chance to prove it, and with the playoff games included they both have deserving resumes for the national title.

[Santander]

There should not even be a national championship game. It should be settled by polls, and if the polls disagree, so be it. Let both schools hang banners, who cares? (UCF is a literal national champion, regardless of if they played in a "championship game" or not) But if there is to be one (a purely revenue-generating exercise), it should only be settled by teams with a legitimate claim of being the best. We are talking about teams with the claim of being the best team, not teams with a claim of being the #4 or #5 best teams. Winning a one-off game doesn't make you the best team, otherwise the national championship might as well be like boxing where you give it to whoever beats Alabama during the season.

The year all 5 P5 champions go undefeated, we can discuss having a 6-team playoff.

I guess you and I just have a different philosophy about this and won't be able to agree, but there is no other sport that restricts playoffs to only teams who can "claim" to be the best just based on their regular season, even though pretty much every sport gives teams a better opportunity to do that than college football does.

2014 Ohio State and 2017 Alabama had no "claim" before the playoff started and their inclusion at all was controversial, but I'm glad they got their chance to prove it, and with the playoff games included they both have deserving resumes for the national title.

1-loss Ohio State gave Wisconsin the most humiliating defeat in their history while playing a 3rd-string QB. Hardly controversial, unless you're a TCU or Rapist U supporter. Ohio State had more claim of being the best team than Florida State.

1-loss Alabama with only 1 loss at highly-ranked Auburn, playing in the toughest division in the toughest conference at the time, edges out 2-loss conference champs playing in weaker (Ohio State) or vastly weaker conferences (Southern Cal). Hardly controversial if you care about strength of schedule at all.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

The only good thing about an eight team playoff is for long term recruiting purposes, incentivizing recruits to choose alternative schools. And even that is flimsy because most are choosing Alabama/Clemson for the superior coaching and the lack of playing time putting less wear on the body for the professional ranks.

I don't really want to watch any of those proposed games this year. I don't even want to watch the semifinals. This week decided it.

Texas A&M can't possibly get in. It would be a laughing stock. They are 14th in efficiency and 23rd in resume rank. (And 10th in the overly SEC generous FPI.) It's significantly worse than putting Cincinnati in and would end my faith in the process entirely.

The "correct" decision is probably Oklahoma, sadly. The reason for Notre Dame is defensible and probably what they will do because it's the easy decision. (Cincinnati barely defensible at all.) Doesn't matter, both will be blown out and will continue to be a CFP meme.

[GeorgiaModerate]

WEEK 16 RESULTS

After various cancellations and rearrangements, 18 games were played.  dfw and Donerail tied for first at 13-5, with three others a game behind.  Full results:

13 dfw, Donerail
12 Dereich, ExtremeRepublican, Illiniwek
11 Dingo Joe, GeorgiaModerate
 9 Jgibson
 6 NY Express

There were four unanimous picks:

Texas A&M-Tennessee
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Boise State-San Jose State (wrong)
Arizona State-Oregon State

And five games with a single dissenter:

USC-Oregon (dissenter was right)
Ohio State-Northwestern
Utah-Washington State
Alabama-Florida
UCLA-Stanford (dissenter was right)

There was no change at the top of the leader board; dfw and Donerail are still tied for first overall.  Year to date standings (313 games):

219 dfw, Donerail
216 Dereich
213 ExtremeRepublican, GeorgiaModerate
184 NY Express
183 DINGO Joe, Jgibson
176 Illiniwek
 16 JacksonHitchcock
  1 CraneHusband

[Terry the Fat Shark]

I'd be ahead if Chip Kelly hadn't gone for 2 in 2 OT

[7,052,770]

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

With an 8-team model, this would never be in question

[Donerail]

I'd be ahead if Chip Kelly hadn't gone for 2 in 2 OT

Homer pick pays off!

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

Getting blown out by 28 against Bama does not confer upon a team a right to get blown out by 28 against Bama again.

[Never Made it to Graceland]

I'd be ahead if Chip Kelly hadn't gone for 2 in 2 OT

Homer pick pays off!

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

Getting blown out by 28 against Bama does not confer upon a team a right to get blown out by 28 against Bama again.

You could say literally the exact same thing about Faux Irish. The beat a depleted Clemson, got wrung out when they met again, and will likely have the floor wiped with them if they meet again (which they won't, they will also get blown out by Bama.)

The worst and most mind-numbingly stupid fan base in football is also one of the most numerous, so they keep getting invited to the playoffs despite being clearly inferior. F*** ND. I don't give a rat's ass about Texas A&M but they would have been a better choice, so was Cincinnati.

[Santander]

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

With an 8-team model, this would never be in question

You say SEC as if the SEC is good this year. A&M has 1 quality win, against a team whose stock dropped big time. They don't deserve to play for the title because they're not at the same caliber as the teams above them.

[Donerail]

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

Getting blown out by 28 against Bama does not confer upon a team a right to get blown out by 28 against Bama again.

You could say literally the exact same thing about Faux Irish. The beat a depleted Clemson, got wrung out when they met again, and will likely have the floor wiped with them if they meet again (which they won't, they will also get blown out by Bama.)

The worst and most mind-numbingly stupid fan base in football is also one of the most numerous, so they keep getting invited to the playoffs despite being clearly inferior. F*** ND. I don't give a rat's ass about Texas A&M but they would have been a better choice, so was Cincinnati.

No, no, no. Notre Dame had better wins (over an admittedly Lawrence-less Clemson and a commanding road win over UNC) than A&M (a squeaker over a 3-loss UF and an otherwise very unimpressive schedule — best win other than UF is probably over Auburn? lol). Plus their embarrassing loss was slightly more embarrassing than Notre Dame's; saying otherwise is just recency bias.

I agree that Notre Dame fans are very annoying and the committee is at some level considering that they're a bigger national draw, but A&M is not gonna hang with these teams either — there's enough separation between the top three teams and the rest that any of them would probably get demolished, and it's not obvious to me that Notre Dame is somehow less deserving than A&M. (Cincinnati would obviously be preferable, but that was never really a serious possibility.)

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I'd be ahead if Chip Kelly hadn't gone for 2 in 2 OT

Homer pick pays off!

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

Getting blown out by 28 against Bama does not confer upon a team a right to get blown out by 28 against Bama again.

You could say literally the exact same thing about Faux Irish. The beat a depleted Clemson, got wrung out when they met again, and will likely have the floor wiped with them if they meet again (which they won't, they will also get blown out by Bama.)

The worst and most mind-numbingly stupid fan base in football is also one of the most numerous, so they keep getting invited to the playoffs despite being clearly inferior. F*** ND. I don't give a rat's ass about Texas A&M but they would have been a better choice, so was Cincinnati.

Doesn't Texas A&M literally have the largest fan base? Notre Dame has the most filthy casuals that don't even enjoy the sport, but I think most delusional fan bases like Alabama, Tennessee, Penn State, and TAMU are clearly worse since they live and breath this stuff and yet still have no clue.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Portnoy was right this morning to tell the A&M girl that they should hope to be #5 so they can say "coulda shoulda woulda" forever instead of facing the consequences. Gifted the single worst team in a New Years Six bowl. If they can't beat UNC, that would be a mighty stain on the SEC.

The whole nation ought to be praying for Cincinnati to end up perfect. Cincinnati-Georgia is obviously the same to be most geared up for outside of the title. Georgia legitimately became a decent team near the end of the year.

[7,052,770]

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

With an 8-team model, this would never be in question

You say SEC as if the SEC is good this year. A&M has 1 quality win, against a team whose stock dropped big time. They don't deserve to play for the title because they're not at the same caliber as the teams above them.

It's impossible to compare the SEC to other conferences based on W/L records since it didn't play any out-of-conference games, but it's reasonable to think that the SEC is probably a cut above the rest of the conferences like it is every year.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Committee is too kind to SEC anyways, they left Georgia in the top 10 and left Florida above Cincinnati

[Santander]

The selection committee chose the most popular team over the team who earned it. Any team that makes it through the SEC with only 1 loss deserves to play for the title, period.

With an 8-team model, this would never be in question

You say SEC as if the SEC is good this year. A&M has 1 quality win, against a team whose stock dropped big time. They don't deserve to play for the title because they're not at the same caliber as the teams above them.

It's impossible to compare the SEC to other conferences based on W/L records since it didn't play any out-of-conference games, but it's reasonable to think that the SEC is probably a cut above the rest of the conferences like it is every year.

Vandy, Mississippi St, Arkansas, South Carolina, LSU, and Tennessee would be basement dwellers in any P5 conference. There are years where surviving the SEC West relatively unscathed is a tremendous achievement, but this isn't even close to being one of them.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1340787125143400453

[NewYorkExpress]

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1340787125143400453

Are we sure that isn't a decision, that given the circumstances, was made in West Point?

[7,052,770]

https://twitter.com/Brett_McMurphy/status/1340787125143400453

Are we sure that isn't a decision, that given the circumstances, was made in West Point?

Well, it's being reported by a solid source that it wasn't voluntary, so I think yes?

[Santander]

Complete disgrace. 9-2 Army being shut out of a bowl game is more damaging to America's soul than anything Trump ever did.

One of the loser schools need to do the patriotic thing and cede their bowl berth to Army.

[Terry the Fat Shark]

Bowl games for picking (post Christmas only)

Saturday, December 26th

FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Liberty vs #12 Coastal Carolina Noon EST ESPN

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX
#19 Louisiana vs UTSA 3:30 PM EST ABC

LendingTree Bowl at Ladd-Pebbles Stadium in Mobile, AL
Western Kentucky vs Georgia State 3:30 PM EST ESPN

Tuesday, December 29th

Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
#21 Oklahoma State vs #18 Miami (FL) 5:30 PM EST ESPN

Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
#20 Texas vs Colorado 9 PM EST ESPN

Wednesday, December 30th

Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC
Wake Forest vs Wisconsin Noon EST ESPN

TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN
Iowa vs Missouri 4 PM EST ESPN

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#6 Oklahoma vs #7 Florida 8 PM EST ESPN

Thursday, December 31st

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX
Tulsa vs Mississippi State Noon EST ESPN

Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, AZ
Ball State vs #22 San José State 2 PM EST CBSSN

AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, TN
West Virginia vs Army 4 PM EST ESPN

Mercari Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
Arkansas vs TCU 8 PM EST ESPN

Friday, January 1st

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA
#8 Cincinnati vs #9 Georgia Noon EST ESPN

Vrbo Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Auburn vs #14 Northwestern 1 PM EST ABC

Rose Bowl Game - CFP Semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#4 Notre Dame vs #1 Alabama 4 PM EST ESPN

Allstate Sugar Bowl - CFP Semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA
#3 Ohio State vs #2 Clemson 8 PM EST ESPN

Saturday, January 2nd

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL
#23 North Carolina State vs Kentucky Noon EST ESPN

Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
Ole Miss vs #11 Indiana 12:30 PM EST ABC

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
#25 Oregon vs #10 Iowa State 4 PM EST ESPN

Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL
#5 Texas A&M vs #13 North Carolina 8 PM EST ESPN

[7,052,770]

Complete disgrace. 9-2 Army being shut out of a bowl game is more damaging to America's soul than anything Trump ever did.

One of the loser schools need to do the patriotic thing and cede their bowl berth to Army.

It's quite surprising that they couldn't find an opponent literally. Like, Rutgers and Texas Tech were projected to maybe play in bowls and I couldn't find any news article about them opting out, so why isn't one of them playing Army? And if they both did a soft opt-out, surely someone out there, even a bad Sun Belt team or something, would have played.

[NewYorkExpress]

I know the pick'em is only the post-Christmas bowls, but I feel like picking the pre-Christmas ones too.

Myrtle Beach Bowl:

Appalachian State @ North Texas

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Tulane @ Nevada

Boca Raton Bowl:

UCF @ #16 BYU (This actually should be a good game)

New Orleans Bowl:

Louisiana Tech @ Georgia Southern

Montgomery Bowl:

Memphis @ Florida Atlantic

New Mexico Bowl:

Hawaii @ Houston

Camellia Bowl:

Buffalo @ Marshall

Saturday, December 26th

FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Liberty vs #12 Coastal Carolina Noon EST ESPN

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay, FL
South Carolina vs UAB Noon EST ABC

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX
#19 Louisiana vs UTSA 3:30 PM EST ABC

LendingTree Bowl at Ladd-Pebbles Stadium in Mobile, AL
Western Kentucky vs Georgia State 3:30 PM EST ESPN

Tuesday, December 29th

Cheez-It Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
#21 Oklahoma State vs #18 Miami (FL) 5:30 PM EST ESPN

Valero Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
#20 Texas vs Colorado 9 PM EST ESPN

Wednesday, December 30th

Duke's Mayo Bowl at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC
Wake Forest vs Wisconsin Noon EST ESPN

TransPerfect Music City Bowl at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN
Iowa vs Missouri 4 PM EST ESPN

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#6 Oklahoma vs #7 Florida 8 PM EST ESPN

Thursday, December 31st

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX
Tulsa vs Mississippi State Noon EST ESPN

Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium in Tucson, AZ
Ball State vs #22 San José State 2 PM EST CBSSN

AutoZone Liberty Bowl at Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, TN
West Virginia vs Tennessee 4 PM EST ESPN

Mercari Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX
Arkansas vs TCU 8 PM EST ESPN

Friday, January 1st

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA
#8 Cincinnati vs #9 Georgia Noon EST ESPN

Vrbo Citrus Bowl at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, FL
Auburn vs #14 Northwestern 1 PM EST ABC

Rose Bowl Game - CFP Semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX
#4 Notre Dame vs #1 Alabama 4 PM EST ESPN

Allstate Sugar Bowl - CFP Semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, LA
#3 Ohio State vs #2 Clemson 8 PM EST ESPN

Saturday, January 2nd

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, FL
#23 North Carolina State vs Kentucky Noon EST ESPN

Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
Ole Miss vs #11 Indiana 12:30 PM EST ABC

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ
#25 Oregon vs #10 Iowa State 4 PM EST ESPN

Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL
#5 Texas A&M vs #13 North Carolina 8 PM EST ESPN

College Football Playoff Championship Game:

Alabama 37, Clemson 34 3OT

[Terry the Fat Shark]

(we will officially pick the NCG after the semifinals)