Most of this is just so we have something to talk about for the next 4 days, and the TV people know that. We'll see tonight, but the top 5 seems pretty easy to pick. And I've got a stinker for 2 teams below, too, that should make you appreciate what Kirby has done even more.
USC plays Friday night. We'll know by bed time if they made it or not. It would be hard to put them in over Ohio St. with a loss because they'd lose to the same team twice. They might have had a great season, but it'd be clear at that point they're not even the best team in their conference.
TCU plays at noon. We'll likely know before kickoff what their fate is. Win and they're a lock. Lose close and they're probably in. The interesting thing from the committee stand point is if USC plays well and looks good and has those 3 ranked wins in a row, will the committee put them at #3. I do think the committee takes into account that the #1 team (whomever they deem that is) deserves to play what they deem the worst of the 4, no matter the record. You could make an argument last year that we took the 4th spot, but Cincy was clearly the worst of the four teams.
Okay, 2 caveats. Washington. They are 10-2 and lost to UCLA (no shame in that) and Arizona St. I have no idea how the Pac12 does tiebreakers, as they didn't play Utah. BTW, this is my nightmare for the SEC in the future. How do you decided between 2 and 3 when they didn't play each other. Anyway, they're missing out on the championship game. But...if they'd taken care of business vs. a terrible Arizona St. team, they'd be 11-1 and playing in a defacto quarterfinal vs. USC -- winner goes to the playoff.
The other...Kansas St. They are 9-3 with losses to TCU, Texas and...Tulane. 17-10 at home. Now, the Green Wave is good this year, but the conversation would be much different if K-State was 10-2. They'd be thinking about an outside possibility of beating TCU and getting in over an Ohio St.
Winning ain't easy. There's a lot of teams out there that would be sitting pretty save for some colossal collapses, and the biggest one was in Columbia, SC a few weeks ago. The Vols would be sitting at 5 tonight and just waiting for USC to slip on on Friday or TCU on Saturday. Instead, they'll spend a lovely Christmas in Miami. I went last year. It's fantastic this time of year. Enjoy, Vols.
- UGA is in no matter what
- Michigan is in no matter what
- TCU is in with a win, and maybe with a loss.
- USC is in with a win.
- Ohio St. is pulling hard for Utah.
USC plays Friday night. We'll know by bed time if they made it or not. It would be hard to put them in over Ohio St. with a loss because they'd lose to the same team twice. They might have had a great season, but it'd be clear at that point they're not even the best team in their conference.
TCU plays at noon. We'll likely know before kickoff what their fate is. Win and they're a lock. Lose close and they're probably in. The interesting thing from the committee stand point is if USC plays well and looks good and has those 3 ranked wins in a row, will the committee put them at #3. I do think the committee takes into account that the #1 team (whomever they deem that is) deserves to play what they deem the worst of the 4, no matter the record. You could make an argument last year that we took the 4th spot, but Cincy was clearly the worst of the four teams.
Okay, 2 caveats. Washington. They are 10-2 and lost to UCLA (no shame in that) and Arizona St. I have no idea how the Pac12 does tiebreakers, as they didn't play Utah. BTW, this is my nightmare for the SEC in the future. How do you decided between 2 and 3 when they didn't play each other. Anyway, they're missing out on the championship game. But...if they'd taken care of business vs. a terrible Arizona St. team, they'd be 11-1 and playing in a defacto quarterfinal vs. USC -- winner goes to the playoff.
The other...Kansas St. They are 9-3 with losses to TCU, Texas and...Tulane. 17-10 at home. Now, the Green Wave is good this year, but the conversation would be much different if K-State was 10-2. They'd be thinking about an outside possibility of beating TCU and getting in over an Ohio St.
Winning ain't easy. There's a lot of teams out there that would be sitting pretty save for some colossal collapses, and the biggest one was in Columbia, SC a few weeks ago. The Vols would be sitting at 5 tonight and just waiting for USC to slip on on Friday or TCU on Saturday. Instead, they'll spend a lovely Christmas in Miami. I went last year. It's fantastic this time of year. Enjoy, Vols.
