Alabama or SMU?

[Kirby Jackson]

What you say? 

[zow2]

I hate to say it because it seems unfair but probably Bama.  They have one more loss, yes, but some of their wins are better than SMU’s wins imo.  I personally don’t think Clemson is anything special this year. SMU should have beaten them.  Alabama is also a big brand, with some stars even i could name. 

 

SMU has to hope the committee does not want to devalue the conference championship games.  Because it is weird to have SMU lose on a heartbreaking FG and get bounced, while Bama is rewarded for sitting at home resting up.   

[Kirby Jackson]

I think it’ll be Bama. I’m not even sure if I agree or disagree with that. Your points are valid. The only thing that makes me pause is that the committee doesn’t want to set a precedent that losing in a conference championship game could hurt you. Teams will be opting out like players do in bowl games. SMU telling the ACC, “naw, we’re good without playing in your championship game” would’ve had them in the playoff. This will be super interesting.

 

 

Edited December 8 by Kirby Jackson

[Dr. Who]

36 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I think it’ll be Bama. I’m not even sure if I agree or disagree with that. Your points are valid. The only thing that makes me pause is that the committee doesn’t want to set a precedent that losing in a conference championship game could hurt you. Teams will be opting out like players do in bowl games. SMU telling the ACC, “naw, we’re good without playing in your championship game” would’ve had them in the playoff. This will be super interesting.

 

 

I think it will be SMU for this reason, and it should be.

[B-Man]

 

 

SMU.

 

 

[Steve O]

SMU. 2 of Bama's losses came to 6-6 teams. The Oklahoma loss wasn't close. Both SMU losses were by 3 points, those teams that had a total of 5 losses. Plus, like KJ says, I don't think the committee wants to discourage teams from playing in conference championship games.

[YoloinOhio]

It’s going to be SMU. That Oklahoma loss is what will keep bama out 

[US Egg]

Talk about irony, best conf. championship games ever(?) only muddies the 1st true college playoff selection. The grumbling the new system was to quell ain’t happening yet.

 

SMU

[zow2]

Well, I guess it's better that everyone is debating seed 12 vs who's the first out?....rather than who is #4 and who is out (#5) like in previous seasons.

 

Someone on CBS last week said the committee is not going to be 100% fair in this.  He said they will consider TV ratings, blue blood teams, star players, etc..

 

It does seem crazy that SMU would be going from a Bye, to completely out based on a 56 yard FG in the last seconds.

[Kirby Jackson]

SMU it is. For everyone worried that the playoff would water down the regular season and conference championship games, it didn’t. This was exciting. 

[BADOLBILZ]

30 minutes ago, US Egg said:

Talk about irony, best conf. championship games ever(?) only muddies the 1st true college playoff selection. The grumbling the new system was to quell ain’t happening yet.

 

SMU

 

Nothing will quell anyone who thinks a 3 loss team deserves a chance to play for the national championship.    All that really matters are teams that actually have a legit great chance to win the tournament.   That will always be forgotten by some no matter how large they make the field.  Nothing will make me believe that Alabama or Miami had a legit chance to win 4 games in that tournament.   The fact that half the field that did make only has a snowball's chance doesn't really change that, IMO.   They made it so broad that nobody really should have a legit gripe.  

[US Egg]

2 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

They made it so broad that nobody really should have a legit gripe.

I’ll add one anyways. A 1st round home game after losing the conf. championship at a neutral site ain’t so bad.

[May Day 10]

32 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

SMU it is. For everyone worried that the playoff would water down the regular season and conference championship games, it didn’t. This was exciting. 

 

It's been great.  My son and I were glued to the selection show and we were yelling when the smu logo came across.  Did not expect it.

 

The acc and sec championship games were classics

 

Playoffs are going to be epic

[SoonerBillsFan]

Congrats to SMU.

[GASabresIUFan]

SMU - F Bama!

 

If Bama and the SEC want to blame the CFP for IU and SMU making the playoff, then they only have to look internally.  The SEC gave GA, BAMA, Old Miss brutal schedules.  GA played Texas, Bama, Ole Miss on the road, played Tenn at home and also Clemson on a neutral site.  Brutal.  Those schedules made ESPN happy, but ultimately hurt the SEC's chances of getting 4 teams in.   

 

These 16 team and 18 team conferences need to do a better job of balancing schedules.  Unfortunately, you don't know that teams like Fla St, Wash, and Mich are going to crap the bed after big years. To start the year in ESPN's preseason rankings Mich was 9th, Fla St 10th, Mizz 11th, Utah 12, Oklahoma 17th, OKST 18th.  What happened to those teams? 

 

Ironically Michigan beat OSU and Oklahoma killed Bama, which is why Bama is home crying right now.  GA came through their gauntlet to with only 2 losses on the road to highly ranked teams, while Bama lost 3 including a home loss to Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.  Tough luck fellas.  Good to see some new teams for a change.

Edited December 8 by GASabresIUFan

[Bill from NYC]

As a Crimson Tide Fan, I am not upset at the decision, although I don't necessarily agree with it. SMU looked pretty decent, but they play in a candy ass  conference. Notre Dame cannot even boast of doing that. That said, Alabama was shaky due to having Milroe at quarterback. They lost three games so I don't blame the committee for making jealous haters around the country happy.

 

While I will miss Alabama not competing in the playoffs, I'll be OK. I guess I will have to think back on Coach Saban winning SIX national titles at Alabama. Or the time Tua came in and sent the Bulldogs home weeping with the greatest play in the history of college football. Georgia Fans will never get over this and my heart bleeds for them. 😔Or does it? 😂

On 12/8/2024 at 3:15 PM, GASabresIUFan said:

SMU - F Bama!

 

If Bama and the SEC want to blame the CFP for IU and SMU making the playoff, then they only have to look internally.  The SEC gave GA, BAMA, Old Miss brutal schedules.  GA played Texas, Bama, Ole Miss on the road, played Tenn at home and also Clemson on a neutral site.  Brutal.  Those schedules made ESPN happy, but ultimately hurt the SEC's chances of getting 4 teams in.   

 

These 16 team and 18 team conferences need to do a better job of balancing schedules.  Unfortunately, you don't know that teams like Fla St, Wash, and Mich are going to crap the bed after big years. To start the year in ESPN's preseason rankings Mich was 9th, Fla St 10th, Mizz 11th, Utah 12, Oklahoma 17th, OKST 18th.  What happened to those teams? 

 

Ironically Michigan beat OSU and Oklahoma killed Bama, which is why Bama is home crying right now.  GA came through their gauntlet to with only 2 losses on the road to highly ranked teams, while Bama lost 3 including a home loss to Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.  Tough luck fellas.  Good to see some new teams for a change.

I don't blame you for your vitriolic comments about Alabama because as bad as you claim they were this season, they did manage to defeat Georgia yet again. 

[GASabresIUFan]

2 hours ago, Bill from NYC said:

As a Crimson Tide Fan, I am not upset at the decision, although I don't necessarily agree with it. SMU looked pretty decent, but they play in a candy ass  conference. Notre Dame cannot even boast of doing that. That said, Alabama was shaky due to having Milroe at quarterback. They lost three games so I don't blame the committee for making jealous haters around the country happy.

 

While I will miss Alabama not competing in the playoffs, I'll be OK. I guess I will have to think back on Coach Saban winning SIX national titles at Alabama. Or the time Tua came in and sent the Bulldogs home weeping with the greatest play in the history of college football. Georgia Fans will never get over this and my heart bleeds for them. 😔Or does it? 😂

I don't blame you for your vitriolic comments about Alabama because as bad as you claim they were this season, they did manage to defeat Georgia yet again. 

As we celebrate our SEC Championship and 2nd seed in the playoff. 😜

 

As I said before, the SEC screwed GA and Bama with the schedule.  They had every chance to make balanced schedules and force Texas to play someone beside GA.  Still you have to win the games on your schedule and Bama lost to big to an Oklahoma team that Texas beat 34-3.  FYI I'm actually a DeBoer fan from his time at my alma mater Indiana (my wife and kids are Bulldogs).  

 

 

[Bill from NYC]

8 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

As we celebrate our SEC Championship and 2nd seed in the playoff. 😜

 

As I said before, the SEC screwed GA and Bama with the schedule.  They had every chance to make balanced schedules and force Texas to play someone beside GA.  Still you have to win the games on your schedule and Bama lost to big to an Oklahoma team that Texas beat 34-3.  FYI I'm actually a DeBoer fan from his time at my alma mater Indiana (my wife and kids are Bulldogs).  

 

 

This Alabama team was hard to watch in many games, and the problem was mostly the QB imo. In all honesty I'm surprised that they beat Georgia with Milroe at QB. 

 

I agree witjh you 100% about the schedule. The SEC is just STACKED with talented and deep teams. I'm not sure how Ole Miss lost three games. Did you see their DL? Jaxon Dart is a fine QB imo. I thought that they could be title contenders. South Carolina is also very good and Alabama was lucky to beat them. We will see how these ACC teams fare in the playoffs, but I do not expect much from them. 

 

It would appear that Alabama will improve next year but with the changes it won't  be easy.

[zow2]

I heard on radio today, i think Gary Danielson? anyway he said the Bama AD is angry and the SEC has a lot of power. They don’t like having 3 teams while the Big10 has four. He speculates the SEC will demand four teams to be selected in the future and will get their way. He said they would do away with Conference Championship game weekend. Those games will be eliminated. and the SEC and maybe Big10 will have play-in games to determine who the 4th teams will be.

[B-Man]

31 minutes ago, zow2 said:

I heard on radio today, i think Gary Danielson? anyway he said the Bama AD is angry and the SEC has a lot of power. They don’t like having 3 teams while the Big10 has four. He speculates the SEC will demand four teams to be selected in the future and will get their way. He said they would do away with Conference Championship game weekend. Those games will be eliminated. and the SEC and maybe Big10 will have play-in games to determine who the 4th teams will be.