Relax and enjoy, peeps. The media has proclaimed – nay, shouted it from the rooftops – that this year’s national title game is what the people wanted! Woo hoo!
Gee, kinda makes all that whither BCS? hand wringing in the wake of the response to 2011’s Alabama-LSU’s rematch seem a little silly now. Overreact much?
Of course, the cherry on top of this particular sundae is that if the four-game playoff were in effect this season, we’d have a major controversy over the fourth-best team (Michigan State! Baylor! Tastes great, Lou! Less filling, Mark!).
Then again, that’s nothing that can’t be fixed with an eight-team playoff. More awesome sauce, please.
Get The Picture 
#1- Goes back to something I said last week…the Big XII is going to get dinger because of the lack of a championship game. (and the fact that they played Wofford, Buffalo, and UL Monroe out of conference). It would be very little controversy…if there was a real debate going on, rather than just trolling the new playoff for ‘media controversy’, people would say MSU played 13 games and played Notre Dame and that would be about it. Not nearly enough ‘controversy’ to get a 8 game playoff.
#2- What will get people roiled up? When we get back to the argument from 2007 that kept UGA out of the title game…you didn’t win your conference and yet you should be in the playoff over 1 loss teams that did win? Just wait until a very ‘deserving’ team like Bama gets left out because Baylor and MSU are conference champs. (Of course, that would completely destroy the assumption that games like the Iron Bowl will not matter as much…which would be a good thing IMO)
LikeLike
I tend to think that what everyone wanted was to see Urbie and Ohio State pistol-whipped by FSU, but that’s just one man’s opinion.
LikeLike
Aubun’s gonna beat FSU. Probably shouldn’t happen, but it will. FSU has been coasting against pansies for weeks.
LikeLike
“FSU has been coasting against pansies for weeks”
I know this is common logic, but 11 of the 14 ACC teams finished bowl eligible this year. Granted that can just mean parity as much as anything, but if it were the SEC we’d say it was a sign of how strong our conference was that year.
Plus, it’s hard to describe anything FSU has done as coasting. First team since ’95 Nebraska to win all their games by at least 14 points. That is incredibly hard to do, no matter who is on your schedule. Almost every national championship team seems to always have those one or two games where they were fortunate to catch a break and win. FSU has removed any element of luck in every one of their games. It’s made me quite envious watching them put games away early!
But, of course, we know they darn well better remove any element of luck against Auburn, or they’re doomed. 🙂
LikeLike
I’m inclined to agree. FSU was dazed and confused in the 1st quarter against Duke. It took nearly 2 quarters to get on track and against that Auburn offense, they could be down 21 points by then.
LikeLike
We were down by 20 in the 3rd quarter but Jameis is no Aaron Murray.
LikeLike
I tend to agree, but only because I don’t think the contract with Lucifer has reached its expiration date yet.
LikeLike
Like that same Wake Forrest team that came closer to beating Vandy than we did?
I know Auburn has a horseshoe lodged in their collective buttocks but FSU’s average margin of victory is equal to Auburn’s scoring offense average. And Auburn’s D this season make’s Roof’s 2010 until look like the Steel Curtain.
LikeLike
I was hoping urbie was headed to the Sugar to meet an angry Bama team
LikeLike
THAT would have been sweet, sweet irony. After all, it’s pretty plain Meyer left Florida because he saw the writing on the wall the last time Saban stomped his ass.
LikeLike
C’mon Senator, Stanford v Clemson in the 5 vs 12 matchup always entertains,
Plus you get Spurrier v Pinkel redux for the 8 v 9. The scoreboard could do that “5th quarter” thing when the game starts!
LikeLike
Seriously…I would much rather have one meaningful game and slate of also rans like Duke vs. TAMU and Baylor vs. Central Florida than more meaningful games. Heck, even the non-meaningful games are more meaningful because they will be entertaining and compelling.
From the SI article..this is what 2014 bowl schedule would ‘probably’ look like….
Sugar: No. 1 Florida State (ACC champ) vs. No. 4 Michigan State (Big Ten champ)
Rose: No. 2 Auburn (SEC champ) vs. No. 3 Alabama (BCS at-large)
Fiesta: No. 5 Stanford (displaced Pac-12 champ) vs. No. 7 Ohio State (at-large)
Cotton: No. 6 Baylor (displaced Big 12 champ) vs. No. 15 UCF (Group of Five)
Chick-fil-A: No. 9 South Carolina (at-large) vs. No. 10 Oregon (at-large)
Orange: No. 12 Clemson (ACC replacement) vs. No. 8 Missouri (SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame)
So 4 SEC teams in major bowls along with some incredibly entertaining football to fill the 2.5 weeks (gah!) from NYE to the championship game. [Of course, I’d rather see Auburn play Stanford or Baylor…but that’s just me]
LikeLike
Auburn / Alabama go to Cali where MSU would prefer to go. Only FSU gets the decent regional draw. This will be great for the fans alright.
LikeLike
Notwithstanding that the winner of the game would play in Dallas…when were Bowl games about ‘regional’ matchups? Last time I checked, the Rose Bowl is not in Chicago…the Orange Bowl is not in Nebraska…I’m ‘shocked’…just ‘shocked’ that Auburn/Bama might have to go play outside of a 200 mile radius to win a ‘national’ championship.
[there was a cheap joke in there about airports, RV’s, and Alabama…but who am I, Jay Mohr?]
LikeLike
Conference matchups, not regional issues. B1G loves their Rose Bowl, SEC loves the Sugar. Playoffs kill yet one more level of tradition about CFA…which is really all CFA is about…traditions. Have your “settle it on the field” arguments, but CFA is getting less interesting.
#NBA #MLB #NFL8-8teamswinitall
LikeLike
Ignoring the fact that your original complaint was about regional issues…not conference matchups… I’ll bite again.
I agree. We need to kick out South Carolina, Arky, Mizzou, and A&M so we can bring back Tulane, Sewanee, and Ga Tech. #Tradition
Actual, who needs the SEC? We played in the SoCon for 30+ years…I want NC State back as a traditional rival! #Tradition
And as long as the SEC is only going to the Sugar Bowl, we should play it in Tulane Stadium…not the Superdome. #Tradition
Dissolve the BCS and the Playoff…I want the national championship decided by 8 different polls. #Tradition
Here’s the “Tradition” that was lost that should come back with the new playoff…games that put top ranked teams against each other. From 1972 to 1997, the Sugar Bowl only had 3 participants not ranked in the top 10. From 98 to present, 8 teams outside of the top 10 have participated. The postseason was special…and it didn’t take deciding a national champion…it was because the games were compelling. If this system gives us a ‘national champion’, that’s fine with me. What I really want is 8 or 9 games that I feel like I need to watch instead of games that I’m told I need to watch.
I’m not crapping on all #tradition, but there has to be a balance between holding on to tradition and keeping up with the way the wind is blowing.
LikeLike
Playoffs “fix” 2 games for you under the current format with a committee telling you who is the #4 team. Keep blowing that progress up your….
Look, I was actually fine with the way of the world pre-BCS. Arguing about who is “really” #1 was part of the magic of college football. (I’m sure you disagree…so be it.) You won’t convince me the playoffs crown the proper champion and I detest trying to be told the King’s clothes are the most beautiful in the world when I can clearly see he’s naked.
LikeLike
Senator, that you watched the show makes me glad we have you to do the dirty work. Thanks.
LikeLike
So, if this is what the people wanted, why do we have to go to a playoff?
Ahh, never mind.
LikeLike
I don’t think “people” means what you want it to mean.
LikeLike
that right there is pretty funny, Scorp.
LikeLike
I simply do not understand the anti-playoff crowd. CFB is my favorite sport but it has the most underwhelming post-season of just about anything. Looking at the slate of bowl games, I just can’t see how anyone can defend the current system. I guess I should be happy Ohio State lost so we don’t have to deal with farce of a title game.
LikeLike
It’s a trade off. Underwhelming postseason compared to other sports, but the best and most exciting regular season by far compared to other sports. Not even remotely close. That’s what we’re afraid of losing.
I don’t think a 4 team playoff devalues the regular season. And I don’t think most other anti-playoff folks do either. If it would stay 4 teams forever and ever, I would love it. But we all know that 4 teams is just the first domino to a number that will inevitably grow enough that the magic of college football’s season will be gone forever.
I dread the day we see teams on rivalry weekend sitting their best players bc they already have a playoff birth wrapped up, and being healthy for the playoffs will be more important than beating your big rival. Once you get to about 16 teams or more it’s inevitable that those types of things will happen. And at that point, college football will have lost all its charm.
LikeLike
Have some coffee and wake up Rev, the regular season is in zero, none,, nada chance of being diminished by a playoff (unless it get bloated like the NFL, NBA, NCAA BB, etc.) Do the math, the mantra of “destroying the regular season” is not only tiring but silly and without foundation. Funny thing is, most everyone who espouse this know it, but like to confuse those who haven’t thought it through for more than 30 seconds. But, it gets repeated by those folks who haven’t given it any thought and even more people are hanging on that limb with no way to gracefully exit. You can oppose a playoff for some personal preference reasons, but this is the most laughable. A regular season that leads to a logical conclusion will be even more exciting.
LikeLike
And yet I remember last year people complaining about Jarvis Jones playing against Auburn and Tech when we “should’ve been saving him for the SECCG”. Not only will it happen, it already is happening.
LikeLike
I would argue there is a difference between people wanting to rest a player who has been playing hurt to heal up and teams resting healthy players to avoid injury.
Either way, I don’t buy it. If we’re ever in a position to make the 4 playoff teams, I highly doubt we’re resting players. Even if we’re 11-0, a loss to a 7 win Tech team could knock us out of contention.
LikeLike
No it isn’t happening, just a flat out dishonest statement, but that doesn’t keep people from claiming it….never let facts get in the way. There have been hundreds of opportunities with UGA, FU, Bama, and even little SC to do so in the SEC alone and still not one example. Even GT played their players when they were going to the ACC title game and so did FSU this year. You guys want to believe it is so very badly but CFB is so tough to get near the top teams simply don’t pull players. You don’t lock up a conference title and put it on ice when just 2 -7% qualify when 2 or 8 can be selected. When only 4 (or 8) of 120 are eligible, you better be hitting on all cylinders every week….especially in rivalry games. Your example fits when 30% plus get a shot, no one is advocating that.
LikeLike
I’d say conference realingments pose a far bigger threat to interesting regular seasons than a 4- or even 8-team playoff.
If the SEC wants to stick with an 8-game schedule and jettisons yearly cross-divisional opponents that’ll be even worse than having to play at Auburn two years in a row.
LikeLike
I’d much rather the fourth best team get left out of a playoff than the second best team get left out of the national championship.
LikeLike
Last weekend was how New Year’s day used to be.
It was great. Hope they don’t screw it up.
LikeLike
If we had a four team playoff this year, given the make-up of the selection committee, I am not so sure Alabama would have been chosen. Especially since the individual votes of the 13 members of the committee do not have to be made public. I think there would have been enormous pressure to put Stanford and MSU in the mix over Bama.
LikeLike
Two-loss Stanford over a one-loss ‘Bama would have made for an interesting reaction, that’s for sure.
LikeLike
I would have preferred a rematch between Bama & Auburn in the Gator Bowl. Slive and AD would be happy. Neutral site. They could all eat mullet.
LikeLike
Let us all thank Vanderbilt Head Football coach, James Franklin, for being the only SEC HC not to vote the Dawgs into the top 25. What a freaking ass he is. Hope CMR, MB, & TG [along with the Dawgs plus fans] remember that when the ‘Dores come to Athens next fall. The points and hits can not come quick and hard enough.
LikeLike
Now we understand why Seth Emerson votes Vandy over the Dawgs at every opportunity this year. He should become the ‘Dores’ SID.
LikeLike
Who is the freaking idiot who schedules our games. Next 3, 2 on the road. After 3 at home, the Dawgs are on the road for 4 straight games. What does our AD do other than draw a big check and say “yes sire” to Mike Slive.
LikeLike
Will …he schedules off weeks before UF and uSC that is what he gets paid the big bucks for(it’s the old UF model)
LikeLike