For the CFP, one size fits all.

As we all know, despite its official name, the Big 12 conference is composed of ten members.

That’s not a bad thing.  For one, it allows every conference school to play every conference opponent during the regular season.  That’s the best way to determine a conference champion, unless you’re an idiot.  Like Bob Bowlsby.  But I digress.

The thing is, there’s a lot to appreciate about a round robin schedule.  Unless you’re Jeff Long, that is.

… If there was any doubt how valuable a conference championship game was going to be in the College Football Playoff era, Arkansas athletics director Jeff Long made the message pretty clear; it’s pretty important.

Long, who chairs the selection committee for the College Football Playoff, was a guest in the broadcast booth for a short Q&A on the SEC Network during the Arkansas spring game Saturday afternoon. During his interview Long was asked about the College Football Playoff and the value of playing a conference championship game in the eyes of the selection committee. In his response, Long said the 13th game played by those in conference championship games was a factor for the selection committee. Baylor and TCU only played 12 games, with the Big 12 not holding a conference championship game.

So, you see, in the bigger picture, it doesn’t matter if a conference produces a champion in the optimal way of running the gauntlet of playing every other school in the conference.  It only matters if it produces a winner of a conference championship game.

I’m sure some of you can explain to me how this in no way devalues the regular season.

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The newest thing in recruiting

Kid from North Carolina commits to Florida on tape for Bleacher Report, then commits in a live ceremony to Syracuse.

There’s no rule against being committed to two schools, is there?

Returning starters in the kicking game

Dave Bartoo makes an interesting statistical point in his post about 2015 returning starters when he writes,

I include the kickers and punters in returning starters. Why? My trending has shown that a team with both kickers returning, that their average win total year of year is +1 game. Those that lose both kickers it is nearly a full game below last year’s total. When the average top 25 team loses their closest game by less than 4 points, on average, each season, kicking is going to be key in at least one game.

Georgia, as we know, returns both kickers this season.  How does that compare to the rest of the conference?

The Dawgs are one of eight teams to do so, according to the chart you can find in the middle of Dave’s post.  So, maybe not so big an advantage, more like keeping pace.  (Assuming Barber gets his consistency problem worked out, that is.)

On the other hand, if Bartoo’s right, it looks like that’s just another problem Jim McElwain’s got to deal with this season.