I expected Penn State to be left out of the CFP

[NewEra 2014]

Penn State deserved to be in, but I was pretty sure they would be left out. Our history with these sorts of things isn't good. It still hurts, but not like 1994 or the other seasons when undefeated teams were snubbed. The 2016 Penn State team was still one for the ages and will be well-remembered for many years to come--I never let the "approval" of the CFB power structure dictate how I remember a Penn State team. It is a flawed system that is doomed to failure when there are 5 main conferences and only 4 playoff spots. Maybe this will get us to an 8-team playoff soon.

What is funny to me is that if we had a 2-team playoff this year, the top 2 teams in the rankings are currently Bama and Clemson. But there is no way that Clemson would have been selected for a one-game playoff over Ohio State in that scenario. These things are made up on the fly, and OSU would have been justified as being picked over Clemson by the "logic" of the talking heads on the sports shows.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but under the old system where the MNC was selected by the pollsters, we would have seen Penn State play Washington in the Rose Bowl, Bama would play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, and probably Oklahoma and Clemson in the Orange Bowl. All games played on January 2nd this season, by the way. But even in that scenario, the MNC would have been either Bama or Ohio State. So, the new 4-team playoff system has allowed Washington and Clemson a chance to win it all this year. Not a big improvement over the original bowl system, if you ask me.

This playoff needs to be expanded to 8 teams, with the conference championship winners getting an automatic bid, the best lower conference team (Western Michigan this year) getting a bid, and two wild cards. I expect this will happen within 5 years.

 

[bjf1991]

Penn State deserved to be in, but I was pretty sure they would be left out. Our history with these sorts of things isn't good. It still hurts, but not like 1994 or the other seasons when undefeated teams were snubbed. The 2016 Penn State team was still one for the ages and will be well-remembered for many years to come--I never let the "approval" of the CFB power structure dictate how I remember a Penn State team. It is a flawed system that is doomed to failure when there are 5 main conferences and only 4 playoff spots. Maybe this will get us to an 8-team playoff soon.

What is funny to me is that if we had a 2-team playoff this year, the top 2 teams in the rankings are currently Bama and Clemson. But there is no way that Clemson would have been selected for a one-game playoff over Ohio State in that scenario. These things are made up on the fly, and OSU would have been justified as being picked over Clemson by the "logic" of the talking heads on the sports shows.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but under the old system where the MNC was selected by the pollsters, we would have seen Penn State play Washington in the Rose Bowl, Bama would play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, and probably Oklahoma and Clemson in the Orange Bowl. All games played on January 2nd this season, by the way. But even in that scenario, the MNC would have been either Bama or Ohio State. So, the new 4-team playoff system has allowed Washington and Clemson a chance to win it all this year. Not a big improvement over the original bowl system, if you ask me.

This playoff needs to be expanded to 8 teams, with the conference championship winners getting an automatic bid, the best lower conference team (Western Michigan this year) getting a bid, and two wild cards. I expect this will happen within 5 years.

PSU - IMO, and, I think, in the opinion of most folks who paid attention and have the ABILITY to reasonably evaluate college football teams - is one of the 4 best teams in the country right now.......so, on the surface, I do get the "angst" expressed by so many folks

But:

1 - It was obvious since the kid from Iowa drilled that last play FG vs Michigan (which opened the door), that the route for PSU to the "Final Four" was

A - Win out
B - OSU to knock off UMich and for PSU to make the B1G game
C - PSU wins the BiG
and
D - Clemson or UW to lose

In fact, I laid that out back then - - - and stated that this whole kerfluffle amongst the talking heads and the fan-boys was both incredibly stupid and worthless
(Of course, many here, led by the reincarnation CoolestFish - - - - no offense CF, but you were "off" on that one - - - went on about how I was FOS, and things were not that clear)

Anyway - - - A B C all happened, D did not, PSU did not get "in"........Easy-Peasy Japaneasy
And all the kerfluffle over the proceeding weeks? Mindless mental masturbation designed to engage the fan-boy demographic.......nothing more.


2 - And really, the more important thing:

This is NOT a Playoff. Period
By definition.....and by Logic....and in accord with the rules of any form of intelligent evaluation.

This is a "Final Four".....a subjective, invitational, "Final Four" tournament - - - - held at the conclusion of the college football season.

It is not a PLAYOFF
It does not crown a CHAMPION
Period

I know that the group that organized this soiree trademarked the tagline "College Football Playoff" (or licensed or whatever the proper legal term is).....but that is about as meaningful as that guy in the Dr Pepper commercials claiming that he "invented football...the whole thing".

The sooner the Fan-Boys stop referring to it as a "Playoff".....and stop referring to the team that wins this mini-invitational as a "National Champ"...the better.
Until then - it is as much the fault of the Fan-boys......for buying this piece of crap product that the powers-that-be created for their purchase.....for allowing this afterbirth to remain intact.



Anyway.


That feels better

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

2 - And really, the more important thing:

This is NOT a Playoff. Period
By definition.....and by Logic....and in accord with the rules of any form of intelligent evaluation.

This is a "Final Four".....a subjective, invitational, "Final Four" tournament - - - - held at the conclusion of the college football season.

It is not a PLAYOFF
It does not crown a CHAMPION
Period

I know that the group that organized this soiree trademarked the tagline "College Football Playoff" (or licensed or whatever the proper legal term is).....but that is about as meaningful as that guy in the Dr Pepper commercials claiming that he "invented football...the whole thing".

The sooner the Fan-Boys stop referring to it as a "Playoff".....and stop referring to the team that wins this mini-invitational as a "National Champ"...the better.
Until then - it is as much the fault of the Fan-boys......for buying this piece of crap product that the powers-that-be created for their purchase.....for allowing this afterbirth to remain intact.



Anyway.


That feels better

I figure that this is exactly the rationale that will be used some day to delegitimatize a 15-0 PSU team.

 

[PSU87]

I figure that this is exactly the rationale that will be used some day to delegitimatize a 15-0 PSU team.

Precisely.
As I said in a thread yesterday, does anyone believe if PSU and OSU'S roles had been reversed that we wouldn't have heard from the committee how much head to head and conference championships matter and OSU would be in?

 

[psuro]

Seems like the College Football Playoff committee is the Richard M. Nixon of the 21st century.

 

[Woodpecker]

This playoff needs to be expanded to 8 teams, with the conference championship winners getting an automatic bid, the best lower conference team (Western Michigan this year) getting a bid, and two wild cards.

An 8-team playoff pushes the "controversy" lower. This year, according to the "experts" on the Selection Committee, Wisconsin would be in and USC out. I have a feeling that the LA media would then go nuts about the process.

 

[wilbury]

Penn State deserved to be in, but I was pretty sure they would be left out. Our history with these sorts of things isn't good. It still hurts, but not like 1994 or the other seasons when undefeated teams were snubbed. The 2016 Penn State team was still one for the ages and will be well-remembered for many years to come--I never let the "approval" of the CFB power structure dictate how I remember a Penn State team. It is a flawed system that is doomed to failure when there are 5 main conferences and only 4 playoff spots. Maybe this will get us to an 8-team playoff soon.

What is funny to me is that if we had a 2-team playoff this year, the top 2 teams in the rankings are currently Bama and Clemson. But there is no way that Clemson would have been selected for a one-game playoff over Ohio State in that scenario. These things are made up on the fly, and OSU would have been justified as being picked over Clemson by the "logic" of the talking heads on the sports shows.

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but under the old system where the MNC was selected by the pollsters, we would have seen Penn State play Washington in the Rose Bowl, Bama would play Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl, and probably Oklahoma and Clemson in the Orange Bowl. All games played on January 2nd this season, by the way. But even in that scenario, the MNC would have been either Bama or Ohio State. So, the new 4-team playoff system has allowed Washington and Clemson a chance to win it all this year. Not a big improvement over the original bowl system, if you ask me.

This playoff needs to be expanded to 8 teams, with the conference championship winners getting an automatic bid, the best lower conference team (Western Michigan this year) getting a bid, and two wild cards. I expect this will happen within 5 years.

I believe our position at #5 is correct. However, I don't think they have the four best teams. I would replace Washington with Michigan and move the Huskies to #6.

I keep hearing we want the 4 best teams. That's never going to happen. Even if you go to 8 teams you still won't get the best but your probability is higher. The way these conferences are broken up is crazy. Some divisions are much more difficult than others. Plus you have upsets. So you'll get 5 conference champions and maybe 3 or 4 are actually the best teams in the conference.

It's not a science and it will be wrong every year. There's no way around it.