(09-03-2018 03:31 PM)JHS55 Wrote: So it looks like the 4 playoff teams are 3 SEC teams and Ohio st!, wow y’alls committee led playoffs are soooooo ......hmmm, I don’t know, great?
No it won't be. Whether the SEC gets a 2nd in this year will depend upon two things. How well does Washington play in the PAC. If they win out with a close loss to what will likely be a 3rd to 5th place finish by Auburn will only strengthen their resume. If Washington wins the PAC with two losses it leaves wiggle room.
But, this year the ACC is off to a flying thud. They have on any given year 5 solid to very strong football teams: Clemson, F.S.U., Virginia Tech, Louisville, and Miami. Sometimes Georgia Tech will surprise folks.
Well this year Miami and Louisville have already sustained a couple of bad losses with regard to standing. They could overcome it, but the ACC always does some beating up on each other so 2nd losses now are likely for both somewhere down the line.
Complicating the ACC's position is that Florida State opens with Virginia Tech tonight so 1 more will likely have a loss. Let's assume that for the sake of argument that Tech loses tonight. If so F.S.U. still has Clemson to play and a much more respectable Florida team. If F.S.U. loses tonight then the SOS of the ACC will drop significantly because they always carry higher expectations in the eye of the nation. That could come into play if say Clemson has a loss somewhere during the year.
If the unthinkable should happen and Jimbo's Aggies upset Clemson next week and Florida State loses, unless Virginia Tech runs the table the ACC with a much lower S.O.S. due to their brands all losing would have a tough time sneaking a 1 loss school in unless that one loss school is Clemson.
Something like that will have to happen this year for the SEC or Big 10 to get two in.
Then there is another obstacle. I think both the Big 10 and SEC will have very strong middles this year. So 2 losses for schools that might have had only 1 is more likely. Alabama looks the part of an unbeaten right now and injuries withstanding they have to be a favorite. Whether Georgia can navigate their schedule without a loss in the East and get to Atlanta unbeaten will determine whether or not the SEC has anyone challenge for a second spot.
Penn State, Michigan State, and Michigan are going to beat up on each other and none of them look like serious challenges to the Buckeyes. If Wisconsin can get by Iowa and Nebraska to get to the Big 10 championship game against Ohio State unbeaten then the Big 10 could also lay claim to a 2nd slot should the PAC and the ACC wind up looking less competitive this year.
So I think it's going to be an interesting year.
If Oklahoma or WVU runs the table there will be your 3rd entrant.
But if I had to guess I'd say that OU and Clemson make it back where they could likely face Alabama/Georgia and the Big 10's Ohio State/Wisconsin.