Is it possible that the SEC could wind up being the conference left out

[IowaIrish1]

Strange things can happen. It would be interesting if Florida goes on to win the SEC title game after losing to FSU.

The committee could be sitting with a 1 loss ND or Stanford, Ohio St 1 loss, Clemson 0 loss, An undefeated big 12 team or even a 1 loss OU. A few other scenarios could play out and make it tough for committee. I for one would love this scenario, cause I think it's the quickest way to get to an 8 or 6 team playoff.

 

[Runforit]

Did you see the Alabama game? May not have been deserving to be in the top 4 prior to the game but I think they are in good shape now.

 

[IowaIrish1]

Sure did. They looked scary good and dominated, but that doesn't mean they win out. Miss St has a shot with their QB in any game. They played em tough last year in Tuscaloosa and were -3 in turnovers. Probably a long shot, but it wouldn't be a big shock with Bama coming off a big win.

 

[NDEwing18]

Strange things can happen. It would be interesting if Florida goes on to win the SEC title game after losing to FSU.

The committee could be sitting with a 1 loss ND or Stanford, Ohio St 1 loss, Clemson 0 loss, An undefeated big 12 team or even a 1 loss OU. A few other scenarios could play out and make it tough for committee. I for one would love this scenario, cause I think it's the quickest way to get to an 8 or 6 team playoff.

Yes, it's possible in the scenario you describe.

 

[perseverare]

Strange things can happen. It would be interesting if Florida goes on to win the SEC title game after losing to FSU.

The committee could be sitting with a 1 loss ND or Stanford, Ohio St 1 loss, Clemson 0 loss, An undefeated big 12 team or even a 1 loss OU. A few other scenarios could play out and make it tough for committee. I for one would love this scenario, cause I think it's the quickest way to get to an 8 or 6 team playoff.

if so, it would be an injustice.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

I think AL is a good team, but not a great team. Their body of work this year is on par with ours. Not better, on par. They beat what I had always thought was a overrated one-dimensional LSU team.

 

[mokpra37]

I think the OP has a point. It certainly wouldn't be an injustice for a two loss team to be left out. At some point, you should have to win more games than other teams that have an SOS in the same general zipcode as other teams. Add the fact that they play 1-2 games against subdivision schools each year, and you have no excuse for putting a two loss SEC team in when there are 0-1 loss teams with a fine SOS.

 

[mirer03]

teams have to perform. Alabama may be the best team in the country but they play 9 top division teams and lost to a bad ole miss team and almost lost to a mediocre Tennessee team. Yes they have the best win of the season over lsu, but that loss was a multi turnover affair where they were not prepared and played bad. They should take a bigger hit then they are for that. it would not be an I justice it should be a wake up to the sec to play a better schedule.

 

[Java65]

The only way I can even see that as a possibility is all of the following happen;
1. Clemson remains undefeated.
2. Big 12 school remains undefeated.
3. Undefeated Iowa beats undefeated O$U in Big 10 championship.

Then the committee takes O$U over Bama.

 

[ThunderStorm21]

No unfortunately the entire sports media has a love affair with the SEC particularly Bama.

 

[perseverare]

playing in the SEC is the 'better' schedule! you and/or others probably made similar statements in 2012.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

Playing in the SEC is not automatically a better schedule. What are Alabama's signature wins? LSU? one dimensional and over rated. A&M ... Really? Tenn .... Really. This year is not your fathers SEC.

 

[NDSMC78]

Playing in the SEC is not automatically a better schedule. What are Alabama's signature wins? LSU? one dimensional and over rated. A&M ... Really? Tenn .... Really. This year is not your fathers SEC.

Let's see. Alabama has beaten Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU. And none of those impress you? No kidding.

 

[TurnoverMachine]

Strange things can happen. It would be interesting if Florida goes on to win the SEC title game after losing to FSU.

The committee could be sitting with a 1 loss ND or Stanford, Ohio St 1 loss, Clemson 0 loss, An undefeated big 12 team or even a 1 loss OU. A few other scenarios could play out and make it tough for committee. I for one would love this scenario, cause I think it's the quickest way to get to an 8 or 6 team playoff.

This is a strange post considering Alabama is going to cruise to the SEC title and likely get the 1 or 2 seed in the CFP.

 

[SALittleGiant513]

No unfortunately the entire sports media has a love affair with the SEC particularly Bama.

This isn't true anymore, you are seeing a number of people talking about how the SEC is having a down year.

 

[perseverare]

ND might get Bama in the playoffs, so discretion is a good strategy!

It might shock to some here, but the rest of the college football world does not always see things the way some of our forum fans do.

 

[Java65]

Let's see. Alabama has beaten Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU. And none of those impress you? No kidding.

Wisky is a good win. LSU is a good, but not great win. Georgia and Tenn.. not good wins at all.

LSU has been vastly overrated. Their 7 wins include; MCNS(?), MS. St, Auburn, Syracuse, EMU, SC, UF and WKU. Florida is a good win. Miss St.. meh. Auburn is bad this year. MCNS, Syracuse, EMU, S. Carolina and WKU are terrible.

 

[perseverare]

the thing with the SEC is that there is talent throught the league, and on any given Sat....

 

[schadenfreude]

Sure. The SEC champ could have 2 losses. That would make them a long shot to make the playoff. And conference champs get the nod over non conference champs.

 

[DillonDomer]

I would say ND's only bad win was VA. While some may argue that ND should have had a larger margin of victory in other games (e.g. GT and Pitt), those games were closer than necessary because of garbage time points - and not necessarily reflective of the actual game. Maybe that means we have a bigger step down to our second string than some other teams. But our first string has been performing well.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

Let's see. Alabama has beaten Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU. And none of those impress you? No kidding.

Georgia? Tenn. ? Wisconsin? Are you kidding me? Wow, if you consider any of those as signature this year, then we'll agree to disagree. I'll take Navy, Temple and USC over that slate, this year.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

the thing with the SEC is that there is talent throught the league, and on any given Sat....

Not this year!

 

[NDSMC78]

Georgia? Tenn. ? Wisconsin? Are you kidding me? Wow, if you consider any of those as signature this year, then we'll agree to disagree. I'll take Navy, Temple and USC over that slate, this year.

Conveniently, you left out LSU. You are entitled to your opinion, but I disagree with you.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

Conveniently, you left out LSU. You are entitled to your opinion, but I disagree with you.

I didn't leave out LSU. I already addressed that. They are a much over rated one-dimensional team, and that was exposed on Saturday. And I didn't say AL sucked. I said I would match our record and schedule against them all day.

 

[NDSMC78]

I didn't leave out LSU. I already addressed that. They are a much over rated one-dimensional team, and that was exposed on Saturday. And I didn't say AL sucked. I said I would match our record and schedule against them all day.

LSU still ranked # 9 in the country. You can call them one dimensional all you want but they are a very talented team. I don't believe that too many people would claim that a schedule which includes USC, Navy and Temple is tougher than a schedule which includes Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

 

[DieHard_Irish]

LSU still ranked # 9 in the country. You can call them one dimensional all you want but they are a very talented team. I don't believe that too many people would claim that a schedule which includes USC, Navy and Temple is tougher than a schedule which includes Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

Yup we are gonna agree to disagree.

 

[twalsh]

Strange things can happen. It would be interesting if Florida goes on to win the SEC title game after losing to FSU.

The committee could be sitting with a 1 loss ND or Stanford, Ohio St 1 loss, Clemson 0 loss, An undefeated big 12 team or even a 1 loss OU. A few other scenarios could play out and make it tough for committee. I for one would love this scenario, cause I think it's the quickest way to get to an 8 or 6 team playoff.

That is the doomsday scenario for the SEC. But it still depends on what happens in all the other conferences.

 

[mbd11]

Yes, if the SEC champ has 2 losses, they'll probably be left out.

 

[twalsh]

LSU still ranked # 9 in the country. You can call them one dimensional all you want but they are a very talented team. I don't believe that too many people would claim that a schedule which includes USC, Navy and Temple is tougher than a schedule which includes Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

LSU is not out of this at all. But I don't see them making it as the SEC's second team, they would have to win the conference. So they need to win out, Bama needs to lose to somebody along the way, then LSU needs to beat Florida in the SECCG. A 12-1 SEC champion whose only loss is to Bama at Bama has a good chance of getting into the final four.

 

[HDK]

You put Alabama, or any other SEC team, on the same field as Notre Dame, and I guarantee you they will be up for that game and play their best. It doesn't matter if Alabama edged a mediocre Tennessee team or got beat by a very inconsistent Ole Miss team. Heading down the home stretch they are going to be very difficult for anyone to beat.

 

[nwregionite]

um guys? miss state can throw the ball....and ya know the only other team Bama has lost to had a fair passing game as well. and there defense is about on par with LSU. if they have another ho hum offensive game and Bama will be in trouble. in fact I expect miss state will beat bama Saturday.

LSU is still probably gonna win the SEC WEST and if they beat Florida....that's the decision the committee will be faced with.

And while there is no way in Hell I think there one of the 4 best teams I think there's little doubt a 1 loss LSU gets in the playoff.

 

[Nocalirish]

LSU still ranked # 9 in the country. You can call them one dimensional all you want but they are a very talented team. I don't believe that too many people would claim that a schedule which includes USC, Navy and Temple is tougher than a schedule which includes Wisconsin, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU.

UOJ is favored over all those teams including LSU right now.

 

[NDSMC78]

UOJ is favored over all those teams including LSU right now.

Sagarin has Bama's SOS # 5. He has ND's SOS # 16.

http://www.sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm

 

[twalsh]

UOJ is favored over all those teams including LSU right now.

Possibly, but Navy and Temple are not. And despite what we may think of them, USC does have three losses and is unranked.

 

[Java65]

Sagarin has Bama's SOS # 5. He has ND's SOS # 16.

http://www.sagarin.com/sports/cfsend.htm

Also has USC as the 10th best team in the country, Tenn. 18th and Washington 27th. Just because Sagarin says 2+2=5, doesn't make it so.

 

[mbd11]

um guys? miss state can throw the ball....and ya know the only other team Bama has lost to had a fair passing game as well. and there defense is about on par with LSU. if they have another ho hum offensive game and Bama will be in trouble. in fact I expect miss state will beat bama Saturday.

LSU is still probably gonna win the SEC WEST and if they beat Florida....that's the decision the committee will be faced with.

And while there is no way in Hell I think there one of the 4 best teams I think there's little doubt a 1 loss LSU gets in the playoff.

You're right. Whenever Alabama loses, it's to a team with a good passing game. That's where their D can be vulnerable at times. They match up very well with LSU, which has a mediocre QB and mostly focuses on running the ball. So I think Miss. State will give them a tougher game than LSU did, especially since it's @ Miss. State. I'm not necessarily picking them to win, but it should be a good game.