CBS Sports, College Football News and the two guys who do the bowl projections at espn.com all have us in the Fiesta Bowl versus USC. Up until yesterday, I was of the opinion we were a lock for the Fiesta as long as OSU beats NW. After seeing the new CFP rankings last night, though, I'm not nearly as optimistic.
Yes, we moved up a spot but, with Miami getting destroyed, that was inevitable. The much more significant development, I think, was the committee's handling of the UF loss to LSU. After an embarrassing loss in Gainesville to a bad LSU team, Florida dropped just a single spot and, with that move, the CFP committee lost all credibility. For whatever reason, the committee is protecting the Gators, and I doubt that even a blowout loss to Alabama would drop them below us. Also, the committee's infatuation with Iowa State and, conversely, its shabby treatment of undefeated Cincinnati (dropping them in the rankings when they didn't play) are inexplicable, and don't bode well for IU.
Oklahoma is just above us in the rankings and some are assuming we'll jump them if they lose to Iowa State, but I'm not so sure. And Coastal Carolina, breathing down our necks, seems to have replaced us as the "feel-good" story of the 2020 season. If they beat Louisiana-Lafayette this weekend while we're idle, they could move ahead of us.
I guess I was naive. I should have recognized a systemic problem after the committee essentially ignored our win at then #16 Wisconsin earlier this month. I thought the widespread backlash that followed might knock some sense - - - and objectivity - - into them. I was wrong.
As someone (76-1, I think) pointed out in another thread, the Outback isn't a bad bowl and, given its Tampa location, certainly wouldn't hurt when it comes to recruiting. But this is a team worthy of a major bowl this year - - a New Year's Six bowl - - and it's shame that the IU screw job seems to be on.
Yes, we moved up a spot but, with Miami getting destroyed, that was inevitable. The much more significant development, I think, was the committee's handling of the UF loss to LSU. After an embarrassing loss in Gainesville to a bad LSU team, Florida dropped just a single spot and, with that move, the CFP committee lost all credibility. For whatever reason, the committee is protecting the Gators, and I doubt that even a blowout loss to Alabama would drop them below us. Also, the committee's infatuation with Iowa State and, conversely, its shabby treatment of undefeated Cincinnati (dropping them in the rankings when they didn't play) are inexplicable, and don't bode well for IU.
Oklahoma is just above us in the rankings and some are assuming we'll jump them if they lose to Iowa State, but I'm not so sure. And Coastal Carolina, breathing down our necks, seems to have replaced us as the "feel-good" story of the 2020 season. If they beat Louisiana-Lafayette this weekend while we're idle, they could move ahead of us.
I guess I was naive. I should have recognized a systemic problem after the committee essentially ignored our win at then #16 Wisconsin earlier this month. I thought the widespread backlash that followed might knock some sense - - - and objectivity - - into them. I was wrong.
As someone (76-1, I think) pointed out in another thread, the Outback isn't a bad bowl and, given its Tampa location, certainly wouldn't hurt when it comes to recruiting. But this is a team worthy of a major bowl this year - - a New Year's Six bowl - - and it's shame that the IU screw job seems to be on.