Ole Miss & Georgia

[edub72]

Georgia is ranked ahead of Ole Miss in AP poll. I watched Ole Miss dominate Georgia 2 weeks ago. Kicked their ass up and down the field in all facets of the game. The fix is in to get Georgia in the playoffs

 

[76-1]

Georgia is ranked ahead of Ole Miss in AP poll. I watched Ole Miss dominate Georgia 2 weeks ago. Kicked their ass up and down the field in all facets of the game. The fix is in to get Georgia in the playoffs

Them and Notre Dame...

ND's single loss was to that powerhouse Northern Illinois...; the same team that recently lost to Akron who's now an impressive 2-8 with that win...🤔🙈

What a travesty...

 

[olympian97]

I’m not a Notre Dame fan, but they have essentially dominated their schedule since that N. Ill game. The only close game since then was a 7 point win over UL. If they beat army this weekend I cannot argue that a 1 loss ND doesn’t deserve an at large bid. I’d take a 1 loss ND over a 2 loss sec team. If they were losing to teams like that late in the season or even barely getting by I would think harder about it, but they have played their schedule as least as well as we have since that loss.

 

[76-1]

I’m not a Notre Dame fan, but they have essentially dominated their schedule since that N. Ill game. The only close game since then was a 7 point win over UL. If they beat army this weekend I cannot argue that a 1 loss ND doesn’t deserve an at large bid. I’d take a 1 loss ND over a 2 loss sec team. If they were losing to teams like that late in the season or even barely getting by I would think harder about it, but they have played their schedule as least as well as we have since that loss.

Where do you think anyone else would be ranked if they had lost to Northern Illinois?

Somewhere outside the top 12, in my opinion...

 

[Pazhoosier85]

ND plays the softest schedule. Mid tier ACC teams and only play like 3 true road games. Yes they won at Texas A&M to but that win is easily cancelled out by laying a turd the next week and losing to NIU. I hope Army or USC beats them because they don't deserve to be in.

 

[olympian97]

Where do you think anyone else would be ranked if they had lost to Northern Illinois?

Somewhere outside the top 12, in my opinion...

It depends on who “everyone else” is because any other brand favorite probably would be ranked the same. Of course if it were us we would probably be outside the top 12, but probably still in the top 25 if we played their schedule the same. We wouldn’t be an independent though and would be a full member of the ACC meaning we would have a better shot than we do now at a 1st round bye by winning the ACC Championship. That’s not to suggest I don’t think we can win it in the B1G, but only that the ACC provides an easier path for now. I would guess any program that isn’t branded a blueblood would be ranked in the 13-18 range. A win over undefeated army is probably good enough to get any program playing that schedule the same into the top 12 after this week.

So, I still say that the at large bid is warranted regardless of the brand bias. Do we really want to see a team whose only loss was by 2 points in only their second game of the season (but has been dominant since then) get cut out off the playoffs because the loss was to Northern Ill? They beat Texas A&M, UL, and demolished everyone else on their schedule. If you take away that 2 point loss in week 2 they could argue being ranked above us by the Texas a&m win alone. I get the northern Illinois loss was bad, but I don’t think 1 game in week 2 of the season should diminish what they have done since then. Lose to N. Illinois in week 10-12 and absolutely they should not be considered even if they were undefeated until that point.

My biggest concern is if you exclude ND from the playoffs over 1 loss you are not using the eye test to see their full body of work which I think also hinders a program like IU that needs people to look beyond who we played but look at how we played over the course of an entire season.

 

[Grateful Redbeard]

BYU and Miami losing in back to back weeks means the ACC and B12 are 1 bid leagues. ND is in if they win out. Cheer hard for an ND upset. G5 will probably be Boise St. I don't think that the SEC has a single great team. Nobody has been dominant this year. TX A&M winning out is the worst case scenario. Ole Miss at UF and TN at Vandy would be 2 upsets that would help. Whichever 2 loss team that makes the SEC championship game losing to a 1 loss TX would also be great.

The arguments will be over whether a 2 loss SEC team has a better resume than a 1 loss IU. Penn St won't get the same scrutiny and will almost certainly host a 1st round game if they finish 11-1. I know it's been said a zillion times, but as long as we don't get blown out then we are in the CFP. Our average margin of victory is above every SEC team. Even with a loss at O$U it will still be top 10 after we destroy PU. Our SoS will improve after this weekend and we are the story of the season.

 

[Grateful Redbeard]

I agree with almost everything this guy says:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/why-penn-state-enjoys-ideal-180053044.html

 

[iugradbamadad]

Minnesota beating PSU would be helpful also

 

[RegionHoosiers]

I agree with almost everything this guy says:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/why-penn-state-enjoys-ideal-180053044.html

Yeah the expanded playoffs have made the conference championship game way less important. Of course the Big 10 (14) with the unbalanced divisions already had made that game pointless.

It's kind of the same thing on the bball side. If you have a good seed already more or less locked up, it can be to your advantage to get out early and rest and recover.

 

[olympian97]

Yeah, I have said it before, but the loser of the conference championship game is in the worst position. The winner is in the best position. So, although Penn State can be in a good spot with hosting a first round game at home the best position is to not have to play a first round game at all. That’s the risk you take in playing for a conference championship. Also, you don’t know that PSU will be seeded in the top 5-8 spots by the time the playoff selections are made. If IU beats OSU then OSU, IU, and Oregon will be ranked above PSU regardless of who wins the conference championship and I see no way they are ranked above two other SEC teams. The B1G championship would really have to be a massive blowout for PSU to be ranked above those teams. If IU loses to OSU there’s a possibility psu could remain above us for a 5-8 spot, but no guarantee.

Idk, I think I would rather have a chance at playing for a 1st round bye than to hope I get selected in a home game for the first round. For me I believe you always want to control your own destiny and not rely on others to make judgement calls. The only way to do that is to be conference champion.

 

[Sonap]

ND also barely play any true road games. Road games are mostly neutral sites

 

[hoosierfan13]

Georgia is ranked ahead of Ole Miss in AP poll. I watched Ole Miss dominate Georgia 2 weeks ago. Kicked their ass up and down the field in all facets of the game. The fix is in to get Georgia in the playoffs

Georgia has a 15 point win in Austin and just beat Tennessee 31-17 after spotting them 10 points.

 

[hoosierfan13]

Yeah, I have said it before, but the loser of the conference championship game is in the worst position. The winner is in the best position. So, although Penn State can be in a good spot with hosting a first round game at home the best position is to not have to play a first round game at all. That’s the risk you take in playing for a conference championship. Also, you don’t know that PSU will be seeded in the top 5-8 spots by the time the playoff selections are made. If IU beats OSU then OSU, IU, and Oregon will be ranked above PSU regardless of who wins the conference championship and I see no way they are ranked above two other SEC teams. The B1G championship would really have to be a massive blowout for PSU to be ranked above those teams. If IU loses to OSU there’s a possibility psu could remain above us for a 5-8 spot, but no guarantee.

Idk, I think I would rather have a chance at playing for a 1st round bye than to hope I get selected in a home game for the first round. For me I believe you always want to control your own destiny and not rely on others to make judgement calls. The only way to do that is to be conference champion.

I would argue that it's an easier path for the loser of the Big Ten Championship, if they get the 5 seed.

The 5 seed and will either have a home game vs the 12 seed (Boise/Tulane), then a quarterfinal on a neutral field vs the Big 12 Champ (Colorado/BYU).

Avoids the SEC/Big Ten and you're double digit favorites in both games.

The champ will have to face the winner of the 8/9 game which could include Alabama/Georgia/Ole Miss.

 

[kmathum]

It depends on who “everyone else” is because any other brand favorite probably would be ranked the same. Of course if it were us we would probably be outside the top 12, but probably still in the top 25 if we played their schedule the same. We wouldn’t be an independent though and would be a full member of the ACC meaning we would have a better shot than we do now at a 1st round bye by winning the ACC Championship. That’s not to suggest I don’t think we can win it in the B1G, but only that the ACC provides an easier path for now. I would guess any program that isn’t branded a blueblood would be ranked in the 13-18 range. A win over undefeated army is probably good enough to get any program playing that schedule the same into the top 12 after this week.

So, I still say that the at large bid is warranted regardless of the brand bias. Do we really want to see a team whose only loss was by 2 points in only their second game of the season (but has been dominant since then) get cut out off the playoffs because the loss was to Northern Ill? They beat Texas A&M, UL, and demolished everyone else on their schedule. If you take away that 2 point loss in week 2 they could argue being ranked above us by the Texas a&m win alone. I get the northern Illinois loss was bad, but I don’t think 1 game in week 2 of the season should diminish what they have done since then. Lose to N. Illinois in week 10-12 and absolutely they should not be considered even if they were undefeated until that point.

My biggest concern is if you exclude ND from the playoffs over 1 loss you are not using the eye test to see their full body of work which I think also hinders a program like IU that needs people to look beyond who we played but look at how we played over the course of an entire season.

Don't worry. TV execs want ND in even if they have to create a 50 team playoff.