2023 College Football Season

[Ted$8roadFan]

The controversy, such as it is, if anything helped give extra motivation for Michigan to beat Penn State.

[thspfc]

Sign stealing is essentially part of the game, but I thought where Michigan went awry is by sending people to games of their opponents specifically to do so.

Correct, I should have been more specific.

[NWI_Irish96]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

[thspfc]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

In that situation it would be OSU/Mich, FSU, Washington, and Texas. There's no chance the committee would put Bama over Texas even though it's clear that Bama has come a long way. And I think Texas over Bama would be correct anyway - Bama's resume would be better, but not better enough to override the head to head.

[US 89]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

The three undefeateds and Texas in that scenario. Conference championships should count for something, and Texas has the head to head tiebreaker.

[Roadgeekteen]

I would go with BIG team 1, Washington 2, FSU 3, Texas 4. It would feel weird having 2 1 loss sec teams both miss the playoff but I think it's the right decision.

[Alps]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

I propose the following:
Ohio/Michigan 12-1 B10 champs
Georgia 12-1 SEC champs
Oregon 12-1 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
FSU 12-1 ACC champs

Which 12-1 team do you leave out here?

[Roadgeekteen]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

I propose the following:
Ohio/Michigan 12-1 B10 champs
Georgia 12-1 SEC champs
Oregon 12-1 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
FSU 12-1 ACC champs

Which 12-1 team do you leave out here?

FSU

[lordsutch]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

Interesting scenario, but based on their relative performances each at home against Ole Miss, I don't think Georgia is likely to lose to Alabama in a virtual home game in Atlanta.

But if it did happen, I think Texas would get in over Alabama based on the head to head, especially given that Texas' win was on the road.

[CtrlAltDel]

Texas A&M has fired its head coach for poor performance, giving him about 75 million dollars to go away.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Texas A&M has fired its head coach for poor performance, giving him about 75 million dollars to go away.

And Mississippi State fired its coach, meaning both coaches who were in Saturday's game are now gone.

[US 89]

Lots of games to be played still, but a really interesting possible scenario:

Ohio State/Michigan 13-0 B10 champs
Florida State 13-0 ACC champs
Washington 13-0 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
Alabama 12-1 SEC champs
Georgia 12-1
Michigan/Ohio State 11-1

Which four teams make the playoff?

I propose the following:
Ohio/Michigan 12-1 B10 champs
Georgia 12-1 SEC champs
Oregon 12-1 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
FSU 12-1 ACC champs

Which 12-1 team do you leave out here?

FSU

If FSU's loss is to North Alabama they don't deserve a playoff spot. A rivalry loss against UF would look bad but more understandable, though maybe not enough for the committee.

(Disclaimer: I am a graduate student at FSU, so I am not necessarily an unbiased observer here.)

Interesting scenario, but based on their relative performances each at home against Ole Miss, I don't think Georgia is likely to lose to Alabama in a virtual home game in Atlanta.

But if it did happen, I think Texas would get in over Alabama based on the head to head, especially given that Texas' win was on the road.

If Georgia loses to Alabama in Atlanta, they won't be the SEC champions. The only way they win the conference with a 12-1 record is if they lose to Tennessee (which is possible) or Georgia Tech (which is unlikely, but not impossible). A loss of that magnitude is going to hurt them considerably even with a win over Bama in the SEC championship.

Also, the SEC championship is hardly a home game for UGA. Yes it's in Georgia, but it's only three hours from, say, Birmingham. There are plenty of Alabama fans who will make that drive in a heartbeat, plus plenty of them in Georgia itself. There is a large volume of Georgia license plates with the Alabama logo on it...why Georgia allows out of state universities on their license plates I'll never understand, but it's a statement that their fans are most definitely represented.

[NWI_Irish96]

I propose the following:
Ohio/Michigan 12-1 B10 champs
Georgia 12-1 SEC champs
Oregon 12-1 P12 champs
Texas 12-1 B12 champs
FSU 12-1 ACC champs

Which 12-1 team do you leave out here?

Not sure how you get the BIG champ being 12-1. Neither of them is losing this week ahead of next week's matchup. Georgia also very unlikely to lose before the conference championship.
Has to be FSU left out. Weakest conference and weakest schedule.

[epzik8]

I am so salty we at the Terps lost to a Michigan squad with a suspended Jim Harbaugh AND it was their 1,000th win.

[tmoore952]

I am so salty we at the Terps lost to a Michigan squad with a suspended Jim Harbaugh AND it was their 1,000th win.

Just starting to pay attention to Terps football since U of MD may become a significant portion of my life in a couple years depending on what my son decides to do.

I thought they gave Michigan a run for their money. I have had a lot of family members (nephews/nieces) go to Penn State. I can see that following Maryland is going to be similar to following Penn State. Ohio State and Michigan are almost always going to rule Big 10 for as long as it exists in its current format.

I am a U of Delaware alumni. So for me, big time college football has always been an "over there" thing for a literal handful of decades, and I therefore haven't had that much interest in it.

[cwf1701]

If you are a SEC fan, are you dreading this scenario, Michigan, Washington, and Florida State winning,Alabama beating Georgia and Texas beating Oklahoma State? the possibility of a playoff with Michigan, Washington, Florida State, and Texas, and the first two out, Ohio State and Alabama?

[gonealookin]

I am a U of Delaware alumni. So for me, big time college football has always been an "over there" thing for a literal handful of decades, and I therefore haven't had that much interest in it.

Looks like it will become an "over here" thing pretty soon, with the Blue Hens becoming the 134th member of FBS football.

Conference USA is expected to add Delaware as a new member for the 2025-26 season, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The sides have been in talks and a decision is expected to be formalized in the coming days, sources said. Delaware will become the conference's 11th member in football when it begins league play in 2025.

That move seems to be working well for James Madison.  Other schools take their successful FCS programs and become doormats in FBS.  The U of Idaho was one that stepped up, never succeeded in FBS and eventually downgraded back to FCS.

[thspfc]

The narrative that 12-1 Texas vs 12-1 Alabama would even be a discussion is laughable. Bama could win 59-0 and Texas would still be in over them if they win in triple overtime.

As an analogy: I'm sure everyone's familiar with the concept that during a video review, the refs need to have conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field, meaning that the barrier of evidence required to overturn a call is higher than the barrier required to let it stand. Texas beating Alabama - handily - was the call on the field. With both teams being 12-1 conference champions, Alabama's resume would need to be in a different galaxy than Texas's to override the head-to-head (or in other words, essentially prove the head-to-head was an upset). Even with a blowout win over Georgia, it would be better, but not better enough.

They would have pretty much equivalent best wins (over Bama and Georgia respectively) and not dissimilar losses (Oklahoma in a wild rivalry game vs. Texas at home by double digits). Bama's next best few wins (Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee) would be better than Texas's (OKST, Kansas St, Kansas), but still not by enough.


There's also no chance a 13-0 Florida State gets left out in any circumstance. It would be nearly inarguable that a 13-0 FSU has been one of the four best teams in the country over the course of the entire season.

The "chaos scenario" that keeps getting brought up - Bama, Texas, Michigan, FSU, and Oregon all win - is really not chaotic at all. It would be Michigan, FSU, Oregon, Texas in some order. The committee is capable of leaving out the SEC, it's just that in all the years of the playoff, a situation in which that would be appropriate has never arisen.


With that, here's how I think the final ranking will look:
1. Georgia (13-0)
2. Michigan (13-0)
3. Oregon (12-1)
4. Florida State (13-0)
5. Texas (12-1)
6. Washington (12-1)
7. Ohio State (11-1)
8. Alabama (11-2)

And some of the bowls . . .
Sugar: Georgia vs. Florida State
Rose: Michigan vs. Oregon
Orange: Ohio State vs. Louisville
Peach: Alabama vs. Penn State
Cotton: Tulane vs. Missouri or Ole Miss; indications are that they would take Missouri
Fiesta: Washington vs. Texas
Citrus: Iowa vs. Missouri or Ole Miss
Outback: Tennessee vs. Maryland
Alamo: Arizona vs. Oklahoma
Holiday: Oregon State vs. NC State

[tmoore952]

I am a U of Delaware alumni. So for me, big time college football has always been an "over there" thing for a literal handful of decades, and I therefore haven't had that much interest in it.

Looks like it will become an "over here" thing pretty soon, with the Blue Hens becoming the 134th member of FBS football.

Conference USA is expected to add Delaware as a new member for the 2025-26 season, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The sides have been in talks and a decision is expected to be formalized in the coming days, sources said. Delaware will become the conference's 11th member in football when it begins league play in 2025.

Well, anything would be more "over here" than the last few years, where --- about 95% of the time if they aren't in the FCS playoffs -- the only way I know what's going on is with them is to look at the Sunday paper football results at the "winning" side (in alphabetical order) and the losing side (not in alphabetical order) in either the "East" or the "South", and hope I find them on the winning side.

[Alps]

The narrative that 12-1 Texas vs 12-1 Alabama would even be a discussion is laughable. Bama could win 59-0 and Texas would still be in over them if they win in triple overtime.

As an analogy: I'm sure everyone's familiar with the concept that during a video review, the refs need to have conclusive evidence to overturn the call on the field, meaning that the barrier of evidence required to overturn a call is higher than the barrier required to let it stand. Texas beating Alabama - handily - was the call on the field. With both teams being 12-1 conference champions, Alabama's resume would need to be in a different galaxy than Texas's to override the head-to-head (or in other words, essentially prove the head-to-head was an upset). Even with a blowout win over Georgia, it would be better, but not better enough.

They would have pretty much equivalent best wins (over Bama and Georgia respectively) and not dissimilar losses (Oklahoma in a wild rivalry game vs. Texas at home by double digits). Bama's next best few wins (Ole Miss, LSU, Tennessee) would be better than Texas's (OKST, Kansas St, Kansas), but still not by enough.


There's also no chance a 13-0 Florida State gets left out in any circumstance. It would be nearly inarguable that a 13-0 FSU has been one of the four best teams in the country over the course of the entire season.

The "chaos scenario" that keeps getting brought up - Bama, Texas, Michigan, FSU, and Oregon all win - is really not chaotic at all. It would be Michigan, FSU, Oregon, Texas in some order. The committee is capable of leaving out the SEC, it's just that in all the years of the playoff, a situation in which that would be appropriate has never arisen.

I disagree with you on one point: Georgia is in the playoff win or lose. They've been too strong for too long. Michigan is pretty much a lock at this point, and the winner of Oregon/Washington is a 3rd. The question of #4 comes down to if FSU should lose.

[US 89]

You think if Alabama beats Georgia, then Georgia is still in and Alabama isn't? I don't see that scenario.

[NWI_Irish96]

You think if Alabama beats Georgia, then Georgia is still in and Alabama isn't? I don't see that scenario.

The only team I think can lose it's conference championship game and still get in is Michigan.

[thspfc]

You think if Alabama beats Georgia, then Georgia is still in and Alabama isn't? I don't see that scenario.

If Bama wins they will be above Georgia in the rankings, no discussion. Georgia could still get in with a minor miracle. They would be the top team without a conference championship. I think they would get in if Texas and FSU lose (there's absolutely no chance Michigan loses so entertaining that scenario is pointless). In that case it would be Michigan, the Pac champion, Bama, and Georgia.

[CoreySamson]

I think that if Alabama wins, Texas wins, and FSU wins, the rankings should look like this:

1. Michigan
2. Pac-12 Winner
3. Florida State
4. Texas
-----
5. Alabama
6. Georgia
7. Ohio State

I think the CFP committee is going to highly value Texas' win over Alabama. Alabama's only track in is if FSU or Texas lose. And Ohio State just does not have the conference championship win pedigree in a year where there are a lot of unbeaten teams at the top, unlike last year when the ACC and Pac-12 were pretty garbage at the top, so I think they will be left out unless FSU, Alabama, Texas, and Oregon all lose. Here's my prediction for the top:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Oregon
4. Texas
-----
5. Washington
6. Ohio State
7. Florida State

[NWI_Irish96]

I think that if Alabama wins, Texas wins, and FSU wins, the rankings should look like this:

1. Michigan
2. Pac-12 Winner
3. Florida State
4. Texas
-----
5. Alabama
6. Georgia
7. Ohio State

I think the CFP committee is going to highly value Texas' win over Alabama. Alabama's only track in is if FSU or Texas lose. And Ohio State just does not have the conference championship win pedigree in a year where there are a lot of unbeaten teams at the top, unlike last year when the ACC and Pac-12 were pretty garbage at the top, so I think they will be left out unless FSU, Alabama, Texas, and Oregon all lose. Here's my prediction for the top:

1. Georgia
2. Michigan
3. Oregon
4. Texas
-----
5. Washington
6. Ohio State
7. Florida State

If Alabama wins, the only 1-loss team they would be ranked behind is Texas. If Oregon beats Washington, Oregon would be the odd team out. The committee wants an SEC team in and there are plenty of metrics they can fall back on to justify Alabama over Oregon.

The only way the SEC gets left out is if Washington, Texas, Alabama, Florida State and Michigan all win.