2025 College Football Season

[NWI_Irish96]

Conference championship games slated for Friday/Saturday:
...
Big Ten: Indiana vs Ohio State at Indianapolis

#2 vs. #1 in the national rankings...and sadly, this game doesn't have nearly as much meaning as you'd hope.  The winner does get the #1 overall seed in the playoff, but the loser will still be in the top 4 and get a first-round bye anyway.

The ACC championship game in the same time slot is much more meaningful.  Traditional ACC bottom-feeder Virginia needs a victory over Duke to get a berth in the playoff.

The winner gets to play their playoff game in the Rose Bowl, which still means a lot to the BIG, and the #1 seed supposedly gets an easier path to the final than the #2.

if Duke wins, the ACC may not get a playoff berth as two G5 teams could be ranked higher than them.

[1995hoo]

....

The ACC championship game in the same time slot is much more meaningful.  Traditional ACC bottom-feeder Virginia needs a victory over Duke to get a berth in the playoff.

And if Duke pulls the upset, the ACC likely misses out on the playoff altogether. No pressure.

[ModernDayWarrior]

Looking ahead to next week's championship games, there's still a potential for chaos out there. Hypothetically, let's say Duke knocks off Virginia and James Madison is upset by Troy as well. The North Texas-Tulane winner gets in the playoff either way, but who snags the fifth automatic bid in this scenario? Does Duke get it, even with five losses? Or could it fall to... UNLV?

This is exactly why I thought there should have been some restrictions on the autobids. For example, the top five conference champions could get bids if they're already ranked in the committee's top 20 or top 25. If the fifth conference championship isn't ranked high enough, drop them in favor of another at-large bid.

Of course, this being college football, they'll no doubt expand the playoffs again in a few years, making this less of an issue.

[NWI_Irish96]

Looking ahead to next week's championship games, there's still a potential for chaos out there. Hypothetically, let's say Duke knocks off Virginia and James Madison is upset by Troy as well. The North Texas-Tulane winner gets in the playoff either way, but who snags the fifth automatic bid in this scenario? Does Duke get it, even with five losses? Or could it fall to... UNLV?

This is exactly why I thought there should have been some restrictions on the autobids. For example, the top five conference champions could get bids if they're already ranked in the committee's top 20 or top 25. If the fifth conference championship isn't ranked high enough, drop them in favor of another at-large bid.

Of course, this being college football, they'll no doubt expand the playoffs again in a few years, making this less of an issue.

At least they got rid of the guaranteed byes for conference champions. Otherwise, we'd have #16 Virginia, #24 Tulane or unranked North Texas getting a bye and the loser of the BIG championship, likely ranked #2, not getting one.

[thspfc]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

[NWI_Irish96]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

[thspfc]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

Because I have always been resume first and I don't care how much you beat Panera Bread ACC bottom feeder by, or how much you controlled the game.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

Huh? So you get Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon? Why the fuck would I take that? Has nothing to do with Notre Dame.

[NWI_Irish96]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

Because I have always been resume first and I don't care how much you beat Panera Bread ACC bottom feeder by, or how much you controlled the game.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

Huh? So you get Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon? Why the fuck would I take that? Has nothing to do with Notre Dame.

Fine, forget the Big Ten. I get ND (if they get in), you get the entire SEC. I get 3:2 odds. Any amount you want. Anybody else wins and it's a push.

[thspfc]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

Because I have always been resume first and I don't care how much you beat Panera Bread ACC bottom feeder by, or how much you controlled the game.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

Huh? So you get Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon? Why the fuck would I take that? Has nothing to do with Notre Dame.

Fine, forget the Big Ten. I get ND (if they get in), you get the entire SEC. I get 3:2 odds. Any amount you want. Anybody else wins and it's a push.

$300

[NWI_Irish96]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

Because I have always been resume first and I don't care how much you beat Panera Bread ACC bottom feeder by, or how much you controlled the game.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

Huh? So you get Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon? Why the fuck would I take that? Has nothing to do with Notre Dame.

Fine, forget the Big Ten. I get ND (if they get in), you get the entire SEC. I get 3:2 odds. Any amount you want. Anybody else wins and it's a push.

$300

So if ND wins, I get $450.
If any SEC team wins, you get $300.
Anybody else wins, nobody wins anything.
Only valid if ND actually makes it, OR you can give me 5:2 odds without knowing whether or not they make it.

[thspfc]

They finally got it right with Bama moving above Notre Dame. Next let's have a BYU win so even the relentless babying of the Fighting Irish doesn't get them in.

How is that getting it right. ND is better than Bama in FPI, SP+, Game Control, Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Efficiency. If they played on a neutral field, ND would be a touchdown favorite.

Because I have always been resume first and I don't care how much you beat Panera Bread ACC bottom feeder by, or how much you controlled the game.

I'll take the Big Ten + Notre Dame vs the SEC for the national championship even money for any amount you want. ANY amount.

Huh? So you get Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon? Why the fuck would I take that? Has nothing to do with Notre Dame.

Fine, forget the Big Ten. I get ND (if they get in), you get the entire SEC. I get 3:2 odds. Any amount you want. Anybody else wins and it's a push.

$300

So if ND wins, I get $450.
If any SEC team wins, you get $300.
Anybody else wins, nobody wins anything.
Only valid if ND actually makes it, OR you can give me 5:2 odds without knowing whether or not they make it.

3:2 only valid if they make it.

[thspfc]

After a quick run of the numbers I would double the bet to $600 at 3:2 odds if you'd like. Honestly I wish I could go higher while staying in a good mental state.

[hotdogPi]

Let's do this. Who's going to be the third party neutral arbitrator?

I'm willing to do so, although I'm not sure if there's an easy way to do account number and routing number online without specialized software.

[bugo]

I never thought I would see open gambling on this forum.

[NWI_Irish96]

After a quick run of the numbers I would double the bet to $600 at 3:2 odds if you'd like. Honestly I wish I could go higher while staying in a good mental state.

I'm good at $600.

[gonealookin]

In the FCS playoffs, unseeded Illinois State was not flat for their game in Fargo against #1 seed North Dakota State, as the Redbirds came from behind with two TDs in the final 3 minutes to knock out the Bison, 29-28.

The Yalies went to Bozeman and it looks like they put up a fight but lost to #2 Montana State, 21-13.  #3 Montana pounded South Dakota State, 50-29.  Montana State and Montana are on the same side of the bracket, so it can't quite be said that the road to the championship goes through Montana in December, as those two would play each other in the semifinals.

I thought it was interesting that three states provided six of the sixteen teams in today's semifinal second round games:
#1 North Dakota State - lost
#2 Montana State - won
#3 Montana - won
#11 South Dakota - won (beating #6 Mercer, 47-0)
#14 South Dakota State - lost
Unseeded North Dakota - lost

It's not FBS, but that's dang good representation for the football programs in that part of the country.

[gonealookin]

I'm fine with either Tulane or James Madison getting into the playoff and getting clobbered in the first round, but not both at the expense of some much better team, and thanks to Virginia's loss tonight it looks like that's what's going to happen.

[Max Rockatansky]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

[Bobby5280]

I was pretty sure Oklahoma would end up facing Notre Dame in the first round of the playoffs. That's how the initial brackets looked. Now OU gets to face Alabama again. At least they're going to be doing so in Norman. It may be a tall order for the Sooners to beat the Crimson Tide for a third time in a row. The Sooners' offense can't keep getting bailed out by their defense. If they can manage to beat Alabama they're going to have to play a hell of a lot better to have any chance against Indiana in the second round.

[NWI_Irish96]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

[Max Rockatansky]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

Notre Dame lost to Miami, so for me the other metrics there don't matter.  Yeah sure, I could see a much better argument for getting in over Alabama or Oklahoma (especially Alabama).

[NWI_Irish96]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

Notre Dame lost to Miami, so for me the other metrics there don't matter.  Yeah sure, I could see a much better argument for getting in over Alabama or Oklahoma (especially Alabama).

So one game is all that matters over a 12 game season? Does Florida State get in over Alabama? How about Louisville over Miami?

[Max Rockatansky]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

Notre Dame lost to Miami, so for me the other metrics there don't matter.  Yeah sure, I could see a much better argument for getting in over Alabama or Oklahoma (especially Alabama).

So one game is all that matters over a 12 game season? Does Florida State get in over Alabama? How about Louisville over Miami?

In the case of Notre Dame versus Miami, absolutely. 

[NWI_Irish96]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

Notre Dame lost to Miami, so for me the other metrics there don't matter.  Yeah sure, I could see a much better argument for getting in over Alabama or Oklahoma (especially Alabama).

So one game is all that matters over a 12 game season? Does Florida State get in over Alabama? How about Louisville over Miami?

In the case of Notre Dame versus Miami, absolutely. 

Texas A&M is exceedingly thrilled that Miami got in over ND, if that tells you anything.

[Max Rockatansky]

At least the committee got it right by putting Miami in instead of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame ranks higher than Miami, Alabama and Oklahoma by every major metric. "Got it right" is essentially "left out the team we don't like"

Notre Dame lost to Miami, so for me the other metrics there don't matter.  Yeah sure, I could see a much better argument for getting in over Alabama or Oklahoma (especially Alabama).

So one game is all that matters over a 12 game season? Does Florida State get in over Alabama? How about Louisville over Miami?

In the case of Notre Dame versus Miami, absolutely. 

Texas A&M is exceedingly thrilled that Miami got in over ND, if that tells you anything.

Oh well.  Hypotheticals don't mean much because Notre Dame lost to Miami and didn't make a convincing enough case to get in.

And this strikes me as being afraid of a bowl game loss:

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47238381/notre-dame-ad-says-cfp-selection-committee-pulled-rug-farce