(12-10-2014 12:18 PM)DrTorch Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 11:45 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 10:32 AM)DrTorch Wrote:  How can the Big 12 snub be considered anything less than collusion?

It's a play to pressure the Big 12 to break up, w/ other conferences pursuing the rewards of adding UT, OU, etc.

So if Ohio State had been left out, that's be collision as well?



There were two teams (Baylor and Ohio State) for one spot. Neither was head and shoulders above the other.

No, TCU was in the mix. And ZSU's loss was far worse then either Baylor's or TCU's.

And frankly, so was Oregon's and 'Bama's. So there were 5 teams for 3 spots, two from the Big 12. Yet they got none, despite better resumes.

That's opinion, but not one that's anything close to indisputable. In contrast to the traditional polls, the committee values quality wins far more than it dislikes losses. Alabama and Oregon far surpassed the other 3 (in fact even surpassed undefeated Florida State) when you add in both those factors so they were in regardless which left us with 1 spot for 3 teams.

Ohio State beating Wisconsin like it did combined with the Michigan State win and an overall slightly higher ranked strength of schedule was more impressive to the committee than TCU's or Baylor's body of work. Yes it's loss was the worst and that almost held them out, but the wins and the manner in which they came were enough to convince otherwise.

I'm NOT telling you they looked at it right. In fact, I don't know that I would have voted the same way despite my allegiance. There's a big difference between disagreeing with someone conclusion and believing it's for an artier motive though. There is zero evidence for the latter.

Edit: Further, I don't get why so many people think the other 4 want the Big 12 gone. If Texas and Oklahoma went to the PAC-12, the PAC-12 would love it, but the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC would be weaker by comparison and do everything possible to stop it. If they were going to the SEC, the Big Ten, ACC, and PAC-12 would fight hard to preserve the Big 12, etc. Beyond that, the PAC-12 turned down Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the Big Ten had it's chance on Kansas (and Missouri) and said pass. Texas is the only school I can say for sure that any of the conferences would say yes to and none of them want it in a rival conference besides the Big 12.

(12-10-2014 03:38 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  That's opinion, but not one that's anything close to indisputable.

Agreed. But it's not "SMU deserves to be in" either.

Quote: In contrast to the traditional polls, the committee values quality wins far more than it dislikes losses. Alabama and Oregon far surpassed the other 3 (in fact even surpassed undefeated Florida State) when you add in both those factors so they were in regardless which left us with 1 spot for 3 teams.

Ohio State beating Wisconsin like it did combined with the Michigan State win and an overall slightly higher ranked strength of schedule was more impressive to the committee than TCU's or Baylor's body of work. Yes it's loss was the worst and that almost held them out, but the wins and the manner in which they came were enough to convince otherwise.

I understand the explanation, but it's not w/o it's own holes. Which is why I never liked a 4-team playoff anyway.

Quote:I'm NOT telling you they looked at it right. In fact, I don't know that I would have voted the same way despite my allegiance. There's a big difference between disagreeing with someone conclusion and believing it's for an artier motive though. There is zero evidence for the latter.

Edit: Further, I don't get why so many people think the other 4 want the Big 12 gone. If Texas and Oklahoma went to the PAC-12, the PAC-12 would love it, but the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC would be weaker by comparison and do everything possible to stop it. If they were going to the SEC, the Big Ten, ACC, and PAC-12 would fight hard to preserve the Big 12, etc. Beyond that, the PAC-12 turned down Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the Big Ten had it's chance on Kansas (and Missouri) and said pass. Texas is the only school I can say for sure that any of the conferences would say yes to and none of them want it in a rival conference besides the Big 12.

Times they are a changin'. UT is a gem, but OU is pretty fair too. The other members have their merits, w/ the possible exception of ISU.

The but whole thing is this, it's collusion that cost teams and their conference a boatload of money. Whether there's more to the story only adds to the problem.

Of course the committee's decision was collusion. It would have been collusion no matter who they picked. Having a committee get together to agree on an outcome - any outcome - is the very definition of collusion. They only way they could have avoided colluding was to avoid making a decision.

(12-10-2014 03:38 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  I don't get why so many people think the other 4 want the Big 12 gone. If Texas and Oklahoma went to the PAC-12, the PAC-12 would love it, but the Big Ten, ACC, and SEC would be weaker by comparison and do everything possible to stop it. If they were going to the SEC, the Big Ten, ACC, and PAC-12 would fight hard to preserve the Big 12, etc. Beyond that, the PAC-12 turned down Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the Big Ten had it's chance on Kansas (and Missouri) and said pass. Texas is the only school I can say for sure that any of the conferences would say yes to and none of them want it in a rival conference besides the Big 12.

Good point. Even if the Pac-12, SEC, and Big Ten would want UT in their conference, their clear second choice is that UT not be in either of the other two.

The Big 12 won't end because the other P5s want it to end. It will end if the Big 12 falls well behind in revenue or for other reasons.

(12-10-2014 03:30 PM)mlb Wrote:  You turn the ball over 3 times against anybody there is a good chance you lose. WVU had a decent team, probably better than VT on average. That being said, they still had a lot of issues across the board. I still am not a believer in their coach either.

I watched more than I care to admit of both teams this season, VT was garbage and only won six games because they played in the weakest division of the P5...hell it took them a come from behind victory against the lowly Wahoos at home just to become bowl eligible. WVU was bowl eligible by late October. It's not a better than VT on average thing, they were better by a mile.