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Outstanding article by John Feinstein
https://cbssportsradio.radio.com/article...s-overhaul

Been saying it for years now - but once again - an AAC team will never be in the Playoffs. Never. UC, UCF, Houston are playing for nothing. The cartel has blocked any path including keeping down a 20-0 team who crushed Auburn in a NYE bowl.

(11-02-2018 07:17 AM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Outstanding article by John Feinstein
https://cbssportsradio.radio.com/article...s-overhaul

Been saying it for years now - but once again - an AAC team will never be in the Playoffs. Never. UC, UCF, Houston are playing for nothing. The cartel has blocked any path including keeping down a 20-0 team who crushed Auburn in a NYE bowl.

If UCF won every game by 40-0 it would still not make the playoffs.

The swamp would not allow them because of SOS.

(11-02-2018 07:17 AM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Outstanding article by John Feinstein
https://cbssportsradio.radio.com/article...s-overhaul

Been saying it for years now - but once again - an AAC team will never be in the Playoffs. Never. UC, UCF, Houston are playing for nothing. The cartel has blocked any path including keeping down a 20-0 team who crushed Auburn in a NYE bowl.

Excellent article; thanks for sharing. The talking heads on ESPN's coverage of UCF vs. Temple spent a fair amount of time jousting about it during the second half last night. Their tired refrain was about UCF's #127 strength of schedule. What they don't say is this is just another aspect of how the fix is in for the P5.

I can't speak to UCF's scheduling philosophy per se, but had they been offered a national TV rematch with Auburn to open the season I bet they would have taken it (of course Auburn would want no part). So to push on that, say Auburn beats UCF in a close, exciting game. The narrative would be, "UCF got their chance...beating Auburn in the Peach Bowl was a fluke...one game against the P5 doesn't make UCF's schedule competitive with teams playing a P5 conference schedule". If UCF remained a one loss team in that scenario I'm betting they still wouldn't sniff the top four.

On the other hand, say UCF beats Auburn in that game. How much does that one game move the needle for the Knights' strength of schedule? Not nearly enough to break into the top four in that scenario either.

So to support your point. The "game" is completely rigged. A G5 team can neither win nor schedule its way into the playoff. Fans won't decide this matter but I would agree with Feinstein's point: a majority would say it's patently unfair for a team to go undefeated and have zero chance to compete for an NCAA championship.

There are two potential fixes: an expanded playoff with a G5 slot(s) as his article suggests. I believe that is likely given that TV has demonstrated a voracious appetite for college football content and is willing to pay. The second, and more preferable route for UC, is the P5. I believe that will happen but it may be years before the next significant realignment. Competing at a high level with less resources will remain a major competitive challenge.

Part of the problem is the majority of college football fans are entirely fan with the system as is (arguably they would expand, but only to allow more P5 schools into the playoff). If anything, they desire further separation from the hoi polloi.

The sad thing is Ohio State got smoked by Purdue who, from my couch view, isn't as good as Temple. When UC lost to Temple by 7, UC dropped 17 places. When OSU got blown out by Purdue by 29, they 7 and 9 places, depending on poll. I never thought UC had a shot at a top 4 finish but this shows the preference to "P"5 and "blue chip" schools shown by pollsters...as does UK's current top 10/11 ranking. UK is a good story and deserves a top 20 ranking but my couch view doesn't say top 9. OSU's fairly small drop also allows them to be able to jump back up when they win out. Additional evidence is the fact that I don't feel the old Big East played that much better football than the current American, but USF and UC made it to top 2 rankings. The pollsters saw BCS attached to the conference and we, therefore, had a chance. Now, we don't have the "P" (modern day version of "BCS") attached to our conference so we don't have a chance. Sucks but its reality. If UCF's UNC game hadn't been cancelled, would that have made a difference? Probably not because UNC is bad but they are a "P" school.

(11-02-2018 08:15 AM)bearcatdp Wrote:  The sad thing is Ohio State got smoked by Purdue who, from my couch view, isn't as good as Temple. When UC lost to Temple by 7, UC dropped 17 places. When OSU got blown out by Purdue by 29, they 7 and 9 places, depending on poll. I never thought UC had a shot at a top 4 finish but this shows the preference to "P"5 and "blue chip" schools shown by pollsters...as does UK's current top 10/11 ranking. UK is a good story and deserves a top 20 ranking but my couch view doesn't say top 9. OSU's fairly small drop also allows them to be able to jump back up when they win out. Additional evidence is the fact that I don't feel the old Big East played that much better football than the current American, but USF and UC made it to top 2 rankings. The pollsters saw BCS attached to the conference and we, therefore, had a chance. Now, we don't have the "P" (modern day version of "BCS") attached to our conference so we don't have a chance. Sucks but its reality. If UCF's UNC game hadn't been cancelled, would that have made a difference? Probably not because UNC is bad but they are a "P" school.

Sad but true. The dregs of the P5 (Illinois, Rutgers, Kansas, Wake Forest) will play G5 schools and none of those will move the needle when the G5 team prevails. UCF would have pummeled UNC but media would have suggested that was more about UNC's deficiencies than UCF's strengths.

About the only thing Tuberville ever said that I agreed with was that only about a dozen schools will ever have a realistic shot at the national championship in today's world of college football. If PSU knocks off Michigan Saturday, the folks in Columbus will feel OSU is right back in the hunt. Thanks to the polls, they'll probably be right.

With all that said, I think UC still has a good story in recruiting against the Indiana/Purdue/Illinois crowd in our region. UC has a more realistic shot to play on New Year's Day, in that access bowl, than any of those programs ever will.

And they keep going back to, if UCF played in a different conference, they would be worn down and couldn't do this week-in, week-out. Talked about their bad defense (Hello, Big 12 plays no defense either). There may be some truth ti that in the SEC, but honestly outside of the top 10-12 schools, I don't feel that is true anymore. The Big 10 has a few schools and Clemson and a few in the SEC. After that, I don't really but it as much anymore.

Even next year I fear that if UC beat O$U and ran the table, I could see a 1 loss O$U getting into the playoffs over us, even with the head-to-head win. The system is definitely rigged.

Honestly, I am rooting for Notre Dame, who I hate, to win out. Then I want to see Clemson win out and the SEC to get 2 schools. Leave out the PAC 12, Big 12 and Big 10 and we will have 8 schools in the playoffs in 2 years. We'd still have long odds, but at least we could get in the conversation with a magical season. I do feel the committee would then be able to justify taking a school that went undefeated outside the P5 (Still would need to have beaten a P5 schools or been in the AAC in a good year for the AAC). Of course we'd be the 8 seed and locked against the 1 seed, but at least they'd have a chance.

It's a rigged system. The media has their marching orders / talking points. They (the media/Cartel 5) want a non-Cartel school to schedule non-conf all top 5 ranked teams, beat all of those top 5 ranked teams and then go undefeated in their respective conference. Aside from this qualification, which is impossible, the team will have to come from either the AAC or be Boise or BYU. No other non-Cartel 5 conference has even a remote chance.

What UCF did last year and now this year is putting a major wrench in their narrative. The vitriol being spewed towards them by the media and the Cartel 5 is ridiculous. UCF, AAC and fans recognizing UCF as National Champs chaps their butts. They are completely angry at UCF's big middle finger towards them.

(11-02-2018 08:38 AM)BigDawg Wrote:  And they keep going back to, if UCF played in a different conference, they would be worn down and couldn't do this week-in, week-out. Talked about their bad defense (Hello, Big 12 plays no defense either). There may be some truth ti that in the SEC, but honestly outside of the top 10-12 schools, I don't feel that is true anymore. The Big 10 has a few schools and Clemson and a few in the SEC. After that, I don't really but it as much anymore.

Even next year I fear that if UC beat O$U and ran the table, I could see a 1 loss O$U getting into the playoffs over us, even with the head-to-head win. The system is definitely rigged.

Honestly, I am rooting for Notre Dame, who I hate, to win out. Then I want to see Clemson win out and the SEC to get 2 schools. Leave out the PAC 12, Big 12 and Big 10 and we will have 8 schools in the playoffs in 2 years. We'd still have long odds, but at least we could get in the conversation with a magical season. I do feel the committee would then be able to justify taking a school that went undefeated outside the P5 (Still would need to have beaten a P5 schools or been in the AAC in a good year for the AAC). Of course we'd be the 8 seed and locked against the 1 seed, but at least they'd have a chance.

I always get a chuckle when talking heads try to justify all of this. Like with the NCAAT, an expanded playoff would result in some upsets. Why? Because at that point the game is all about matchup, not the conference patch on a jersey. Based on some inherent weaknesses one team may posses, they may not match up well with another-- even if said school is from a lowly conference. I truly think there are a lot of good P5 schools that would have a hard time playing against UCF because of their pace and rhythm on offense. Clemson, for example, had a tough time against Syracuse and the Orange attempt a lot of the same concepts on offense (but are not as good or athletic as UCF).

I never miss a chance to rip on old Notre Dame, so I'll chime in here too.

Look at Notre Dame.

If they win out they are no-doubt locked in to a place in the CFP.

Yeah, they clubbed out a caveman-like 7 point victory of Michigan... but I think we've yet to see what kind of team Michigan really is.

Everyone rips on UCF for their strength of schedule. ND's SOS is a who's who of bottom feeders. Vandy, Wake, NW.

VT is not good this year. Neither is Navy (until the play us, I'm sure).

And lets not forget that epic 8 point beatdown they laid on mighty Ball St.

Yeaaahhhhh... I'd like to see ND and UCF play.

(11-02-2018 08:51 AM)Def Berkkat Wrote:  I never miss a chance to rip on old Notre Dame, so I'll chime in here too.

Look at Notre Dame.

If they win out they are no-doubt locked in to a place in the CFP.

Yeah, they clubbed out a caveman-like 7 point victory of Michigan... but I think we've yet to see what kind of team Michigan really is.

Everyone rips on UCF for their strength of schedule. ND's SOS is a who's who of bottom feeders. Vandy, Wake, NW.

VT is not good this year. Neither is Navy (until the play us, I'm sure).

And lets not forget that epic 8 point beatdown they laid on mighty Ball St.

Yeaaahhhhh... I'd like to see ND and UCF play.

UCF 45 Pitt 14

2 weeks later

Notre Dame 19 Pitt 14 (ND scored a TD in the last 5 minutes to win game)

Yeah, that is another school that would not match up well with UCF.

For a G5 to make the playoffs they're going to have to have the Houston scenario from a few years back where they beat 2 top 10 P5 teams who go on compete for their league title. Beating middle of the road P5s and dominating everything else isn't good enough.

(11-02-2018 10:34 AM)RealDeal Wrote:  For a G5 to make the playoffs they're going to have to have the Houston scenario from a few years back where they beat 2 top 10 P5 teams who go on compete for their league title. Beating middle of the road P5s and dominating everything else isn't good enough.

I don't know that both P5 need to be top 10, but they need to beat one elite playoff contender and then have an otherwise strong schedule. Houston would have absolutely made the playoff if they ran the table that year.

Next year UC plays the kind of schedule that I think would get a G5 team in if they ran the table (not suggesting UC could run the table against next years slate). UC would have to win at OSU and beat UCLA at home. They'd also have a strong AAC schedule with games against UCF, USF, Temple, along with matchups with Memphis and houston from the west.

(11-02-2018 08:38 AM)BigDawg Wrote:  And they keep going back to, if UCF played in a different conference, they would be worn down and couldn't do this week-in, week-out. Talked about their bad defense (Hello, Big 12 plays no defense either). There may be some truth ti that in the SEC, but honestly outside of the top 10-12 schools, I don't feel that is true anymore. The Big 10 has a few schools and Clemson and a few in the SEC. After that, I don't really but it as much anymore.

Even next year I fear that if UC beat O$U and ran the table, I could see a 1 loss O$U getting into the playoffs over us, even with the head-to-head win. The system is definitely rigged.

Honestly, I am rooting for Notre Dame, who I hate, to win out. Then I want to see Clemson win out and the SEC to get 2 schools. Leave out the PAC 12, Big 12 and Big 10 and we will have 8 schools in the playoffs in 2 years. We'd still have long odds, but at least we could get in the conversation with a magical season. I do feel the committee would then be able to justify taking a school that went undefeated outside the P5 (Still would need to have beaten a P5 schools or been in the AAC in a good year for the AAC). Of course we'd be the 8 seed and locked against the 1 seed, but at least they'd have a chance.

100% hoping for the scenario in 3rd paragraph even though I like both OSU and Mich way more than ND.

8 team playoff and just go back to BCS rankings. But seed 1-6 have to be conf champs. Seed 7-8 off next highest BCS computer rankings. Seed 6 would almost always be highest G5 team that way.

(11-02-2018 10:45 AM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(11-02-2018 10:34 AM)RealDeal Wrote:  For a G5 to make the playoffs they're going to have to have the Houston scenario from a few years back where they beat 2 top 10 P5 teams who go on compete for their league title. Beating middle of the road P5s and dominating everything else isn't good enough.

I don't know that both P5 need to be top 10, but they need to beat one elite playoff contender and then have an otherwise strong schedule. Houston would have absolutely made the playoff if they ran the table that year.

Next year UC plays the kind of schedule that I think would get a G5 team in if they ran the table (not suggesting UC could run the table against next years slate). UC would have to win at OSU and beat UCLA at home. They'd also have a strong AAC schedule with games against UCF, USF, Temple, along with matchups with Memphis and houston from the west.

As much as I'm all aboard the UCF train, they aren't a good example of a G5 team that has done the right things to get in. Last night was their first win over a team with a winning record (OSU only has one too, but it was over Penn State). Now, I get that there are difficulties in making a schedule for G5 teams, but that's not a valid excuse right now.

As Mark said, if we were to beat a highly ranked OSU team next year and then followed it up with a win over UCLA, I think an undefeated record would garner MUCH more consideration. Let's not forget, Houston was up to #6 after beating Oklahoma a few years back. They also beat top 10 Louisville later that year (though UL crapped out). If they had gone undefeated they would have certainly moved up 2 spots. To think--losses against Memphis, Navy, and SMU kept them from the playoff, not being a G5 team.

I get the argument against it. But in the 5 short years we've had this system in place the G5 has already sparked a conversation about their inclusion. To say that it will never happen is a little too emphatic for me.

Now that I think about it, if we finish this year ranked we're almost certain to be ranked in the preseason next year too (considering our losses are restricted primarily to the Oline). Say a #23 Cincinnati beats, I don't know, a UCLA team that finishes 7-6. A week later we go on the road, and beat a #5 tOSU. We then have the rest of the season left to play with everyone in college football talking about us as the new playoff crashers. Unlike UCF, however, we have a big win to point to instead.

It's not going to happen. But to say there's no chance of it EVER happening, when next year is a possibility in it's own regard, just doesn't make sense.

Yeah if we went 13-0 with a win at OSU and they won the big 10 we'd be in the playoffs.

Of course it's rigged. When Alabama got in the playoffs while finishing 3rd in their conference everyone had to know the fix was in.

(11-02-2018 10:59 AM)Cataclysmo Wrote:  Now that I think about it, if we finish this year ranked we're almost certain to be ranked in the preseason next year too (considering our losses are restricted primarily to the Oline).

We’ve yet to start a season ranked in our history. I hope you’re right.