otown
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RE: Georgia vs Alabama in title game, who will watch ?
(01-03-2018 09:28 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (01-03-2018 09:20 AM)otown Wrote: (01-03-2018 09:07 AM)quo vadis Wrote: (01-03-2018 05:09 AM)otown Wrote: (01-02-2018 11:38 PM)quo vadis Wrote: Remember, it's not just human voters who had UCF lower. E.g., Massey Composite had Wisconsin at #6 even after they lost their CCG to Ohio State while UCF was ranked #9.
Wisconsin's schedule was weak, by P5 standards. But it was still ranked around #50. UCF's was ranked in the 80s, much weaker.
UCF fans whining and gnashing about the committee have to remember that not just the committee but *everyone* says that UCF didn't belong in the playoffs. None of the humans (AP, Coaches polls, CFP committee) or computer composites (Massey, Sagarin). The simulated BCS rankings had UCF at #9. They differed in some ways, but ALL of them had UCF well outside the top four.
And they made a mistake. We are not just talking about top 4. They were 12. Alabama only lost to Auburn. Georgia only lost to Auburn. Auburn lost to UCF. UCF lost to nobody. That was a team at 12? Even at an 8 team invitational, UCF was 12. Nope, this system is a rigged invitational. There is no chance to prove it on the field, even as a bottom seed playing the top seed.
The weak East conference of the NBA still get the same amount of teams as the west in the playoffs. Weak NFL division winners still make it to the playoff despite playing weaker schedules. Everyone gets a fair shot to prove it on the field.
First, UCF beating Auburn by no means proves that UCF belonged in the playoffs. It's not like UCF beat #1 Clemson the other day. They beat #7 Auburn. You like to talk about who Auburn beat, but forget that this was a 3-loss team we're talking about. A team that lost to Clemson, lost to LSU, and was crushed by Georgia in the SEC title game. Beating Auburn, a team everyone agrees didn't belong in the playoffs, a team that now has FOUR losses on the season, doesn't show that UCF did belong.
You still would have to explain who among the 4 that did get in UCF should have replaced, and I don't think anyone can do that.
Second, concerning the structure of the playoffs, many would argue that those other sports you cite give too many teams a chance to win. E.g., the other day, the Tennessee Titans were 8-7 going in to their last game. They won to finish 9-7 and thanks to some other teams losing their last games are now in the playoffs. Is a team that went 9-7 really worthy of the playoffs? In the NBA teams routinely go barely above .500, finish with 44-38 records and the like, and yet make the playoffs. Baseball teams lose 75 games and make the playoffs.
One thing many do like about college football is that you do have to have a great season -not just in terms of overall wins but also quality of wins- to contend for the national title. Maybe 8 or 16 teams would be a better playoff format, would strike the best balance between making sure deserving teams are in while also making sure undeserving teams don't get a second chance they don't deserve. But in the current 4-team playoff it's hard to argue UCF belonged, they just didn't.
I think you missed my main point. UCF didn't just miss out of being included in the playoffs. They missed it by a mile. Ranked 12. The system needs to change. If they were ranked 5, 6, 7..... I think it would be easier to swallow. Not when they were marooned at 12.
As far as the NFL and NBA, I think those "many" are in the minuscule minority. There is absolutely NO movement or serious push that wants to change the current system in all the other leagues. The overwhelming consensus is that those systems work the best. To say otherwise is foolish.
There are many who do think that too many teams make the playoffs in those leagues. But few complain because (a) even though conceptually i know a team of mine that goes 9-7 has already proven it doesn't belong, i still want to see them make the playoffs anyway because well, I'm a fan and want them to! and (b) they understand that money drives playoff expansion so there's no use arguing about it. Sports leagues exist to make money so will have too-big playoff systems if that makes more money. But conceptually, it's silly that 9-7 football teams, 44-38 NBA teams, etc. make the playoffs.
Also, as I've explained to Attackcoog many times, it's not a big deal that UCF was ranked #12 instead of say #9 like they deserved. If the issue is "does a team deserve to make a 4-team playoffs", it doesn't matter if they are 8 or 12 or 22 or 110, in all four cases the answer is "no".
It does make a big difference. It shows the committee's cards. If UCF was ranked 7-9, hypothetically next time a AAC team runs the table, including having wins against 2 strong P5 teams OOC, along with a decent conference slate, the justification for that "better" schedule will be to rank them at 5-7 instead of 12. It simply shows that there is simply no conceivable way for a team from the AAC to get in. I happen to believe that had Houston gone undefeated last year, they would have been left out. I draw that conclusion simply based off UCF being marooned all the ways down at 12.
As far as all the other sports, its seems to work very well. NCAAF should be no different. They need an expansion. the media are starting to pick up on it. P5 autobids, 2 at large, and G5 winner if ranked top 15.
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