If there were a legit playoff...

[Flipper]

In HS geography...we grouped Oklahoma in the plains states. The Big 8 was never thought of as a "Southern" conference...I don't think the inclusion of a few TX schools changes that

We're quibbling over a meaningless distinction any way. The point y'all seem to be tying to make is that there's some sort of Southern bias at work here. If there is a bias, it's towards excellence. Go ahead and explain to me why ANY of the four teams that were included should be excluded and who should be there in their place

[footballguy51]

In HS geography...we grouped Oklahoma in the plains states. The Big 8 was never thought of as a "Southern" conference...I don't think the inclusion of a few TX schools changes that

We're quibbling over a meaningless distinction any way. The point y'all seem to be tying to make is that there's some sort of Southern bias at work here. If there is a bias, it's towards excellence. Go ahead and explain to me why ANY of the four teams that were included should be excluded and who should be there in their place

Oklahoma out, UCF in. You know, because UCF won all of their games.

[mbenecke]

Why is Georgia at 5 with 2 losses and no conference championship? One of their losses was by 20, so that doesn't explain why they're ahead of a 1-loss conference champion Ohio State team.

[Flipper]

UCF doesn't have a single win against a top 20 program. OU beat WV and split with Texas avenging their only loss. When UCF plays a real schedule and goes unbeaten...they'll have an argument.

Who cares where GA finished? I didn't ask for someone to argue about the merits of the teams that didn't make it...I want to know why ANY of the four who did shouldn't have made it and who you'd replace them with.

[Schadenfreude]

Go ahead and explain to me why ANY of the four teams that were included should be excluded and who should be there in their place

If I'm picking four teams, I am putting Central Florida in over Oklahoma. The Knights have gone undefeated two seasons in a row. They deserve some benefit of the doubt over a one-loss Big 12 school.

[Flipper]

Why? You don't "not lose" your way into a championship...you win your way by beating other teams that are really good. Sure..OU lost a close one to Texas, but they beat them and they beat WV . Who has UCF defeated that's equal to those wins? If you expanded this to 8...I'd be all in on UCF because you can argue they belong in the top 8. The top 4...no way in hell

[Schadenfreude]

Why? You don't "not lose" your way into a championship...you win your way by beating other teams that are really good.

Central Florida did everything they could. They are clearly a top ten team. And they won all their games, something Oklahoma cannot say. I say give them the benefit of the doubt. There is nothing Central Florida can do about the strength of its conference schedule. They deserve to be graded on a bit of a curve.

Sure..OU lost a close one to Texas,

Indeed.

If you expanded this to 8...I'd be all in on UCF because you can argue they belong in the top 8.

If we expand to eight, there better be an automatic berth for the G5.

[jpfalcon09]

If we expand to eight, there better be an automatic berth for the G5.

Wouldn't get your hopes up. The argument will be that the 8th best P5 program will be better than the best P5 program 90% of the time.

[2006Grad]

1. The problem as I see it is pointing out wins that the teams gained during league play. This is clearly not something a team like UCF can correct as they have been left out of the power leagues. I am sure given the chance they would jump into the SEC and ACC, but lets be honest, neither of these leagues will be issuing an invitation any time soon. Also UCF have had games cancelled the last two years because of Hurricanes. and have beaten every P5 team they have played including Pitt who played in the ACC championship game.

2. I think there is an issue with having Georgia ranked 5, it clearly doesn't impact the final four, but if their decisions are to be upheld and respected, then ALL of their rankings need to make sense. GA has no quality wins outside of the SEC and has a 20 point loss

3. This goes to my 2nd point, I do think their is a bias in the rankings for SEC schools. In many ways they deserve it, as they have been the dominate conference for many years now, BUT if every year is a new start, thus UCF not being given credit for going undefeated 2 years in a row, then the SEC's dominance can not roll over either. The issue becomes that the committee ranks half the league in the top 25, so every time you win its over a "ranked" opponent and any time you lose it's no big deal because it was to a "ranked" opponent. For example GA played 4 ranked teams this year, went 2-2, but the two wins were KY and FL, do you really believe those were the 10th and 14th best teams in the country, or ar ether getting the benefit of the doubt because of their league.

[Flipper]

I actually agree on point two...GA does not belong there ahead of OSU. OSU destroyed Michigan team that ND beat by a far smaller margin and they beat a pretty decent, though inconsistent Penn State. In fact..for my money...the gap between OSU and OU is fa closer than what it should be between GA and OSU. I give the edge to Oklahoma largely because that 29 point loss to Purdue was such an abomination and those close wins over pretty bad teams like Nebraska and Maryland gives OU the edge. Plus...and I know this shouldn't matter, but it does for some voters, OU has the man with the hardware.

Re UCF they SHOULD be in a larger conference. Years ago when they were in the MAC I would tell people to look out for them because they're a huge school enrollment wise, they play in one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country and they have the resources to build up their facilities. They are a sleeping giant in many respects. I also think they aren't entirely to blame for their schedule..it may be difficult for them to get a Michigan or OSU to play them. Then again...home and home with one of them being in Orlando is attractive

Maybe the answer lies in expanding it to six with a guarantee for a non P5 and giving the top two a bye. Eight would be preferable...but I think that's too big of a jump

[Schadenfreude]

If we expand to eight, there better be an automatic berth for the G5.

Wouldn't get your hopes up. The argument will be that the 8th best P5 program will be better than the best P5 program 90% of the time.

The automatic G5 berth for a New Year's Day bowl game suggests to me that the P5 wants some G5 buy in on the postseason. An automatic berth in an eight-team playoff would be a great way to maintain it, it seems to me.

[jpfalcon09]

If we expand to eight, there better be an automatic berth for the G5.

Wouldn't get your hopes up. The argument will be that the 8th best P5 program will be better than the best P5 program 90% of the time.

The automatic G5 berth for a New Year's Day bowl game suggests to me that the P5 wants some G5 buy in on the postseason. An automatic berth in an eight-team playoff would be a great way to maintain it, it seems to me.

It would make sense, or else you would likely see a lawsuit filed by the G5 programs much like with the BCS to demand access. I don't trust the NCAA or the powers that be in the committee to give the G5 access is all.

[It's the Journey...]

Does it even matter? FBS does not have a national championship. We have 130ish teams that spend each season chasing a myth. Until there is some kind of true playoff format that will not change. BG needs to focus on winning the MAC every year and let the rest of the chips fall where they may.

[Falconwriter]

In HS geography...we grouped Oklahoma in the plains states. The Big 8 was never thought of as a "Southern" conference...I don't think the inclusion of a few TX schools changes that

We're quibbling over a meaningless distinction any way. The point y'all seem to be tying to make is that there's some sort of Southern bias at work here. If there is a bias, it's towards excellence. Go ahead and explain to me why ANY of the four teams that were included should be excluded and who should be there in their place

If there's an SEC bias (and there is) -- there is also a Southern bias. Oklahoma is only included because if is below the Mason-Dixon line, and the US Census Bureau classifies it as a Southern State. Now, it wasn't a state during the Civil War, but many former Confederate soldiers ended up there after the war.

By the way, I never argued for OSU other than to say I think they are as qualified as Oklahoma -- and probably more qualified than ND, and have better wins overall. The committee obviously put more stock in bad losses than wins. The Big Ten is stronger, top to bottom, than the Big 12...and I'd argue it's stronger than the SEC top to bottom. The only difference with the SEC is at the very top...and because of Alabama, they've won more titles. The rest of the SEC is pretty much garbage, and has been for a couple years. But they have great PR because of The Mouse and its $2.2 billion investment in the SEC Network. A slim majority of the committee's members have strong ties to Southern schools; take that for what it's worth.

Ideally, there should be at least an 8 team playoff with five conference champions and three at-large berths. Again, ND should be required to join the ACC or expect to be left out every year. No reason for a separate set of rules...and no, "they are freaking ND" is not a valid reason. That might have flown 50 years ago...but not now.

[Flipper]

Heard an interesting stat today...excluding games against each other...Clemson and Alabama are a combined 106-4 over the last 110 (I admit that's an arbitrary number) games. Still...it makes you question if NCAA football isn't where the NBA was with Golden State and Cleveland. Two teams so far removed from everyone else that the vast majority of teams are playing for...nothing