***2023-24 College Football Thread***

AlaCyclone

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Lots of us are joking about Ohio State getting in, but there’s really no path for the Buckeyes. There’s just too many other teams that are potentially 12-1 or 13-0, most of them conference champions. I can’t see them jumping up enough spots to get in the top four, especially since they’re not even playing.

I suppose if Michigan, FSU, Georgia, and Texas all lose, then maybe … then we could see Bama/Georgia/Ohio State. That’s the only possibility I can think of.

Kinda delicious to think that in the original 2014 playoff it was that “13th data point” that got Ohio State in over TCU, and now in the final four-team playoff it’s that same “13th data point” that’s going to keep them out.
I see a path for Ohio State:

01. Georgia (13-0) beats Alabama and wins the SEC
02. Michigan (13-0) wins the B1G CCG
03. Washington (13-0) is already the Pac 12 Champion and a virtual lock

04. F.S.U. (12-1) loses to Louisville in the ACC CCG.
05. Oregon (11-2) already lost in the Pac 12 CCG.
07. Texas loses to Oklahoma State in the Big Xii CCG
08. Alabama loses to UGA in the SEC CCG.

06. Ohio State (11-1) slides into the 4 hole to play #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl if all of that other stuff happens. However, it only takes an FSU, Texas or Alabama win to crush Buckeye dreams and Michigan losing in the B1G CCG is basically meaningless, as I am sure they would take Michigan (12-1) over Ohio State (11-1) if it came down to those two teams.

It could happen!
 
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BCClone

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Not exactly sure.
It is because the teams have been local for the most part. OuT is gone. So you’re going to have a lot less local attendance than you’ve had in the past. Now that most fans will have to travel, is Vegas really any harder to get to than Arlington?

The event is going to turn from a one day in and out game that OuT fans have been accustomed to, to a weekend excursion for the new Big12. So attendance will be less. But it would be better for those who do attend.
And the big 12 cares about attendance. They make zero off whether you stay 0 or 3 days.
 

HFCS

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I see a path for Ohio State:

01. Georgia (13-0) beats Alabama and wins the SEC
02. Michigan (13-0) wins the B1G CCG
03. Washington (13-0) is already the Pac 12 Champion and a virtual lock

04. F.S.U. (12-1) loses to Louisville in the ACC CCG.
05. Oregon (11-2) already lost in the Pac 12 CCG.
07. Texas loses to Oklahoma State in the Big Xii CCG
08. Alabama loses to UGA in the SEC CCG.

06. Ohio State (11-1) slides into the 4 hole to play #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl if all of that other stuff happens. However, it only takes an FSU, Texas or Alabama win to crush Buckeye dreams and Michigan losing in the B1G CCG is basically meaningless, as I am sure they would take Michigan (12-1) over Ohio State (11-1) if it came down to those two teams.

It could happen!

The only real consistent rule the committee has is there is always a path for Ohio State.
 

HFCS

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And the big 12 cares about attendance. They make zero off whether you stay 0 or 3 days.

With Texas, A&M and OU gone are they really sure Dallas metro is where Big 12 fans are going to flock to the most? It’s a coin flip to me.

For basketball KC is a no brainer for that reason. You have three close schools that all travel. Pac tournament in Vegas is just Arizona that travels currently.
 
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alarson

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With Texas, A&M and OU gone are they really sure Dallas metro is where Big 12 fans are going to flock to the most? It’s a coin flip to me.

For basketball KC is a no brainer for that reason. You have three close schools that all travel. Pac tournament in Vegas is just Arizona that travels currently.

I mean, dfw is still probably the easiest flight for most members, especially when planning a trip on notice of a week or less as is common for this game. Las vegas has a lot of flights too but dfw is a huge hub.
 

CRcyclone6

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He has one mode, yelling, all game. If you only listened to the sound I don't think anyone could tell me the difference between Gus calling a game winning hail mary vs a 20 yard pass in the 2nd quarter.
I could listen to him call Klay Edwards' game winner vs Cincinnati all day though!
 

KidSilverhair

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The only real consistent rule the committee has is there is always a path for Ohio State.
Yeah, you guys are opening my eyes to more paths for Ohio State than I thought. Dammit. :D

If Texas wins, that path gets reallly narrow, though. They need a lot of things to go their way.

A Michigan loss by itself likely puts Texas in along with FSU/Washington/Georgia. A Michigan loss plus an FSU loss probably means Texas/Washington/Georgia and the committee deciding between Michigan and Ohio State, and do they ignore head to head from a week ago? Losses by FSU and Georgia mean Washington/Texas/Michigan and then they’d weigh Bama/Georgia (even at 12-1) over Ohio State, I’d wager.

Now, Texas losing takes them out of the conversation. So you’d have FSU (with a win), Michigan, Georgia, Alabama (with a win), and Ohio State in the mix for three spots.
 

HFCS

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I mean, dfw is still probably the easiest flight for most members, especially when planning a trip on notice of a week or less as is common for this game. Las vegas has a lot of flights too but dfw is a huge hub.


I guess I’ve only flown there once and just assumed Vegas is cheaper flight for most of the country. Geographically it does add time for the new eastern members but not really much for midwesterners.
 

stewart092284

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IDK, Texas still kinda makes sense for a championship game because you could argue it would be good for the Arizona schools and maybe Colorado / Utah.

IDK
 

alarson

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Generous of Sankey to repeatedly invoke Sesame Street, to put this in terms that SEC fans can understand.

He was absolutely absurd when he was on gameday. Talking about how team should be rewarded for winning but Alabama can't be penalized for losing (to Texas). You absolutely ******* can be.
 

Trice

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He was absolutely absurd when he was on gameday. Talking about how team should be rewarded for winning but Alabama can't be penalized for losing (to Texas). You absolutely ******* can be.

Everything is just pro wrestling now.
 

stewart092284

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He's a prick for sure. But at the same time - I'd expect the Big 12, Big 10 commissioner to do the exact same thing. He's politicking and angling for his conference.
 

HFCS

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IDK, Texas still kinda makes sense for a championship game because you could argue it would be good for the Arizona schools and maybe Colorado / Utah.

IDK

It is the most central location with world class indoor stadium.

The rest of Dallas metro isn’t an exciting place to travel at all imho which is the reason to consider Vegas far more than giving mountain schools a 5-6 hour drive.

I don’t think Jerry World think is a bad choice but it’s not awesome enough to keep it permanently there without ever trying something else. The conference isn’t run by Texas whims anymore.
 
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HFCS

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He's a prick for sure. But at the same time - I'd expect the Big 12, Big 10 commissioner to do the exact same thing. He's politicking and angling for his conference.

I think the SEC is at least deep enough that 2 teams in a four team playoff isn’t ludicrous.

The big ten pretty clearly had a drop off after top two and they just played each other.

Next year if 2/3 of these new pac schools are great I’d understand if big ten gets 4 spots in 12 team playoff. It could actually be a deep conference for first time in decades.
 

stewart092284

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It is the most central location with world class indoor stadium.

The rest of Dallas metro isn’t an exciting place to travel at all imho which is the reason to consider Vegas far more than giving mountain schools a 5-6 hour drive.

I don’t think Jerry World think is a bad choice but it’s not awesome enough to keep it permanently there without ever trying something else. The conference isn’t run by Texas whims anymore.
Yeah, but there is still a huge amount of the conference in the state (Baylor, Houston, TCU, Tech) + Okie State bordering and then from an Arizona / ASU fan I'm sure its a preferred destination and a relatively easy drive etc.
 

stewart092284

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I think the SEC is at least deep enough that 2 teams in a four team playoff isn’t ludicrous.

The big ten pretty clearly had a drop off after top two and they just played each other.

Next year I’d 2/3 of these new pack schools are great I’d understand if big ten gets 4/12. It could actually be a deep conference for first time in decades.
The SEC was hot trash this year. It arguably had as big of a drop off after Bama and Georgia as the Big 10.

Missouri is good but IMO = Penn State. Better than everyone else, better to be competitive - but not good enough to win.

Ole Miss has a bunch of wins but only because they can score . They're the anti-Iowa.

Iowa went 10-2 but sucks back to 1421 on offense.
Ole Miss went 10-2 but sucks back to 1421 on defense.


I honestly don't know why I picked the year 1421. Apologies to the year known as 1421.