SEC/Big10 Pushing for 16 Team Playoff

cycloneGTS

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There is little denying SEC dominance when it comes to National Championships over the past 20 years, thanks most recently to Alabama and Georgia (LSU and Florida ~20 years ago). But the middle of the SEC is where the conference hangs its hat, and I love to use Texas A&M as the measuring stick for that argument.

ATM was 69-56 (0.552) in the Big 12 (conference record only) and is 59-47 (0.5566) in the SEC. That doesn't tell me the SEC, on average, is a far better conference. Nor does it tell me that aggy is that much better - they are still where they always are...in the middle.

Go back 15-20 years, the SEC has been spinning a narrative they were the best, and it worked! Multiple rounds of realignment later, teams panicked or were greedy or whatever, and it only fed that narrative. B1G jumped on recently, and the Big 12 was, frankly, in reaction mode from the 1st round of realignment on. I think Yormark has brought balance and confidence to the Big 12 brand and that is a great start.

No one knows what this will look like in 20 more years, but let's hope there are more Big 12 National Champions than anyone expects!
 

GoHawks

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Yes and no. Losses late matter more than losses early. So playing a cupcake late decreases your chance of a loss late.
As a general fan of college football too it's terrible. I understand 1st couple weeks are going to have some big favorites as teams start the season and you gravitate towards a few games early. Late in year I'm ready for rivalries, upsets , and drama. It's always leaves a lot to be desired compared to your typical late fall week when SEC has its bye week. A lot of the teams do it the exact same week. Week prior to last week of regular season when it should be getting exciting. Allows teams to rest up questionable and injured guys also. Should be abolished
 

Klubber

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Beating a cupcake in November pads the record the same as beating a cupcake in September.
They're playing an 8 game conference schedule. XII & B1G play 9 conference games.

Playing a complete cream puff in Nov when other schools are playing tough conference games is complete B.S. And of course the SEC will keep doing it because it helps everyone with an automatic win in the playoff era where # of wins is at a premium.
 
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AlaCyclone

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I agree but it does allow for a week off late in the season for the 1s and SEC gets 4 of them vs. everyone else's (except ACC) 3.
It just doesn't make a difference when a team beats a cupcake. They are just as tasty in September as they are in November. Also, nobody ever takes the other approach while other schools are opening against cupcakes, the SEC teams are usually opening against real OOC opponents. For example, Alabama opens this year @ Florida State while Iowa opens against Albany on 8/30. Two weeks later, Alabama plays Wisconsin while Iowa is playing UMass. But it's all about those November cupcakes.
 

AlaCyclone

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They're playing an 8 game conference schedule. XII & B1G play 9 conference games.

Playing a complete cream puff in Nov when other schools are playing tough conference games is complete B.S. And of course the SEC will keep doing it because it helps everyone with an automatic win in the playoff era where # of wins is at a premium.
The 8 vs. 9 conference games is a legitimate issue, and I agree with that. Playing a cupcake in November instead of September is a wash. Alabama opens the years playing @ Florida State in Week 1 and Wisconsin in Week 3, but playing Eastern Illinois in November gives them an unfair advantage? Meh.
 
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Klubber

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The 8 vs. 9 conference games is a legitimate issue, and I agree with that. Playing a cupcake in November instead of September is a wash. Alabama opens the years playing @ Florida State in Week 1 and Wisconsin in Week 3, but playing Eastern Illinois in November gives them an unfair advantage? Meh.
From my view, any conference game vs the typical SEC Nov creampuff non-con is a much bigger challenge.

'Bama playing tough non-cons early is great, but Eastern Illinois is a freaking joke in football. For me it's not that they're playing them in Nov vs Sept. It's that they're playing them in place of another conference foe.
 
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AlaCyclone

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From my view, any conference game vs the typical SEC Nov creampuff non-con is a much bigger challenge.

'Bama playing tough non-cons early is great, but Eastern Illinois is a freaking joke in football. For me it's not that they're playing them in Nov vs Sept. It's that they're playing them in place of another conference foe.
I agree with that. I wish Alabama and the SEC played 9 conference games too + 3 P4 OOC games. As it is, 'Bama plays 1 ACC + 1 B1G + 8 SEC teams this year. So, 10/12 games are vs. P4 teams (just like ISU). That's not bad.
 
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Clonehomer

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You also can play backups and rest up your guys who are banged up.

You have to respect the devious brilliance of it. I just wish they didnt get a free pass out of it.

Does the Big12 contract dictate that non-con games have to be at the start of the season? Play your two non-con games, bye week, go into conference play. Do a similar cream puff week in November and see how the ESPNs of the world react. Guessing there isn’t the same level of indifference if the Big12 were to do it.
 
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HouClone

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They're playing an 8 game conference schedule. XII & B1G play 9 conference games.

Playing a complete cream puff in Nov when other schools are playing tough conference games is complete B.S. And of course the SEC will keep doing it because it helps everyone with an automatic win in the playoff era where # of wins is at a premium.
And Herbie, Reese, and Galloway won't mention a word about their 8 game conference schedule during the CFP discussions. Amazing it never gets brought up by any media.
 

Clonehomer

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And Herbie, Reese, and Galloway won't mention a word about their 8 game conference schedule during the CFP discussions. Amazing it never gets brought up by any media.

I think the important thing going forward is to stop talking about playing an SEC schedule or a Big10 schedule. As you analyze teams for CFP consideration you need to break down a teams schedule into actual opponents. Cause even beyond the 8 or 9 game conference schedule is the fact that not all SEC conference schedules are created equal in today’s mega conferences.

So, as pointed out above, if a team like Alabama goes out and plays some tough non-conference games that’s not as big of a deal to play 8 conference games. But that’s not the norm for most of the conference. If you have 4 non-conference games that’s aren’t competitive, then that should be held against you come selection time.
 

StPaulCyclone

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Duh!
The 8 vs. 9 conference games is a legitimate issue, and I agree with that. Playing a cupcake in November instead of September is a wash. Alabama opens the years playing @ Florida State in Week 1 and Wisconsin in Week 3, but playing Eastern Illinois in November gives them an unfair advantage? Meh.
I agree under “normal” circumstances, a 9 league game format, I agree that timing of a puff does matter and I would rather have them earlier while you are stilling figuring things out.

However, issues are interrelated related in the case of the sec. Playing a cream puff in November instead of a 9th league game matters, as does when it happens. It’s *both* a number of league games issue *combined* with the timing of the puff late in the season. If they played all 4 of their OOC games first, it would be less egregious. The sec knows exactly want they are doing.
 
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StPaulCyclone

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Duh!
And Herbie, Reese, and Galloway won't mention a word about their 8 game conference schedule during the CFP discussions. Amazing it never gets brought up by any media.
Hell, they don’t even do for the ACC. So much so, I forgot that the ACC was playing 8 games last year.