College Football Playoff Predictions

UKWildcats#8

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Jun 25, 2011
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Ok, so this thread is a bit blah now that ND lost (although I am glad they did), but what is everyone's predictions for the final playoff ranking?

1. Clemson: I 100% disagree with this, but the committee loves this overrated ACC champ. They barely beat 3-9 SC on the road today, and I bet UNC gives them more than they want next week in the ACC Title game. If anyone is gonna cause the committee headaches last minute it will be Clemson Clemsoning but I do not see that happening ultimately. They have beat 10-2 FSU and 10-2 ND so two very good wins and a projected one over 11-2 UNC.

2. Alabama: This is the clear real #1 team based on the eye test, although they have not beat anyone really great this year. They do have a ton of solid to good wins though over 10-3 FL (projected), 8-3 LSU, 8-4 MSU, 8-4 UT, 8-4 A&M, 9-3 Wisconsin, etc. The Ole Miss loss was bad, but mainly due to a lot of stupid turnovers.

3. MSU: I am projecting MSU 3rd due to having a 12-1 record over OU's 11-1 record, and having wins over 11-1 OSU, 12-1 Iowa, 9-3 Michigan and 9-3 Oregon. They have 4 great wins that trump OU's IMO, and none of them came against backup QBs...plus they are going to beat an undefeated power 5 team in a conference title game while OU does not play one.

4. OU: Pretty obvious they are in now...ND losing eliminated any debate at present. They have beat 10-2 OK ST, 10-2 TCU and 10-2 Baylor, and throw in a good win over an 8-4 UT team as well. Their wins are comparable to MSU's until you factor in they needed a batted down 2 point conversion to beat TCU in Norman by 1 point and Baylor has not been the same since their starter went down. I honestly think Baylor is in this spot if not for their QB going down but I digress.

Other contenders: 5. Stanford 6. OSU. I have little to say on these two...they are gonna need a miracle to get in.
 

Bill Derington

Heisman
Jan 21, 2003
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The Clemson UNC game could put the committee in a tough spot.
If UNC beats Clemson do they get in the playoffs as the ACC champ, or does OSU get in?
I think it's going to be 1. Iowa 2. Alabama 3. OU 4. OSU
 

WildcatofNati

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Mar 31, 2009
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The Clemson UNC game could put the committee in a tough spot.
If UNC beats Clemson do they get in the playoffs as the ACC champ, or does OSU get in?
I think it's going to be 1. Iowa 2. Alabama 3. OU 4. OSU
From your top 4, then, you think Iowa will beat Michigan State, and UNC will beat Clemson? Astonishing predictions, there.
 
Apr 1, 2013
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The Clemson UNC game could put the committee in a tough spot.
If UNC beats Clemson do they get in the playoffs as the ACC champ, or does OSU get in?
I think it's going to be 1. Iowa
From your top 4, then, you think Iowa will beat Michigan State, and UNC will beat Clemson? Astonishing predictions, there.
UNC is pretty good, and hell even SC gave Clemson a close game today.
 

bthaunert

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Apr 4, 2007
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It's already locked in. Here will be your 4 teams (in no particular order)

Clemson - even if they lose to UNC, they get in, most likely as the 4 seed.
Alabama - no way they lose to Florida
Oklahoma - a lock because their season is over
Iowa/Michigan State winner
 

UKWildcats#8

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It's already locked in. Here will be your 4 teams (in no particular order)

Clemson - even if they lose to UNC, they get in, most likely as the 4 seed.
Alabama - no way they lose to Florida
Oklahoma - a lock because their season is over
Iowa/Michigan State winner

Good point. They could just drop Clemson to 4th if it is a close game. I'm not really sure many would argue against that if Clemson loses a close one to UNC.
 

bthaunert

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Apr 4, 2007
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Not sure about that. If Clemson loses I think they sneak the Buckeyes in. Ohio St is clearly the superior team.
I disagree. Even when they were both undefeated, Clemson (#1) was ranked ahead of the Buckeyes (#3). In the eyes of the committee, Clemson was superior to Ohio State.
 

Bill Derington

Heisman
Jan 21, 2003
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From your top 4, then, you think Iowa will beat Michigan State, and UNC will beat Clemson? Astonishing predictions, there.

I think UNC can beat Clemson, UNC is playing good football.
Iowa just beat Nebraska soundly on the road, the same place MSU was just beaten. Iowa is a fundamentally sound team, MSU will have their hands full.
 

Bill Derington

Heisman
Jan 21, 2003
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Good point. They could just drop Clemson to 4th if it is a close game. I'm not really sure many would argue against that if Clemson loses a close one to UNC.

If the Clemson loses they will miss the playoffs unless Bama gets beat, which isn't likely.

UNC would have an argument over Clemson, one loss ACC champ. You've also got to remember the picks are on a week by week basis, not what the last week poll was.
 
Apr 1, 2013
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If the Clemson loses they will miss the playoffs unless Bama gets beat, which isn't likely.

UNC would have an argument over Clemson, one loss ACC champ. You've also got to remember the picks are on a week by week basis, not what the last week poll was.
So who gets in if Clemson loses in your view?
 

KYExtemper

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Mar 6, 2013
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If Clemson loses and Stanford wins, I think Stanford leaps past OSU. The committee would catch hell for putting in a team that didn't even make its conference title game.
 
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rmattox

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Nov 26, 2014
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Now that notre damn is out, and with ohiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiio st sitting at home for the big? whatever championship, I'm good with all reasonable combinations of 4 teams. There is no reasonable argument for including either of those teams.
 
Jun 11, 2012
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Oddly enough, this time a Big 12 team is the only lock at this point. Looks like not having a Conference Championship is finally going to pay off.
 

crazyqx83_rivals88013

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May 2, 2004
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The Clemson UNC game could put the committee in a tough spot.
If UNC beats Clemson do they get in the playoffs as the ACC champ, or does OSU get in?
I think it's going to be 1. Iowa 2. Alabama 3. OU 4. OSU
UNC lost their first game of the year (on the first night of the season) by 3 points when they turned it over in the RZ like 3 times. As awful as their resume is, this format needs to get away from rewarding teams that don't even make their CCG (Ohio state).
 

bthaunert

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Apr 4, 2007
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UNC lost their first game of the year (on the first night of the season) by 3 points when they turned it over in the RZ like 3 times. As awful as their resume is, this format needs to get away from rewarding teams that don't even make their CCG (Ohio state).

I disagree with your last sentence. 4 years ago, we had a 1 loss Alabama that didn't play in the SEC Championship game because they lost to an undefeated LSU team in OT in the regular season. LSU won the SEC Championship and remained undefeated. No way any other 1 loss team, even if they were conference champions would deserve a spot in the 4 over Bama.
 

Bill Derington

Heisman
Jan 21, 2003
21,396
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UNC lost their first game of the year (on the first night of the season) by 3 points when they turned it over in the RZ like 3 times. As awful as their resume is, this format needs to get away from rewarding teams that don't even make their CCG (Ohio state).

I think If UNC beats Clemson they should be in the playoffs.
If the polls truly are a week by week decision then which team would have a better victory than UNC, if they knock off Clemson.
 
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Bill Derington

Heisman
Jan 21, 2003
21,396
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I disagree with your last sentence. 4 years ago, we had a 1 loss Alabama that didn't play in the SEC Championship game because they lost to an undefeated LSU team in OT in the regular season. LSU won the SEC Championship and remained undefeated. No way any other 1 loss team, even if they were conference champions would deserve a spot in the 4 over Bama.

That decision to put Bama in the BCS game is what got the ball rolling on the playoffs.
 

Tskware

Heisman
Jan 26, 2003
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Oklahoma and the Iowa v. Mich State winner are two for sure.

Honestly cannot see Florida scoring enough points to beat Bama, but I suppose they could play lights out defense and pull the upset. But I would be very, very surprised. Amazingly, if Florida did manage to win, there would be no SEC teams in the playoffs. Unbelievable.

The big wild card is UNC. If they win over the no. 1 team, and have won 12 straight games, most by big margins, what is the argument to keep them out of the top 4?

Ohio State has struggled in a lot of games, but would probably have the best argument to getting the 4th spot, having lost on the last play of the game to another playoff contender, and having won something like 25 of its last 26 games, plus defending NC.

Stanford has lost twice, I think, cannot see them getting in under any scenario. Was one hell of a game last night v. Notre Dame, probably the best I saw all year.
 

bthaunert

Heisman
Apr 4, 2007
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If UNC beats Clemson ... I think they're in.
They very well might get in, I just struggle with the idea that they should. Here is what I think will happen and it shouldn't. I think the committee gives UNC a HUGE jump in the standings this week. I would put them at #9 as I don't think they should jump an FSU team that manhandled #12 Florida, a Stanford team that beat #6 Notre Dame and an Ohio State team that beat #10 Michigan. I don't think they should be any higher than #9 this week. We will see if they put them higher to open up the possibility of them getting into the top 4 if they win.
 

UKWildcats#8

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Jun 25, 2011
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I still fail to see how a 11-1 OSU with one good win over Michigan would deserve in over a 12-1 Clemson with wins over ND and FSU that both are better than Michigan. This whole you lose late and you out is nonsense when you consider the overall resume. I'm not sure how losing to 11-1 UNC should eliminate Clemson automatically when OSU did not win their title.