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Fox Sports- Stewart
Stewart, suppose only one team comes out of the SEC West with one loss. Then letās say this team loses to a two-loss SEC East champ. If there were a bunch of Power 5 conference champs with one loss, does the SEC get shut out of the playoff?
-- Matthew, Merritt Island, Florida
This seems to be a popular topic following Georgiaās loss to Florida, which ensures that a champ from the SEC East will have at least two losses -- and in both Missouriās (to Indiana) and Georgiaās (to South Carolina and Florida) cases, bad losses. Itās hard to imagine either of those teams is reaching the playoff even if they win out, though Georgia might have a case seeing as it would have to beat Auburn and the SEC West champ to do it. But letās assume for the sake of this hypothetical that the Dawgs are done.
Two things to keep in mind: One, while nobody believes them, the committee is ranking teams, not conferences. While not oblivious to the ramifications, their decision-making process will not include consideration of how many teams theyāre picking from each conference. I went through the mock seminar. Itās true. And two, while conference championships are a factor, theyāre not an obligation. Just as important is the committee looking at the schedule each champion played. The imbalance between the two SEC divisions is so vast that an 11-2 West team would almost certainly have a stronger resume than an 11-2 East team. Which might trump both the championship and head-to-head criteria.
The SECās worst nightmare should be Georgia or Missouri beating 11-1 Mississippi State -- that of the hideous non-conference resume -- in the title game. I could see Auburn, Alabama and even LSU getting in with two losses. Mississippi State would be a harder sell. And I certainly canāt see them bypassing the champions of both divisions for another team in the conference.
Hey Stewart, You're one of the very few college football writers I believe is impartial and objective. Please explain to me who Alabama has beaten to be ranked fifth? Their best win is arguably West Virginia. Everyone else is mediocre on that schedule. It seems like the Alabama name is swaying this vote. TCU and Kansas State should be higher than them and even Michigan State. At least they have a win over a rankedNebraska team.
-- Mike, location unknown
With the caveat that Alabamaās ranking really doesnāt matter because it has games ahead against the No. 1 (Mississippi State) and 3 (Auburn) teams, Alabama seems to be the one top-10 team whose ranking is based almost entirely on the eyeball test. Jeff Long said as much. With every other team heās been asked about in the last two weeks, heās mentioned specific wins or schedule points. When asked why Alabama is ahead of TCU, he talked vaguely about watching film.
Obviously we want the committee members to watch the games and use their own eyes. And there are plenty of experts (mainly Vegas) who believe the Tide are even better than a No. 5 ranking. I just find it odd that āBama appears to be the only team that fits this profile. The committee members are human. Theyāre swayed by the names on the jerseys, too.
It's so funny how you reporters just mock people for SEC bias. I guess you guys are so smart and so above the common reader. There actually is huge favoritism for all SEC schools. But I guess you think you are better since you have a great degree from Notre Dame. You know there are a lot of people out here that have degrees just like you. It's not that hard. You really come of like a smart-ass. By the way, Notre Dame hasn't played anyone. You are comical.
-- Scot House, location unknown
Congratulations my friend. Iāve been writing this column since 2003 and you are the first reader ever to mock me by invoking a school I did not attend.
SI's Stewart MandelāContinue reading on other playoff questions and answers...
-- Matthew, Merritt Island, Florida
This seems to be a popular topic following Georgiaās loss to Florida, which ensures that a champ from the SEC East will have at least two losses -- and in both Missouriās (to Indiana) and Georgiaās (to South Carolina and Florida) cases, bad losses. Itās hard to imagine either of those teams is reaching the playoff even if they win out, though Georgia might have a case seeing as it would have to beat Auburn and the SEC West champ to do it. But letās assume for the sake of this hypothetical that the Dawgs are done.
Two things to keep in mind: One, while nobody believes them, the committee is ranking teams, not conferences. While not oblivious to the ramifications, their decision-making process will not include consideration of how many teams theyāre picking from each conference. I went through the mock seminar. Itās true. And two, while conference championships are a factor, theyāre not an obligation. Just as important is the committee looking at the schedule each champion played. The imbalance between the two SEC divisions is so vast that an 11-2 West team would almost certainly have a stronger resume than an 11-2 East team. Which might trump both the championship and head-to-head criteria.
The SECās worst nightmare should be Georgia or Missouri beating 11-1 Mississippi State -- that of the hideous non-conference resume -- in the title game. I could see Auburn, Alabama and even LSU getting in with two losses. Mississippi State would be a harder sell. And I certainly canāt see them bypassing the champions of both divisions for another team in the conference.
Hey Stewart, You're one of the very few college football writers I believe is impartial and objective. Please explain to me who Alabama has beaten to be ranked fifth? Their best win is arguably West Virginia. Everyone else is mediocre on that schedule. It seems like the Alabama name is swaying this vote. TCU and Kansas State should be higher than them and even Michigan State. At least they have a win over a rankedNebraska team.
-- Mike, location unknown
With the caveat that Alabamaās ranking really doesnāt matter because it has games ahead against the No. 1 (Mississippi State) and 3 (Auburn) teams, Alabama seems to be the one top-10 team whose ranking is based almost entirely on the eyeball test. Jeff Long said as much. With every other team heās been asked about in the last two weeks, heās mentioned specific wins or schedule points. When asked why Alabama is ahead of TCU, he talked vaguely about watching film.
Obviously we want the committee members to watch the games and use their own eyes. And there are plenty of experts (mainly Vegas) who believe the Tide are even better than a No. 5 ranking. I just find it odd that āBama appears to be the only team that fits this profile. The committee members are human. Theyāre swayed by the names on the jerseys, too.
It's so funny how you reporters just mock people for SEC bias. I guess you guys are so smart and so above the common reader. There actually is huge favoritism for all SEC schools. But I guess you think you are better since you have a great degree from Notre Dame. You know there are a lot of people out here that have degrees just like you. It's not that hard. You really come of like a smart-ass. By the way, Notre Dame hasn't played anyone. You are comical.
-- Scot House, location unknown
Congratulations my friend. Iāve been writing this column since 2003 and you are the first reader ever to mock me by invoking a school I did not attend.
SI's Stewart MandelāContinue reading on other playoff questions and answers...
