Would you ever take the conference loser over the winner for the playoffs?

[Madison320]

Suppose 12-0 Alabama goes into the conference championship and loses to a 7-5 Kentucky team, (I'm just making these numbers up). Would you still take Alabama for the playoff and leave Kentucky out?

I would either leave both out, or take Kentucky. I would never take the loser because it would turn the "championship" game into an exhibition. Imagine if they did that in the opening round of the playoffs in the NFL.

[oyarde]

Suppose 12-0 Alabama goes into the conference championship and loses to a 7-5 Kentucky team, (I'm just making these numbers up). Would you still take Alabama for the playoff and leave Kentucky out?

I would either leave both out, or take Kentucky. I would never take the loser because it would turn the "championship" game into an exhibition. Imagine if they did that in the opening round of the playoffs in the NFL.

I am pulling for Kentucky today

[Zippyjuan]

Don't remember what year it was but it happened once to my Colorado Buffaloes. Nebraska was unbeaten and Colorado had one loss. Colorado beat Nebraska for the conference title but Nebraska got the better bowl game even though both had the same records and Colorado had beaten Nebraska head to head. (this was prior to the college playoff thing).

[oyarde]

Don't remember what year it was but it happened once to my Colorado Buffaloes. Nebraska was unbeaten and Colorado had one loss. Colorado beat Nebraska for the conference title but Nebraska got the better bowl game even though both had the same records and Colorado had beaten Nebraska head to head. (this was prior to the college playoff thing).

Seems like I remember some lame Florida State title when Notre Dame finished #2 both with 1 loss and Notre Dame beat them head to head ?

[euphemia]

Alabama won today, so I don't really think there will be a question. Auburn was beaten by Georgia, so I don't think the Iron bowl in two weeks will be of any consequence. Unless something strange happens, Alabama will be undefeated and take on the best the rest of the NCAA can throw at them.

[CPUd]

Alabama might be able to withstand a loss in the SEC championship and drop form #1 to #4. However, it looks like anyone they play in the SEC East will be ranked 15-25, or even unranked.

[oyarde]

Alabama might be able to withstand a loss in the SEC championship and drop form #1 to #4. However, it looks like anyone they play in the SEC East will be ranked 15-25, or even unranked.

Yes , Alabama could end up playing a team ranked 24 or below , unranked or ranked and undeserving and all are aware .

[oyarde]

In

Suppose 12-0 Alabama goes into the conference championship and loses to a 7-5 Kentucky team, (I'm just making these numbers up). Would you still take Alabama for the playoff and leave Kentucky out?

I would either leave both out, or take Kentucky. I would never take the loser because it would turn the "championship" game into an exhibition. Imagine if they did that in the opening round of the playoffs in the NFL.

In basketball , the tourney champ gets the auto bid , I think it should be the other way . That the regular season winner in standings gets the auto bid .

[Madison320]

Alabama might be able to withstand a loss in the SEC championship and drop form #1 to #4. However, it looks like anyone they play in the SEC East will be ranked 15-25, or even unranked.

If you are going to ignore the results of the winner on the field, why have a "championship" game?

I'm always in favor of settling things on the field over getting voted in.

[Madison320]

In
In basketball , the tourney champ gets the auto bid , I think it should be the other way . That the regular season winner in standings gets the auto bid .

Good point. That gets to the heart of the matter. I would argue that the basketball conference tournament "winner" is bogus because everyone gets in the playoff. The football conference championship is set up to be the legitimate winner of the conference. Only the 2 top teams make it. I think you damage the integrity of the conference championship game if the loser advances. Just eliminate the conference championship game in that case.

To me the conference championship games are the first round of the playoffs.

[Zippyjuan]

In
In basketball , the tourney champ gets the auto bid , I think it should be the other way . That the regular season winner in standings gets the auto bid .

In my high school the guaranteed spot went to the team who won the division playoff. We went thorough the entire year undefeated (only school in the state who did and we were defending state champions the prior two years). We lost the conference final by one point and were left out of the tourney.

Who won the conference and should have represented it? The one who beat every single team during the regular season or the one who won the conference tournament?

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

You dirty Trump supporters! Trophies for everybody!!!

[CPUd]

If you are going to ignore the results of the winner on the field, why have a "championship" game?

I'm always in favor of settling things on the field over getting voted in.

The BCS ranking model should make sure that happens in almost all cases. But suppose the rankings had a wide gap between #1 and #2, and #1 lost a close championship game with #5. It could be possible for #1 to drop to #4 and #5 move up to #3. With this year's rankings, It's not likely to happen. Alabama getting beat by FL, KY, SC or TN will knock them down more than 3 spots, probably down to #6-#10

[CPUd]

Since the playoff system, have undefeated teams #1 and #2 ever met in the conference championship?

[oyarde]

#21 Western Michigan will likely finish undefeated .

[oyarde]

I also figured North Dakota State would be undefeated now , but they did suffer a 2 point loss to rival .

[Madison320]

The BCS ranking model should make sure that happens in almost all cases. But suppose the rankings had a wide gap between #1 and #2, and #1 lost a close championship game with #5. It could be possible for #1 to drop to #4 and #5 move up to #3. With this year's rankings, It's not likely to happen. Alabama getting beat by FL, KY, SC or TN will knock them down more than 3 spots, probably down to #6-#10

It's probably going to happen this year. Ohio State will probably get in, despite not winning their conference. They should eliminate the conference championship games since they are meaningless.

[Zippyjuan]

Conference Championship games can act as a sort of "playoff" game. Win and move on to the next level.Two will feature Top Ten matchups- #4 Washington vs #9 Colorado and #6 Wisconsin vs #8 Penn State. #1 Alabama is playing #23 Florida and #4 Clemson vs unranked Virginia Tech.

Winning a conference championship can help your ranking in the final bowl series while losing can hurt it. If Colorado beats Washington, it may take the Pac12 out of the national title pairings.

[oyarde]

I think they should have a bowl for the worst two teams . Redemption Bowl , Texas State / Rutgers . I think they are the only two teams to win only two games and go winless in conference .

[Zippyjuan]

Fresno State (Mountain West Conference) is 1-11 with zero conference wins. Their only win was vs Sacramento State. Texas State (Sun Belt) has two wins- none in conference. Buffalo (Mid American Conference) only two wins but one in conference. UMass is independent so no conference but they have two wins. Kansas (Big 12) two wins- one in conference. Same for Virginia (ACC). Rutgers (Big 10) 2 wins, no conference victory.

[euphemia]

I think they should have a bowl for the worst two teams . Redemption Bowl , Texas State / Rutgers . I think they are the only two teams to win only two games and go winless in conference .

No. That game would take a week to play. They would play overtimes ad infinitum if nobody could get up the gumption to score. They would have to pay people to come to the ga,r.

[oyarde]

Ahh . so there are three teams with no conf win

[euphemia]

This whole playoff thing is a farce, anyway. Basically what they did was take a subjective ranking system and make it more subjective.

[Zippyjuan]

Unless every team plays every other team saying which is the best in the country will be subjective no matter how you decide to do it. Playoffs? What teams deserve to be in the playoffs? Always somebody considered "deserving" will be left off.

[Madison320]

This whole playoff thing is a farce, anyway. Basically what they did was take a subjective ranking system and make it more subjective.

That's why I think you should have to win your conference. No exceptions. Win it on the field objectively and don't make it a popularity contest.

[euphemia]

Alabama has beaten everyone they played this season. No other Division I school can say that.