Andy

You get rid of them because their only function ever was being a money grab and now that the playoff is inviting several teams per year that don't play in one anyway that's been laid more bare than ever. But if it helps, 2017 Wisconsin was the only team to fall out of the playoff after losing a conference title game in favor of a team that didn't win one (Alabama, of course).

For whatever it's worth, the advanced metrics really like Texas Tech. SP+ has the Red Raiders ranked #3 and a 4-point neutral field favorite over Georgia. They also completely dominated an otherwise-unbeaten BYU team (that is not getting nearly enough respect from the committee IMO), so the results back it up.

Top 25 games (1) Ohio State at (15) Michigan (12 pm, FOX) (2) Indiana at Purdue (7:30 pm Friday, NBC) (3) Texas A&M at (16) Texas (7:30 pm Friday, ABC) (4) Georgia vs (23) Georgia Tech - at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (3:30 pm Friday, ABC) (5) Texas Tech at West Virginia (12 pm, ESPN) (6) Oregon at Washington (3:30 pm, CBS) (7) Ole Miss at Mississippi State (12 pm Friday, ABC) LSU at (8) Oklahoma (3:30 pm, ABC) (9) Notre Dame at Stanford (10:30 pm, ESPN) (10) Alabama at Auburn (7:30 pm, ABC) UCF at (11) BYU (1 pm, ESPN2) (12) Miami at (22) Pittsburgh (12 pm, ABC) (13) Utah at Kansas (12 pm Friday, ESPN) (14) Vanderbilt at (19) Tennessee (3:30 pm, ESPN) UCLA at (17) USC (7:30 pm, NBC) Virginia Tech at (18) Virginia (7 pm, ESPN) (25) Arizona at (20) Arizona State (9 pm Friday, FOX) (21) SMU at California (8 pm, ESPN2) Charlotte at (24) Tulane (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Othe natioonally available games Tuesday Bowling Green at UMass (4:30 pm, ESPNU) Western Michigan at Eastern Michigan (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Thursday Navy at Memphis (7:30 pm, ESPN) Friday Iowa at Nebraska (12 pm, CBS) Ohio at Buffalo (12 pm, ESPNU) Kent State at Northern Illinois (12 pm, CBSSN) Air Force at Colorado State (3 pm, FS1) Temple at North Texas (3:30 pm, ESPN) San Diego State at New Mexico (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Army at UTSA (3:30 pm, ESPN+) Boise State at Utah State (4 pm, CBS) Saturday TV Colorado at Kansas State (12 pm, FS1) Houston at Baylor (12 pm, TNT) Iowa State at Oklahoma State (12 pm, ESPNU) Clemson at South Carolina (12 pm, SEC Network) Kentucky at Louisville (12 pm, ACC Network) Ball State at Miami (OH) (12 pm, CBSSN) Boston College at Syracuse (3 pm, CW) Cincinnati at TCU (3:30 pm, FOX) Wisconsin at Minnesota (3:30 pm, FS1) Penn State at Rutgers (3:30 pm, BTN) Missouri at Arkansas (3:30 pm, SEC Network) Wake Forest at Duke (3:30 pm, ACC Network) Kennesaw State at Liberty (3:30 pm, CBSSN) James Madison at Coastal Carolina (3:45 pm, ESPNU) Florida State at Florida (4:30 pm, ESPN2) Oregon State at Washington State (6:30 pm, CW) Maryland vs Michigan State - in Detroit (7 pm, FS1) Northwestern at Illinois (7:30 pm, FOX) North Carolina at NC State (7:30 pm, ACC Network) UNLV at Nevada (9 pm, CBSSN) Fresno State at San Jose State (10:30 pm, FS1) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+) East Carolina at Florida Atlantic (12 pm) FIU at Sam Houston (12 pm) Toledo at Central Michigan (12 pm) UTEP at Delaware (12 pm) Louisiana Tech at Missouri State (1 pm) Western Kentucky at Jacksonville State (1 pm) Georgia Southern at Marshall (1:30 pm) Georgia State at Old Dominion (2 pm) Middle Tennessee at New Mexico State (2 pm) Arkansas State at Appalachian State (2:30 pm) South Alabama at Texas State (3 pm) UAB at Tulsa (3 pm) UL Monroe at UL Lafayette (3 pm) Troy at Southern Miss (3:30 pm) Rice at South Florida (7 pm)

To clarify, Michigan is against the private equity deal and a regent is talking about leaving being an option if the B1G insists on shoving it through over their objections. USC is also against the deal, though it seems like their objection is mostly that they aren't in the top tier of revenue recipients (OSU, PSU, Michigan). UM's objections are philosophically against the private capital deal. It feels very weird to vehemently side with USC and Michigan on anything, but here I am.

Tonight's rankings will be very interesting. How will Bama, Oklahoma, ND and Miami stack up? Where do Vandy, BYU and Utah sit? Considering none of these teams have quality opponents left except for OU against Missouri's backup QB (thanks, stupid super conferences), the committee might have to show their cards a bit.

They say they don't, but I think in a situation like this they'd come up with some justification to do it.

Carolina hasn't made the playoffs in 8 years and probably won't this year either, but being 6-5 in late November, half a game out of first, will work for me.

Top 25 games Rutgers at (1) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) Samford at (3) Texas A&M (12 pm, ESPN App) Charlotte at (4) Georgia (12:45 pm, SEC Network) (15) USC at (7) Oregon (3:30 pm, CBS) (22) Missouri at (8) Oklahoma (12 pm, ABC) Syracuse at (9) Notre Dame (3:30 pm, NBC) Eastern Illinois at (10) Alabama (2 pm, ESPN App) (11) BYU at Cincinnati (8 pm, FOX) Kansas State at (12) Utah (4 pm, ESPN2) (13) Miami at Virginia Tech (12 pm, ESPN) Kentucky at (14) Vanderbilt (3:30 pm, ESPN) Pittsburgh at (16) Georgia Tech (7 pm, ESPN) Arkansas at (17) Texas (3:30 pm, ABC) (18) Michigan at Maryland (4 pm, BTN) (20) Tennessee at Florida (7:30 pm, ABC) (21) Illinois at Wisconsin (7:30 pm, BTN) TCU at (23) Houston (4 pm, FOX) (24) Tulane at Temple (3:45 pm, ESPNU) (25) Arizona State at Colorado (8 pm, ESPN2) Other nationally available games Tuesday Western Michigan at Northern Illinois (7 pm, ESPN2) Akron at Bowling Green (7 pm, ESPNU) UMass at Ohio (7 pm, CBSSN) Wednesday Miami (OH) at Buffalo (7 pm, ESPN2) Central Michigan at Kent State (7 pm, ESPNU) Thursday UL Lafayette at Arkansas State (7:30 pm, ESPN) Friday Florida State at NC State (8 pm, ESPN) Hawaii at UNLV (10:30 pm, FS1) Saturday TV Louisville at SMU (12 pm, ESPN2) Kansas at Iowa State (12 pm, FS1) Minnesota vs Northwestern - at Wrigley Field (12 pm, BTN) Delaware at Wake Forest (12 pm, ACC Network) Tulsa at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Baylor at Arizona (1 pm, TNT) Michigan State at Iowa (3:30 pm, FS1) Duke at North Carolina (3:30 pm, ACC Network) Jacksonville State at FIU (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Coastal Carolina at South Carolina (4:15 pm, SEC Network) Furman at Clemson (4:30 pm, CW) Nebraska at Penn State (7 pm, NBC) Colorado State at Boise State (7 pm, FS1) New Mexico at Air Force (7 pm, CBSSN) North Texas at Rice (7:30 pm, ESPNU) California at Stanford (7:30 pm, ACC Network) Western Kentucky at LSU (7:45 pm, SEC Network) Washington at UCLA (10:30 pm, NBC) San Jose State at San Diego State (10:30 pm, FS1) Utah State at Fresno State (10:30 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Old Dominion at Georgia Southern (1 pm) Washington State at James Madison (1 pm) Ball State at Toledo (2 pm) Mercer at Auburn (2 pm, ESPN App) Missouri State at Kennesaw State (2 pm) Liberty at Louisiana Tech (3 pm) New Mexico State at UTEP (3 pm) Sam Houston at Middle Tennessee (3 pm) South Florida at UAB (3 pm) UConn at Florida Atlantic (3 pm) East Carolina at UTSA (3:30 pm) Southern Miss at South Alabama (3:30 pm) Georgia State at Troy (4 pm) Oklahoma State at UCF (4 pm) UL Monroe at Texas State (5 pm)

That result upped the chances of 5 or 6 SEC teams in the playoff. Notre Dame is pretty close to being the 2015 Ohio State / 2023 Georgia team that's obviously playoff caliber but gets boxed out by a near perfect storm of results from all the other contenders.

To your point, Ohio State will not play a ranked opponent in conference besides Michigan. Indiana's only one was Oregon. Ole Miss, just to show I'm not picking on the B1G, is finishing the season with 3 non-bowl-eligible SEC teams and an FCS opponent. This stuff is going to happen every year. It was so easy to see coming.

Top 25 games UCLA at (1) Ohio State (7:30 pm, NBC) Wisconsin at (2) Indiana (12 pm, BTN) South Carolina at (3) Texas A&M (12 pm, ESPN) (11) Oklahoma at (4) Alabama (3:30 pm, ABC) (10) Texas at (5) Georgia (7:30 pm, ABC) UCF at (6) Texas Tech (3:30 pm, FOX) Florida at (7) Ole Miss (7 pm, ESPN) Minnesota at (8) Oregon (9 pm Friday, FOX) (9) Notre Dame at (22) Pittsburgh (12 pm, ABC) TCU at (12) BYU (10:15 pm, ESPN) (13) Utah at Baylor (7 pm, ESPN2) NC State at (15) Miami (3:30 pm, ESPN) (16) Georgia Tech at Boston College (3:30 pm, ACC Network) (21) Iowa at (17) USC (3:30 pm, BTN) (18) Michigan vs Northwestern - at Wrigley Field (12 pm, FOX) (19) Virginia at Duke (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Clemson at (20) Louisville (7:30 pm Friday, ESPN) New Mexico State at (23) Tennessee (4:15 pm, SEC Network) (24) South Florida at Navy (12 pm, ESPN2) Arizona at (25) Cincinnati (12 pm, FS1) Other nationally available games Tuesday Ohio at Western Michigan (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Kent State at Akron (7:30 pm, ESPNU) Wednesday Toledo at Miami (OH) (7 pm, ESPN2) Northern Illinois at UMass (7 pm, ESPNU) Buffalo at Central Michigan (7 pm, CBSSN) Thursday Troy at Old Dominion (7:30 pm, ESPN) Saturday TV Kansas State at Oklahoma State (12 pm, ESPNU) Air Force at UConn (12 pm, CBSSN) Arkansas at LSU (12:45 pm, SEC Network) West Virginia at Arizona State (1 pm, TNT) Penn State at Michigan State (3:30 pm, CBS) Maryland at Illinois (3:30 pm, FS1) San Jose State at Nevada (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Memphis at East Carolina (4 pm, ESPNU) North Carolina at Wake Forest (4:30 pm, CW) Purdue at Washington (7 pm, FS1) Utah State at UNLV (7 pm, CBSSN) Virginia Tech at Florida State (7:30 pm, ACC Network) Mississippi State at Missouri (7:45 pm, SEC Network) Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State (8 pm, ESPNU) Louisiana Tech at Washington State (10 pm, CW) Wyoming at Fresno State (10:30 pm, FS1) Boise State at San Diego State (10:30 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+ unless noted) Eastern Michigan at Ball State (12 pm) UTSA at Charlotte (12 pm) Oregon State at Tulsa (1 pm) Tennessee Tech at Kentucky (1:30 pm, ESPN App) Marshall at Georgia State (2 pm) North Texas at UAB (2 pm) UTEP at Missouri State (3 pm) Appalachian State at James Madison (3:30 pm) Middle Tennessee at Western Kentucky (3:30 pm) South Alabama at UL Monroe (3:30 pm) Texas State at Southern Miss (3:30 pm) Florida Atlantic at Tulane (4 pm) Liberty at FIU (5 pm) Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern (6 pm) Delaware at Sam Houston (7 pm)

The B1G, not content to just screw over people outside their circle in the pursuit of more money, has decided to shove a private capital deal down the throats of 2 of their most prominent members. What a bunch of losers.

Cignetti is in his 60s and just got a contract guaranteeing him $11M plus per year. He's not going anywhere, nor should he.

I can't think of a better one offhand. That was absolutely amazing.

As is tradition, I've updated the original post with the CFP committee rankings

My gut says this means the Cubs have their eyes on a high-tier starting pitcher in free agency. Either that, or the Ricketts is pulling a Jerry Richardson and clearing his books post-2026 and the hell with what it does to the team. But hopefully the free agency thing.

Top 25 games (1) Ohio State at Purdue (1 pm, BTN) (2) Indiana at Penn State (12 pm, FOX) (3) Texas A&M at (22) Missouri (3:30 pm, ABC) LSU at (4) Alabama (7:30 pm, ABC) (5) Georgia at Mississippi State (12 pm, ESPN) The Citadel at (6) Ole Miss (1 pm, ESPN App) (7) BYU at (8) Texas Tech (12 pm, ABC) (9) Oregon at (20) Iowa (3:30 pm, CBS) Navy at (10) Notre Dame (7:30 pm, NBC) Wake Forest at (14) Virginia (7 pm, ESPN) California at (15) Louisville (7 pm, ESPN2) Auburn at (16) Vanderbilt (4 pm, SEC Network) Syracuse at (18) Miami (3:30 pm, ESPN) Northwestern at (19) USC (9 pm Friday, FOX) (23) Washington at Wisconsin (4:30 pm, BTN) Other nationally available games Tuesday Miami (OH) at Ohio (7 pm, ESPN2) UMass at Akron (7 pm, CBSSN) Wednesday Northern Illinois at Toledo (7 pm, ESPN2) Kent State at Ball State (7 pm, ESPNU) Thursday UTSA at South Florida (7:30 pm, ESPN) Georgia Southern at Appalachian State (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Friday Houston at UCF (8 pm, FS1) Tulsa at Memphis (9 pm, ESPN) Saturday TV Colorado at West Virginia (12 pm, TNT) James Madison at Marshall (12 pm, ESPN2) Southern Miss at Arkansas State (12 pm, ESPNU) SMU at Boston College (12 pm, ACC Network) Temple at Army (12 pm, CBSSN) Maryland at Rutgers (2:30 pm, FS1) Iowa State at TCU (3:30 pm, FOX) Kansas at Arizona (3:30 pm, ESPN2) Duke at UConn (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Stanford at North Carolina (4:30 pm, CW) Air Force at San Jose State (6 pm, FS1) Florida State at Clemson (7 pm, ACC Network) Florida at Kentucky (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Nevada at Utah State (7:30 pm, CBSSN) Nebraska at UCLA (9 pm, FOX) UNLV at Colorado State (9:30 pm, FS1) Sam Houston at Oregon State (10 pm, CW) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+) Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan (1 pm) Missouri State at Liberty (1 pm) UAB at Rice (2 pm) Charlotte at East Carolina (3 pm) FIU at Middle Tennessee (3 pm) Jacksonville State at UTEP (3 pm) Louisiana Tech at Delaware (3 pm) Tulsa at Florida Atlantic (3 pm) Georgia State at Coastal Carolina (4 pm) Kennesaw State at New Mexico State (4 pm) Texas State at UL Lafayette (5 pm)

Virginia or Louisville could probably get in at large if they enter the ACC title game 11-1. Don't like those chances, though, particularly UVA.

Was not a fan of playing for a run in the final inning, and I became even less of a fan after seeing that it gave the Dodgers an easy way to set up a potential double play with a very slow batter. Real bummer for Jays fans, that park was a zoo last night.

Sounds like they will start him, which makes sense given the rules

He should be the #1 story in sports pretty much multiple times a week. Baseball fans in the 70s or whatever couldn't have possibly imagined someone being able to be elite at this many things

Brian Kelly did more or less how I thought he would at LSU, though I underestimated how much LSU fans would hate him for it. The idea that a guy whose teams were rarely at their best in the biggest moments at Notre Dame was suddenly going to be able to coach his teams to 2-3 huge regular season wins (which is usually necessary to be near the top of the SEC) and then multiple postseason wins over elite teams was pretty silly.

Three ranked vs ranked this week. Two ranked vs ranked next week.

Top 25 games Penn State at (1) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX) (2) Indiana at Maryland (3:30 pm, CBS) (5) Georgia vs Florida - in Jacksonville (3:30 pm, ABC) South Carolina at (7) Ole Miss (7 pm, ESPN) (8) Georgia Tech at NC State (7:30 pm, ESPN2) (9) Vanderbilt at (20) Texas (12 pm, ABC) (10) Miami at SMU (12 pm, ESPN) (12) Notre Dame at Boston College (3:30 pm, ESPN) (13) Texas Tech at Kansas State (3:30 pm, FOX) (18) Oklahoma at (14) Tennessee (7:30 pm, ABC) (15) Virginia at California (3:45 pm, ESPN2) (16) Louisville at Virginia Tech (3 pm, CW) (17) Cincinnati at (24) Utah (10:15 pm, ESPN) Purdue at (21) Michigan (7 pm, BTN) West Virginia at (22) Houston (12 pm, FS1) (23) USC at Nebraska (7:30 pm, NBC) (25) Memphis at Rice (7 pm Friday, ESPN2) Other nationally available games Tuesday James Madison at Texas State (8 pm, ESPN2) UTEP at Kennesaw State (8 pm, ESPNU) Wednesday Jacksonville State at Middle Tennessee (7:30 pm, ESPN2) FIU at Missouri State (8 pm, CBSSN) Thursday Tulane at UTSA (7:30 pm, ESPN) Marshall at Coastal Carolina (7:30 pm, ESPN2) Friday North Carolina at Syracuse (7:30 pm, ESPN) Sam Houston at Louisiana Tech (8 pm, CBSSN) Saturday TV Army at Air Force (12 pm, CBS) Rutgers at Illinois (12 pm, NBC) Navy at North Texas (12 pm, ESPN2) UCF at Baylor (12 pm, ESPNU) Duke at Clemson (12 pm, ACC Network) UAB at UConn (12 pm, CBSSN) Arizona State at Iowa State (1 pm, TNT) Fresno State at Boise State (3:30 pm, FS1) Michigan State at Minnesota (3:30 pm, BTN) Pittsburgh at Stanford (3:30 pm, ACC Network) Delaware at Liberty (3:30 pm, CBSSN) Central Michigan at Western Michigan (4 pm, ESPNU) Mississippi State at Arkansas (4 pm, SEC Network) Arizona at Colorado (7 pm, FS1) Wyoming at San Diego State (7 pm, CBSSN) Washington State at Oregon State (7:30 pm, CBS) Kentucky at Auburn (7:30 pm, SEC Network) Wake Forest at Florida State (7:30 pm, ACC Network) Arkansas State at Troy (8 pm, ESPNU) Hawaii at San Jose State (10:30 pm, CBSSN) Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+) Buffalo at Bowling Green (12 pm) East Carolina at Temple (2 pm) New Mexico State at Western Kentucky (3:30 pm) Old Dominion at UL Monroe (3:30 pm) UL Lafayette at South Alabama (3:30 pm) Oklahoma State at Kansas (4 pm)

This board (and most of the country) will hate it but we are tracking towards a whole bunch of 10-2/9-3 SEC teams who will think they should be in the playoff It's a bad year to be, from a purely hypothetical perspective, a 10-2 team from outside the main conferences that every metric says is really good but won't have the resume to back it up