Andy

Well, BYU wasn't in as it stood (whether that was fair or not is a different discussion) , so they didn't miss because of the title games.

Vegas odds much higher on Notre Dame than Alabama. Given the odds swung Bama's way 12 hours before their jumping ND on Tuesday was revealed, that helps. But I agree with bukie that UVA needs to get the job done for me to feel comfortable. The committee could just blatantly screw over JMU in that case, I guess.

So the Vegas odds telegraphed last night's committee-rankings move of Alabama jumping Notre Dame. Bama probably should have (at least by resume) been ranked ahead of ND to begin with, but that they made that move after Bama barely escaped crappy Auburn and ND routed another bad team made it pretty transparent why the move was made. Basically the committee has now ensured that Alabama won't be trap-doored out of the playoff by a bid thief (BYU) if it comes to pass this time; they were last year. The only reason I'm not panicking that the committee is going to invoke head to head and vault Miami past ND is that those same Vegas odds don't seem to think it will occur. It looks like the current plan is: If chalk holds and UGA/TT win - Bama probably falls one spot behind ND and both teams remain in the field. This would also avert the rematches that are currently slotted, which isn't supposed to be considered, but come on. It would be ND at OU and Bama at A&M. If BYU wins - BYU bumps ND out and the rest of the field probably stays the same regardless. I also think if Duke beats UVA, the committee will dump ND out for Miami to placate the ACC because them not having any teams in the playoff would be a total embarrassment for them. Not that I didn't already think this, but man just get the BCS computers out and have them set the field. This whole committee thing has for some time been an obvious cover for the powers that be doing whatever they want.

Sun Belt Championship Game (7 pm Friday, ESPN) Troy at (25) James Madison American Championship Game (8 pm Friday, ABC) (24) North Texas at (20) Tulane Mountain West Championship Game (8 pm Friday, FOX) UNLV at Boise State Conference USA Championship Game (8 pm Friday, CBSSN) Kennesaw State at Jacksonville State Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, TX (12 pm, ABC) (11) BYU vs (4) Texas Tech MAC Championship Game in Detroit (12 pm, ESPN) Miami (OH) vs Western Michigan SEC Championship Game in Atlanta (4 pm, ABC) (3) Georgia vs (9) Alabama Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis (8 pm, FOX) (2) Indiana vs (1) Ohio State ACC Championship Game in Charlotte (8 pm, ABC) Duke vs (17) Virginia Dec. 13 Army vs Navy - in Baltimore (3 pm, CBS)

This last month has been the most confusing of Panthers football probably ever. Unfortunately Tampa has a pillow soft schedule the rest of the way so Carolina will probably have to sweep the 2 meetings in the final 3 weeks. But meaningful December football is nice.

CCGs now are just silly nonsense. Five teams tied for 2nd place in the ACC with 6-2 records, and Duke went 0-2 against the other 4. And yet they advance to the conference title game. If whatever the hell that tiebreaker is was replaced with 'highest CFP ranking,' Miami is in the game and has a chance to play their way into or out of the field, but instead 7-5 Duke is in it. It's so stupid. Same with the other ones. It's the MAC so no one cares, but Ohio beat both of the other 2 teams they tied with for 2nd place in the league at 6-2 and they don't get to play in the title game. The Mountain West has to determine their title game matchup by SportSource analytics or some crap because 4 teams tied at 6-2. Four teams tied at 7-1 in the SEC and we ended up with a matchup of 2 teams that already played each other in a league that already features too few intraconference matchups (A&M never played any of the other 3). And this is the system we're using to determine nearly half the CFP field.

I think Miami jumps Notre Dame on Tuesday and we're like 2 more results after that from ND getting squeezed out of the playoff when they're in the top 5 in every advanced metric. (To be clear if it works out like this it works out like this. The resume isn't there despite what the computers think.) If this happens and anyone besides Ohio State wins the title this year I'm going to be absolutely horsefeathers livid.

Also worth noting that BYU is going to be sitting at 11-1, with a ranked road win (Arizona), their only loss to a top 4 opponent, and only one real stinker of a performance in a win (Colorado), and literally nobody seems to care. If anyone should be politicking, it's them.

We're like 10 hours in and I'm so damn sick of the "welp if we don't get in guess we should cancel all our real non conference games" nonsense from Horns Twitter. Don't lose to 3 win Florida, need a miracle to escape Mississippi State and go to overtime with Kentucky. Teams played real non conference opponents for decades before this stupid 12 team playoff with the understanding that if they lost there would be a problem but if they won there would be rewards. And indeed, Oklahoma is only on the right side of the bubble - and Miami is only near the bubble at all - because they have major non conference wins over ranked opponents. But now that there's a bigger playoff we've decided all these games should be free rolls. I really wish these coaches who politic for playoff bids all the time would be made to say who is currently in the field that they think should be bumped out to make way for them.

It'll be very interesting to see where Texas is ranked next week if this holds. Without looking much up, my guess would be either right behind or ahead of Alabama, but I'd believe almost anything.

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