Thursday, November 05, 2015
Political Mayhem Thursday: The politics of football
On Tuesday, the first ranking of top-tier college football teams came out from the College Football Bowl committee, an panel of 12 experts which includes both former Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. This poll has real significance: at the end of the year, it will determine which four teams get into the championship playoff. Here is how things came out:
- 1.Clemson
- 2.LSU
- 3.Ohio St.
- 4.Alabama
- 5.Notre Dame
- 6.Baylor
- 7.Michigan St.
- 8.TCU
- 9.Iowa
- 10.Florida
- 11.Stanford
- 12.Utah
- 13.Memphis
- 14.Oklahoma St.
- 15.Oklahoma
- 16.Florida St.
- 17.Michigan
- 18.Mississippi
- 19.Texas A&M
- 20.Mississippi St.
- 21.Northwestern
- 22.Temple
- 23.UCLA
- 24.Toledo
- 25.Houston
A few observations:
1) Last year, the Big 12 was left out of the championship playoff, while the other "Power 5" conferences each got a representative. This year's poll similarly shows a surprising lack of respect for the Big 12. Despite being undefeated and ranked in the top 5 in other polls, Baylor and TCU are both outside the top 5 here, with Baylor at 6 and TCU at 8. I find TCU's placement particularly baffling.
2) On the other hand, the committee loves the SEC (again). Despite having lost to a pretty-good-but-not-great Ole Miss team (at home), Alabama is at number 4, ahead of several unbeaten teams. Of course, they play LSU this week, and that will knock one or the other out of contention (at least for a while).
3) The Big 10 has five teams (Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa, Michigan, and Northwestern) ranked, and the first three are unbeaten. The SEC has six, with one unbeaten (LSU).
Is this a good system?
Comments:
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There is a lot of football left to play. The Big Ten (Eleven,Twelve, Fourteen) still has three unbeaten teams. Yet, there can be no more than one after the conference championship game. Things will get sorted out. Don't worry Medievalist, there's
still a good chance that on New Year's Day we'll be watching Baylor's 400 pounder rumbling through those poor 300 pound defensive linemen.
Go Spartans!
still a good chance that on New Year's Day we'll be watching Baylor's 400 pounder rumbling through those poor 300 pound defensive linemen.
Go Spartans!
I think there's plenty of football left and things will sort themselves out, but apparently every SEC team found in the Playoff poll is ranked higher than they are in the corresponding AP and Coach's Poll. That ain't right.
I don't trust any system which leaves out. the Brandeis Judges and Tufts Jumbos
# posted by 
: 9:56 AM
: 9:56 AM
Of course it's not fair - there is no true college playoff system. Until the top teams in each major conference compete in a real playoff, it will be subjective.
Lee
Lee
# posted by : 1:07 PM
: 1:07 PM
1. The CFP is much better than the old system. Under the ancien regime, last year's national championship would have featured Alabama and FSU and Alabama would have won and the SEC could have continued its domination against hypothetical opposition. Glad that we had four teams who worked it out on the field.
2. Because their long-shot and controversial pick (tOSU) won big casino the committee is feeling their oats, feeling vindicated and probably over-confident. But I will give them the benefit of the doubt until they screw up.
3. AS FOR THE WEEKLY ROLLOUT, like the early presidential debates, this is a made-for-TV event designed only to create controversy and garner ratings. The problem with the weekly show is that they seem unwilling to project future possibilities. As you say, why not leave 'Bama down a bit and let this week against LSU take care of itself. The greatest example of this egregious flaw was last year when TCU fell from 3rd to 6th in the final week after beating a team by 50 points. Outrageous!
4. As for Baylor, I cannot argue with their positioning. There are a lot of good teams out there--many of whom are unbeaten. Who's to say Baylor is better than Iowa or MI St. or TCU--or vice versa? Like the two previous seasons, Baylor's path to a national championship is fairly clear and direct: just win out. If Baylor, TCU, OSU, or even OU win out, the BIG 12 will have a rep in the CBP. If Baylor loses, they are most likely out and will be forced by circumstances once again to play the role of the beggar--facing humiliation on top of disappointment. "Just win, baby."
2. Because their long-shot and controversial pick (tOSU) won big casino the committee is feeling their oats, feeling vindicated and probably over-confident. But I will give them the benefit of the doubt until they screw up.
3. AS FOR THE WEEKLY ROLLOUT, like the early presidential debates, this is a made-for-TV event designed only to create controversy and garner ratings. The problem with the weekly show is that they seem unwilling to project future possibilities. As you say, why not leave 'Bama down a bit and let this week against LSU take care of itself. The greatest example of this egregious flaw was last year when TCU fell from 3rd to 6th in the final week after beating a team by 50 points. Outrageous!
4. As for Baylor, I cannot argue with their positioning. There are a lot of good teams out there--many of whom are unbeaten. Who's to say Baylor is better than Iowa or MI St. or TCU--or vice versa? Like the two previous seasons, Baylor's path to a national championship is fairly clear and direct: just win out. If Baylor, TCU, OSU, or even OU win out, the BIG 12 will have a rep in the CBP. If Baylor loses, they are most likely out and will be forced by circumstances once again to play the role of the beggar--facing humiliation on top of disappointment. "Just win, baby."
There is a bigger issue at play here. Christians are being persecuted all over this country. From the outlawing of the phrase "Merry Christmas," to bakers everywhere being required to bake cakes in the shape of unmentionables, this is just the latest example. It is not a coincidence that two Christian schools and a Catholic school are being left out. It is an intentional conspiracy to exclude Christians from the public sphere.
(No, no I am not serious, but thanks for asking. : ) )
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(No, no I am not serious, but thanks for asking. : ) )
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