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Voting closed: October 22, 2020, 02:05:59 PM

[Hairy Lime]

I confess to a certain amount of schadenfreude in watching Lame Kiffin bitch about Old Mississippi being rated behind Miami. What a.jome, and what a demonstration of God's Conference arrogant entitlement. You are the fifth or sixth best team in your own Conference. You want in the playoffs? Earn it. Beat Kentucky or STFU.

What was the old nickname someone gave Kiffin?  KittenMittenKiffin?

Heh. A typo AND a commentary all rolled into one.

[jmmengel]

Why have Conferences at all?

For scheduling and broadcast revenues.

Which answers your question too.

Hardly.
Only the conferences produce the best teams(Notre Dame tradition built its big rivalries with conference teams.)
Conference alsorans survive on  revenue sharing and would wilt trying to market their product alone.
The CFB show last wasted our time debating the flaws of the 10,th, 1th, and 12th teams in the playoffs. Flaws never discussed in previous years because teams that low were dismissed for being mediocre, at best.
Even a miracle upset still cheapens the stated goal of selecting the best teams.
Pro sports does not have a  National champion but claims only a winner of a special tournament.




 alone.

Ask those Conference also rans about the effect of the new set up for the playoffs on revenue sharing.

Why.? Of course they like it( and the money).
But the issue is the 12 team playoff is not any better in producing a single National Championship Team than any other method used .

Oh, yes it is. The "other method used" includes sportswriters voting, a two team playoff which ways left multiple potential champs out and a four team playoff that always left out one or more power conference. I think the 12 team set up is a much better method than any of them. Sure, there are potential to champs still outside, but it is much better than anything else we have tried.

Not even close. There are never any teams beyond the top four worthy of the title National Champion

Supporters of Baylor and TCU in 2014 would disagree strongly. And one or two conference champions every year after.

Tough shit
59-0 Championship game win beats all.

[Hairy Lime]

No it doesn't.

[jmmengel]

No it doesn't.

ROFL!

[Hairy Lime]

I think the Committee did a decent enough job. It will never be perfect, but their choices reflect the importance of winning Conferences and playing to win Conferences. For the whingers, don't lose three games. Eat your cupcakes and stop complaining about being ranked below those who do.

[jmmengel]

I think the Committee did a decent enough job. It will never be perfect, but their choices reflect the importance of winning Conferences and playing to win Conferences. For the whingers, don't lose three games. Eat your cupcakes and stop complaining about being ranked below those who do.

The playoff is forever flawed when conference champions avoid common sense seeding.
And there has to be more reward for teams playing tougher schedules.

[Hairy Lime]

Schools get plenty of reward for scheduling tougher schools, but that is not the be all and end all. If you beat tougher schools but lose three games, including to the likes of Kentucky and Vandy, you have no one to blame but yourselves. SMU had plenty of opportunities to lose the Kentuckyish teams. And did not.

Likewise, if you do not like the seeding of Conference Champs, win your conference next time.

[Yankguy1]

I'm wondering if everything was the same for Alabama this season, but Saban was the coach if they would have made it.

[jmmengel]

I'm wondering if everything was the same for Alabama this season, but Saban was the coach if they would have made it.

No
Saban admitted the committee got the right teams into the playoff.

[jmmengel]

Saban is on the payroll now, DumbAss.

So Saban did not ADMIT anything.

Well, yes he did.

[Hairy Lime]

IS4S Salute to Veterans TOO FUCKING SOON Bowl, Western Michigan vs. South Alabama
The regular season is not even finished yet and there is a bowl game? Jesus, I do not have time to complete my bowl picks, so I will just do this one now. Patience, more is coming. South Alabama has a good running game and WMU has a horrible run defense. South Alabama

Army 35, Navy 17
Army has had its best year since Davis and Blanchard. They are in line for a decent bowl matchup with Marshall, assuming there is any one left there, while Navy is moving on the play Not Your Fathers Oklahoma. It is a special year for Army, but as much as Navy would love to torpedo it, it is Hi! Hi! Hee! In the field artillery and the caissons will go rolling along. Because I am old school, and do not recognize modern changes to classic fight songs. That is one of the reasons I still sing Smash right through that line of blue.

We have the NCAA BCS Playoffs in full swing, down to the quarterfinals. I note that three Dakota teams remain, as does the possibility that all three will reach the semis.

Incarnate Word 35, South Dakota State 14
How can you pick against God made flesh, especially since next year is the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea which settled for all time issues regarding the nature of Christ and which established the idea that Christ was born of the father before all ages and is consubstantial with the father? I know I cannot.

Idaho 27, Montana State 20
No Dakotas involved, sadly. It was a chalk weekend in FCS, with the top 8 seeds all winning, and since there is no preference given to Conference Champions, it is a neat 1 8, 2 7 set up. Where is the fun in that? Anyway, Idaho had its worst loss against Montana State, while its best loss was being edged out by Oregon. I look for revenge and an upset.

South Dakota 20, California * 18
UCD is another school that beat Idaho, and they played California ** tight. Stll, we do need at least two Dakota teams in the semis.

North Dakota State 30, Mercer 14
A mercer is a dealer in silk and other fine cloths. Not that this is relevant, but it beats admitting I really know nothing about either team.

How is D II at the semifinals when the other playoffs are only to the quarters? Are there fewer D II schools? Anyway, here we go.

Valdosta State17, Minnesota State 10
On one hand, Valdosta is not even a state. I looked it up! But they have breezed through their schedule with nary a sweat. Minnesota State has had three close wins over Bemidji State (also not a state), Colorado State (is a state) Pueblo and Augustana. That last got me temporarily excited until I discovered the Kenny Anderson Tiny Augustana College is a different Tiny Augustana College, so I am taking Valdosta State due to my intense disappointment.

Ferris State 18, Slippery Rock 14
Also not a State. But I have been recently reminded that a cousin once removed of mine went there for a term before partying her way into a job with Walmart and an eventual shotgun wedding. So, for her.
D III is going strong, with the quarterfinals this weekend.

Mount Union 27, Salisbury 24
Fun fact, the current iterations of the Earls of Salisbury trace their line back to Robert Cecil, who despite being designated the 1st Earl of Salisbury was roughly the 16th person to hold the title, since before Elizabthan times Earls of Salisbury kept getting executed, ground up, and topped with a thick brown mushroom gravy. I know this is true because I asked ChatGPT about it. Anyway, the Mount will win. I will steak my reputation on this one

Mary Hardin, Mary Hardin Baylor 14, Johns Hopkins 13
JHU has had two straight close games in the D III playoffs, so I expect a third.

North Central 24, Springfield 3
I assume Springfield are the Isotopes, and I am pretty sure their quarterback is Homer Simpson. They will lose because Mr. Burns will insist on benching their best players for having sideburns.

Susquahanna 35, Bethel 14
One one hand, I can spell Bethel. On the other, Bethel upset Wartburg last week and I really wanted to pick Wartburg into the finals. So, the other guys.

* Davis
**

[Hairy Lime]

This is going to come out in pieces parts. Here are my picks for the bowl games up to the onset of the playoffs.

Tuesday, Dec. 17
 
Scooters Coffee Frisco Bowl
West Virginia vs. Memphis
 
Our rirst game of the year since bowls that take place before the last regular season game do not count features a couple of high scoring offenses. Memphis was in the hunt for that Gang of 6 slot for a while. Morgantown School of Applied Technology was firmly in the hunt for mediocrity all year despite some deluded fools thinking they could be a sneaky Pure Prairie League. That said, they are trying to show off for RichRod, so, West Virginia
 
Wednesday, Dec. 18
 
Boca Raton Bowl 
Western Kentucky vs. James Madison
 
Hey, he basically wrote our Constitution! Plus, JMU has shown a tough defense adept at creating turnovers. And Western Kentucky lost their top two quarterbacks to the transfer portal, and, is there a reason why the transfer portal has to open in December instead of January? Because it seems mammothly unfair to tell kids they have to either forego the Bowl or hurt their chances in to transfer. Anyway, James Madison
 
Art of Sport LA Bowl  Hosted by Gronk
UNLV vs. California*
 
Another portal QB hurts Cal in this case. UNLV has their coach in the transfer portal too, but their dynamic QB is still there. UNLV
 
Thursday, Dec. 19
 
R L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Sam Houston vs. Georgia Southern
 
Look, Sam Houston cannot even spell Cat if you spotted them the a and the t. The historic Sam Houston is the subject of one of my favorite political stories, though it is from the late, great Molly Ivins, so there is a real possibility of some exaggeration since she was very fond of tall tales of Texas politicians. As he approached the end of his life, Sam Houston reflected on a life spent in politics and war, one where he fought hard for his principles, for Texas, for his country and frankly for himself. These battles, he knew, had created enemies and hurt friends. He decided that he did not want to go to his eternal reward with any hardness in his heart, with any hurt feelings left behind. So, through his wife, he summoned his enemies and allies to his death room, where they could ask for and receive forgiveness and mercy. One by one, they came, met with the great man, exchanged forgiveness, and left sad at the passing of a Texas giant, yet glad in their hearts for the lightness of their conscious. Finally, the last of the politicians came, the particularly despised man named Mirabeau Lamar, who had served as the second president of the Republic of Texas, while Houston had been the first and third. Houston had always delighted at mispronouncing his Frenchified first name as MiraBOO, for instance. Anyway it was very near the end for Sam, and his wife came to Houston's room and said, Mirabeau is here, should I let him in? No, Houston said, wait. Sam, his wife said, the doctor said your death could come at any time, what do you want me to wait for? Wait until I am dead, Houston said, then bring Mirabeau in, flip me over, and tell him he can kiss my cold dead ass. I have always loved that story, and the fact that Houston out lived Lamar by four years does not diminish my love for it. Back to the game, SHU is another team devastated by the players following their coach into the portal. Georgia Southern
 
Friday, Dec. 20
 
StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Jacksonville State vs. Ohio
 
Jacksonville State, and that is the good Jacksonville, with the beaches, and not the shitty one, has a strong run game and a really good workhorse back to carry the load, Ohio, which notably knows how to spell cat unlike Sam Houston State, as a top level run defense, so the potential is there for, well a really boring game without a lot of offense. OH! IO!
 
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Tulane vs. Florida
 
Florida really came on the second half of the year, once they found their quarterback. They look like a good beat to break their fans hearts by being picked in the Top 15 and underperforming next year. Florida

*

[Hairy Lime]

Here is part 2, through next Friday.

College Football Playoff first-round games 
 
Our Lady of the Perpetual Tie vs Indiana
 
The weather is supposed to be frightful, which is great. Neither team played a tough schedule, although Indiana did eat their cupcakes. OLotPT has been playing very good football since that NIL loss but IU has spent all year quietly crushing people who were not the Ohio State. I think both teams have better defenses than offenses, and the question might be which team can generate the most heat passing the ball. I lean a little towards Leonard, because I think Our Lady of the Perpetual Tie has the better secondary. Should be low scoring. Our Lady of the Perpetual Tie
 
the Pennsylvania State vs Southern Methodist
 
See, when Allar made it clear that he was coming back, that meant that Pribula, thinking of his future, needed to transfer. But to pursue that future, he had to bypass the chance to play for the championship. They should not have to make that choice. Just move the window back a couple of weeks. Anyway, for the game, I like the PSU defense, especially Carter and Dennis Sutton off the edges,  to force some turnovers from the turnover prone Jennings, and for Allar to get the ball to Warren and his backs a lot. Actually, if the PSU had better wide receivers, I think that they would be a nice choice to win it all. the Pennsylvania State University
 
Texas vs ClemSIN
 
Well, I suppose I have underestimated ClemSIN all year. But I think everyone has overestimated Texas. Their defense is top rate, sure, but offensively they have been uninspiring and limited when I have seen them. Granted, that has mostly been against good to great defenses, but good offensive teams can move against good defenses and, well, ClemSIN is a good defensive team. I am picking an upset, and I hope, wherever he is, jbott downs a case of Keystoine Liight in celebration. But they still could not beat Indiana. ClemSIN
 
the Ohio State vs Tennessee
 
My worry for the is the way their line has played against the better D lines that they have faced. There have been some key injuries to the line but every team has injuries and the best teams are prepared for that. I have been surprised that the has not had the people to step up. This is relevant because Tennessee has an excellent defensive front. Also, while Will Howard has been for the most part solid, he has had his issues with the better defenses the has faced. Tor Tennessee offensively, Iamaleava is a stud, but he is also green and the has a defense that can make him seem greener. I think the has the better overall talent, especially in the offensive skill positions I mean their third best receiver will be a first round draft choice next year, so in the end, that tells. the
 
Monday, Dec. 23
 
Conway Myrtle Beach Bowl
Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA
 
Both teams give up 30 points a game. Both are mediocre teams from mediocre conferences. But this is literally a home game for Coastal Carolina, so that is the decision point. Coastal Carolina
 
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois
 
Nill has had its one moment of greatness this year, and they sis not capitalize on it. Both teams are basically running out their second string quarterbacks, so go for the better defense. Northern Illinois
 
Tuesday, Dec. 24
 
Hawaii Bowl
South Florida vs. San Jose State
 
Not sure if Nash is playing or sitting this one out. With him in, it could be an interesting game
 
Thursday, Dec. 26
 
GameAbove Sports Bowl
Toledo vs. Pittsburgh
 
I once had a secretary, when I was in Youngstown, who was supposed to pick her boyfriend up at the Pittsburgh airport. The directions involved getting off the turnpike at Exit 4. Which she did, except she had gone west instead of east and she wound up in Toledo. Nowadays, that exit will take you straight on up an hour north to Ford Field, where the game will be played Not sure that is relevant. But Pitt had a strange season, starting 7 and 0 and ending 0 and 5. Toledo boasts a pair of good receivers going up against a Pitt defense that had 12 picks this year. Granted, most of those were against Kyle McCord. Anyway, one of the teams is from the MAC and going from 0 and 7 to 0 and 6 seems too symmetrical. Pitt
 
Rate Bowl
Rutgers vs. Kansas State
 
Both teams boast good running games with star backs. Since the KSU has a better run defense, they get the slight edge here. the Kansas State
 
68 Ventures Bowl
Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green
 
Bowling Green just sounds like it should win a bowl game. It is right in their name! Besides, the best player on the field, assuming, will be the BGU tight end Fannin, and BGU did play both TAMU and the PSU tight. So despite my normal anti Mac picking rule, Bowling Green
 
Friday, Dec. 27
 
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Navy vs. Oklahoma
 
Not Your Fathers Oklahoma lost their veteran starting QB to the portal leaving them with their freshman starting QB. It was a weird year for Oklahoma. Oklahoma has the potential, defensively, to clamp down on Navy, but they really do not have the offense to put the game away, which sort of leaves Navy with a punchers chance. Navy
 
Birmingham Bowl
Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech
 
Remember when GTU started the madness that was this season, way back in August when we thought that beating the Florida State was an event? And when Vandy gave us one of the best upsets, taking out Alabama for the first time since the Reagan administration? Seems like so long ago for both. I think it will be fun. Pavia is interesting to watch.  Vanderbilt
 
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Arkansas
 
Arkansas has been hit hard by opt outs and transfers, while it looks for now at least the TiTU is going to field their best player. TiTU and Arky  both have wins over Playoff teams, Arizona State and Tennessee. Texas Tech
 
DIRECTTV Holiday Bowl
Washington State vs. Syracuse [/b]
 
I had this as an interesting game to watch for the QBs, with McCord throwing the ball all over the place to mostly his own guys, and Mateer as a dual threat for Wazzou. Then yesterday happened. Syracuse
 
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
University of California * vs. Texas A&M [/b]
 
I would almost rather be a fan of my 5 and 7 team getting blown out in five of those losses than go through what USC fans have had to sit through. Almost. TAMU was in the hunt for the God Apostrophe S Conference Championship until the final weekend, but frankly they never looked that good when I saw them play. My pick involves USC leading by 8 going into the fourth quarter and kicking a field goal to go up by 4 with one minute left. TAMU

*Southern

[Hairy Lime]

FCS Semifinals

South Dakota State 21, North Dakota State 17
The first game between these two was a low scoring affair, played at North Dakota State. I expect another low scoring affair. I was hoping for a whiteout sort of game, but I guess it is going to be played in a dome. Bummer.

Montana State 35, South Dakota 20
If you think at this stage my analysis is simply, I pick MSU, you are not wrong.

D II Finals

Ferris State 31, Valdosta State 24
This will be the second time these two teams have met in the D II championship game. The last was a blow out in 2021.

D II Semifinals

Mount Union 27, Johns Hopkins 16
JHU has scored 17, 14 and 17 in its three playoff wins. The Mount is looking to win a championship for the first time with a coach not named Kehres.

North Central 31, Susquehanna 17
North Central has managed to find its way to the last four D III championship games, despite the evident geographical confusion.

[CaptainCargo]

FRANKLIN IS SUCH A MORON.