The halfway point, the playoff picture, and ND

[outhereincali]

ND could be the fly in the ointment in the playoff picture. They have a scheduling arrangement with the ACC to play at least 5 games but they're still an independent. Right now they're ranked 13th and this Satlrday they play 12th ranked SC. Fwiw I saw on ESPN that there is an 80% probability that they will win. If they pull it out then they become a serious contender. Their last three games will be tough the U, Navy, and ST. They do all that then they're in. Oh and btw their only loss was to 3rd ranked GA.

The sucky thing about ND making the playoffs is that not one but TWO P5 conferences will be left out of the playoffs. It won't be easy to beat the teams left on their schedule but if they do the playoff committee will have to select them.

I've always disliked ND. I resented the ND privilege that the media gave them. At this point if ND is in the Pac XII will definitely be left out. And I worry about the Big XII.

But this only the hallway point and this thread is only meant for speculation.

 

[ryan_sublett]

Notre Dame has a pretty brutal schedule going forward. Pretty good chance they drop 1-2 more.

USC
NC state
Wake Forrest
Miami
Navy
Stanford

If they get through that with their only loss being to UGA they deserve a spot. I doubt they will though.

 

[2300 Nueces]

Notre Dame has a pretty brutal schedule going forward. Pretty good chance they drop 1-2 more.

USC
NC state
Wake Forrest
Miami
Navy
Stanford

If they get through that with their only loss being to UGA they deserve a spot. I doubt they will though.

They won't. These conflicts only add to the need for 4 16 team power conferences with the champs going to the playoff.

 

[westx]

The Clemson loss on Friday, probably gave the sooners some added motivation going into Saturday. I am fully aware of not needing extra motivation since it is TX/ou, so, don't give me hell on this. I am just adding some thoughts. Damn gooners still have life in the playoffs.

 

[Belldozer1]

I'm gonna need you boys to handle your business this weekend and hopefully OU handles theirs.

 

[oldhorn2]

Hey Bell....is it true that Hugh Hefner taught you to read one handed?

 

[Belldozer1]

Well his magazine probably convinced me to at one point.

 

[outhereincali]

Right now the Big XII teams with the best chances for making the playoffs are in order

TCU
OK

OSU is a longshot they've already lost to TCU. And only once have they ever beaten OK when it mattered. They won't make it.

 

[westx]

Right now the Big XII teams with the best chances for making the playoffs are in order

TCU
OK

OSU is a longshot they've already lost to TCU. And only once have they ever beaten OK when it mattered. They won't make it.

I wouldn’t mind seeing TCU make some noise since we are out. However, I don’t think Hill is championship calibur QB. He is good, but that is it.

 

[RoboCocks21]

I wouldn’t mind seeing TCU make some noise since we are out. However, I don’t think Hill is championship calibur QB. He is good, but that is it.

West Virginia gave them a game, but a bad call derailed their final drive to tie it up

 

[ryan_sublett]

They won't. These conflicts only add to the need for 4 16 team power conferences with the champs going to the playoff.

You could also do an 8 team playoff with the power 5 conference champs making it plus 3 at large teams.

Most years that would be sufficient.

 

[JHop6714]

If ND is in, then the other slots will probably go to...
SEC champ (Bama)
Big Ten champ (Wisconsin or Penn St)
Big 12 champ OR Georgia OR Clemson

 

[outhereincali]

Update

I thought Notre Dame would win but they demolished SC today. Well so much for the SC game being a quality loss. ND is primed for a strong finish and into the playoffs. As mentioned above they play three good teams to close the season but if they play like this the rest of the season they're in. And two P5 conferences are going to be left out.

As of now Bama and Penn State are in. As for the other three the Pac XII is definitely on the outside looking in. For the sake of the Big XII I hope they make but it's going to a dog fight with the ACC

Of course this is subject to change.

 

[JHop6714]

Update

I thought Notre Dame would win but they demolished SC today. Well so much for the SC game being a quality loss. ND is primed for a strong finish and into the playoffs. As mentioned above they play three good teams to close the season but if they play like this the rest of the season they're in. And two P5 conferences are going to be left out.

As of now Bama and Penn State are in. As for the other three the Pac XII is definitely on the outside looking in. For the sake of the Big XII I hope they make but it's going to a dog fight with the ACC

Of course this is subject to change.

It's going to be hard to get a 1-loss Big XII team in over Clemson, assuming Clemson wins out, because of how many quality wins Clemson has. Penn State looked great against Michigan, yes, but they haven't played any good opponents, and Michigan isn't nearly as highly ranked as OU or Ok State. We will have to see who wins next week's PennSt/OhioSt game and who emerges from the Big10 championship. Best bet for Big XII is for TCU to continue their dominance, undefeated, and win the Big XII championship game.

 

[outhereincali]

I'm hoping that in the little ten and ACC everybody just beats each other to the point where everyone has two losses. That happened a few years ago when LSU won the NC with two losses.

 

[HornsRuleU]

I've always disliked ND. I resented the ND privilege that the media gave them. At this point if ND is in the Pac XII will definitely be left out. And I worry about the Big XII.

Me, too, sort of...

The media just respond to reality, and the reality is that Notre Dame is the favorite Catholic school, and there are a lot of Catholics out there.

 

[4MNChampsHorn]

Since we don’t have a shot, it doesn’t matter to me

 

[westx]

I don’t want to see ou in it. Ugh! If anything TCU. I am still not a believer in Hill at QB. I think he is good, but champioship good is what I question.

 

[Belldozer1]

I felt when I was watching the OU/ KState game that I was watching Heisman history being made. Did anyone else feel it?

 

[outhereincali]

I felt when I was watching the OU/ KState game that I was watching Heisman history being made. Did anyone else feel it?

I'm afraid not. I don't know how to spell his first name but Barkley at Penn State is the fafavorite. But as I said above this is subject to change.

 

[LonghornMM]

The Heisman front runner is Bryce Love of Stanford by a big margin. He has 1,387 yards rushing, averages 10.3 YPC and 11 TD's.

Saquon Barkely has 757 yards rushing, averages 6.5 YPC and 8 TD's.

Baker Mayfield has 2,347 yards passing, 73.8 completion pct, 19 TD's, 2 INT's, a QB rating of 200.4 and 170 yards rushing with 3 TD's.

 

[freeper]

I felt when I was watching the OU/ KState game that I was watching Heisman history being made. Did anyone else feel it?

I felt something watching that game...turned out to be indigestion from the pizza....

 

[westx]

I felt when I was watching the OU/ KState game that I was watching Heisman history being made. Did anyone else feel it?

You forgot "ooh, he gritty".

 

[mm42]

It will be hard to put ND in over Georgia, if Georgia wins out and loses to Bama in the SEC title game. Georgia beat ND in South Bend. I think ND needs Georgia to beat Bama to get in, and they need them to beat them by 20.

 

[ryan_sublett]

For Love to win the Heisman he really needs a strong showing against Washington, wash state, and ND. Those are by far Stanford’s toughest games. Barkley is playing tougher competition and people are actually seeing his games.

 

[mm42]

For Love to win the Heisman he really needs a strong showing against Washington, wash state, and ND. Those are by far Stanford’s toughest games. Barkley is playing tougher competition and people are actually seeing his games.

I watch tons of college football and have yet to watch more than 5 minutes of Stanford football. You are exactly right.

 

[HornsRuleU]

The Heisman lost all meaning for me about a dozen years ago. It's an exercise in group-think, so I guess it's mildly amusing from a psychological standpoint.

 

[Belldozer1]

If OU were to run through the rest of our schedule which would include beating 2 more top 10 teams, then the trophy is Mayfield's imo

 

[RoboCocks21]

Nice opinion Bell. But the running back at Penn State is a monster

 

[westx]

If OU were to run through the rest of our schedule which would include beating 2 more top 10 teams, then the trophy is Mayfield's imo

Let's hope not.

 

[RoboCocks21]

Penn State needs to keep winning so it can be a fairy tell ending winning the heisman with everything that has happened at Penn State

 

[ryan_sublett]

Penn State needs to keep winning so it can be a fairy tell ending winning the heisman with everything that has happened at Penn State

I don’t know what the circumstances were but man we missed the boat when we chose Strong over Franklin

 

[Belldozer1]

OU will certainly have to play better to win out.

 

[mm42]

Penn State needs to keep winning so it can be a fairy tell ending winning the heisman with everything that has happened at Penn State

Fairy tales seldom start with an organizational culture that protects pedophiles, but other than that.....

 

[LonghornMM]

I don’t know what the circumstances were but man we missed the boat when we chose Strong over Franklin

Franklin was never considered at Texas, so there was no choosing Strong over him.