Did the best team win the college football playoff this year? That's debatable. Did the Alabama Crimson Tide deserve to win the title, though? Without question, no. According to the playoff selection committee's own guidelines, conference championships are a critical component to a team's resumé. While I've never been a huge fan of conference championship games, given the current format, this is how things are. Having said that, Alabama didn't win their conference championship game this year. Not only that, they didn't even compete in the SEC title game. Due to their in-conference loss to Auburn in the Iron Bowl, the Crimson Tide finished the regular season 3rd in the Southeastern Conference, behind Georgia and Auburn, respectively. While the winner of the SEC title game was a shoe-in (and deservedly so) for the four-team playoff, how does it make any lick of sense to select the 3rd seed from the conference as the #4 team in the playoff?
Let's delve into this a bit deeper. Georgia had one loss, split two games with Auburn, and won their conference championship. Auburn had three losses, split two games with Georgia, beat Alabama, and played in their conference championship game. Alabama had one loss, was defeated by Auburn, and did not play in their conference championship game.
So, let me get this straight. The winner of Auburn/Alabama was to play Georgia in the SEC title game. Auburn won the game, before falling to Georgia, and Alabama then sneaks into the playoffs? Say what? So does that mean, if the Tide had defeated Auburn, only to lose to Georgia, Auburn may have snuck into the field of four? I'm sorry, but something is screwy here...
To illustrate this even more clearly, allow me to showcase this series of events like a bracket:
SEC Semifinals
1) Georgia
Bye
3) Auburn
2) Alabama
SEC Finals
1) Georgia
2) Auburn
Playoffs
3) Georgia
4) Alabama
So essentially, while both Georgia and Auburn had to square off against one another for a second time for the right to hold the SEC championship trophy, Alabama was rewarded a bye week for their defeat against in-state rival Auburn. I'm sorry Tide fans, but that's f**ked up...
Given this illogical series of events, some changes need to occur in the college football playoff system. They need to either do away with conference championship games, as it seems to often times unintentionally damage one participant's resumé, while at the same time benefiting an outsider's odds. If not, then we need to expand the field to at least 6, if not 8. We then wouldn't be as apt to making such illogical selections like Alabama this past season. We'd have more flexibility on league runners-up. This year, we would likely have had the following teams in a field of 8: 1) Clemson, 2) Oklahoma, 3) Georgia, 4) Alabama, 5) Ohio State, 6) USC, 7) Wisconsin, 8) Central Florida. Even if we do away with conference championships, expanding to a field of 8 may be a wise move in the long run. Regardless, while Alabama played well in their two postseason games and may very well have been the best team, they didn't deserve to get into the playoffs in the first place.
Let's delve into this a bit deeper. Georgia had one loss, split two games with Auburn, and won their conference championship. Auburn had three losses, split two games with Georgia, beat Alabama, and played in their conference championship game. Alabama had one loss, was defeated by Auburn, and did not play in their conference championship game.
So, let me get this straight. The winner of Auburn/Alabama was to play Georgia in the SEC title game. Auburn won the game, before falling to Georgia, and Alabama then sneaks into the playoffs? Say what? So does that mean, if the Tide had defeated Auburn, only to lose to Georgia, Auburn may have snuck into the field of four? I'm sorry, but something is screwy here...
To illustrate this even more clearly, allow me to showcase this series of events like a bracket:
SEC Semifinals
1) Georgia
Bye
3) Auburn
2) Alabama
SEC Finals
1) Georgia
2) Auburn
Playoffs
3) Georgia
4) Alabama
So essentially, while both Georgia and Auburn had to square off against one another for a second time for the right to hold the SEC championship trophy, Alabama was rewarded a bye week for their defeat against in-state rival Auburn. I'm sorry Tide fans, but that's f**ked up...
Given this illogical series of events, some changes need to occur in the college football playoff system. They need to either do away with conference championship games, as it seems to often times unintentionally damage one participant's resumé, while at the same time benefiting an outsider's odds. If not, then we need to expand the field to at least 6, if not 8. We then wouldn't be as apt to making such illogical selections like Alabama this past season. We'd have more flexibility on league runners-up. This year, we would likely have had the following teams in a field of 8: 1) Clemson, 2) Oklahoma, 3) Georgia, 4) Alabama, 5) Ohio State, 6) USC, 7) Wisconsin, 8) Central Florida. Even if we do away with conference championships, expanding to a field of 8 may be a wise move in the long run. Regardless, while Alabama played well in their two postseason games and may very well have been the best team, they didn't deserve to get into the playoffs in the first place.
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