Let's check the Buckeyes' resume

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

Ohio State

Beat 10-2 Wisconsin by 7

Lost to 10-2 Penn State by 3

Beat 6-6 Northwestern by 4

Beat 3-9 Michigan State by 1

Beat 10-2 Michigan by 3 in double overtime

Because it's Ohio State, almost losing to a 3-9 team in disarray because the Spartan coach went for 2 points after a TD is shrugged off, and escaping a 6-6 team is shrugged off.
The Buckeyes had 5 games with the outcome in doubt almost to the final gun. Shrugged off.
It's good to be Ohio State. Different standards applied by the College Football Pretzel committee.

Meanwhile, I'll join the fond, final farewell to Big Cat in Mountaineer Field with my WV apron with Big Cat's photo attached on Saturday as my alma mater scuttles Baylor.


M anhandled Missouri, 26-11

O rdinary against Youngstown, 38-21

U nnerving miracle goalline tip/interception escapes BYU, 35-32

N o quit against Kansas State, 17-16

T ony’s turbulence tore up Texas Tech, 48-17

A nother defense whipping, of TCU, 34-10

I gnominy of turnovers against Oklahoma State, 20-37

N o problem decimating Kansas, 48-21

E xcellent, timely defense AGAIN; beat Texas, 24-20

E rectile dysfunctioned against Oklahoma, 56-28

R ebounded big time on offense and defense at Iowa State, 49-19

S cuttle Baylor

 

[KeatonsCorner]

Oh look...... An almost argument....

 

[KeatonsCorner]

You left out the one game that helps their resume buddy. They stormed into by far the best team in the
Big 12 backyard and annihilated Oklahoma.

Oh don't tell him.....grampa was paid to be a 'sports expert'


The best is when he makes a thread on every WVU message board about "The facts" and then gets half the stats wrong in Post 1.

 

[MichiganHerd]

almost losing

Why is WVU even ranked in the top 25? I mean, they beat BYU by only 3, which means they almost lost, they beat Kansas State by only 1, which means they almost lost, and they beat Texas by only 4, which means they almost lost. Should the committee have penalized WVU for almost losing those 3 games? I mean, that's what you're suggesting they do to Ohio State, right?...even though, arguably, Ohio State 'almost lost' to better teams than BYU, Kansas State, and Texas.

 

[TruWVblu]

Why is WVU even ranked in the top 25? I mean, they beat BYU by only 3, which means they almost lost, they beat Kansas State by only 1, which means they almost lost, and they beat Texas by only 4, which means they almost lost. Should the committee have penalized WVU for almost losing those 3 games? I mean, that's what you're suggesting they do to Ohio State, right?...even though, arguably, Ohio State 'almost lost' to better teams than BYU, Kansas State, and Texas.

Michigan lost to an unranked Iowa. To my knowledge, WVU has not lost to any unranked opponents. As for Ohio State, I'm not sure why you are comparing them to WVU. They are not clearly better than Penn State, and they are not even playing in the Big 10 Championship game. Penn State wins all of the tie breakers. Penn State could win what is arguably the best conference in college football, have beaten Ohio State, and still be left out of the playoff. It just doesn't seem right.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

"How can you be so obtuse? Is it deliberate?"

This just in: Ohio St is 8-1 in the conference, Wisconsin is only 7-2. The Buckeyes also beat the Badgers head-to-head. Those are the facts.

It never fails to amaze me how many of you are gullible enough to believe the lie you've been sold that just because a team reaches one of these phony "conference championship" games it necessarily means they are one of the top two teams in the conference.

Have fun in Fantasyland...

I have been reluctant to weigh-in on this but here goes...

I think this is being looked at as interrelated when it should be viewed as two separate issues; in a silo if you will.

tOSU (11-1/8-1), PSU (10-2/8-1) & Michigan(10-2/7-2) are all in the same division of the B1G, the East Division. Wisconsin (10-2/7-2) stands alone in the West. In the East PSU owns the tie-breaker over tOSU to represent that Division in the B1G Championship Game. Michigan is technically 3rd in the East as there is a tie for first between tOSU & PSU; PSU owning the tie-breaker. So let's leave Wisconsin out of further discussion as it is undisputed that they are the B1G West Division Champion.

For purposes of the CFP, tOSU has the undisputed best record in the B1G overall and as such should be the CFP entry from the B1G. They have a better record than any other B1G team, bar none! If Michigan, PSU or Wisconsin wanted to be in the CFP they should have taken care of business and not lost that second game overall and in the case of UM and Wisky, in conference.

The two goals, Conference Championship and CFP, are not related to one another. There is no mandate in the CFP selection process that says only conference champions need apply; CCG is a tie-breaker at best (or the 13th data point for additional consideration of worthy teams). tOSU doesn't need the 13th data point/CCG to prove their point.

I don't like it that way either, but I understand the logic of the decisions, especially if you separate the two issues; CFP vs. CCG from the process.

 

[AWS1022]

I have been reluctant to weigh-in on this but here goes...

I think this is being looked at as interrelated when it should be viewed as two separate issues; in a silo if you will.

tOSU (11-1/8-1), PSU (10-2/8-1) & Michigan(10-2/7-2) are all in the same division of the B1G, the East Division. Wisconsin (10-2/7-2) stands alone in the West. In the East PSU owns the tie-breaker over tOSU to represent that Division in the B1G Championship Game. Michigan is technically 3rd in the East as there is a tie for first between tOSU & PSU; PSU owning the tie-breaker. So let's leave Wisconsin out of further discussion as it is undisputed that they are the B1G West Division Champion.

For purposes of the CFP, tOSU has the undisputed best record in the B1G overall and as such should be the CFP entry from the B1G. They have a better record than any other B1G team, bar none! If Michigan, PSU or Wisconsin wanted to be in the CFP they should have taken care of business and not lost that second game overall and in the case of UM and Wisky, in conference.

The two goals, Conference Championship and CFP, are not related to one another. There is no mandate in the CFP selection process that says only conference champions need apply; CCG is a tie-breaker at best (or the 13th data point for additional consideration of worthy teams). tOSU doesn't need the 13th data point/CCG to prove their point.

I don't like it that way either, but I understand the logic of the decisions, especially if you separate the two issues; CFP vs. CCG from the process.

Tell the 2014 TCU team that.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

Tell the 2014 TCU team that.

Exactly my point. Big Xii shot themselves in the foot after touting "One True Champion" all year long and then declaring Co-Champions. With the absence of a "13th Data Point" in lieu of any kind of tie-breaker (which should not have been necessary), the Committee went elsewhere for a #4.

 

[Pitt4Life34]

Why is WVU even ranked in the top 25? I mean, they beat BYU by only 3, which means they almost lost, they beat Kansas State by only 1, which means they almost lost, and they beat Texas by only 4, which means they almost lost. Should the committee have penalized WVU for almost losing those 3 games? I mean, that's what you're suggesting they do to Ohio State, right?...even though, arguably, Ohio State 'almost lost' to better teams than BYU, Kansas State, and Texas.

WVU has established that they are the 3rd best team in the Big 12! That puts them obviously between 10-20 in any poll. If you're gonna troll at least try to be funny! You're a ri..tard!!!!

 

[tOSUGrad90]

Why is WVU even ranked in the top 25? I mean, they beat BYU by only 3, which means they almost lost, they beat Kansas State by only 1, which means they almost lost, and they beat Texas by only 4, which means they almost lost. Should the committee have penalized WVU for almost losing those 3 games? I mean, that's what you're suggesting they do to Ohio State, right?...even though, arguably, Ohio State 'almost lost' to better teams than BYU, Kansas State, and Texas.

Excellent post. I would add that Ohio State's loss to Penn State shouldn't count either, if one were to apply Cuyohoga's "logic," as Penn State only beat Ohio State by the score of 24-21 in Happy Valley, after having had a bye week beforehand. This bye week came in handy, as the Nits found a flaw in Ohio State's kick protection, which resulted in a blocked punt leading to a FG, and blocked FG, which was run back for a TD. These final 10 points of the game, along with a missed P.I. on Ohio State's last drive, enabled Penn State to edge the Buckeyes, but this game shouldn't count against Ohio State's record because the final score was so close, according to the absurd, "too close to count" theory espoused by the (alleged) former sports reporter.

 

[MichiganHerd]

WVU has established that they are the 3rd best team in the Big 12! That puts them obviously between 10-20 in any poll. If you're gonna troll at least try to be funny! You're a ri..tard!!!!

I wasn't trolling, nor was I attempting to humor you. I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy in CFE's post. I know you're something special, but you really need to work on your temper, Rich Rod. It's not my fault UM fired you. You have only yourself to blame.

 

[Pitt4Life34]

I wasn't trolling, nor was I attempting to humor you. I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy in CFE's post. I know you're something special, but you really need to work on your temper, Rich Rod. It's not my fault UM fired you. You have only yourself to blame.

Are all Marshall trolls as weird as you are?

 

[topdecktiger]

. College football was great because every week of the regular season mattered. If you lost early you could recover, but if you lost late, even to a good team, it likely meant you would not get a chance at the NC.

Well, I can disprove this easily. 1993. Florida St loses to Notre Dame in November, and still makes the title game, despite Notre Dame having an identical record and West Virginia being undefeated.

 

[Cuyahoga Falls Eers]

The fallacy in all of this is that the 4 choices are based on the flawed rankings of the College Football Pretzel committee. Results based on flawed pre-determinants are, by their nature, flawed.
Look, no one, including me, is saying that WVU should be in the Final Four.
But if winning the conference title ranks below a series of other criteria, then that in itself diminishes the excitement and value of playing in the conference title game.
Eventually, this will create so much flareup, much like the hated BCS, that people will be begging for a better way.

As long as people choose it, and base their choices on the value of the teams their choices beat, there's not fixed formula. It's like wading in quicksand in a tsunami and trying to throw darts at a moving target.

It just makes no sense. It doesn't pass the eyeball or smell test.

 

[KeatonsCorner]

A poster who leans on "Thos are just the facts" when he needs to bash Dana Holgorsen all summer long


Is now talking eyeball tests


K thanx bye

 

[bobhertzel'ssweatpants]

Excellent post. I would add that Ohio State's loss to Penn State shouldn't count either, if one were to apply Cuyohoga's "logic," as Penn State only beat Ohio State by the score of 24-21 in Happy Valley, after having had a bye week beforehand. This bye week came in handy, as the Nits found a flaw in Ohio State's kick protection, which resulted in a blocked punt leading to a FG, and blocked FG, which was run back for a TD. These final 10 points of the game, along with a missed P.I. on Ohio State's last drive, enabled Penn State to edge the Buckeyes, but this game shouldn't count against Ohio State's record because the final score was so close, according to the absurd, "too close to count" theory espoused by the (alleged) former sports reporter.

All of it is absurd. With 5 power conferences & only 4 slots, you are going to be doing some sort of hypocritical mostly subjective reasoning for the 4 teams you select to be in the playoffs (conference champ, eye test, strength of schedule, head-to-head,etc.etc.). The only way to make it more fair (there is no such thing as a perfect system) is to go to 8 teams. That way you can have objective & subjective criteria applied. And that gives you the opportunity for auto bids for the power conferences. You can apply the subjective measures to the 3 at-large bids.

For 2016
Auto-bids
SEC - likely Alabama
ACC - likely Clemson
Big Ten - PSU/Wisconsin
PAC 12 - Washington/Colorado
Big 12 - Oklahoma/Oklahoma St.
At-large
Ohio State
Michigan
USC??

 

[MichiganHerd]

For 2016
Auto-bids
SEC - likely Alabama
ACC - likely Clemson
Big Ten - PSU/Wisconsin
PAC 12 - Washington/Colorado
Big 12 - Oklahoma/Oklahoma St.
At-large
Ohio State
Michigan
USC??

Wait, you left out 50% of the D1 conferences. Got to have auto-bids for Mountain West, MAC, C-USA, Sunbelt, and the American. I mean, fair is fair, right?

 

[steeleer]

Exactly my point. Big Xii shot themselves in the foot after touting "One True Champion" all year long and then declaring Co-Champions. With the absence of a "13th Data Point" in lieu of any kind of tie-breaker (which should not have been necessary), the Committee went elsewhere for a used that as an excuse to put OSU as #4.

FIFY

 

[bobhertzel'ssweatpants]

Wait, you left out 50% of the D1 conferences. Got to have auto-bids for Mountain West, MAC, C-USA, Sunbelt, and the American. I mean, fair is fair, right?

Couldn't care less about those leagues, but if they want to throw them a bone that's up to the powers that be. I don't think they should get an auto bid though. They are never going to have equal schedules to the power leagues.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Couldn't care less about those leagues, but if they want to throw them a bone that's up to the powers that be. I don't think they should get an auto bid though. They are never going to have equal schedules to the power leagues.

Certainly not equal schedules, but whose to say some of them wouldn't be competitive. Hypothetically, you would have Navy, Western Michigan, Boise, Western Kentucky, and perhaps Troy. Obviously, they would be underdogs, but not sure some of the big boys would feel comfortable playing them in the opening round of a 16 team playoff.

 

[TruWVblu]

Certainly not equal schedules, but whose to say some of them wouldn't be competitive. Hypothetically, you would have Navy, Western Michigan, Boise, Western Kentucky, and perhaps Troy. Obviously, they would be underdogs, but not sure some of the big boys would feel comfortable playing them in the opening round of a 16 team playoff.

16 teams is too much for a playoff. There are never 16 teams that legitimately lay claim to the NC. An 8 team playoff would achieve the desired result. You include all power 5 conference champions, making each conference championship an unofficial first round. You then include 3 at large bids. This would almost always incorporate all of the contenders. Would there still be teams complaining? Of course, but those teams would likely not have any real stance.

 

[steeleer]

16 teams is too much for a playoff. There are never 16 teams that legitimately lay claim to the NC. An 8 team playoff would achieve the desired result. You include all power 5 conference champions, making each conference championship an unofficial first round. You then include 3 at large bids. This would almost always incorporate all of the contenders. Would there still be teams complaining? Of course, but those teams would likely not have any real stance.

I think if you automatically had the best of the G5 in that 8 team playoff, the pieces would fit. Instead of the story being the process of getting to the 4 team playoffs, the story would be the actual games themselves....God forbid.