Do you really believe Cincy is a CFP team?

[Ronman]

Let them enjoy their time as an American Conference team. Soon they will annually have to contend with the powerful Clones.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

There is no question is my mind that Cincy is a very good team. If you don't let them in the playoffs you might as well just call it the P5 tournament.

 

[WWDMHawkeye]

Yes. They beat the Notre Dame team in South Bend, who crushed Wisconsin by 4 touchdowns on a neutral field. Hell yes they would beat them...

They lost to Georgia last year in the Peach Bowl, when they were undefeated ( 9 - 0 ) and everyone said they'd be outclassed, on a 53 yard FG as time expired...

I agree that Cincinnati should be in the CFP if they win out, and their win at ND was a quality win, no doubt. That said, ND's win over Wisconsin wasn't as impressive as the score indicates. It was a very close game in the 4th quarter when Wisconsin actually led, 13-10. Heck -- it was 24-13, thanks to a KO return for a TD and a pick that gave ND a short field, with about 5:00 left. ND scored on 2 pick-6's with less than 4:00 to go.

Yes, all 3 phases of the game count equally and turnovers are part of the game, and ND deserves credit for that, but the game was very much in doubt midway through the 4th quarter and, outside of the KO return for a TD and late WI turnovers, was a very evenly played game. Despite the score, these were clearly two evenly-matched teams -- and WI was not playing well at all to begin the season.

My point is that I don't think ND is the world-beater their record or the score against WI would suggest. Good team, no doubt, and Cincy's win at ND was a quality win for sure, but I don't think ND or Cincy is as good as their records would indicate. Still, if Cincy wins out, I don't think there's any way to fairly keep them out of the CFP -- which should go to 8 teams, IMO. I think it's clear that 4 is too few, and I think 12 is too many -- no need to add a third week of playoffs when 8 is plenty to include all teams with a legit chance to win it all.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

My point is that I don't think ND is the world-beater their record or the score against WI would suggest. Good team, no doubt, and Cincy's win at ND was a quality win for sure, but I don't think ND or Cincy is as good as their records would indicate. Still, if Cincy wins out, I don't think there's any way to fairly keep them out of the CFP -- which should go to 8 teams, IMO. I think it's clear that 4 is too few, and I think 12 is too many -- no need to add a third week of playoffs when 8 is plenty to include all teams with a legit chance to win it all.

I agree and have for some time thought 8 was a good number. P5 conference champs guaranteed a spot regardless of record. Best G5 team also gets a slot, leaving 2 at large.

Round 1 on New Years Day. R2 on 1/8, regardless of the day of the week. Championship game between 1/15 - 1/20. Should be before classes start for most schools I think.

Round 1 matchups using current CFP rankings -

Oregon (P12 champ?) vs Georgia (SEC Champs?)
Oklahoma (B12 champ?) vs OSU (B10 Champs?)
ND (ACC Champs?) vs, Alabama (at large)
Michigan (at large) vs Cincy (Best P5)

I think it could work.

 

[kceasthawk]

I agree that Cincinnati should be in the CFP if they win out, and their win at ND was a quality win, no doubt. That said, ND's win over Wisconsin wasn't as impressive as the score indicates. It was a very close game in the 4th quarter when Wisconsin actually led, 13-10. Heck -- it was 24-13, thanks to a KO return for a TD and a pick that gave ND a short field, with about 5:00 left. ND scored on 2 pick-6's with less than 4:00 to go.

Yes, all 3 phases of the game count equally and turnovers are part of the game, and ND deserves credit for that, but the game was very much in doubt midway through the 4th quarter and, outside of the KO return for a TD and late WI turnovers, was a very evenly played game. Despite the score, these were clearly two evenly-matched teams -- and WI was not playing well at all to begin the season.

My point is that I don't think ND is the world-beater their record or the score against WI would suggest. Good team, no doubt, and Cincy's win at ND was a quality win for sure, but I don't think ND or Cincy is as good as their records would indicate. Still, if Cincy wins out, I don't think there's any way to fairly keep them out of the CFP -- which should go to 8 teams, IMO. I think it's clear that 4 is too few, and I think 12 is too many -- no need to add a third week of playoffs when 8 is plenty to include all teams with a legit chance to win it all.

Unfortunately, there rarely seems to be more then TWO teams with a legit chance to win it all, but I'd still like to see at least 8 teams in the playoff......

 

[Xerxes_]

Except by that reasoning they would have stopped considering the Big Ten for the CFP after 2016.

You must have forgotten OSU going down to the wire with Clemson in the 2019 Semifinals and destroying Clemson in the 2020 Semifinals.

 

[CO_hawk]

As long as they are not keeping Iowa out I don't really care. Usually root for the underdog anyway.

Hope this splitting of the division takes place so we won't have these discussions any more.

 

[MeetTheFerentz]

You must have forgotten OSU going down to the wire with Clemson in the 2019 Semifinals and destroying Clemson in the 2020 Semifinals.

...which wouldn't have happened had the CFP stopped taking Big Ten teams after 2 consecutive very poor showings.

Thanks for agreeing with me.