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Do you really believe Cincy is a CFP team?

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Apr 1, 2021
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We are constantly told that the 4-team CFP--which should have been at least 8 and probably 12 from the get-go--is supposed to feature the 4 best teams in the country. Then, I ask, how can Cincy be in that group? Sure, they're undefeated, but how many teams would also be undefeated if they played Cincy's schedule?

Would Michigan? Yes.
Would MSU? Almost certainly.
Would Nebraska (3-8)? Very possibly.
Would Iowa? Even without an offense, very likely.

Is Cincy better than Wisconsin? The record is better. No denying that. But that's not the question. Is Cincy a better team than Wisconsin? Do you believe Cincy could beat Wisconsin on a neutral field? How about Purdue?

And that's just a few examples. I'm all for teams like Cincy in the CFP when it expands to 8 or 12, but as it is now with only four, there's no way--IMHO--Cincy should be one of them.

Here are the teams Cincy has played, and beaten, this season:
Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Temple, Central Florida, Navy, Tulane, Tulsa, South Florida, and SMU. And they close the season with East Carolina. That's a weak schedule, no matter how you look at it.

Yes, they beat #9 Notre Dame, but then Stanford (3-8) beat #3 Oregon.

Bottom line: I don't see how a team with Cincy's schedule--especially when combined with the eye test--could possibly be considered a top 4 team, a team worthy of the CFP. But that's just my opinion.
 
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We are constantly told that the 4-team CFP--which should have been at least 8 and probably 12 from the get-go--is supposed to feature the 4 best teams in the country. Then, I ask, how can Cincy be in that group? Sure, they're undefeated, but how many teams would also be undefeated if they played Cincy's schedule?

Would Michigan? Yes.
Would MSU? Almost certainly.
Would Nebraska (3-8)? Very possibly.
Would Iowa? Even without an offense, very likely.

Is Cincy better than Wisconsin? The record is better. No denying that. But that's not the question. Is Cincy a better team than Wisconsin? Do you believe Cincy could beat Wisconsin on a neutral field? How about Purdue?

And that's just a few examples. I'm all for teams like Cincy in the CFP when it expands to 8 or 12, but as it is now with only four, there's no way--IMHO--Cincy should be one of them.

Here are the teams Cincy has played, and beaten, this season:
Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Temple, Central Florida, Navy, Tulane, Tulsa, South Florida, and SMU. And they close the season with East Carolina. That's a weak schedule, no matter how you look at it.

Yes, they beat #9 Notre Dame, but then Stanford (3-8) beat #3 Oregon.

Bottom line: I don't see how a team with Cincy's schedule--especially when combined with the eye test--could possibly be considered a top 4 team, a team worthy of the CFP. But that's just my opinion.
Who’s Georgia’s best win….at home against Kentucky??? Alabama’s schedule was slightly better but still average. UC clearly has the best win. If they beat a really good Houston team, there is no doubt they should be in. If Bama loses in the SEC championship game, there is no way they should be in the final four.
 
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We are constantly told that the 4-team CFP--which should have been at least 8 and probably 12 from the get-go--is supposed to feature the 4 best teams in the country. Then, I ask, how can Cincy be in that group? Sure, they're undefeated, but how many teams would also be undefeated if they played Cincy's schedule?

Would Michigan? Yes.
Would MSU? Almost certainly.
Would Nebraska (3-8)? Very possibly.
Would Iowa? Even without an offense, very likely.

Is Cincy better than Wisconsin? The record is better. No denying that. But that's not the question. Is Cincy a better team than Wisconsin? Do you believe Cincy could beat Wisconsin on a neutral field? How about Purdue?

And that's just a few examples. I'm all for teams like Cincy in the CFP when it expands to 8 or 12, but as it is now with only four, there's no way--IMHO--Cincy should be one of them.

Here are the teams Cincy has played, and beaten, this season:
Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Temple, Central Florida, Navy, Tulane, Tulsa, South Florida, and SMU. And they close the season with East Carolina. That's a weak schedule, no matter how you look at it.

Yes, they beat #9 Notre Dame, but then Stanford (3-8) beat #3 Oregon.

Bottom line: I don't see how a team with Cincy's schedule--especially when combined with the eye test--could possibly be considered a top 4 team, a team worthy of the CFP. But that's just my opinion.
no way...Indiana was a targeting call away from handling them early this yr. If they were in the "terrible" Big10 west, they would finish behind Wisc/Iowa/Purdue.
 
Yep. Destroyed one of the other teams in mix at their place. And OSU and Michigan will cancel one out. They win out, they in as the ND win in South Bend has become more impressive
 
They went on the road and won at Notre Dame, who might end up being a playoff team.
Yeah, and 2-9 Indiana might be the next best team they played and they were on the ropes before the hoosiers started doing everything wrong. SMU vs Indiana would be an interesting match up as that's the next best record Cinci played. That conference is a complete joke
 
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Who’s Georgia’s best win….at home against Kentucky??? Alabama’s schedule was slightly better but still average. UC clearly has the best win. If they beat a really good Houston team, there is no doubt they should be in. If Bama loses in the SEC championship game, there is no way they should be in the final four.
You dog an sec schedule then talk up a game vs a team that couldn't beat the only mediocre p5 team they played?
 
Yeah, and 2-9 Indiana might be the next best team they played and they were on the ropes before the hoosiers started doing everything wrong. SMU vs Indiana would be an interesting match up as that's the next best record Cinci played. That conference is a complete joke
Indiana probably wins if not for Bs targeting call on best defender.
 
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You dog an sec schedule then talk up a game vs a team that couldn't beat the only mediocre p5 team they played?
SEC isn’t as tough as the world thinks it is. Vandy, Missouri and South Carolina are awful. Florida is bad. Kentucky and Tennessee are average. UC would probably have the same record as Georgia had they okayed Georgia’s schedule. Not to mention Georgia’s pathetic 4 non-conference games. Georgia is good but no more or less deserving than Cincy.
 
Is Cincy better than Wisconsin? The record is better. No denying that. But that's not the question. Is Cincy a better team than Wisconsin? Do you believe Cincy could beat Wisconsin on a neutral field? How about Purdue?
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...
 
SEC isn’t as tough as the world thinks it is. Vandy, Missouri and South Carolina are awful. Florida is bad. Kentucky and Tennessee are average. UC would probably have the same record as Georgia had they okayed Georgia’s schedule. Not to mention Georgia’s pathetic 4 non-conference games. Georgia is good but no more or less deserving than Cincy.
I think you missed his point. You poo-poo the SEC, but then say a UC win over Houston would be impressive given how good UH is. The Cougars lost by 17 to Texas Tech. How many wins would 6-5 Texas Tech have in the SEC?
 
SEC isn’t as tough as the world thinks it is. Vandy, Missouri and South Carolina are awful. Florida is bad. Kentucky and Tennessee are average. UC would probably have the same record as Georgia had they okayed Georgia’s schedule. Not to mention Georgia’s pathetic 4 non-conference games. Georgia is good but no more or less deserving than Cincy.
It's not a great schedule, I agree. It's still much better than cincys though. That's my point though...even a weak b1g or sec sched will be much better than Cincy. Also ga didn't barely skate by bad teams like Cincy did. I'll agree to disagree that Georgia isn't more deserving. Hopefully Cincy stays at 4 and we see how much better ga is.
 
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Yes they are. If they win out why not? I haven't watched a CFB playoff in 4 years because it's the same ole every year.
 
The combination of Cincy looking like the best G5 team in the CFP era plus the P5 having no world-beaters beyond GA makes this the perfect season to give a G5 team a shot. Anyone who thinks they should have their spot wouldn't win it all, anyway.
 
They've earned the spot.

The bigger issue, as it has been many times before, is that the playoffs should be expanded.

While there will always be an argument about what team should be the last qualifier, much easier to exclude a 9th place or 13th place team.
 
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The system is set up for Cincy to be a top 4 team this year. But if you play in a P5 league, you have to be ready to play every week or you will get knocked off. Cincy didn't have to do this and frankly ND doesn't either by not playing in a league. Cincy literally could take multiple weeks off and then be ready for bigger games such as the SMU game and now Houston. Not blaming them, but it's the reality of that schedule. Would Cincinnati be in the same place with a SEC, Big Ten, ACC or Pac 12 schedule?

It's much different having to be ready on a weekly basis than having 3 weeks to prepare for big games. Cincinnati will have the same benefit in a playoff match up too. Moving to the Big 12 will help legitimize their efforts. Fickell is fantastic as is their team. It's just not a easy comp to the other P5 schools.
 
The combination of Cincy looking like the best G5 team in the CFP era plus the P5 having no world-beaters beyond GA makes this the perfect season to give a G5 team a shot. Anyone who thinks they should have their spot wouldn't win it all, anyway.
You never know...anyone can have a great game.

Cincy sure picked a good year to go unbeaten, that's for sure!
 
My opinion is that if any team goes undefeated, 13-0, then they should be in. To the P5 teams that finished 11-1 or 12-1, that got left out over an undefeated Cinci team, I say "Get good."
 
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Nd isn't going to be a playoff team
I sure hope you're wrong. N.D. being left out basically means that 'Bama either beats GA or gets in at 11-2. I could stomach N.D. in the CFP much better than I could 2 SEC teams...
The system is set up for Cincy to be a top 4 team this year. But if you play in a P5 league, you have to be ready to play every week or you will get knocked off. Cincy didn't have to do this and frankly ND doesn't either by not playing in a league.
N.D. has a legit schedule. 9 P5 teams and 3 G5 teams including Cincy, traveling to East Coast and West Coast. Most ranking systems have them in the low teens for SOS, with Cincy in the high 40s.

* I am not a N.D. fan, just happened to have two separate unbiased counterpoints about them back-to-back.
 
I sure hope you're wrong. N.D. being left out basically means that 'Bama either beats GA or gets in at 11-2. I could stomach N.D. in the CFP much better than I could 2 SEC teams...

N.D. has a legit schedule. 9 P5 teams and 3 G5 teams including Cincy, traveling to East Coast and West Coast. Most ranking systems have them in the low teens for SOS, with Cincy in the high 40s.

* I am not a N.D. fan, just happened to have two separate unbiased counterpoints about them back-to-back.
But if you put the 9 P5 teams that Notre Dame has played into one conference or division, it would be the weakest in P5.
 
We are constantly told that the 4-team CFP--which should have been at least 8 and probably 12 from the get-go--is supposed to feature the 4 best teams in the country. Then, I ask, how can Cincy be in that group? Sure, they're undefeated, but how many teams would also be undefeated if they played Cincy's schedule?

Would Michigan? Yes.
Would MSU? Almost certainly.
Would Nebraska (3-8)? Very possibly.
Would Iowa? Even without an offense, very likely.

Is Cincy better than Wisconsin? The record is better. No denying that. But that's not the question. Is Cincy a better team than Wisconsin? Do you believe Cincy could beat Wisconsin on a neutral field? How about Purdue?

And that's just a few examples. I'm all for teams like Cincy in the CFP when it expands to 8 or 12, but as it is now with only four, there's no way--IMHO--Cincy should be one of them.

Here are the teams Cincy has played, and beaten, this season:
Miami (Ohio), Murray State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Temple, Central Florida, Navy, Tulane, Tulsa, South Florida, and SMU. And they close the season with East Carolina. That's a weak schedule, no matter how you look at it.

Yes, they beat #9 Notre Dame, but then Stanford (3-8) beat #3 Oregon.

Bottom line: I don't see how a team with Cincy's schedule--especially when combined with the eye test--could possibly be considered a top 4 team, a team worthy of the CFP. But that's just my opinion.
I’ll play Devil’s Advocate. How do you you know they are not one of the top 4 teams? Despite their schedule, and despite not being in a P5 conference, how do you know they are not one of the 4 best teams in the country?

I don’t personally subscribe to the belief that, unless you are one of the “big boys” you can’t possibly be as good.
 
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I hope they get in. They'll likely get completely destroyed and hopefully that will be the end of any G5 teams deserving to be in the CFP nonsense.
 
I hope they get in. They'll likely get completely destroyed and hopefully that will be the end of any G5 teams deserving to be in the CFP nonsense.
Except by that reasoning they would have stopped considering the Big Ten for the CFP after 2016.
 
But if you put the 9 P5 teams that Notre Dame has played into one conference or division, it would be the weakest in P5.
You're just making things up now. N.D.'s SOS has been superior to every single ACC, Big 12 and Pac-12 team, with the exception of a few services showing Clemson, IA St and Texas to be slightly higher.
 
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