If There Had Been a 4-Team Playoff in 1985.............

[Ripcord280]

I believe I have it correct that Iowa, Miami, and Oklahoma all ended the regular season 10-1, with Penn State 11-0.

So, not sure who would have been the 2, 3, and 4 seeds among the three 10-1 teams, but how do you guys (and gals) think it would have played out?

If at all possible, I would ask that we do not let this thread revolve into a debate on whether a certain unnamed Iowa running back was playing on the up-and-up, as that subjec has its own threads. but just curious what everybody thinks. I think that we would have had to have beaten two pretty darn good teams to win it all, which we probably would not have been able to do, but you just never know.

 

[Hwkfn1]

I think it would've been seeded as follows: PSU-#1, Oklahoma # 2, Miami- #3, Iowa #4.

Iowa could have beaten PSU, but would have struggled to beaten Miami or Oklahoma. Miami with its speed and Oklahoma with it's rushing attack. That Iowa defense struggled against the run in 1985.

 

[VodkaSam]

I think it would've been seeded as follows: PSU-#1, Oklahoma # 2, Miami- #3, Iowa #4.

Iowa could have beaten PSU, but would have struggled to beaten Miami or Oklahoma. Miami with its speed and Oklahoma with it's rushing attack. That Iowa defense struggled against the run in 1985.

Not if our star running back has a repeat performance and fumbles four times in crucial situations

 

[NI hawk]

The Sporting News magazine had a photo of four college football helmets on its cover. Caption said who will be number one! Hawks were one of the four. Still have this Sporting News somewhere.

 

[icwesthawk]

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

I'll do both.

1985 4-team CFP:

1 Penn State (11-0, Ind) vs 4 Iowa (10-1, B10), at Rose Bowl

2 Miami (10-1, Ind) vs 3 Oklahoma (10-1, B8), at Sugar Bowl

National Championship Game, at Orange Bowl


12-team CFP:

9 Texas A&M (9-2, SWC) at 8 BYU (11-2, WAC)
-winner faces 1 Penn State (11-0, Ind), at Fiesta Bowl

12 UCLA (8-2-1, Pac 10**) at 5 Michigan (9-1-1, B10**)
-winner faces 4 Iowa (10-1, B10), at Holiday Bowl

11 LSU (8-1-1, SEC**) at 6 Nebraska (9-2, Big 8**)
-winner faces 3 Oklahoma (10-1, Big 8), at Cotton Bowl

10 Air Force (11-1, WAC**) at 7 Tennessee (8-1-2, SEC)
-winner faces 2 Miami (10-1, Ind), Citrus Bowl

(**)- At Large

CFP National Semifinals-
Rose Bowl/Sugar Bowl

CFP National Championship-
Orange Bowl

 

[Kinnick.At.Night]

Iowa had a real shot at the NC that season. In the old format. It just had to rain in Columbus though. And everyone knows about that Rose Bowl. In a playoff, I think they could have beaten PSU, but they’d have been hard pressed to beat Miami.

 

[hawkeye54545]

Imagine how much more money Harmon could have made throwing a game in a playoff instead of just a bowl.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

Imagine how much more money Harmon could have made throwing a game in a playoff instead of just a bowl.

But with NIL, would he have thrown the game?

 

[pistachio1999]

40 years ago now. Whoa.

 

[pistachio1999]

But with NIL, would he have thrown the game?

Magic 8 Ball says YES!

 

[kceasthawk]

I think it would've been seeded as follows: PSU-#1, Oklahoma # 2, Miami- #3, Iowa #4.

Iowa could have beaten PSU, but would have struggled to beaten Miami or Oklahoma. Miami with its speed and Oklahoma with it's rushing attack. That Iowa defense struggled against the run in 1985.

Really. We slowed down Michigan in the #1 vs #2 battle in Kinnick and they were one of the top rushing teams in football. We also had the consensus 1st team AA Mike LB in college football (Larry "the train" Station). Hard to be believe we were that bad against the run.....

 

[HawksRule73]

Really. We slowed down Michigan in the #1 vs #2 battle in Kinnick and they were one of the top rushing teams in football. We also had the consensus 1st team AA Mike LB in college football (Larry "the train" Station). Hard to be believe we were that bad against the run.....

We were money against the run for the most part that year. Our issue then, same as now, was depth. Starters could match anyone’s, but 2’s and 3’s were developmental. Station hurt his back towards the end of that year and never recovered, which is one reason Ball ran for a million yards.