Welcome to Four Down Territory.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. Let’s call a spade a spade.
Florida State got screwed. It is what it is. Now, I’ll get to my thoughts on who should be in but I have to address this first.
You start the season with a neutral site win against an LSU team we would later find out is led by a Heisman finalist on the team. I’d say Jayden Daniels probably has a good chance to win it. He's my pick to win the award.
Anyway, Florida State dominated that LSU team to start the season. So, it beat a team that would finish No. 13 in the country, which also happens to be a non-conference win.
Remember, everyone was up and arms about Texas scheduling a non-conference game against Alabama.
“ThE gaMes hAvE tO mEaN sOmeThiNg,” everyone (including myself) around the nation said on behalf of Texas.
I agree, though. The games do have to mean something. If you play the high-risk, high-reward game of booking a non-conference opponent, that must be factored in.
But it has to apply across the board.
We've seen Alabama schedule cupcakes for years. Now, the Crimson Tide lose to a tough non-conference opponent and Florida State defeats a tough non-conference opponent and Alabama gets in over them? That's tough. That’s suspect for sure.
The Seminoles won all of their games and the ACC title. In what sport, do you win a major conference title and go undefeated and not be in the playoffs?
What does this do for big-time non-conference games? What's the difference between beating LSU and Sacramento State Community College? The committee just told everyone that it doesn't matter as much as you thought it did. So, I expect to see a lot of teams stray away from tough non-conference games. Apparently, the risk is higher than the reward 一 even if you win the game.
I will say that Florida State helped the College Football Playoff committee by barely beating Louisville in the ACC title game. How was Louisville ever a top-10 team?
That offense is brutal.
Nonetheless, it was a top team playing in the conference title game and Florida State won. It should be in the playoffs.
Now, I know the CFP has a provision about star players not being able to play can help sway votes, but to me, that's as close as they will get to saying this is all for entertainment.
For years, we've been under the impression that if you play in a Power 5 conference, win the conference title and go undefeated your spot is almost guaranteed because usually the fifth-ranked team is someone who lost one of the conference championships or that fifth conference champion has already notched a loss or two.
Apparently, losing a star player is more important than all of that.
Jordan Travis being hurt does make a huge difference. The backup quarterback being hurt and not playing in the conference title game makes a difference. Yet, the Seminoles still won a conference title with a third-string true freshman quarterback.
Injuries happen. If a team finishes the season how Florida State did with an undefeated season, you have to reward that.
Plus, there’s precedence for starting quarterbacks being out and the team winning the national championship (Ohio State in 2014).
It’s a bad look for the committee. We've known all along the CFP was about money and television. However, for 10 years there's been this guise that it's about winning titles. It is a little. When there are four or five teams who have a chance at the title, not six or seven.
I'm personally excited for the 12-team playoff, but at the same time, I realize the problems the CFP has now will only get worse.
So, I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. Let’s call a spade a spade.
Florida State got screwed. It is what it is. Now, I’ll get to my thoughts on who should be in but I have to address this first.
You start the season with a neutral site win against an LSU team we would later find out is led by a Heisman finalist on the team. I’d say Jayden Daniels probably has a good chance to win it. He's my pick to win the award.
Anyway, Florida State dominated that LSU team to start the season. So, it beat a team that would finish No. 13 in the country, which also happens to be a non-conference win.
Remember, everyone was up and arms about Texas scheduling a non-conference game against Alabama.
“ThE gaMes hAvE tO mEaN sOmeThiNg,” everyone (including myself) around the nation said on behalf of Texas.
I agree, though. The games do have to mean something. If you play the high-risk, high-reward game of booking a non-conference opponent, that must be factored in.
But it has to apply across the board.
We've seen Alabama schedule cupcakes for years. Now, the Crimson Tide lose to a tough non-conference opponent and Florida State defeats a tough non-conference opponent and Alabama gets in over them? That's tough. That’s suspect for sure.
The Seminoles won all of their games and the ACC title. In what sport, do you win a major conference title and go undefeated and not be in the playoffs?
What does this do for big-time non-conference games? What's the difference between beating LSU and Sacramento State Community College? The committee just told everyone that it doesn't matter as much as you thought it did. So, I expect to see a lot of teams stray away from tough non-conference games. Apparently, the risk is higher than the reward 一 even if you win the game.
I will say that Florida State helped the College Football Playoff committee by barely beating Louisville in the ACC title game. How was Louisville ever a top-10 team?
That offense is brutal.
Nonetheless, it was a top team playing in the conference title game and Florida State won. It should be in the playoffs.
Now, I know the CFP has a provision about star players not being able to play can help sway votes, but to me, that's as close as they will get to saying this is all for entertainment.
For years, we've been under the impression that if you play in a Power 5 conference, win the conference title and go undefeated your spot is almost guaranteed because usually the fifth-ranked team is someone who lost one of the conference championships or that fifth conference champion has already notched a loss or two.
Apparently, losing a star player is more important than all of that.
Jordan Travis being hurt does make a huge difference. The backup quarterback being hurt and not playing in the conference title game makes a difference. Yet, the Seminoles still won a conference title with a third-string true freshman quarterback.
Injuries happen. If a team finishes the season how Florida State did with an undefeated season, you have to reward that.
Plus, there’s precedence for starting quarterbacks being out and the team winning the national championship (Ohio State in 2014).
It’s a bad look for the committee. We've known all along the CFP was about money and television. However, for 10 years there's been this guise that it's about winning titles. It is a little. When there are four or five teams who have a chance at the title, not six or seven.
I'm personally excited for the 12-team playoff, but at the same time, I realize the problems the CFP has now will only get worse.
