Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12: Chalk for Now…

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 10.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (10-0) Last Week: #1

Watching Alabama play this year is like watching Mike Tyson in the early years. If you tune in 5 minutes late, you will miss the knockout. They were up 14 zero on Mississippi State before you could blink. Alabama did see the best defense they have seen all season. Tua Tagoviloa only finished with 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. And the offense struggled to put points on the board. Even though this was Alabama’s most competitive game of the season, it still wasn’t close. Their defense has not allowed a single point in consecutive weeks. Very impressive.

As long as Alabama doesn’t look past Auburn and Georgia, they will cruise to the SEC championship and College Football Playoff.

2. Clemson (10-0) Last Week: #2

There are so many similarities between the #1 and #2 teams. The Clemson defense matched Alabama’s defense this week. They pitched a shutout. The only points they allowed were on a punt return. Alabama gave up a touchdown this week as well, but a phantom penalty called it back. The Tigers defense has locked it down for the last month, while their offense has been steady and high powered. Clemson’s true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence is growing up fast, but his play will be the difference between a trip to the College Football Playoff and a National Championship.

It feels like Clemson and Bama are on a collision course for the national championship.

3. Notre Dame (10-0) Last Week: #3

Any doubt Notre Dame had coming into the game without their starting quarterback Ian Book was quickly forgotten. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a commanding 32-6 halftime lead. It was a 26 point lead, but it felt like 100 points. Brandon Winbush had a couple of interceptions in the 3rd quarter.  It is clear that Notre Dame Book back in the lineup if they hope to beat Syracuse and USC to finish the season undefeated.

Chaos always happens in the rankings in November. Notre Dame will be looking to make sure they are not the victims who miss out on a top-four spot.

4. Michigan (9-1) Last Week: #4

Michigan’s offense is not explosive, but they are efficient. They lean on the defense, don’t make mistakes, and don’t turn the ball over. Then you look up and realize they scored 42 points. And the Wolverines defense is like a boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze the offense until they break and turn the ball over. The #1 defense in college football has only gotten better since their week one loss to Notre Dame. This is an impressive football team.

I’m hesitant to pick Michigan to make the final top four because they have a huge mental hurdle to overcome in two weeks named Ohio State. It does look like the stars are aligning for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan faithful.

5. Oklahoma (9-1) Last Week: #5

I am still bullish on the Sooners and their offensive prowess. I am also terrified by their defense. This defense hasn’t been much better since they fired Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. However, the stats and dominance show that Oklahoma’s offense is even more unstoppable than Alabama’s. And that is saying a lot. They put up an eye-popping 702 yards against Oklahoma State. Kyler Murray is the only player that may give Tua Tagoviloa a run for his money for the Heisman trophy.

The Sooners have only been held under 37 points once this season. And that was against Army who had the ball for literally three-quarters of the game.

If you answered 0-20, it only shows your bias. There is not a team in college football that could keep the Sooners under 20 points. I’m not saying they would beat Bama, but damnit their offense will make it competitive.

6. Georgia (9-1) Last Week: 7

The cream has risen to the top in the SEC. Georgia is playing so well right now that there is a lot of “what if Georgia beats Alabama” talk starting. The Bulldogs are dominant running the ball. They have rushed for over 300 yards in back to back weeks. Kirby Smart and the crew have smartly gone all-in on pounding the football. They likely would never have lost to LSU if they had kept running the football. As long as Georgia can run the ball at that pace and isn’t turning the ball over, they cannot be beaten.

If the Bulldogs have an Achilles heel, it is the passing game. If their running game gets slowed can Jake Fromm have 300+ three-touchdown performance to win the game?

7. Washington State (9-1) Last Week: 7

Washington State needed a dominant win after playing a close game against Cal last week. They easily disposed of Colorado on the road. Gardener Minshew has to be on target to take home some postseason hardware for the best passer in college football. He was below his season average, but nobody can complain about 335 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. By the metrics, the committee uses it seems unlikely the Cougars will make the playoffs. But, if a few things break their way, don’t be surprised if they slide in the back door.

8. West Virginia (8-1) Last Week: #8

The Mountaineers dominated TCU in every way possible. West Virginia had two rough weeks in the middle of the season, but it fair to say they are peaking at the right time. Will Grier had another performance that validates his 1st round draft pick hype. He finished with 343 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Big 12 is often criticized for not playing defense because their offenses are so explosive. However, this West Virginia team has allowed 17 points or less in five of their nine games.

If the Mountaineers do win the Big 12, I wonder if the committee will hold the fact that they will have one less win than everyone else against them (NC State game canceled due to hurricane).

9. Central Florida (9-0) Last Week: #9

Last week I said Central Florida had played too many close games against inferior competition to warrant significant #CFBPlayoff consideration. They took that criticism and put up a good performance against Navy. Ultimately the Knights will not make the playoffs. But I do believe missing out two years in a row will create enough momentum for the Group of Five schools to take action and put themselves in a better position to make the playoffs.

10. Ohio State (9-1) Last Week: #10

Another uninspiring victory by the Buckeyes. Michigan State has a tough defense, but Ohio State’s offense continued to struggle. They only converted 33% on 3rd down, and only averaged 2.7 yards per rush. And the Buckeyes only managed two offensive touchdowns. All of these struggles will be erased if they take care of business against Maryland and win the big one against Michigan.

Ohio State is a team that was projected to make the playoffs until about a month ago. They will need some better performances to propel them up the rankings.  If it comes down to the Buckeyes and another one-loss team like Oklahoma they may be on the outs unless something changes.

Next Up:

LSU– (a two-loss team that didn’t score a point against Bama and struggled to put Arkansas away)

Syracuse, NC State, Florida, Texas

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11: No Margin for Error

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 10.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (9-0) Last Week: #2

Alabama is the class of the SEC and College Football. After week 10 I believe we can all agree that Bama is a juggernaut and the rest of the SEC is just like every other conference. Anyone can get beat on any given Saturday (with Clemson as the exception).

Alabama heard all the people saying they would to lose to LSU and told them to have a seat and be quiet. The Crimson Tide’s schedule has been extremely light this season. Playing tougher teams multiple weeks in a week out does fatigue a team mentally and physically. And Alabama has not experienced that, but I’m not sure it would have mattered who they played this season.

It feels like a foregone conclusion that the Crimson Tide will win the National Championship, but remember the New England Patriots looked unbeatable at 18-0, then proceeded to lose the Super Bowl. So, you never know.

2. Clemson (9-0) Last Week: #1

This is the time of year that teams jockeying for playoff seeding are trying to make statements. Clemson clearly made a statement by unmercifully beating Florida State, NC State, and Louisville over the last three weeks.

Dabo Swinney made the correct move when he made Trevor Lawrence the starting quarterback. The Clemson offense has been more dynamic and consistent since then. Winning the ACC is a foregone conclusion for the Tigers. Gearing up for what feels like an inevitable matchup with Alabama for the title has to be priority number one.

3. Notre Dame (9-0) Last Week: #3

If Notre Dame wins their last three games, there is NO chance they get left out of the playoffs. Oklahoma, Michigan, Washington State, West Virginia, Ohio State, and Georgia all have to be rooting for the Fighting Irish to drop a game. Ian Book continues his solid play and feels like the new prototype college quarterback. He is a terrific passer, but also adds a lot of value extending playing and picking up first downs with his legs.

In an interview on College Football GameDay head coach, Brian Kelly was already talking about the playoffs and a potential rematch with Alabama. I have to wonder if Kelly and his team could be looking past games against Florida State, Syracuse, and USC.

4. Michigan (8-1) Last Week: #6

I officially believe in Michigan. The Wolverines did horrible things to Penn State. Their defense is smothering, and unquestionably the #1 defense in the nation. This defense could absolutely slow Alabama’s offense down. The only question is will their offense be able to produce against Bama’s notoriously stingy defense.

The “eye test” tells me that Michigan is a better team than Notre Dame, at this point. However, the fact that Notre Dame beat Michigan week one cannot be ignored. If it came down to the last playoff spot could anyone in good conscience put Michigan over an undefeated Notre Dame?

5. Oklahoma (8-1) Last Week: #5

We have learned two things about Oklahoma this season. Their offense is unstoppable, and their defense can’t stop nosebleed most times. Unless the Sooners lose another game, they will 100% be in the top four of the CFB Playoffs. Chaos always ensues in November and the Sooners will be the beneficiary. It will be interesting to see if a team like Michigan or Alabama who is so good defensively can stop the most potent offense in college football.

Kyler Murray has to be a Heisman Finalist and could possibly win the award if he has more heroics over the last month of the season. Oklahoma is what Washington State would be with 4-5* athletes all over the place, except Washington State plays better defense.

6. Georgia (8-1) Last Week: 7

We have to give Georgia credit for wins against Florida and Kentucky though neither team is nearly as good as the hype that surrounded them. The Bulldogs are in a tight spot when it comes to making the College Football Playoffs. They already have one loss and have to play Alabama in the SEC championship. Anything but a win will keep them out of the top 4, but a New Years Six bowl is surely in Georgia’s favor.

The Bulldogs only need to guard against a let down versus Auburn or Georgia Tech over the next three weeks.

7. Washington State (8-1) Last Week: 9

Something special is brewing in Pullman, Washington. Mike Leach has turned one of the worst college football teams into a playoff contender. No one expected their success after they lost their starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski to suicide during the offseason. However, graduate transfer Gardener Minshew II has shown up and thrown for nearly 400 yards per game.

If one of nations top defenses cannot stop the Cougars, they should be able to finish their Pac-12 schedule unscathed.

8. West Virginia (7-1) Last Week: #NR

It seems Will Grier and the Mountaineers are peeks at the right time. They had ugly games against Kansas and Iowa State in the middle of the season, but have bounced back nicely. We appear to be headed for an Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Big 12 championship game. Dana Holgorsen has his opportunity to deliver on the expectations of West Virginia fans if he can get 3 more wins out of his team.

Just like every other Big 12 team, the only question about this team is their defense. Can they get enough stops against teams that want to run the football to win in the playoffs?

9. Central Florida (8-0) Last Week: #8

Central Florida is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football. They do good things but get no respect. The Knights have won 21 straight football games going back to last season, but have no hope of making the top four. Their schedule has not been good, but until last week had been better than Alabama and other teams in the top 12.

Central Florida is not doing themselves any favors by playing close games against Memphis and Temple. Neither of those teams is as bad as some of the cupcakes on other top 10 teams’ schedule. However, the other teams in the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 have been dominating their inferior competition.

10. Ohio State (8-1) Last Week: #10

The Buckeyes are sitting at 8-1, but they do not look good right now. They have struggled both offensively and defensively in three consecutive weeks against Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraska. There is no lack of talent with this team, so their play of late has to be concerning for Ohio State fans. A one-loss Big Ten champion will likely end up in the College Football Playoffs, so there is still time for the Buckeyes to pull it together. Michigan is hot right now, and the last thing Ohio State wants is to be playing poorly heading into their most crucial game of the season.

Next Up:

LSU, Texas,

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10: New Sheriff in Town

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10

Chaos Showed Up: Eleven of the top 25 teams lost in week 9.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 9.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1. Clemson (8-0) Last Week: #2

Clemson is at #1 because they deserve to be. I know everyone expects to see Alabama at #1 because of their dominance, but they haven’t played anybody yet. Clemson has played a tougher schedule than Alabama but has been equally as dominant in the last two weeks.

Dabo Swinney has his defense peaking at the right time. They followed up a fantastic performance against NC State with a more dominant performance against Florida State.  You could get arrested in multiple states for what Clemson did to Florida State. Their young quarterback Trevor Lawrence has full command of their offense and their defensive performance now matches the hype.

Clemson should breeze to the CFB Playoffs.

2.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

A week off doesn’t change the dominance that Alabama has displayed. The Crimson Tide have LSU, Mississippi State, and Auburn in three of the next four weeks. So they should get at least one close game in the next four weeks.

3. Notre Dame (8-0) Last Week: #3

After a forgettable offensive performance against Pittsburgh, the Fighting Irish showed up big against Navy. They got good performances from their quarterback Ian Book, and lead back Dexter Williams. Notre Dame will need dominant performances in their last four weeks to ensure they make the top 4.

4. LSU (7-1) Last Week: #4

This week Ed Orgeron has his biggest game since becoming the head coach at LSU. The Crimson Tide rolls into town. The Tigers are on the short list of teams that could knock off Alabama. LSU has already played in big games against Miami, Auburn, and Georgia. Joe Burrow is battle tested at quarterback and shouldn’t be fazed by the moment. LSU’s defense is stout and should be able to hold their own against Alabama. If they beat Alabama, the entire college football landscape will be turned upside down.

5. Oklahoma (7-1) Last Week: #6

The domination is back. The best offense in college football put up another 50 point performance against Kansas State. As long as the Sooners can play a reasonable amount of defense they can score on anybody. The best move Lincoln Riley has made this season is was replacing Stoops as defensive coordinator.

A lot of people are sleeping on the Sooners because they lost a game. However, this team can compete with anyone.

6. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #8

After getting a huge road win at Michigan State, the Wolverines got a much-needed BYE week. There is no question that the Michigan defense is one of the three best in the nation. The only questions surrounding this team are on the offensive side of the ball. Can the Wolverines score enough point to beat Penn State this week, and Ohio State in the regular season finale?

Jim Harbaugh has a chance to get his team to the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoffs.

7. Georgia (7-1) Last Week: NR

Georgia finally got a quality win. We have known they were a talented team, but they hadn’t earned a ranking in the College Football Top 10 Rankings. There was a major difference in how Jake Fromm played without looking over his shoulder wondering if Justin Fields is coming in to replace him. The Bulldogs committed to running the football against Florida, and it paid off.

Kentucky and Auburn should provide enough competition over the next two weeks to have Georgia ready for the SEC championship.

8. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #9

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season and have earned their spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10. The committee will have a tough task keeping UCF out of the top four if everyone around them continues to lose. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs after two consecutive undefeated seasons. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

9. Washington State (7-1) Last Week: NR

If you haven’t heard of Gardener Minshew, you should Google him. He is the graduate transfer quarterback for Washington State. Minshew is throwing for nearly 400 yards per game while completing an extremely high percentage of his passes. The Cougars defense is stout as well. A lot of people around the nation aren’t giving Washington State the credit they deserve. However, if the Cougars finish 12-1 with a Pac-12 championship there is an outside chance they could make the playoffs.

Washington State has something special going on this season.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #10

The last two weeks against Minnesota and Purdue exposed some glaring weaknesses in Ohio State’s game. Urban Meyer should have spent their off week finding ways to turn all those yards into points, and sure up their defense. A birth in the College Football Playoffs is still within their grasp, but they must finish the season unblemished.

Next Up:

Penn State, Kentucky, West Virginia

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9: Chaos is Coming

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9

Chaos is Coming

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 8.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

The Crimson Tide ran through Tennesse like they were a JV team. Tua Tagoviloa finished the game healthy after a scare last week. Alabama fans know they cannot be beaten if Tua is healthy. The truth is Bama has not played any real competition, and their resume suggests they should not be #1. However, their dominance has been unprecedented.

The thing that makes the Crimson Tide so impressive is how fast they play on both sides of the ball. Every player knows their assignment and executes in a hurry. There is never any second-guessing.

They are off next week, and then finally get to a real game in week 10! Smh.

2. Clemson (7-0) Last Week: #4

Clemson has their best game of the year against undefeated NC State. Their defense finally displayed the dominance we all expected preseason. They Trevor Lawrence had another solid performance. The Tigers defense turned a trap game and a top NFL quarterback draft prospect into lunch meat. The ACC runs through Clemson at this point. They can’t go to sleep next week as they head to Tallahassee to play Florida State.

3. Notre Dame (7-0) Last Week: #3

Notre Dame was on a BYE this week. They better be prepared for NAVY next Saturday. Triple option teams are always tricky matchups. Brian Kelly is only five wins away from securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs. However, they cannot have another performance like against Pitt, or they may not be lucky enough to survive.

4. LSU (7-1) Last Week: #7

LSU handled their business against Mississippi State. The Tigers offense is still not as explosive as it will need to be to give Alabama some competition in a couple of weeks. Their defense continues to have dominant performances each week. LSU is the most battle-tested team in the country. I double dog dare anybody to try and say Coach ‘O’ is not the right man to lead the Tigers. He has knocked off Miami, Auburn, and Georgia, so far this year. So technically he does have three top 10 wins. The fact is that Miami and Auburn (lost to Tennessee) were ranked WAY too high in the preseason and neither is currently ranked.

If Joe Burrow and the Tigers offense continue to improve, Bama better watch out.

5. Texas (6-1) Last Week: #5

The Longhorns fans have to be saying prayers every night for Sam Ehlinger’s shoulder to be healed. His legs and improved passing have been the difference in Texas starting the season 6-1 instead of 3-4. Texas will be hard pressed to finish the season 11-1 heading into the Big XII championship game if Ehlinger misses extended time. The Longhorns will need all hands on deck if they want to escape Stillwater with a win against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

6. Oklahoma (6-1) Last Week: #NR

Oklahoma has the best offense in the country. Yes, they are better than Alabama. Their offense is more explosive and dynamic with Kyler Murray at quarterback than last year with Baker Mayfield. The only concern surrounding the Sooners is their defense. They played much better against TCU without Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. Oklahoma’s offense is so good that if the defense can keep everybody under 30 points, they will cruise to the playoffs. I hope we get to see the Alabama defense try and stop this offense in the Playoffs.

7. Florida (6-1) Last Week: #6

Florida had a BYE week and is preparing for their most important game in at least 4-5 years. Dan Mullens is preparing to take his team to Jacksonville, Florida for the “Biggest cocktail party in the world” to play Georgia. This is going to be a must win for both teams. The loser will undoubtedly be eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration. Feleipe Franks will need to have his most efficient game thrown the ball if the Gators are going to put the Bulldogs down.

8. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #9

The Michigan game against Michigan State was painful to watch. There is no doubt Michigan’s defense is dominant and one of the top in the country. However, the offense leaves a lot to be desired at times. Jim Harbaugh’s offense seems to get ultra conservative in big games. I have no Idea why he likes to play a plodding style of offense instead of opening things up. Michigan’s roster is littered with top recruits who are potentially explosive playmakers that go unused. The Wolverines will need better offensive performances against Penn State and Ohio State to get wins.

9. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #10

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season and have earned their spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9. Much to the chagrin of the CFB Playoff committee, UCF beat East Carolina badly in week 8. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs two years in a row undefeated. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #2

Dwayne Haskins threw for 470 yards and two touchdowns, but the Buckeyes offense only managed 20 points. Ohio State’s offense has struggled running the football in back to back weeks against Minnesota and Purdue. The Buckeyes are one of the most athletic, dynamic, and talented teams in the nation. I wonder if Ohio State started to read it’s own press clippings and lost focus against Purdue. Maybe this piece of 49-20 humble pie will keep the Buckeyes energized for the rest of the season.

I believe Ohio State will bounce back unless Urban Meyers’ “memory loss” has finally started to affect his coaching.

Next Up:

Iowa, Georgia (needs a quality win), Washington State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas Tech

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8: Big Shake Ups

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8

Week 7 was the Best

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.  For weeks I had been criticized for ranking Georgia, Penn State, and West Virginia too low. Week 7 proved me right.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 7.

1.  Alabama (7-0) Last Week: #1

Alabama destroyed Missouri but suffered a casualty. Tua Tagoviloa left the game with an aggravation to his sprained knee. Nick Saban said he could have returned to the game if needed. The truth is that if Tagoviloa is not healthy Alabama goes from unstoppable offensively to mortal. Their defense is still the most dominant in all the land. This team feels a lot like the Patriots team that went 18-0. Will they have a different ending than losing in the championship?

2. Ohio State (7-0) Last Week: #3

The Ohio State moved up a spot this week. They had a dominant performance against Minnesota. The Buckeyes defense has made a living shutting teams down in the second half of games. Dwayne Haskins had another 400 yard three touchdown day. Their receivers Hill and Campbell can score every time they touch the football. Only Oklahoma has a more dynamic receiving corps. I can’t wait to see the Buckeyes play Michigan.

3. Notre Dame (7-0) Last Week: #2

Yuck. What an ugly win against Pitt. Ian Book had his first real struggles as starting quarterback for the Fighting Irish. But, he found a way to make enough plays to win. The Notre Dame defense has not failed them at all this year. They will need their best defensive effort in two weeks against Navy. I am still not fully buying into the idea that Notre Dame won’t have a let down this year. But, they have earned a seat in the College Football Playoffs at this point.

4. Clemson (6-0) Last Week: #4

Clemson had a BYE this week. They get a tough NC State team next weekend.

5. Texas (6-1) Last Week: #5

Texas will not let up. The Longhorns won with defense against Baylor. Their offense didn’t score a point after halftime, but they held on for the win. Texas fans should be concerned going forward. They lost quarterback Sam Ehlinger to a shoulder sprain, and who knows if he will miss time. Their offense is completely different without the threat of Ehlinger running the football. Next week Texas gets a much-needed BYE.

6. Florida (6-1) Last Week: #9

The Gators survived a scare from Vanderbilt. Florida’s offense is still less than impressive, but their defense is fast and physical. They will need to get more from Feleipe Franks passing the football for Florida to turn a good start to the season into an SEC East championship. Their win over LSU looks much better this week. Will they be able to beat Georgia in two weeks?

7. LSU (6-1) Last Week: #NR

We have to give Coach O credit. He has knocked off Miami, Auburn, and Georgia so far this year, so technically he does have three top 10 wins. The fact is that Miami and Auburn (lost to Tennessee) were ranked WAY too high in the preseason and neither will be ranked in week 8. Georgia was completely untested, and the Unafraid Show top 10 were the only place that didn’t have the Bulldogs in the top 5.  LSU is battle tested. Joe Burrow and the offense are complementing a stout defense. If the Tigers continue to improve, Bama better watch out.

8. Oregon (5-1) Last Week: #NR

The Ducks are back, and the Ducks are for real. They got an overtime win against their most bitter rival Washington. You haven’t seen Oregon play a physical brand of football like 2018 in a long time. The defense is tough and disciplined. The offensive line had controlled the line of scrimmage in all their games. Their quarterback Justin Herbert is as good as advertised. They have a trap game coming up this week at Washington State.

9. Michigan (6-1) Last Week: #NR

The Wolverines finally got a quality win. They took Wisconsin behind the woodshed and did some terrible things to them. I am starting to believe that this could be the year Michigan wins the Big Ten. Shea Patterson has breathed life into Jim Harbaugh’s offense.  If they can avoid stumbling against Michigan State or Penn State, the winner of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game will make the College Football Playoffs.

10. Central Florida (6-0) Last Week: #9

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season. Much to the chagrin of the CFB Playoff committee, UCF escaped Memphis in week 8. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs two years in a row undefeated. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

Next Up:

Oklahoma, Georgia, Washington, NC State

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7: Party Crashers

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7

College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die! That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 6.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games have played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

1.  Alabama (6-0) Last Week: #1

Tua Tagoviloa still has not attempted a 4th quarter pass this season. He was 10/11 for 334 yards and four touchdowns before halftime against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defense was dominant as well. I cannot pretend I am extremely impressed by this win because North Texas beat Arkansas 44-17, so an Alabama destruction was a foregone conclusion. This team has been impressively dominant, but they haven’t played anyone. I wonder if the student section will show up next week vs. Missouri.

2. Notre Dame (6-0) Last Week: #2

At this point, Notre Dame has earned the #2 ranking.  The Fighting Irish have quality wins over Michigan, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. In each of those games, Notre Dame was in control of the entire game and was never in any real danger of losing a game. Since moving Ian Book into the starting lineup, the Irish have an explosive offense that can complement their dominant defense.

3. Ohio State (6-0) Last Week: #4

Dwayne Haskins and the Buckeyes offense were back to putting up insane passing numbers against Indiana. He finished with 455 yards passing and six touchdowns. Ohio State will breeze through the next month until they close out the season against Maryland and Michigan. Unless the Buckeyes show up with their C-game, I’m not sure how this team doesn’t finish undefeated.

4. Clemson (6-0) Last Week: # 6

Clemson apparently did not like everyone questioning how good they are. They took a potential “trap game” against Wake Forest and turned it into a public whipping. Their defense finally played at the level they are capable. They held Wake Forest to three points and only allowed 74 passing yards. The Tigers can beat anybody (including Bama) if they continue to bring their A-game defensively, and Trevor Lawrence stays healthy.

5. Texas (5-1) Last Week: # NR

It is OFFICIAL. Texas is back. And “Dicker the Kicker” is the best nickname in college football history. Tom Herman’s team dominated Oklahoma through 3 quarters but ultimately held on for a 48-45 victory in the Red River Showdown. Sam Ehlinger has improved his passing and decision making so much that Texas is now a College Football Playoff Contender. The Longhorns defense has played well all year and did as good of a job as anyone can do against Oklahoma. Texas has quality wins over TCU, USC, and Oklahoma this year.

6. Georgia (6-0) Last Week: #8

Many Georgia fans want Kirby Smart to replace starting quarterback Jake Fromm with true freshman Justin Fields. Against Vanderbilt Fromm proved that he would not be relinquishing his spot without a fight. Finally, the time has come for Georgia to play some good football teams. Over the next four games, they get LSU, Florida, Kentucky, and Auburn. If they win out, they could shoot all the way up to the #1 spot in the Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings.

7. Washington (5-1) Last Week: #7

Washington continues to win football games. I am extremely concerned about how this team faired against UCLA. The Huskies may have looked past UCLA to next week’s date at Oregon. However, their usually very stout defense was porous against the Bruins. Jake Browning’s steady play at quarterback has made Washington tough to beat. He rarely makes mistakes, and give his team a chance to win every game, but won’t be a superhero. Browning is the Alex Smith of college quarterbacks.

8. West Virginia (5-0) Last Week: #10

I like Dana Holgorsen’s football team. But, I did not like seeing Will Grier, and the Mountaineers struggled mightily against Kansas. The offense moved the ball well, but Grier proceeded to throw three red zone interceptions. Despite a bunch of offensive turnovers, the defense locked it down and allowed West Virginia to pull away in the 4th quarter. It will make or break time when Texas comes knocking in a few weeks.

9. Central Florida (5-0) Last Week: #NR

The analyst and experts want to ignore UCF. They are hoping UCF will lose a game so they can be ignored. Going back to last season the Knights have won 19 straight games. Last year UCF proved they could hang with the big boys when they beat Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl. So, if the Knights go undefeated again and are left out of the College Football Playoffs outrage will ensue. Their dominance has earned them a spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7. They have won every game by at least 28 points.

10. Florida (5-1) Last Week: #NR

Dan Mullen has restored the Florida program to relevance. But, he hasn’t fully corrected the offensive struggles that have plagued the Gators for the last four seasons. It took a pick six at the end of the game to pull off the upset against LSU. They will need to find some offensive prowess before the Florida Georgia game to pull off a victory. That game will be for all the marbles in the SEC East. The winner will coast to the SEC championship game.

Next Up:

Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6: Crushing the Competition

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6

Best weekend of college football this year.

There were multiple quality games and near upsets on at every time slot. College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die! That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 5.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  How else can you explain Georgia at #2 when they haven’t played anyone, or Wisconsin ranking above Cal and BYU before this week? I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games that have been played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change every week as more games are played.

1.  Alabama (5-0)

Alabama won a game with their starting quarterback Tua Tagoviloa only attempting 8 passes. I know it was only Louisianna, but that is still impressive. Teams typically move down in the College Football Top 10 Rankings when their schedule is not particularly impressive. But, Alabama combats their schedule with an unmatched dominance. It will be interesting to see how the 2018 Crimson Tide respond when someone puts up a fight. We may have to wait till November when they get LSU and Auburn.

2. Notre Dame (5-0)

A quarterback change has taken Notre Dame from a really good football team to a playoff contender. Brandon Wimbush could only beat you with his legs. Ian Book can beat you with arm and legs. Against Stanford, he regularly extended plays and escaped sacks to complete passes for 3rd down conversions. The Notre Dame defense is fast and extremely physical. This is not your typical Fighting Irish team that is overrated. Dominant wins over Michigan and Stanford make them an easy choice at #2 in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

3. LSU (5-0)

LSU keeps piling up wins. They didn’t beat Ole Miss as bad as Alabama did, but Joe Burrow and company still showed offensive dominance. Burrow threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and added another 92 yards and a touchdown on the ground. I cannot remember the last time LSU had a dynamic passer at quarterback who could also hurt you with his legs. I am salivating thinking about their matchup against Georgia in two weeks. They are one of the few SEC teams that have played a quality schedule so far.

4. Ohio State (5-0)

Penn State had the game in sewed up, but Ohio State pried a victory from the jaws of defeat. Dwyane Haskins stats looked good again, but the truth is in the film. The majority of his 270 pass yards came off screens to backs and wide receivers. The Ohio State vs. Penn State game felt a lot like the Stanford vs. Oregon game last week. The team who dominated and looked better lost the game. However, there are no moral victories in sports. The Buckeyes won, so they reap the rewards in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6.

5. Oklahoma (5-0)

Kyler Murray is the Black Doug Flutie. He is small, but he can play! He and Oklahoma bounced back from that narrow escape against Army with an offensive explosion. Murray finished with 432 yards passing and 8 total touchdowns (1rush) against Baylor. I truly believe Oklahoma’s offense is more explosive this year than last year with Baker Mayfield. Most people expect Murray to hang his cleats up and play in the MLB. Oklahoma has the best receiving corps in the country.  I would love to watch Alabama try and stop this offense.

6. Clemson (5-0)

The Tigers are breathing a sigh of relief. Kelly Bryant decides to transfer, and Trevor Lawrence gets hurt while they are down to Syracuse. All signs pointed to a loss for Clemson. But, Dabo Swinney cashed in all his good Karma from doing the right thing for Kelly Bryant, and they got the win. You are always rewarded in life for doing the right things. Every top team faces a couple of gut-check games each season, and this was one for Clemson.

This team is good, but they have not been nearly as dominant this season as I expected.

7. Washington (4-1)

The Huskies has the best defense in the nation not named Alabama. Washington has stepped up their game since their close week 1 loss to Auburn. This week the Huskies undressed BYU, who beat a highly regarded Wisconsin team. It was a dominant performance. Jake Browning is real close to shutting me up about his inconsistent play against good teams. Their matchup against Oregon in two weeks will be an epic showdown.

8. Georgia (5-0)

New week, weak opponent, Georgia Wins. Rinse. Repeat. Georgia has played no teams currently ranked in the top 25. Unless Georgia starts demonstrating some Alabama-like dominance, it will be tough to rank them as higher until they get to the heart of their schedule. Please don’t try to tell me the South Carolina game was a good game. They just got beat up by Kentucky. I believe the Bulldogs could be a playoff team, but they will need to get more production out of Fromm or Fields at quarterback.

9. Auburn (4-1)

It took Auburn all four quarters to put So. Miss away. They were only able to rush for 96 yards on 36 attempts. The win was extremely unimpressive. War Eagle needs to figure out how to get their running game on track, or they will get tripped up against Miss State, Ole Miss, or Texas A&M in the next month. The only way the Tigers make the College Football Playoffs is if they do so on the back of Jared Stidham.

10. West Virginia (4-0)

500 yards of total offense seems to be the norm for West Virginia in 2018. Will Grier will find himself a finalist for the Heisman if he keeps playing like this. We still don’t know a lot about the Mountaineers defense. Their schedule has been relatively light so far, but their dominance has them narrowly ahead of the teams Next Up. Dana Holgorsen has a shot to get West Virginia over the hump in the Big 12 this year.

Next Up:

Michigan, UCF, Texas, Oregon, Penn State

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

College Football Playoff: The Bullshit Edition!

 

The College Football Playoffs teams were announced this morning and the Top 4 are:
1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Alabama
As we see there is one ACC team (Clemson), one Big XII team (Oklahoma), and two SEC teams (Georgia, Alabama). This leaves the Pac-12 and Big 10 completely out of the playoffs. The ACC and SEC have a systematic advantage in the College Football Playoffs and we the fans are getting screwed. College Football Playoff Committee screwed up putting Alabama in the top 4. They’ve set college football back at least 10 years.
We will NEVER see schedules get better until the committee punishes teams that don’t win their conference and don’t play good non-conference games. As a college football fan, you should absolutely be disgusted. I’m assuming that all of you are like me and love college football and enjoy watching good games and debating other fans. If that’s the case, there is no way you should be ok with a team that didn’t win their conference and played a bad non-conference schedule to be in the top 4.
The committee has essentially said that it is acceptable to lose your conference, play eight conference games while playing three non-power 5 teams, including an FCS team and get into the playoffs. Do not give me the “everybody does it” line. Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, USC, Miami, Cal, and others managed to schedule at least 2 power five non-conference games.
If you have a weak schedule, you should at the very least have to win your conference to get in the top four. If you’re as good as everybody “thinks” you are, then you should have won your conference! However, the committee clearly doesn’t value those things as highly as they should. This is not a diss to Alabama, but a diss to the broken system of college football. The fans continuously get screwed, and will continue to get screwed until the schedule imbalance is fixed. The worst part about it is that fans sit up and co-sign this nonsense and don’t demand better.

I’ve long said that college football schedules are consistently manipulated by the SEC and ACC, who have an advantage. Pac-12, Big XII, and Big 10 teams have a significantly smaller margin for error when trying to compete for championships. Let me explain how this works by using this table:
You can clearly see why the ACC and SEC have a win-loss advantage. Notice that there is a seven loss difference between the ACC/SEC, and Big 10 which all have 14 teams. Seven more losses means an additional game for each team in the BIG 10 against a team that could possibly beat you. Imagine how easy the path to the championship would be if Ohio State could sub out that Iowa game for Mercer. Now, lets compare those numbers to the Pac-12, which has 12 teams and 54 total conference losses. That is only two losses less than the ACC and SEC, despite having two more teams.
If that was too complicated, an easier way to explain all this is by looking at the average number of losses per team in each conference. SEC and ACC teams will lose a half game less than all other conferences.
In theory, all this would not be a big deal if the conferences made up for that conference game with a competitive non-conference game. However, in most cases that is NOT what happens.
One of the biggest conversations when comparing teams is comparing how many losses each team has. However, all wins are not created equal. I’ve heard the argument that the Big XII, Big 10, and Pac-12 “play themselves out” of the playoffs by losing too much in conference. The reality is playing 8 conference games instead of 9 conference games creates a systematic advantage for the SEC and ACC.
Now that we are all on the same page in terms of wins and losses, I’ll explain the manipulation of the committee rankings. The current formula to manipulate your way into the playoffs is: play eight conference games, one mandated power 5 team, two non-competitive FBS games, and 1 FCS team. That FCS game often presents itself in November. It is commonly referred to as a “November Cupcake”, which is a glorified bye week against teams like Mercer, Citadel, or Wofford. The “November Cupcake” is an important component for highly regarded SEC teams to move up in the playoffs because of timing. When other conferences have ranked matchups in November, SEC teams play “November Cupcakes”. This gives them an opportunity to move up the rankings without playing a competitive game, and one of the teams from the other conference has to lose. This is the formula how you consistently end up with top 10 matchups amongst SEC teams late in the season, which makes the conference appear stronger.
I contend that the committee absolutely blew it for college football by putting Alabama in the playoffs. They confirmed that conference championships and schedules don’t matter. This whole system is broken and, in order to fix it, we have to break it again. It stinks for college football fans and gives the SEC and ACC have a systematic advantage while screwing over the Pac-12 and the Big X.
Even Nick Saban (Alabama’s Head Coach) agrees with me when asked about college schedules and teams being deserving of playoff bids:
“I think it’s subjective to some degree because we don’t all play each other. I could get into my theory on this. I personally want to play all Power 5 conference teams every week. I know people say we played Mercer College and we couldn’t get a game with anybody else. All right so…  If we all had to play twelve teams from the Power 5 conferences, we would have a better feel for which conferences were the strongest and there would be more crossover play… and maybe even play more conference games.  Fans would like it better. You guys [the media] would like it better. You’d have a better inventory to show people. We wouldn’t have these games that people don’t really want to come to, players don’t really want to play in. And I think you’d have a better idea of who the best conferences and the best teams were.”
-Nick Saban on “College Football Playoff Selection Show” (December 3, 2018)
So here’s my solution:
1. Change the college football playoffs to eight teams.
2. Take the five power five champions and three at-large teams.
3. One of the at-large teams has to be the highest ranked non-power 5 team.
I am also open to two solutions to solve the scheduling imbalance and increase the greatness of college football for fans:
1. 9 conference games, two power 5 games, and one FBS non-power 5 game to continue to give money to the little guys.
2. 8 conference games, two power 5 games, one FBS non-power 5 game, and one FCS game to continue to give money to the little guys.
Both of these options would give the fans a much better game experience and generate more revenue for athletic departments. Teams would be more encouraged to schedule home and home non-conference games against good teams. This would make selling season tickets much easier.

This would also alleviate a lot of the nonsense discussion about resumes and strength of conferences when choosing playoff teams. The committee would have more data because teams would have played more common opponents. My plan would cause television ratings and revenue increases as well. That’s more money for the NCAA, coaches, sponsors, and athletic departments to keep out of the hands of the players. And isn’t that the #1 goal of college football?

College Football Playoffs: The Bullshit Edition

The College Football Playoffs teams were announced this morning and the Top 4 are:
1. Clemson
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Alabama
As we see there is one ACC team (Clemson), one Big XII team (Oklahoma), and two SEC teams (Georgia, Alabama). This leaves the Pac-12 and Big 10 completely out of the playoffs. The ACC and SEC have a systematic advantage in the College Football Playoffs and we the fans are getting screwed. College Football Playoff Committee screwed up putting Alabama in the top 4. They’ve set college football back at least 10 years.
We will NEVER see schedules get better until the committee punishes teams that don’t win their conference and don’t play good non-conference games. As a college football fan, you should absolutely be disgusted. I’m assuming that all of you are like me and love college football and enjoy watching good games and debating other fans. If that’s the case, there is no way you should be ok with a team that didn’t win their conference and played a bad non-conference schedule to be in the top 4.
The committee has essentially said that it is acceptable to lose your conference, play eight conference games while playing three non-power 5 teams, including an FCS team and get into the playoffs. Do not give me the “everybody does it” line. Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Notre Dame, USC, Miami, Cal, and others managed to schedule at least 2 power five non-conference games.
If you have a weak schedule, you should at the very least have to win your conference to get in the top four. If you’re as good as everybody “thinks” you are, then you should have won your conference! However, the committee clearly doesn’t value those things as highly as they should. This is not a diss to Alabama, but a diss to the broken system of college football. The fans continuously get screwed and will continue to get screwed until the schedule imbalance is fixed. The worst part about it is that fans sit up and co-sign this nonsense and don’t demand better.
I’ve long said that college football schedules are consistently manipulated by the SEC and ACC, who have an advantage. Pac-12, Big XII, and Big 10 teams have a significantly smaller margin for error when trying to compete for championships. Let me explain how this works by using this table:

You can clearly see why the ACC and SEC have a win-loss advantage. Notice that there is a seven-loss difference between the ACC/SEC, and Big 10 which all have 14 teams. Seven more losses mean an additional game for each team in the BIG 10 against a team that could possibly beat you. Imagine how easy the path to the championship would be if Ohio State could sub out that Iowa game for Mercer. Now, let’s compare those numbers to the Pac-12, which has 12 teams and 54 total conference losses. That is only two losses less than the ACC and SEC, despite having two more teams.
If that was too complicated, an easier way to explain all this is by looking at the average number of losses per team in each conference. SEC and ACC teams will lose a half-game less than all other conferences.
In theory, all this would not be a big deal if the conferences made up for that conference game with a competitive non-conference game. However, in most cases that is NOT what happens.
One of the biggest conversations when comparing teams is comparing how many losses each team has. However, all wins are not created equal. I’ve heard the argument that the Big XII, Big 10, and Pac-12 “play themselves out” of the playoffs by losing too much in conference play. The reality is playing 8 conference games instead of 9 conference games creates a systematic advantage for the SEC and ACC.
Now that we are all on the same page in terms of wins and losses, I’ll explain the manipulation of the committee rankings. The current formula to manipulate your way into the playoffs is: play eight conference games, one mandated power 5 team, two non-competitive FBS games, and 1 FCS team. That FCS game often presents itself in November. It is commonly referred to as a “November Cupcake”, which is a glorified bye week against teams like Mercer, Citadel, or Wofford. The “November Cupcake” is an important component for highly regarded SEC teams to move up in the playoffs because of timing. When other conferences have ranked matchups in November, SEC teams play “November Cupcakes”. This gives them an opportunity to move up the rankings without playing a competitive game, and one of the teams from the other conference has to lose. This is the formula how you consistently end up with top 10 matchups amongst SEC teams late in the season, which makes the conference appear stronger.
I contend that the committee absolutely blew it for college football by putting Alabama in the playoffs. They confirmed that conference championships and schedules don’t matter. This whole system is broken and, in order to fix it, we have to break it again. It stinks for college football fans and gives the SEC and ACC have a systematic advantage while screwing over the Pac-12 and the Big X.
Even Nick Saban (Alabama’s Head Coach) agrees with me when asked about college schedules and teams being deserving of playoff bids:
“I think it’s subjective to some degree because we don’t all play each other. I could get into my theory on this. I personally want to play all Power 5 conference teams every week. I know people say we played Mercer College and we couldn’t get a game with anybody else. All right so…  If we all had to play twelve teams from the Power 5 conferences, we would have a better feel for which conferences were the strongest and there would be more crossover play… and maybe even play more conference games.  Fans would like it better. You guys [the media] would like it better. You’d have a better inventory to show people. We wouldn’t have these games that people don’t really want to come to, players don’t really want to play in. And I think you’d have a better idea of who the best conferences and the best teams were.”
-Nick Saban on “College Football Playoff Selection Show” (December 3, 2018)
So here’s my solution:
1   1.  Change the college football playoffs to eight teams.
2   2. Take the five power five champions and three at-large teams.
     3. One of the at-large teams has to be the highest ranked non-power 5 team.
I am also open to two solutions to solve the scheduling imbalance and increase the greatness of college football for fans:
1   1.  9 conference games, two power 5 games, and one FBS non-power 5 game to continue to give money to the little guys.
    2.   8 conference games, two power 5 games, one FBS non-power 5 game, and one FCS game to continue to give money to the little guys.
Both of these options would give the fans a much better game experience and generate more revenue for athletic departments. Teams would be more encouraged to schedule home and home non-conference games against good teams. This would make selling season tickets much easier.

This would also alleviate a lot of the nonsense discussion about resumes and strength of conferences when choosing playoff teams. The committee would have more data because teams would have played more common opponents. My plan would cause television ratings and revenue increases as well. That’s more money for the NCAA, coaches, sponsors, and athletic departments to keep out of the hands of the players. And isn’t that the #1 goal of college football?

College Football Playoff Top 10 and Scenarios: Party Crashers Have Arrived

 
A wild and crazy Week 13 is in the books. The party crashers (Auburn, USC, TCU, Ohio State) have officially showed up to the party. Let the debates begin. The College Football Playoff committee nearly has a mess on its hands. This mess is fun, however, it could be more easily sorted out if the teams scheduled more than one good non-conference game. The clamoring for an eight-team playoff is about to heat up. I really hope it happens as soon as the current College Football Playoff contract is up. It is likely that we finally see at least one two-loss team in the playoff ahead of one-loss teams. I will break down the scenario for every team and conference to get in the playoff. Let’s start with the baseline of what I am projecting the committee’s top 10 to look like on Tuesday:
1.          Clemson
2.          Oklahoma
3.          Auburn
4.           Wisconsin
5.           Georgia
6.           Alabama
7.           Ohio State
8.           USC
9.           Miami
10.      TCU
11.      Penn State
The biggest question that everyone has is how does the committee look at Alabama. Last year’s committee put Ohio State in the top four instead of Big 10 champion Penn State due to “strength of team”. Will they repeat the precedent set last year? When you look at the Crimson Tide’s schedule, they really only have two solid (LSU, Mississippi State) wins and no great wins. So the question is how will the committee value the one and two loss conference champions against Alabama who won’t even play for theirs.
SEC
There are still 3 teams alive: Alabama, Auburn, Georgia
Alabama Needs– TCU to beat Oklahoma, Wisconsin to beat Ohio State, and USC to lose to Stanford. It doesn’t matter who wins the SEC or ACC. The champion from those conferences is absolutely in the playoff. They need the committee to value them highly with the “eye test” and find it difficult to leave Nick Saban and Alabama out over a two-loss TCU or USC.
Auburn Needs– Win the SEC championship game vs Georgia and they are in. Pray the committee doesn’t screw you and put Alabama in.
Georgia Needs– Win the SEC championship game vs Auburn and they are in. Lose and they are behind multiple 2 loss teams and 1 loss Alabama.
BIG XII
Oklahoma Needs– Win the Big XII championship vs TCU and they are in.
TCU Needs– Wisconsin to beat Ohio State, USC lose to Stanford, Georgia to beat Auburn, and beat Oklahoma in the Big XII championship. They would be sitting at 2 losses after beating a Top 2 team. The ACC Champion does not affect them.
Big 10
Wisconsin and Ohio State are both still alive and the scenarios for them to get in the top four are pretty straight forward and reasonably likely
Wisconsin Needs– Beat Ohio State in the Big 10 championship and they are in, no questions asked.
If Wisconsin losses the Big 10 championship: Due to their weak schedule there aren’t enough scenarios to get them in the college football playoff if they lose.
Ohio State Needs– Beat Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship, Stanford beat USC, Oklahoma beat TCU, and Georgia to beat Auburn. Their only competition with that scenario would be Alabama, however, it will be up to the committee’s “eye” test. Alabama’s case would be much weaker it Georgia beats Auburn, who beat them.
If USC does not lose Ohio State could be in trouble. USC may get the nod to the college football playoff because their resume (Strength of Schedule, Top-40 wins, and Strength of record) is better.

If TCU wins the Big XII and USC loses that could get very interesting. I believe Ohio State would get the edge by the committee in this situation simply due to the fact that they are THE OHIO STATE and money talks in these situations.
ACC
Miami and Clemson Needs- Win the ACC championship game and they are in. The loser has two losses. There are no scenarios that the ACC gets two teams in the Playoffs, especially one with two losses, so the recipe is simple, win and you are in, lose and you are out.
Though I believe the ACC champion is in I can imagine a weird, way out discussion that could happen if Miami is champion. There could be a debate about leaving the ACC out altogether for Alabama. Miami’s season is one game shorter due to the hurricane and after Notre Dame’s loss to Stanford, their win against the Fighting Irish holds less weight.
Pac-12
USC Needs– They need to win the Pac-12 championship game against Stanford in an impressive fashion, Georgia to beat Auburn, Oklahoma to beat TCU. The outcome of the ACC likely has no impact on USC because the loser of Miami vs Clemson will have two losses and will absolutely be behind every conference champion.
The scenarios for USC to get in the playoff are becoming more and more likely with every passing day.
Things I believe:
  1. More chaos will ensue.
  2. Alabama misses the Playoff
  3. Either two-loss Ohio State, USC, or TCU gets in the Playoff 
  4. Either two of this three misses the Playoff: Oklahoma, Clemson, Wisconsin
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