plus 1 = 4 team playoff. SOS is still included in the "mix". It just isn't included twice as it used to be.
True, but not as elaborate of an 8 team playoff. Fact is who ever is ranked 9th or 5th will be upset. So there is no real solution to the problem because someone will be bitching. Plus the polls are so skewed its sad. The AP poll is a joke. Coaches poll was exposed as silly when the coaches finally revealed their votes. So its always going to be a popularity contest... Heck what do I know its all silly.. Win the SEC and i am happen. Hell compete in the SEC title game and I would have been happy ;-)
To this I say why should legitimate national championship contenders have to hope that the stars align so they make the 2 team cut? Without a playoff this is the situation. I completely agree that Division 1a's regular season makes it the best sport around because every game is important. I don't believe an 8 team playoff takes away from the regular season. A 16 team playoff would. A 4 team playoff is MUCH better than what we have now, but the reasons I advocate an 8 team playoff is: 1) So minor conference schools aren't left out when they have exceptional seasons. A minor conference school will never make the top 4, and holding 1 of 4 slots open for a minor conference school is usually not warranted. Extra emphasis on usually. To argue that minor conference schools never deserve a shot is a self-fulfiling prophecy. Being in minor conferences limits their ability to have quality wins, and you better believe that minor conference teams would love to be in a major conference. That is something beyond their control and does not mean they are not a good team. 2) It is possible that all six major conferences could have undefeated champions. Not likely, but possible. Only 4 teams would not cover that. PS - I believe in SOS and MOV. See my thread about how to rank teams. http://www.tigerforums.com/showthread.php?t=34029
I'd rather the 9th team be upset than the 5th, especially if the 5th has a legitimate claim to the NC. I think its more sound for the 8th team to get in by being in the right place at the right time than the 5th team not getting in because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can admit that the 8th team usually doesn't deserve to contend for the NC, but you have to make room for minor conference teams who take a hit in the rankings because of playing a weak schedule AND the real possibility of more than 4 major conference teams deserving to play for the NC. People bitching doesn't enter into my consideration of national champion; people were made to bitch and the media is attracted to the drama, no matter how baseless. As I said in my other thread on ranking teams, I don't like to include the opinion polls when determining the mettle of a team. They do provide an inaccurate service; computers do a better job of keeping hype and emotion out of the ranking of teams.
Relative to other coaches who may or may not exhibit a brook-trout look, Nick Saban did have a lasting effect on my vocabulary.
