ESPN Analyst Outlines ‘Nightmare’ Scenario For College Football Playoff

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BleedGopher

BleedGopher

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per Dan:

If we get some chaos, however, during conference title week, things could get very interesting. A “nightmare scenario” outlined by ESPN’s Rece Davis during last night’s rankings show would only really require one major upset.

Davis set the stage for this possible outcome during last night’s ESPN broadcast:

-Clemson wins out, finishing at 13-0 with the ACC title.
-Minnesota and Ohio State win out, and the Golden Gophers knock off Ohio State in the Big Ten title game to finish 12-1.
-Georgia beats LSU for the SEC Championship, leaving both teams at 12-1.

Clemson would obviously be a lock in this scenario, but the rest of the field is way up for debate, with the Golden Gophers inserting themselves in the debate in a major way.

Kirk Herbstreit believes the debate comes down to LSU and Ohio State, the current No. 1 and No. 2 teams, with the Buckeyes having an edge. Via 247Sports:


“Clemson is in. Georgia is in. Minnesota is in. The debate is between Ohio State, the most complete team all year against that LSU offense. It’s not the team, it’s Joe Burrow and the LSU offense. I think Ohio State would get the nod in that scenario as the most complete team all year.”
Click to expand...

thespun.com

ESPN Analyst Outlines 'Nightmare' Scenario For College Football Playoff

There wasn't much change in last night's College Football Playoff rankings update on ESPN. LSU and Ohio State remains locked in at Nos. 1 and 2, followed by
thespun.com thespun.com

Go Gophers!!
 

1. Clemson
2. Georgia
3. Minnesota
4. LSU
5. Ohio State
6. Pac-12 Champ
7 Big 12 Champ
That is how the committee would rank it in that scenario, IMHO.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
1. Clemson
2. Georgia
3. Minnesota
4. LSU
5. Ohio State
6. Pac-12 Champ
7 Big 12 Champ
That is how the committee would rank it in that scenario, IMHO.
Click to expand...
I think it would depend on the scores of the UGA LSU and Gophers OSU for that final spot.
The one that comes down to the wire would be the 4th entry and if they are both close, then I think what you have would be accurate.
I'd like to see Clemson also lose at some point to make it even more of a cluster.
 

I would be at least a little nervous in this scenario about the committee jumping both LSU and OSU over Minnesota, making some "total body of work" argument, and leaving the actual Big Ten champs out in the cold (of Pasadena, anyway) at #5.
 

GFBfan said:
I think it would depend on the scores of the UGA LSU and Gophers OSU for that final spot.
The one that comes down to the wire would be the 4th entry and if they are both close, then I think what you have would be accurate.
I'd like to see Clemson also lose at some point to make it even more of a cluster.
Click to expand...

If Clemson loses I think they're toast. Their schedule is total BS so they can only make it by winning out.
 


Agree with that, but then would committee go with two SEC and two BIG or would the PAC or Big 12 get one in leaving either LSU, Georgia, OSU, MN out, which as we all would fear would be the Gophers.
 


These scenarios are great for ESPN, as they generate the most intrigue and thus clicks/views.

They bring them up every year, hoping for the most controversy.

IMO, with such limited space, conference champions should take precedence over non-conf champions, at that point. It shouldn’t matter if LSU, Ohio St, or even Alabama truly are the top 4 in the country. They had their chance on the field and lost at some point.

So I’d vote either the PAC or BigXII champ in. But that’s me, and that probably won’t happen in such a scenario.
 




But wait, what about Alabama? Don't they automatically get into the CFP...
 


bleedsmaroonandgold said:
They do have a very quality loss, and if there is one thing that should get you in, its losing to the only good team you play.
Click to expand...

Livingat45north said:
But wait, what about Alabama? Don't they automatically get into the CFP...
Click to expand...

It's entirely possible that if both Minnesota and Alabama lose to Wisconsin/Auburn in 9 days that we'll see each other in Orlando on January 1.
 




fmlizard said:
It's entirely possible that if both Minnesota and Alabama lose to Wisconsin/Auburn in 9 days that we'll see each other in Orlando on January 1.
Click to expand...
That's the first non-CFP/Rose matchup I've heard that actually excites me. MN needs to go to Pasadena, but if they don't, playing Bama would be sweet.
 

Does anyone think its likely the Gophers go 12-1 by beating OSU in the championship? Seems highly improbable.
 

DarrenTheGreek said:
1. Clemson
2. Georgia
3. Minnesota
4. LSU
5. Ohio State
6. Pac-12 Champ
7 Big 12 Champ
That is how the committee would rank it in that scenario, IMHO.
Click to expand...
I think they would switch Minnesota and LSU but agree with the rest.
 

I personally don't feel like this scenario would be that complicated. The obvious entrants are conference champions Clemson, Georgia, and Minnesota. In a world that made sense, whichever of the Big 12 or Pac 12 champions that was deemed more deserving (assuming they have 1 loss) would be the 4th seed, but in actuality where the CFP is a beauty pageant, it would probably be LSU.
 

I think OSU would get in over LSU as they'd have wins over PSU and Michigan in the next two weeks.

1.Clemson
2. Georgia
3. Minnesota
4. OSU
 

dpodoll68 said:
I personally don't feel like this scenario would be that complicated. The obvious entrants are conference champions Clemson, Georgia, and Minnesota. In a world that made sense, whichever of the Big 12 or Pac 12 champions that was deemed more deserving (assuming they have 1 loss) would be the 4th seed, but in actuality where the CFP is a beauty pageant, it would probably be LSU.
Click to expand...

I agree with you both in terms of what you think the outcome should be, and what it will be.
 


BleedGopher said:
per Dan:

If we get some chaos, however, during conference title week, things could get very interesting. A “nightmare scenario” outlined by ESPN’s Rece Davis during last night’s rankings show would only really require one major upset.

Davis set the stage for this possible outcome during last night’s ESPN broadcast:

-Clemson wins out, finishing at 13-0 with the ACC title.
-Minnesota and Ohio State win out, and the Golden Gophers knock off Ohio State in the Big Ten title game to finish 12-1.
-Georgia beats LSU for the SEC Championship, leaving both teams at 12-1.

Clemson would obviously be a lock in this scenario, but the rest of the field is way up for debate, with the Golden Gophers inserting themselves in the debate in a major way.

Kirk Herbstreit believes the debate comes down to LSU and Ohio State, the current No. 1 and No. 2 teams, with the Buckeyes having an edge. Via 247Sports:




thespun.com

ESPN Analyst Outlines 'Nightmare' Scenario For College Football Playoff

There wasn't much change in last night's College Football Playoff rankings update on ESPN. LSU and Ohio State remains locked in at Nos. 1 and 2, followed by
thespun.com thespun.com

Go Gophers!!
Click to expand...
Very unlikely the Gophers can beat Ohio State on the fast, dry field in Indianapolis. Scenario falls apart.
 

This scenario would fan the flames of 8 team playoff talk.
 


dpodoll68 said:
I personally don't feel like this scenario would be that complicated. The obvious entrants are conference champions Clemson, Georgia, and Minnesota. In a world that made sense, whichever of the Big 12 or Pac 12 champions that was deemed more deserving (assuming they have 1 loss) would be the 4th seed, but in actuality where the CFP is a beauty pageant, it would probably be LSU.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%
 




In this scenario

1) Clemson
2) Georgia
3) LSU
4) Alabama
5) Another SEC team just in case
6) Another SEC team just in case again
Minnesota about 13th
OSU about 14th
Pac 12 champ 15th
Big 12 champ 16th

Or something like that
 

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