All Things Alabama

[Irish#1]

Not sure what you’re watching but this ain’t happening

Agree, OSU looks legit.

 

[Wingman Ray]

It's possible. There's just not much you can point to on Bama's schedule to justify giving them a playoff spot over a one loss Oregon, assuming they win out and beat Utah convincingly in the PAC title game.

Even if it was OSU, LSU, Clemson and Bama, it would seem likely that OSU goes into the playoffs ranked #1 if they win out, given they're currently #1 and they're going to finish the season playing three ranked opponents while LSU finishes with two underwhelming opponents and Georgia. I'm not sure they'll be able to gain ground on OSU if they don't get ranked ahead of them after this week.

The semis could easily end up being OSU vs Bama and Clemson vs LSU. Even if your prediction regarding the semis is correct, and that's definitely possible, I don't see OSU getting "buried" by anyone in the country. They look like the real deal.

Oregon plays no one and lost to Auburn who will be a 3 loss team come year end.

Dont see GA as underwhelming. GA would beat any team on OSUs schedule by 14+

Fact is OSU doesnt play anyone. No one living outside of B10 territory would consider PSU or Minn a top 10 team. They just happen to both play really bad OOC teams and one good conference team a year (OSU). Both which will lose substantially to that good team when they play.

I see Clemson as a team with a chip on their shoulder. They let their guard down and nearly lost a no brainer game and the media hasnt let them forget. I assure you they will be firing come playoff time.

 

[Luckylucci]

I don't see how Bama makes it not even winning their division and they won't have that 13th game.

 

[Wingman Ray]

I don't see how Bama makes it not even winning their division and they won't have that 13th game.

Trust me when I say, I would love it to not be the case.

But Bama is ranked #4 now with Auburn left to play. A motivated Bama means a thrashing for Auburn who beat Oregon. That will keep Oregon out of the playoffs. Is there any team on Oregons schedule that warrants merit?

Dont get me wrong, Bama's schedule is an embarrassment but LSU waaaaay trumps anyone on Oregon considering Auburn will be the shared opponent which Oregon lost to.

 

[T Town Tommy]

The question for me is if in a potential rematch, does Saban learn from that first matchup and shut LSU's offense down?

Or do Burrow, Ensminger and Brady adjust right back and keep making plays?

It was astounding to me the amount of times LSU had receivers sitting down, wide-open just beyond the sticks. Never though I'd see so much space given by a Bama defense.

(and then when Bama started to crack down, LSU's RB was leaking out and finding space. Really impressed by LSU's overall gameplan.)

I don't believe they will be playing in a rematch. And I don't think Bama would do much more defensively to stop them. The loss of Moses and McMillian to an already thin LB corp really has taken it's toll on our defense. They should be back next year and our recruiting in that position group has been good this year so we should see better results next season. Still not sold on our DC but given the challenges he has faced, I am willing to give him another season to see what he can do.

And kudos to LSU. To have seen that offense transform in one year is a testament to their staff. It's hard to lose to LSU and be out of the playoffs, but it's also hard to not like Coach O. Good luck to them the rest of the way.

 

[Wild Bill]

Oregon plays no one and lost to Auburn who will be a 3 loss team come year end.

ASSUMING, Oregon wins the PAC, it means they would have likely beat a top ten team to do so - Utah. Bama has exactly zero wins against a top 25 team right now and the best chance of beating a ranked opponent is Auburn, who could be ranked in the 20s if they get torched by Georgia this week, and completely out of the rankings if they lose to both Georgia and Bama.

Committee hasn't really paid much attention to who has the "better loss", and even if they did, you could argue Oregon's loss was better. They controlled the game and lost with a minute left, they played without their best receiver and it was on a neutral site that favored Auburn. Bama lost at home and LSU controlled that game. It wasn't as close as the score suggests.

Dont see GA as underwhelming. GA would beat any team on OSUs schedule by 14+

I dont think Georgia is underwhelming either. That's why I said two underwhelming opponents AND Georgia.

Fact is OSU doesnt play anyone. No one living outside of B10 territory would consider PSU or Minn a top 10 team. They just happen to both play really bad OOC teams and one good conference team a year (OSU). Both which will lose substantially to that good team when they play.

I see Clemson as a team with a chip on their shoulder. They let their guard down and nearly lost a no brainer game and the media hasnt let them forget. I assure you they will be firing come playoff time.

I'm not sure I consider PSU or Minnesota a top ten team either but PSU, Michigan, and Wisconsin would be the three toughest games on Clemson's schedule this year, and Cincinnati would probably be the fifth or so.

Clemson is playing well and could definitely beat OSU, but I think it's a close game and I would take OSU over Clemson on a neutral site playoff game.

 

[ulukinatme]

And kudos to LSU. To have seen that offense transform in one year is a testament to their staff. It's hard to lose to LSU and be out of the playoffs, but it's also hard to not like Coach O. Good luck to them the rest of the way.

I just saw these. Holy shit:

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[NDRock]

I don't see how Bama makes it not even winning their division and they won't have that 13th game.

Same thing happened in 2017. They made the playoffs.

 

[Luckylucci]

Same thing happened in 2017. They made the playoffs.

Don't remember who else was in contention for that spot but I don't see it happening this year if Oregon is a 1 loss Pac12 champ.

 

[zelezo vlk]

Don't remember who else was in contention for that spot but I don't see it happening this year if Oregon is a 1 loss Pac12 champ.

I think it was Ohio State, with their 1 loss being a beatdown at Iowa. Edit: Actually that was their second loss, their first being at home to Oklahoma.

Wisconsin was #6 and their only loss was to OSU in the Big Championship Game.

 

[NDRock]

I think it was Ohio State, with their 1 loss being a beatdown at Iowa. Edit: Actually that was their second loss, their first being at home to Oklahoma.

Wisconsin was #6 and their only loss was to OSU in the Big Championship Game.

Yep and it just proved that scheduling a tough OOC game doesn't pay off. If Ohio State had scheduled Duke (like Bama) they would have been a one loss conference champion and would have been in the playoffs. Same thing could bite Oregon this year as they lost to Auburn.

 

[Wingman Ray]

Don't remember who else was in contention for that spot but I don't see it happening this year if Oregon is a 1 loss Pac12 champ.

The committee has to know Oregon in the Playoffs is an easy win for whomever gets the draw to play then. Oregon lost to the 5th best team in the SEC. It would be a bloodbath.

 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

Yep and it just proved that scheduling a tough OOC game doesn't pay off. If Ohio State had scheduled Duke (like Bama) they would have been a one loss conference champion and would have been in the playoffs. Same thing could bite Oregon this year as they lost to Auburn.

Idk, a soft schedule seems to really be holding Clemson back. If they had won a marquee non-conference matchup they'd likely be a shoe in for the CFP.

 

[Irishize]

The LSU loss reminds me of the loss Bama had to TAMU in 2012. Both teams jumped ahead w/ a cushion b/c of Bama miscues. Bama comes roaring back in the 2nd half but falls short as the opponent does just enough to hold them off. That Bama team is the one that destroyed ND in the BCS NC game. This team will be in the CFP provided it runs the table. They have a bye (FCS opponent) the week before Auburn (yes, so does Auburn).

 

[NorthDakota]

Idk, a soft schedule seems to really be holding Clemson back. If they had won a marquee non-conference matchup they'd likely be a shoe in for the CFP.

They aren't going to keep out the defending national champion if they are undefeated. They could win every game by 3 points and they'd keep them in.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

They aren't going to keep out the defending national champion if they are undefeated. They could win every game by 3 points and they'd keep them in.

See: 2014 Florida State

 

[Wingman Ray]

They have a bye (FCS opponent) the week before Auburn (yes, so does Auburn).

Just shows how PATHETIC the SEC is to allow this. This is clearly intentional. Im sure they could have scheduled SOMEONE other than a FCS opponent.

 

[dad4aa]

They aren't going to keep out the defending national champion if they are undefeated. They could win every game by 3 points and they'd keep them in.

See: 2014 Florida State

Not sure what you are saying Pops, Florida State made the playoffs. Unless you are backing up NorthDakota by listing Florida State.

 

[Pops Freshenmeyer]

Yeah, I'm agreeing with him.

 

[Irish#1]

I will be shocked if Bama wins out and isn't in the playoffs. Assuming LSU, OSU, Clemson and Bama win out, there are your four playoff teams.

 

[SouthernIndianaNDFan]

I will be shocked if Bama wins out and isn't in the playoffs. Assuming LSU, OSU, Clemson and Bama win out, there are your four playoff teams.

Would hasten the move to 8 teams if a 1 loss PAC-12 champ was left out for 2 SEC teams.

 

[NDRock]

Would hasten the move to 8 teams if a 1 loss PAC-12 champ was left out for 2 SEC teams.

And a one loss Oklahoma.

 

[ACamp1900]

Nobody losses one of a couple losable games a season and still gets in like bama.

 

[dad4aa]

I love it when a 1 loss team that did not make it to their Conference championship game makes the playoffs over 1 loss teams that play in/win their conference championship (possibly Bama vd Oregon this year). Just further proves the "13th game" excuse that will keep ND out is not valid.

 

[Luckylucci]

I will be shocked if Bama wins out and isn't in the playoffs. Assuming LSU, OSU, Clemson and Bama win out, there are your four playoff teams.

I'm actually the opposite. I'd be surprised if Oregon is left out if they are a 1 loss conference champion that beat Utah for that title. I think Bama's place in the polls, today, is somewhat irrelevant since they won't have that 13th game to impress.

 

[Wingman Ray]

I'm actually the opposite. I'd be surprised if Oregon is left out if they are a 1 loss conference champion that beat Utah for that title. I think Bama's place in the polls, today, is somewhat irrelevant since they won't have that 13th game to impress.

Problem is that Oregon lost to the 5th best team in the SEC and a team Bama should beat convincingly. No one on Oregons schedule would be top 5 in the SEC.

Playing in a very weak conference this year will hurt Oregon considerably. There is no way a 1 loss Oregon gets in over a 1 loss Bama. Wont happen. And if they do, they will have an extremely quick exit.

 

[ulukinatme]

Two teams from the same conference got in before, but if Oregon wins out I'm 95% certain they'll get in. In 2017 it was Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and Oklahoma that got in. The 5th ranked team was a 2 loss tOSU team who beat Wisconsin to win the B1G, but their two losses were to Oklahoma and a blowout loss to a 5 loss meh Iowa team. Wisconsin was the 6th best team, the 7th best team was another SEC team (Auburn), and the PAC-12 didn't have a viable candidate in USC because they had 2 losses to Washington State and we destroyed them.

So, if Oregon wins out and only has one loss I doubt the SEC gets a 2nd team in this year. Does Oregon deserve to get in? Probably not, but even as weak as their schedule is I don't think the committee is going to leave out a 1 loss Conference Champion for another SEC team, even if it's Bama. If Oregon loses again? Absolutely, Alabama would take the PAC-12's spot.

 

[Irish YJ]

Watching Finebowels today, they were talking about an article, and others saying the dynasty is over, and Saban is done....

Perhaps he'll feel unappreciated and come to ND...

Nobody losses one of a couple losable games a season and still gets in like bama.

They've got in twice with one loss, and one the NC both times. So they've kinda proven why they should get the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Polish Leppy 22]

Saban isn't coming to ND, but if BK were to retire or go NFL...I would chew glass to see Sark as head coach and keep Lea as DC.

 

[ulukinatme]

Saban isn't coming to ND, but if BK were to retire or go NFL...I would chew glass to see Sark as head coach and keep Lea as DC.

I don't think ND would touch Sark, and I wouldn't want them to either.