XII Championship ASU v Iowa St Saturday 12/7 10a

[Mainstreet]

We’ll know tomorrow starting at 10a MST

You mean 10 AM again?

 

[gmabel830]

Why do you think that? Those conference title games generate huge sums of money. No way those go away.

Agree - but they face a huge problem if losing a conference title game knocks you out of the playoff. My hypothetical where a team rests all its starters in the title game and dares the committee to drop them behind a team they were rated higher than the week before could start becoming a real possibility.

I’m sure the NCAA and conferences would do everything possible to avoid that, but if it starts becoming “thank god we lost the tiebreaker and don’t have to play in the conference title game and risk our spot”, that really defeats the whole point.

 

[ajcardfan]

Agree - but they face a huge problem if losing a conference title game knocks you out of the playoff. My hypothetical where a team rests all its starters in the title game and dares the committee to drop them behind a team they were rated higher than the week before could start becoming a real possibility.

I don't think that is a likely scenario. I don't think there is a single college fan base in America that would tolerate their coach tanking a conference championship.

 

[gmabel830]

I don't think that is a likely scenario. I don't think there is a single college fan base in America that would tolerate their coach tanking a conference championship.

What if a team just declined to even show up then? Since it’s not in their best interest to play in the game, they decline the invitation.

I don’t think it will happen this year, but I could see a 1 loss team going into a conference title game losing and falling behind a 2 loss team they were previously ranked ahead of that missed out on their conference title game. And when it happens it will really stir up debate. I’m sure hypotheticals won’t actually change anything.

 

[SeattleCardinal]

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[SeattleCardinal]

Overnight politicking by the conferences.

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[Raindog]

Momentum is also typically a big determining factor in these types of subjective scenarios, and if that holds up here, it favors ASU in a big way. Nobody beyond Oregon (maybe) has really been on as much of a roll as ASU in the latter half of the season.

 

[Raindog]

Overnight politicking by the conferences.

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Laughable. Clemson has zero quality wins this entire season other than SMU... which they almost choked away.

 

[Devilmaycare]

I’d be surprised if Clemson ended up leapfrogging ASU, but I can see the committee having a tough time with it given that Clemson only lost once in conference and has non-conference losses to the #2 seed and a team on the bubble (especially in light of ASUs non- conference schedule by comparison). I think ASUs dominant win today keeps them in front, but not by much.

I also have a hard time seeing ASU leapfrogging Boise given their one loss was by a field goal to the #1 seed. They definitely don’t have better wins than ASU, but hard to justify that huge a shift in the ratings after both teams had dominant wins this weekend.

Boise is getting way too much love for only having played one tough team all year and loosing that game. UNLV was the only ranked team they beat this year and UNLV being ranked is even suspect. Compared to ASU it shouldn't be a toss up on seeding. More ranked wins vs tougher teams. One common opponent which Boise beat 17-13 and ASU beat 48-7.

I like Kenny making the 1 loss argument for ASU too. Use their reasoning on FSU last year to justify the reason. If the committee buys that at all then ASU should be viewed an even better light. It probably doesn't matter now for the bye week but the 3 seed might have a better looking rd 3 matchup than the 4 seed. If the tweet above with a bracket ends up accurate I'd rather play the winner of Penn St/Indiana than the winner of Texas/Clemson.

 

[Mainstreet]

Boise is getting way too much love for only having played one tough team all year and loosing that game. UNLV was the only ranked team they beat this year and UNLV being ranked is even suspect. Compared to ASU it shouldn't be a toss up on seeding. More ranked wins vs tougher teams. One common opponent which Boise beat 17-13 and ASU beat 48-7.

I like Kenny making the 1 loss argument for ASU too. Use their reasoning on FSU last year to justify the reason. If the committee buys that at all then ASU should be viewed an even better light. It probably doesn't matter now for the bye week but the 3 seed might have a better looking rd 3 matchup than the 4 seed. If the tweet above with a bracket ends up accurate I'd rather play the winner of Penn St/Indiana than the winner of Texas/Clemson.

You should make ASU's case about Wyoming.

 

[Mainstreet]

Here is a projection from Yahoo Sports.

ASU has played in the Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl.

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[outcent13]

Here is a projection from Yahoo Sports.

ASU has played in the Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl.

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I would love that. First round bye and a potential first game against ND or SMU would be an ideal scenario in my opinion.

 

[Dback Jon]

Texas will be 5 seed imo

Texas isn’t that good. I would put them at 6 or 7

 

[RON_IN_OC]

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[RON_IN_OC]

My favorite part of this pic, is seeing that without a doubt, Hines Ward is all in at ASU.

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[outcent13]

My favorite part of this pic, is seeing that without a doubt, Hines Ward is all in at ASU.

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Pretty cool to see this team as relevant. Guys like Hines Ward seem to really love coaching these kids and getting them better. Not sure what will happen in the playoffs but I’m not doubting these guys against anybody.

 

[AZCB34]

Is that when the matchups start getting announced?

Selection show on ESPN

 

[Absolute Zero]

My favorite part of this pic, is seeing that without a doubt, Hines Ward is all in at ASU.

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Watching the post game press conference, first question Skat gave all the credit to his offensive line. He had them all the sign the belt. Second question, gave all credit to his coaches, including those at Sac State.

Third question was directly about the Heisman. I have no problem at all with him answering that he is the best back in the country and saying he is going to keep proving people wrong. Especially in this historical context and following this team for 50 years or so, this guy can say whatever he wants.

 

[AZCB34]

Why do you think that? Those conference title games generate huge sums of money. No way those go away.

Small sample size as yet but let’s use this year as our starting point. Also, see @gmabel830 and his thoughts on it as I think it meshes well.

SMU was clearly the best team in the conference during the year. They only lost one game overall and went undefeated in conference play. What’s the incentive for them to play a conference championship? They did, they lost and quite possibly played themselves right out of the playoff field. This is the dilemma for both the ACC and Big 12.

Georgia and Texas were not playing for entry into the field. Both were in so the only thing for them was seeding and you are putting your entire season on the line for very little. What if Carson Beck is out? They will have lost their top QB in a game that meant nothing as far as getting in the field. Ouchie even made the FSU comparison and while I think the SEC and B1G are held to a different standard, his thought carries merit.

Same for Oregon and Penn St. both were getting in regardless. It was another meaningless game from that standpoint with those teams taking a ton of risk for very little reward.

The reward for both of those games is a bye which I will admit is maybe helpful but is it worth losing a bunch of critical starters over should you get unlucky and have a rash of injuries on a meaningless game? How long before a couple of coaches “collude” to just play backups to avoid torpedoing your season?

I know AJ says no fan base would put up with that but I think he is wrong. The Oregon’s of the world want a natty and if the best thing for that is throwing your second string out for a conference championship game, believe me, they will come around on that. Hell, if playing second string meant ASU would be well positioned to win the whole thing I would become a huge Jeff Sims fan.

I’m not saying what I think is irrefutable but as time moves, I think the SEC and B1G are gonna realize they are taking a ton of risk with little true reward in these games and they will want to do away with them. And since they run this thing, what they do will trickle down to the lesser conferences.

 

[ajcardfan]

Small sample size as yet but let’s use this year as our starting point.

SMU was clearly the best team in the conference during the year. They only lost one game overall and went undefeated in conference play. What’s the incentive for them to play a conference championship? They did, they lost and quite possibly played themselves right out of the playoff field. This is the dilemma for both the ACC and Big 12.

Georgia and Texas were not playing for entry into the field. Both were in so the only thing for them was seeding and you are putting your entire season on the line for very little. What if Carson Beck is out? They will have lost their top QB in a game that meant nothing as far as getting in the field. Ouchie even made the FSU comparison and while I think the SEC and B1G are held to a different standard, his thought carries merit.

Same for Oregon and Penn St. both were getting in regardless. It was another meaningless game from that standpoint with those teams taking a ton of risk for very little reward.

The reward for both of those games is a bye which I will admit is maybe helpful but is it worth losing a bunch of critical starters over should you get unlucky and have a rash of injuries on a meaningless game? How long before a couple of coaches “collude” to just play backups to avoid torpedoing your season?

I know AJ says no fan base would put up with that but I think he is wrong. The Oregon’s of the world want a natty and if the best thing for that is throwing your second string out for a conference championship game, believe me, they will come around on that. Hell, if playing second string meant ASU would be well positioned to win the whole thing I would become a huge Jeff Sims fan.

I’m not saying what I think is irrefutable but as time moves, I think the SEC and B1G are gonna realize they are taking a ton of risk with little true reward in these games and they will want to do away with them. And since they run this thing, what they do will trickle down to the lesser conferences.

Let me amend slightly AZCB34...

IF SMU gets screwed then maybe some coach at some point tanks a conference championship. (If it's Oregon, it sure as hell won't be the coach they have now as he is crazy cocky and competitive.)

I think these guys are smart enough to realize knocking SMU out, especially after an amazing game like that one last night, will kill a golden goose. Yes, money drives things. Yesterday's games had tremendous ratings, they should want to preserve that. Alabama is Alabama, they will be fine

 

[AZCB34]

Let me amend slightly AZCB34...

IF SMU gets screwed then maybe some coach at some point tanks a conference championship. (If it's Oregon, it sure as hell won't be the coach they have now as he is crazy cocky and competitive.)

I think these guys are smart enough to realize knocking SMU out, especially after an amazing game like that one last night, will kill a golden goose. Yes, money drives things. Yesterday's games had tremendous ratings, they should want to preserve that. Alabama is Alabama, they will be fine

I don’t think SMU actually gets left out but the fact it is even a discussion point means there will be a year a team like them (ASU?) loses that game and gets knocked out. If I’m watching ESPN in a little over an hour I wouldn’t be shocked if SMU is out of the field even though I think they clearly belong.

Alabama has their chance and lost to Vandy and a terrible Oklahoma team. The fact they are in this discussion somehow at this point is ludicrous

 

[Absolute Zero]

ASU football an all-time Cinderella story headed to CFP

An ominous beginning at the Big 12 championship was nothing but a speed bump. Cyclones? At this point, there is no force of nature strong enough to derail ASU football.

arizonasports.com

 

[AZCB34]

If Oregon decided to stay home this year, does anyone think they still wouldn’t have gotten a bye and likely still been the #1 seed?

 

[AZCB34]

Avoid Texas as long as possible

Avoid Georgia as long as possible

Avoid Oregon as long as possible

I guess avoid Ohio St as long as possible

Other than that, bring em on

 

[SeattleCardinal]

Speaking of Georgia - I wonder a little about Jaden Rashada's future there. Gunner Stockton seems to be clearly QB2 now and the heir apparent next season, and Kirby Smart put in a one-armed Carson Beck for the final play last night.