College Football Playoffs

[Dawg83]

I don’t have an issue with a DESERVING G5 team getting a playoff bid. There have been those historically. Any number of Chris Petersen Boise State teams would’ve been worthy playoff teams if it has existed at the time. TCU had some great teams with Andy Dalton when they were still in the Mountain West. UCF had its two year undefeated run. Heck Cincinnati actually did make a 4 team playoff in 2021.

 

Those teams were or would’ve been deserving….Tulane and James Madison getting token auto bids when their seasons did not really justify it, was in my eyes a disaster for the G5.

[David44]

yep, deserving is the key word. It should be changed to allow a G5 if they are truly

ranked in the top 16, but not a guaranteed spot for them.

No way an argument could have been made that Tulane or James Madison were better

this year than Notre Dame, or even Texas or Vandy.

 

[Vott]

On 12/22/2025 at 9:39 AM, David44 said:

yep, deserving is the key word. It should be changed to allow a G5 if they are truly

ranked in the top 16, but not a guaranteed spot for them.

No way an argument could have been made that Tulane or James Madison were better

this year than Notre Dame, or even Texas or Vandy.

 

It would be really hard to get a G5 team ranked in the top 16. I am going to use Southern Miss as the example. Their nonconference schedule consists of Alcorn Auburn La Tech and Tulane next season. If they did happen to win all four of those games they are not going to get any votes to be in the top25. Beating a "brand name" like Auburn does nothing for Southern Miss when Auburn has really not been good the past few years. And beating Tulane would not be a shock at all next season. So if they ran the table in conference play, do you really think the voters are going to look at Southern Miss? absolutely not.

[Dawg83]

1 hour ago, Vott said:

It would be really hard to get a G5 team ranked in the top 16. I am going to use Southern Miss as the example. Their nonconference schedule consists of Alcorn Auburn La Tech and Tulane next season. If they did happen to win all four of those games they are not going to get any votes to be in the top25. Beating a "brand name" like Auburn does nothing for Southern Miss when Auburn has really not been good the past few years. And beating Tulane would not be a shock at all next season. So if they ran the table in conference play, do you really think the voters are going to look at Southern Miss? absolutely not.

I disagree. You go undefeated with nonconference wins like those, you’d be in the playoff without question.

 

The reason people have such a problem with Tulane is they got smoked twice in the regular season. And the only team with a pulse JMU played all year was an unranked Louisville, and they lost that game by two scores.

 

If you go undefeated as a G5 team, you’d certainly have my attention. But im much less interested in two loss teams that couldn’t stay within three touchdowns of UTSA, which was Tulane this year.

[rebmus]

Take the top 12 (or 16 if it's expanded) ranked teams and have the playoff. ZERO autobids for anyone... including the SEC and Big10. 

 

This year's first round would have been: 

Miami at Oregon

BYU at Ole Miss

Notre Dame at A&M

Bama at Oklahoma (unchanged) 

 

The Oregon and Ole Miss games would have been much better than what we had. 

 

Who wins the next round? Shoot, flip a coin on these games. 

Hopefully we are in for 4 very great games to watch for New Years Eve/Day.

 

 

[rebmus]

Not a playoff game, Southern Miss lost their bowl game 27-16. One has to wonder how different it may have been had Huff not left for Memphis? 

 

Dan Mullen's UNLV team is tied 0-0 in the second quarter. 

 

Back to the playoff games next week: 

3 of the higher seeds are favored, no surprise there. 

#5 Oregon is favored over #4 Texas Tech by 1.5 points. 

 

Indiana over Bama by 6.5... same for Georgia over Ole Miss. 

 

Ohio State is favored by 9.5 over Miami. 

 

 

[DrownInEtown]

Forget records or conference champions. Put the best 12 in.

 

Hell the 1st round byes are prolly hurting the teams more than helping with the long layover. Expand it to 16 and have no byes

[Bulldogs4]

I know the focus is on Ole Miss-Georgia and rightfully so. But could this be shades of 2013 for State? An unlikely bowl bid with a QB that appears to have a bright future starting in a bowl game. It just feels like a game that could thrust State in to a brighter 2026 in more ways than one. With KT at the helm, a win here and a successful venture into the portal to complement KT on the offense and just as importantly shore a porous defense, maybe State can turn the corner into a winning season next year. With some of the coaching turnover in the conference, there appears to be a window where State can take advantage and get back into the middle of the pack. 
 

But it starts with next Friday first and foremost. IMHO, a win is crucial to get fan buy-in going into next season, and put behind the disappointments and near misses of 2025. 
And then the boost of a star in the making in KT. 
 

We will see if it manifests itself in a week. 

[Dawg83]

I see more 2016 than 2013. And unexpected bowl bid with a young QB, and an improved DC coming in next year, should give State at least a chance to jump from 5-6 wins to 7 or 8 wins if more improvement is made next year,

[pancho]

 

folks can hope but it'll be harder than hard for state to win 5 next year if they lose a minnesota in week 2.  will 5 get them into another bowl in 26?  wait and see

[Bulldogs4]

14 minutes ago, pancho said:

 

folks can hope but it'll be harder than hard for state to win 5 next year if they lose a minnesota in week 2.  will 5 get them into another bowl in 26?  wait and see

The schedule is definitely very difficult and the game at Minnesota will be a crucial one with respect to confidence and the potential of a winning season. Minnesota is a solid middle of the road B1G team, not great but not bad, very capable though. A winnable game for State but also lose able as well. 
As I mentioned, with some of the coaching turnover in the SEC there are some windows that might be open for State with a couple of those games. 
 

Like Harry Carey used to say every year about the Cubs “Hope springs eternal”

 

But of course Red said “Hope is a dangerous thing, it can drive a man insane” LOL

 

So we will see!!!

[pancho]

Lebby needs to make ULM, MInn and Tenn Tech be for sure wins. Then just figure out a way to wins 3 SEC games to make a bowl.  daunting task

[Bulldogs4]

Yep. And winning 3 SEC games is not out of the question. This year proved that with three very close calls. But the team has to find a way to get over the hump and win some of those close games. 

[DrownInEtown]

Guess the SEC isn’t gonna win a bowl game this year

 

Georgia - Ole Miss: Simple equation. Georgia is better. Ole Miss is worse. Georgia 35 Ole Miss 20

 

Bama - Indiana: I still look as the Indiana as the little guy. This will probably blow up in my face but I think theTalent disparity is just too much for a playoff game. Bama 20 - Indiana 10

 

Oregon - Texas Tech: Toughest game to pick for me. Idrk know how good Oregon is. I know Texas Tech may have the best defense in this whole thing. Give me Tech 24-10

 

Ohio State - Miami: Everything points toward Ohio State but people forget how talented this Miami team is. This is a closer game than people think. But still I’ll take Ohio State 24-21

[Dawg83]

Ohio State by a TD. Just don’t trust Beck and Cristobal enough in this spot.

 

Texas Tech beats Oregon. I think they are the sleeper to make a DEEP run in this.

 

Indiana beats Bama. If it were Nick Saban Bama I’d feel differently I think. But this is a very beatable Bama and IU is absolutely a legit title contender.

 

I lean Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Just a tough ask of Golding in his second game as a HC. But if there’s one thing working in OM it could be perhaps UGA comes out rusty and OM builds an early 14 to 20 point lead that they could be in a position to hang on to

[DrownInEtown]

There’s so many Elite defenses in this playoff

[pancho]

OSU better get a TD on the first possession of the 3rd 

[Bulldogs4]

Did any of you have visions of Nick Fitzgerald when Arch took off on that 60 yard touchdown run?

 

I mean he looked like his twin. Ran away from the DB’s 

[s1nglewing]

5 minutes ago, Bulldogs4 said:

Did any of you have visions of Nick Fitzgerald when Arch took off on that 60 yard touchdown run?

 

I mean he looked like his twin. Ran away from the DB’s 

He's fast, no doubt... and that run smoked the DBs. 

[DrownInEtown]

1st round bye teams are now 0-5. If that trend follows tmr its time for a 16 team playoff

[s1nglewing]

Now to the too early Ole Miss vs. Miami chatter lol

[Bulldogs4]

Well 23 years ago, ohio state started MIA’s descent into the abyss in the Fiesta Bowl. 
Last night, MIA got a bit of retribution. I don’t like either team but MIA really bullied the buckeye’s in the second quarter and the fourth quarter(the last drive). They are going to be a tough out for either Jawja or Ole Miss. 

[Dawg83]

Indiana bending Alabama over backwards and totally humiliating them. Don’t think there will be many Hoosier skeptics after today.

 

Oregon handled Texas Tech earlier today. Thought that one would’ve been closer but Tech’s offense had an abysmal showing.

[hasbeen67]

Alabama looks like who we thought they were after Florida State. 

 

I lean MSU, but I'd like to see OM win it all for Lane's sake. 

Edited January 2 by hasbeen67

[Bulldogs4]

46 minutes ago, hasbeen67 said:

Alabama looks like who we thought they were after Florida State. 

 

I lean MSU, but I'd like to see OM win it all for Lane's sake. 

The irony is if Ole Miss wins it all and Lane never wins a Natty. And then gets run out of Baton Rouge in 3-4 years after averaging 8-9 wins a season with no conference championships and no playoff appearances.