PRESS PICKS (Bowls/Playoffs): Stop looking for fairness in the playoff picture
STAFF REPORT
The final statement made in this space a week ago was the following, concerning the selections for the playoffs…
“The college football world doesn’t like it. But the Bama boost is real and will carry them back to the playoffs.”
Logic, at the time, said the Alabama Crimson Tide would indeed be in the playoffs. But in the end, there’s very little logic at work in this particular bracket.
We all heard what the naysayers were stating prior to the release of the weekend’s last poll - Bama lost to a couple of unranked 6-6 teams. They don’t belong. They always get preferential treatment.
The angry ones got their way. Bama is not in and we really don’t have a proper explanation for it. Sure, they lost to a couple of 6-6 teams but that’s not the real reason why they aren’t in. If it were, they wouldn’t have been ranked where they were prior to Sunday.
As stated last week, if SMU got in with a loss, Miami should have never been ranked behind Alabama. The two ACC schools’ resumes are the same. Same conference, same weak schedule… But there were the ‘Canes, sitting behind Bama going into the weekend. And then suddenly, SMU made sense to the committee.
Why? What changed, other than an exciting finish where the Mustangs made a galliant comeback and “almost” won. It’s the Knight in Shining Armor” syndrome. They were the cutiest puppy in the window and it’s Christmas time, and everybody loves puppies.
So, in a way, the comeback really didn’t matter. But it made for a nice excuse.
The clues were out there early. We just didn’t see them, or at least were ignoring them. Look at Indiana. The Hoosiers were really this year’s darling, despite a putrid schedule, their answer was -“they are dominating their opponents.” That is until they faced a team with a pulse. Michigan almost beat them and Ohio State did, to a pulp.
SMU was similar. The Mustangs were christened as a “team of destiny” on Saturday. So now you have three of those, including Arizona State, which did at least earn its way in with a conference title. It makes for a great story, but as the old line from the boxing movie Cinderella Man, “people die in fairy tales all the time.”
If you are looking for fairness, you may as well stop. “Fairness” is in the eye of the beholder. What’s fair to you is not to somebody else. The rest of the football world sees Bama as entitled. In a way that’s true but it’s earned. Win as much as Alabama has will get the benefit of the doubt.
But that’s not the way the rest of the world sees it. Nevermind that most teams are not worthy of a playoff berth. If you are close, you should get it, that is if you have been disadvantaged due to “not” being in a Power 5 (now 4) conference or one of the blue bloods.
We could make the case of “what would SMU do with an SEC schedule.. or Indiana… or anybody not in the conference.” But hypotheticals are eliminated in debates. That’s why the committee did what it did and are probably celebrating their accomplishments.
They killed the giant, at least for now. What happens next may not be so celebratory.
2024 Standings (Last Week)
1. Michael Butler 175-65 (9-6) .729
2. Tim Gayle 171-69 (11-4) .713
3. Doug Amos 169-71 (11-4) .704
4. Graham Dunn 168-72 (10-5) .700
5. Rosie Langello 165-75 (11-4) .688
7. Mike Peacock 162-78 (12-3) .675
6. Wesley Lyle 161-79 (10-5) .671
8. Lindsey Bonner 144- 81 (8-7) .640
9. Barry McKnight 143-97 (8-7) .595
10. Rick Hendrick 140-100 (8-7) .583
Michael Butler (WTLS 106.9&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
175-65 (9-6) .729
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio - Ohio
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio St.
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn State
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
171-69 (11-4) .713
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - UNLV
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Ohio
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Tennessee
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn St
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
169-71 (11-4) .704
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio - Jacksonville St
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio State
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn State
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
168-72 (10-5) .700
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - Western Michigan
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - UNLV
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Jacksonville State
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio St
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - SMU
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
165-75 (11-4) .688
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Jacksonville State
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Tulane
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio St
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn St
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports)
162-78 (12-3) .675
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - Memphis
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio - Jacksonville St
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Tennessee
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn State
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
151-74 (12-3) .671
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - West Virginia
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Jacksonville State
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Tennessee
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn St
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
144- 81 (8-7) .640
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - West Virginia
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - UNLV
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Ohio St
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Tennessee
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn St
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
143-97 (8-7) .595
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - Western Michigan
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - West Virginia
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Jacksonville State
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Indiana
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio St
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - SMU
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
140-100 (8-7) .583
Army vs. Navy - Army
Salute to Veterans: South Alabama vs Western Michigan - South Alabama
Frisco Bowl: Memphis vs West Virginia - West Virginia
LA Bowl: Cal vs. UNLV - Cal
Cure Bowl: Jacksonville St vs Ohio -Ohio
Gasparalla Bowl: Florida vs. Tulane - Florida
CFP FIrst Round: Indiana at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Tennessee at Ohio St - Ohio St
CFP First Round: Clemson at Texas - Texas
CFP FIrst Round: SMU at Penn St - Penn St