Really tough question! I honestly lean towards Utah.
Both OU and Utah lost to teams that are now 8-4 so it's hard to compare their one loss. I just like the way Utah has finished the season in dominating fashion and went into Washington and got a good win on the road. Since the USC loss, they have absolutely destroyed the competition other than the Washington game, which can be a tough place to go into and get a win.
Oklahoma on the other hand followed the K-State loss with a 1 point victory vs Iowa State, a 3 point victory over Baylor, a 4 point win over TCU, before closing with an 18 point win over OKState. Now, maybe that Big 12 slate is slightly tougher than the PAC 12. Utah closed on an 8-0 run and only gave up more than 20 points once. Utah's average margin of victory was 29 points over that span.
If OSU and LSU win, yes, Clemson is playing just to secure that #3 spot. I'm not sure margin of victory even matters; they won't drop them to #4 in favor of Utah or the Big12 winner.
It'll make things really exciting though if LSU, OSU, or both lose this weekend. Then all hell will break loose
Really tough question! I honestly lean towards Utah.
Both OU and Utah lost to teams that are now 8-4 so it's hard to compare their one loss. I just like the way Utah has finished the season in dominating fashion and went into Washington and got a good win on the road. Since the USC loss, they have absolutely destroyed the competition other than the Washington game, which can be a tough place to go into and get a win.
Oklahoma on the other hand followed the K-State loss with a 1 point victory vs Iowa State, a 3 point victory over Baylor, a 4 point win over TCU, before closing with an 18 point win over OKState. Now, maybe that Big 12 slate is slightly tougher than the PAC 12. Utah closed on an 8-0 run and only gave up more than 20 points once. Utah's average margin of victory was 29 points over that span.
If OSU and LSU win, yes, Clemson is playing just to secure that #3 spot. I'm not sure margin of victory even matters; they won't drop them to #4 in favor of Utah or the Big12 winner.
It'll make things really exciting though if LSU, OSU, or both lose this weekend. Then all hell will break loose
OK will have beaten top 10 Baylor twice....Texas when it was a top 15 team.....Utah will have beaten a top 15 Oregon.....Barely top 25 UW.......
B12 is stronger conference than the Pac12 overall. OK will have the more quality wins....
OK will have beaten top 10 Baylor twice....Texas when it was a top 15 team.....Utah will have beaten a top 15 Oregon.....Barely top 25 UW.......
B12 is stronger conference than the Pac12 overall. OK will have the more quality wins....
Nobody knows what the committee is thinking. But...…………...
I agree with DU4L that Utah gets in ONLY with an impressive win on Friday nite
And if Georgia wins we all know who the four teams are in the playoffs. But I, in the minority, thinks if Clemson loses this weekend they will drop out of the playoffs. Comments welcome if the Tigers loses to Virginia
Nobody knows what the committee is thinking. But...…………...
I agree with DU4L that Utah gets in ONLY with an impressive win on Friday nite
And if Georgia wins we all know who the four teams are in the playoffs. But I, in the minority, thinks if Clemson loses this weekend they will drop out of the playoffs. Comments welcome if the Tigers loses to Virginia
Duh...Ofcourse if Clemson loses they are out...Who have they beat all year..noone.
Duh...Ofcourse if Clemson loses they are out...Who have they beat all year..noone.
Texas was never a top 25 all year long.
Texas was never a top 25 all year long.
Heard the idea somewhere - why not do away with the conference championship games and add a round (i.e. going to 6 or 8 teams) to the playoff. For starters, there is no way conferences do that...they would be unwilling to give up the from their championship games. This weekend is essentially just a playoff round anyway...8 of the Top 10 are playing in championship weekend, but it certainly sucks that the committee decides who advances instead of decided on the field. Hopefully, we get to 6 or 8 soon b/c 4 is too narrow a field...6 or 8 would be perfect...going back to 11 game regular season seems reasonable to allow for this.
Anyway, as far as the scenarios, I agree with the majority of the posters above...we all know what happens if UGA beats LSU, assuming chalk though, I'd agree Okie gets in over Utah. Even though I think Utah is the much better team (and i'm sitting on a Utah to make the playoff future ticket), the B12 is a tougher conference and I'm guessing the committee overlooks the narrow wins Okie has had recently and just focuses on SOS. Also, just for more new blood it would be nice to see Utah or Baylor get in.
I think ideal match-ups for us fans would be OSU vs. LSU and Clemson vs. ?? Utah. That honestly might be best...don't think Hurts would be able to deal w/ Clemson Def...balance attack and defense of Utah might be more of a challenge for them. Maybe i'm drinking too much Utes kool-aid.
Heard the idea somewhere - why not do away with the conference championship games and add a round (i.e. going to 6 or 8 teams) to the playoff. For starters, there is no way conferences do that...they would be unwilling to give up the from their championship games. This weekend is essentially just a playoff round anyway...8 of the Top 10 are playing in championship weekend, but it certainly sucks that the committee decides who advances instead of decided on the field. Hopefully, we get to 6 or 8 soon b/c 4 is too narrow a field...6 or 8 would be perfect...going back to 11 game regular season seems reasonable to allow for this.
Anyway, as far as the scenarios, I agree with the majority of the posters above...we all know what happens if UGA beats LSU, assuming chalk though, I'd agree Okie gets in over Utah. Even though I think Utah is the much better team (and i'm sitting on a Utah to make the playoff future ticket), the B12 is a tougher conference and I'm guessing the committee overlooks the narrow wins Okie has had recently and just focuses on SOS. Also, just for more new blood it would be nice to see Utah or Baylor get in.
I think ideal match-ups for us fans would be OSU vs. LSU and Clemson vs. ?? Utah. That honestly might be best...don't think Hurts would be able to deal w/ Clemson Def...balance attack and defense of Utah might be more of a challenge for them. Maybe i'm drinking too much Utes kool-aid.
My input on this is...
Utah has had the benefit of a pretty soft schedule. Im not buying victories over Idaho State, Arizona, NIU, Colorado, or UCLA. Those teams havent shown much this year. Even their “good” wins vs Washington, ASU, BYU, and Cal arent that impressive. I think the Big 12 was much more legit this year than it has been in a LONG time. Teams like Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma St are better than their record suggest and Id bet they’d all give Utah a run for their money. In general, I think the Big 12 is just a better conference than the pac12 this year. So while everyone is enamored with Utah, they forget the MAIN REASON Utah was picked to make the playoff was because of that schedule. They are a talented team but I put them on same tier as teams like Michigan, Baylor, Virginia, Vtech, hell even Minnesota or South Carolina!! Those are teams that Utah can matchup with and play an interesting game. If we are talking about TOP TIER teams, Utah just isnt there. I dont see the benefit of putting Utah in the playoff to get their asses kicked. Oklahoma has just flat-out played better teams.
My input on this is...
Utah has had the benefit of a pretty soft schedule. Im not buying victories over Idaho State, Arizona, NIU, Colorado, or UCLA. Those teams havent shown much this year. Even their “good” wins vs Washington, ASU, BYU, and Cal arent that impressive. I think the Big 12 was much more legit this year than it has been in a LONG time. Teams like Iowa State, Texas Tech, TCU, Baylor, and Oklahoma St are better than their record suggest and Id bet they’d all give Utah a run for their money. In general, I think the Big 12 is just a better conference than the pac12 this year. So while everyone is enamored with Utah, they forget the MAIN REASON Utah was picked to make the playoff was because of that schedule. They are a talented team but I put them on same tier as teams like Michigan, Baylor, Virginia, Vtech, hell even Minnesota or South Carolina!! Those are teams that Utah can matchup with and play an interesting game. If we are talking about TOP TIER teams, Utah just isnt there. I dont see the benefit of putting Utah in the playoff to get their asses kicked. Oklahoma has just flat-out played better teams.
Key word: WAS (as in past tense)
I've never understood this "Team A beat Team B when Team B was ranked". It logically makes no sense whatsoever. UCF, Nebraska, and Syracuse were ranked when the season started. Would a win over those teams now be considered valuable at all? Anything except the final rankings is a complete and total guess at how good a team is. We now know that both Texas and Texas A&M aren't as good of wins as previously thought.
There should be exactly no value in preseason polls just as there should be no value in beating a team that used to be ranked way back when.
Key word: WAS (as in past tense)
I've never understood this "Team A beat Team B when Team B was ranked". It logically makes no sense whatsoever. UCF, Nebraska, and Syracuse were ranked when the season started. Would a win over those teams now be considered valuable at all? Anything except the final rankings is a complete and total guess at how good a team is. We now know that both Texas and Texas A&M aren't as good of wins as previously thought.
There should be exactly no value in preseason polls just as there should be no value in beating a team that used to be ranked way back when.
At the time they played them they were ranked #11 in the country........So I guess LSU has NO top 5 wins then...Were is Bama now? You know Texas has a ton of injuries right...
At the time they played them they were ranked #11 in the country........So I guess LSU has NO top 5 wins then...Were is Bama now? You know Texas has a ton of injuries right...
Texas was down 5 with 2 minutes to go vs LSU in the 4th quarter..before LSU got a very late TD on a 60 yard play..
Texas was down 5 with 2 minutes to go vs LSU in the 4th quarter..before LSU got a very late TD on a 60 yard play..
And? Was it an off game for LSU? Texas' secondary was depleted during that game as well; if anything, they should have gotten better and they didn't. The fact remains that Texas isn't as good as we once thought.
When I look at LSU's resume now, I don't factor that Texas game in as highly as I did then. Things change. Just like Clemson's win over a then-ranked Texas A&M; it no longer resonates as highly as it did then. Every time A&M played a ranked team, they got slapped around.
And? Was it an off game for LSU? Texas' secondary was depleted during that game as well; if anything, they should have gotten better and they didn't. The fact remains that Texas isn't as good as we once thought.
When I look at LSU's resume now, I don't factor that Texas game in as highly as I did then. Things change. Just like Clemson's win over a then-ranked Texas A&M; it no longer resonates as highly as it did then. Every time A&M played a ranked team, they got slapped around.
Note: My opinion is based soley on what my eyes have seen. I live on west coast and watch a lot of pac12 ball. The Pac 12 North is pathetic this year with teams like Stanford and Washington on down year. And the South has been OK but you have 9 out of 12 teams BELOW .500 in the pac 12. That says a lot. The big 12 has double the amount of teams over .500
Note: My opinion is based soley on what my eyes have seen. I live on west coast and watch a lot of pac12 ball. The Pac 12 North is pathetic this year with teams like Stanford and Washington on down year. And the South has been OK but you have 9 out of 12 teams BELOW .500 in the pac 12. That says a lot. The big 12 has double the amount of teams over .500
So what are u crying about then? OK at the time they have played their opponents will have played 3 top 11 teams...Utah at the time the have played their opponents will have played only Oregon who is #13...Next highest is ASU #17....Then UW #25 at the time....They both have 1 loss so if they both win out...OK has the better overall resume...Really no case for UTAH.. Oregon Shiit the bed....and it is what it is..PAC 12 has beaten nobody in out of conference play..
So what are u crying about then? OK at the time they have played their opponents will have played 3 top 11 teams...Utah at the time the have played their opponents will have played only Oregon who is #13...Next highest is ASU #17....Then UW #25 at the time....They both have 1 loss so if they both win out...OK has the better overall resume...Really no case for UTAH.. Oregon Shiit the bed....and it is what it is..PAC 12 has beaten nobody in out of conference play..
I'm not crying about anything, I've simply stated I like Utah more than Oklahoma. If both win, at season's end they will have beaten exactly 1 ranked opponent. Utah over Oregon, and OU over Baylor twice. Despite the same record, Utah's loss is to a ranked team. OU's and Baylor's out of conference schedule is shit too. I'm looking at more than the schedule though; OU has squeaked through their schedule while Utah has dominated theirs. IMO Utah is the more complete team.
The committee is obviously factoring in the eye test to rank teams so why can't we?
It's just my opinion, and depending on how Saturday goes, it might change again.
I'm not crying about anything, I've simply stated I like Utah more than Oklahoma. If both win, at season's end they will have beaten exactly 1 ranked opponent. Utah over Oregon, and OU over Baylor twice. Despite the same record, Utah's loss is to a ranked team. OU's and Baylor's out of conference schedule is shit too. I'm looking at more than the schedule though; OU has squeaked through their schedule while Utah has dominated theirs. IMO Utah is the more complete team.
The committee is obviously factoring in the eye test to rank teams so why can't we?
It's just my opinion, and depending on how Saturday goes, it might change again.
I'm not crying about anything, I've simply stated I like Utah more than Oklahoma. If both win, at season's end they will have beaten exactly 1 ranked opponent. Utah over Oregon, and OU over Baylor twice. Despite the same record, Utah's loss is to a ranked team. OU's and Baylor's out of conference schedule is garbage too. I'm looking at more than the schedule though; OU has squeaked through their schedule while Utah has dominated theirs. IMO Utah is the more complete team.
The committee is obviously factoring in the eye test to rank teams so why can't we?
It's just my opinion, and depending on how Saturday goes, it might change again.
I'm not crying about anything, I've simply stated I like Utah more than Oklahoma. If both win, at season's end they will have beaten exactly 1 ranked opponent. Utah over Oregon, and OU over Baylor twice. Despite the same record, Utah's loss is to a ranked team. OU's and Baylor's out of conference schedule is garbage too. I'm looking at more than the schedule though; OU has squeaked through their schedule while Utah has dominated theirs. IMO Utah is the more complete team.
The committee is obviously factoring in the eye test to rank teams so why can't we?
It's just my opinion, and depending on how Saturday goes, it might change again.
OSU played a back up Qb vs OU... Played them pretty tough as well.
OSU played a back up Qb vs OU... Played them pretty tough as well.
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