From SB Nation
This is my first rating update of 2014. I think September is too early to try and rank teams. And frankly, October might be too early, too, but the A’s are out of the playoffs so I need a distraction.
Speaking of playoffs, and college football: College Football Playoffs! I’ve always been a proponent of an 8-team playoff, given that there are numerous conferences with a pretty low level of interaction during the season. But a 4-team playoff is a step in the right direction.
Now let’s talk about the selection committee. Are you serious? What is this, the Westminster Dog Show? Why do we want to inject the eye test into a game that has so much subjectivity when it comes to fandom and conference superiority? Hey, let’s have people from USC decide if UCLA should make the playoff! What could go wrong?
But again, it’s a step in the right direction and I’m looking forward to it at the end of this season.
As I said, I have always been a proponent of an 8-team playoff. Each week, I’ll post my If-The-Season-Ended-Today matchups in the 4 and 8 team variety:
My 8-team matchups will be the same as before: top 6 conference champs plus the next 2 teams of any type, with top 4 conference champs hosting, and the next 4 teams ranked by rating.
My 4-team matchups will be the top 3 conference champions + a wildcard. The wildcard will be determined like this: if the highest- or 2nd-highest-rated team in the country is still on the board, it gets chosen as the wildcard. If not, the highest-rated conference champion still on the board is the wildcard. Teams are ranked by rating, but top 2 must be conference champs.
So, if the season ended today:
8-Team Playoff
#16 Nebraska (8) @ #1 Auburn (1)
#12 Marshall (7) @ #4 Florida State (2)
#3 Miss St (6) @ #6 Arizona (3)
#2 Ole Miss (5) @ #8 TCU (4)
Obviously, each team in the SEC will have the chance to climb to the top spot by the end of the season.
4-Team Playoff
Auburn (1) vs. Arizona (4)
Florida State (2) vs. Ole Miss (3)
I’m looking forward to another great Saturday!
