dig on this RE: CFP Committee Criteria....

[TUSK]

I've not heard really any "in stone" hierarchy for the criteria...

It's my understanding they are looking at:
1-Q Wins
2-Bad Losses
3-Game Control
4-SOS
5-Conference Championships
6-Dammit... I had another one but haven't drank enough to recall it... frick... anyway.....

Also, it's my opinion that the following subjective criteria HAVE to weasel their way into the minds of the committee members:
1-"Eye Test"
2-Improvement/Momentum
3-"Head to Head, who would win on a neutral field?"

How do yall think the committee is:
A-ranking the above?
B-how would you rank them?

feel free to dismiss any of my above points and/or add your own...

[Political Hack]

Q wins
SOS
Neutral field question
Bad loss

Other than gaining a quality win, I don't think "conference championships" are going to count for much. If the Big12 had a championship game, I may consider it more plausible but given the fact that the power five choose their champions differently I don't think you can give a team "bonus points" for winning their conference... especially when their conferences have yet to defeat the SECWest.

[NorCalDawg]

6 - Margin of victory?

Do you think the committee gives each of these criteria equal weighting? Because I would question FSU at #3 based on game control and SOS. It seems like most of their games have come down to last minute wins and their margin of victory is somewhere around 10 points.

[Political Hack]

well, the unspoken #1 is overall record.

[Schultzy]

If you're number one for five straight weeks during the season and your only loss is on the road to the current number one team in the country, you have to be in the top four. Period, paragraph.

[BulldogDX55]

6 - Margin of victory?

Do you think the committee gives each of these criteria equal weighting? Because I would question FSU at #3 based on game control and SOS. It seems like most of their games have come down to last minute wins and their margin of victory is somewhere around 10 points.

Game control is kind of a way to apply a number to both margin of victory and "the eye test," and supposedly we are #2 overall in that stat.

[TUSK]

well, the unspoken #1 is overall record.

oh, my rankings were in NO particular order....

I'd go:

1) Overall Record & SOS
2) Bad Losses
3) Q Wins
4) Neutral Field Likely Winner
5) "Eye Test" - Improvement/Momentum - Margin of Victory/Game Control
6) Alphabetical*

[Political Hack]

oh, my rankings were in NO particular order....

I'd go:

1) Overall Record & SOS
2) Bad Losses
3) Q Wins
4) Neutral Field Likely Winner
5) "Eye Test" - Improvement/Momentum - Margin of Victory/Game Control
6) Alphabetical*

if you're right, we're in.

[drunkernhelldawg]

I'm steeling myself for upcoming heartbreak. This conference championship bullshit is like an alien on that list. it pretends to be objective but is definitely not so. Also, Mississippi State takes a regular season tie with a win tomorrow Since when do these conference championship games supplant the whole season? What they're trying to do to us is an outrage. Nobody listens to shit you say after the word "but" comes out of your mouth. We've had a great season. The Orange Bowl will be special. They're gonna get what they want, unless they want integrity.

[NorCalDawg]

Game control is kind of a way to apply a number to both margin of victory and "the eye test," and supposedly we are #2 overall in that stat.

However they figure it, TCU and/or Ohio State should be ranked higher in the CFP rankings than FSU based on game control. I say this because their SOS is similar to FSU's (FSU = 47, TCU = 45, OSU = 55) while FSU's game control ranking is 33 and TCU and OSU's game control is 5 and 8, respectively. Also, when you look at the FPI of each of these teams, TCU and OSU are both higher than FSU. I am assuming the only reason FSU is still in the top 4 is because they are undefeated.

This also speaks to Hack's point about overall record being the # 1 factor. FSU is the only undefeated team in the top 4, yet their game control, SOS, and FPI are lower than, and in some cases, lower than teams not in the top 4.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/playoffPicture

I'm guessing the committee has some sort of weighting on the criteria; otherwise, I don't see FSU deserving of a top 4 CFP ranking.

[TUSK]

if you're right, we're in.

well, I think OSU is yall's major threat...

1) Overall Record & SOS - records are identical... Sagarin SOS: MSU 39, OSU 55; Slight advantage MSU.
2) Bad Losses - no brainer... HUGE advantage MSU
3) Q Wins - 1) OSU over #10 Michigan St., 2) MSU over #15 Auburn, 3) OSU over #18 Minnesota; Slight advantage OSU (for now).
4) Neutral Field Likely Winner - I believe MSU would give OSU all they want, and then some.
5) "Eye Test" - Improvement/Momentum - Margin of Victory/Game Control - Improvement/MO to OSU; Game control to MSU... eye test... MSU
6) Alphabetical*... duh, ALABAMA.

[NorCalDawg]

oh, my rankings were in NO particular order....

I'd go:

1) Overall Record & SOS
2) Bad Losses
3) Q Wins
4) Neutral Field Likely Winner
5) "Eye Test" - Improvement/Momentum - Margin of Victory/Game Control
6) Alphabetical*

Like. I think this is very close to how the committee looks at it.

[ShotgunDawg]

well, I think OSU is yall's major threat...

1) Overall Record & SOS - records are identical... Sagarin SOS: MSU 39, OSU 55; Slight advantage MSU.
2) Bad Losses - no brainer... HUGE advantage MSU
3) Q Wins - 1) OSU over #10 Michigan St., 2) MSU over #15 Auburn, 3) OSU over #18 Minnesota; Slight advantage OSU (for now).
4) Neutral Field Likely Winner - I believe MSU would give OSU all they want, and then some.
5) "Eye Test" - Improvement/Momentum - Margin of Victory/Game Control - Improvement/MO to OSU; Game control to MSU... eye test... MSU
6) Alphabetical*... duh, ALABAMA.

Good thoughts Tusk.

Not to get greedy, but the whole "Quality Win" thing is where this gets so subjective. Ohio State has Michigan State and Minnesota, but are those really better wins that LSU and Arkansas? What if we beat Ole Miss and they fall out? Is Minnesota really a better win that winning in Oxford?

We'll get LSU back as a quality win, but the we are being punished because the SEC West is so good and thus has beaten each other.

To anyone with a brain, we have played a better schedule and have better wins that OSU.

Our resume doesn't really compare to theirs. They have no business being in this conversation.

[TUSK]

I'm steeling myself for upcoming heartbreak. This conference championship bullshit is like an alien on that list. it pretends to be objective but is definitely not so. Also, Mississippi State takes a regular season tie with a win tomorrow Since when do these conference championship games supplant the whole season? What they're trying to do to us is an outrage. Nobody listens to shit you say after the word "but" comes out of your mouth. We've had a great season. The Orange Bowl will be special. They're gonna get what they want, unless they want integrity.

I agree, buddy! this Political Correctness has gone too far (once it gets into the football, anyway)!

[TUSK]

Good thoughts Tusk.

Not to get greedy, but the whole "Quality Win" thing is where this gets so subjective. Ohio State has Michigan State and Minnesota, but are those really better wins that LSU and Arkansas? What if we beat Ole Miss and they fall out? Is Minnesota really a better win that winning in Oxford?

We'll get LSU back as a quality win, but the we are being punished because the SEC West is so good and thus has beaten each other.

To anyone with a brain, we have played a better schedule and have better wins that OSU.

Our resume doesn't really compare to theirs. They have no business being in this conversation.

For the most part, this is correct... the HIGH end of MSU's slate is superior to Ohio State's HIGH end... but the LOW end of MSU's schedule is absolutely horrible...

I'll defer to the HIGH end, every day...

off the cuff, using Sagarin... total expected season:

HIGH end: MSU 6, OSU 3

Middle: MSU 1, OSU 9

Low end: MSU 5, OSU 1

[Schultzy]

If MSU wins today and is left out, I will lose faith in the entire process.

The whole college football thing will be meaningless. Except for tailgating.

[KB21]

I still think too many are buying into what the media is saying. The fact of the matter is, wins over LSU, Auburn, and Texas A&M are still quality wins no matter how you slice it. I think the committee will look at these wins as if those teams were in other conferences, their records would be better. I mean, LSU beat Wisconsin on a neutral field. The SEC West is undefeated in non-conference play. Only four losses came from outside the West, and those four were to Georgia (Arkansas and Auburn) and Missouri (Arkansas and Texas A&M).

[Schultzy]

I still think too many are buying into what the media is saying. The fact of the matter is, wins over LSU, Auburn, and Texas A&M are still quality wins no matter how you slice it. I think the committee will look at these wins as if those teams were in other conferences, their records would be better. I mean, LSU beat Wisconsin on a neutral field. The SEC West is undefeated in non-conference play. Only four losses came from outside the West, and those four were to Georgia (Arkansas and Auburn) and Missouri (Arkansas and Texas A&M).
Thank you.

[Quaoarsking]

Who was the driving force behind setting up the playoff? Mike Slive.
Who was it that made sure the rules allowed for non-conference champions to make it to the playoff? Mike Slive.

If there's a conspiracy within the Committee (and I strongly believe there is not), it will be FOR the SEC, not against it.