If the 4-team playoff began this season, who ya got?

For argument's sake, let's just assume the top 4 are selected via BCS rankings (not conf champs or any other formula).

I haven't done any research, but off the top of my head...

I think I'd have to guess Bama, USC, LSU and probably an unscathed Big 12 team, like Oklahoma.

What do you think???

Kinda sounds right.

A few things though...

I think a B1G team that has one loss but still wins the conference championship would probably get in. A one loss B1G conference champ would probably be a top 4 BCS team depending on when the loss occurred and who it was to.

I think Clemson could surprise again this year. Gonna be interesting to see how the Sammy Watkins suspension plays out but if they run through the ACC and put up gaudy numbers and don't melt down they could be in the picture.

One other thing to note. S Carolina has been knocking on the door the last few years. The QB situation is going to be interesting but watch out for SC in the SEC. They could throw a wrench into things.

And by the way... Oklahoma won't get through the Big12 unscathed. I think they have some problems this year.

Well, the homer in me says Michigan, LSU, u$c, and Florida State (or Oklahoma).

2ndComingOfBo wrote:

Well, the homer in me says Michigan, LSU, u$c, and Florida State (or Oklahoma).

I was seriously thinking about putting Michigan in based on the fact that I do believe we will win the B1G this year but I put the caveat in that the B1G champ would only get in if they were a one loss team.

Given the fact that UM plays some tough ones on the road, if the team finishes with it's sole loss being to Bama then yes they would be in but I see a two loss team this year.

Nothing to fret about though because they will achieve their goal of winning the B1G.

That raises an interesting question, would you consider this year an improvement with a 10-4 record? Losses to 'bama, Notre Dame, Nebraska or ohio, and u$c or Oregon in the Rose Bowl? That would include a B1G TEN Championship but not that great of a Non-Conference record.

Michigan would not be in the National Championship picture but they would win the B1G TEN Championship game. The B1G Championship is the goal every year but we would have a below .500 Non-Conference record, a Bowl game loss (although it still would be a BCS game).

Additional scenario, what if all of that happens to Michigan AND sparty finally gets a BCS at-large invite?

Short answer YES.

Long answer YES because..... like you said, the team goes into fall camp with one clear goal, to win the B1G Championship. I'm sure there are other goals set and the PC answer is always "if we focus on the B1G championship the rest will take care of itself" blah blah blah...

But I'm sure if you were a fly on the wall in the locker room you'd find that there are in fact secondary goals such as beat sparty, beat ohio, etc.

So to answer your question, YES I would consider the year an improvement if there was a digression in the wins/losses category but there was a B1G championship trophy to go with it.

Although, ask me again after losses to ND and OSU and I might feel otherwise, ha ha.

I don't understand why everyone is penciling in a loss at Notre Dame. I know we struggle there, but we've also gone in there and beat the living hell out of em before too. We will have the better team, from top to bottom. We just have to execute.

As for Sandy's question, I go back and forth on it. I understand the 'we were a better team but had a worse record' argument. At the same time, last year's team, as pointed out by 2nd earlier today to me, pulled out some games we shouldn't have won. That said, if we do in fact 'have a better team' this year, we should still be able to find ways to pull out Ws in games we might not be expected to win/we put ourselves in a ba position early in the game.

Know what I mean?

I will say this: If we win the B1G, I'll consider it a successful season. Anything less and it will be a letdown to me, personally.

I think we'll beat ND.

And I'm gonna try like hell to get to that game!

Admin wrote:

I don't understand why everyone is penciling in a loss at Notre Dame. I know we struggle there, but we've also gone in there and beat the living hell out of em before too. We will have the better team, from top to bottom. We just have to execute.

As for Sandy's question, I go back and forth on it. I understand the 'we were a better team but had a worse record' argument. At the same time, last year's team, as pointed out by 2nd earlier today to me, pulled out some games we shouldn't have won. That said, if we do in fact 'have a better team' this year, we should still be able to find ways to pull out Ws in games we might not be expected to win/we put ourselves in a ba position early in the game.

Know what I mean?

I will say this: If we win the B1G, I'll consider it a successful season. Anything less and it will be a letdown to me, personally.

OK, imagine this scenario, Michigan goes 11-1 only losing to Nebraska. Somehow, Nebraska goes undefeated in the B1G (and thus we miss out on the B1G Championship game). Then we go onto a Bowl game (most likely a BCS at large game) and win that game to wind up 12-1. Do you still look at it as a let-down?

OR....
Imagine everything goes the same way and somehow we manage to get into the BCS National Championship game. Say we win the National Championship, go 12-1, but still don't win the conference. Is that still a let-down?

Id say USC , LSU , FSU, Utah

the artist formally known wrote:

Id say USC , LSU , FSU, Utah

Utah? Ok, I'm not judging but Utah? You do know that urban went to ohio and.not back to Utah, right? You get immense credit if they end up in the BCS top 4 though...

okay under the new system Utah and USC would not be able to be there as they are in the same conference, so I'll retracked Utah and add Okla. St