Dick Rosenthal {l Wrote}:It's not just whether or not Wake could go undefeated--they could--although ending on the road at Clemson and BC is tough by ACC Standards. The problem for the ACC is that the SEC is definitely getting two teams this year. If Notre Dame beats Cincy on Saturday they have a pretty clear path to an undefeated season, and if Cincy beats ND they have a pretty clear path to an undefeated season. Undefeated Notre Dame and Undefeated Cincy would get the nod over undefeated Wake Forest--Cincy especially. Then you have Oregon, which beat tOSU and is likely to finish the season undefeated because the PAC 12 sucks, and even if they lost one game, they'd still probably get the nod over Wake for beating tOSU. I'd also guess that a one loss tOSU or Ped State will get the nod over an undefeated Wake as well. And this doesn't take into consideration that Oklahoma is still undefeated--although that seems unlikely too last because they flat out suck.
My best guess is two SEC teams, Oregon and then one of Cincy, Notre Dame, and a one loss Big 10 Champion. If Cincy is undefeated I think they get the 4th slot. If ND is undefeated, given the meh schedule, I would think a one loss tOSU gets the nod over them, especially if they blow out Ped State.
I don't think that there is any chance that a 1-loss-ANYONE would get a playoff spot over an undefeated BC or Wake Forest. I don't think that there is any chance that a 1-loss-ANYONE would get a playoff spot over any undefeated Power-5 team. I think the main reason why they expanded to a 4 game playoff was tv money but a HUGE secondary reason was to avoid the fiasco that was the 2004 season with undefeated power-5 teams not playing for a national championship. With Notre Dame it is mathematically possible for there to be 6 undefeated Power-5 teams but in the realm of reality, no. That is not going to happen. So just win all your games and you are in. The whole POINT of there being such a tiny playoff pool (4 teams) is that the regular season is supposed to be a playoff, every game. So in that sense, Wake Forest gets the nod BEFORE Ohio State. There is no chance that a 13-0 Wake Forest is locked out of the playoff and Ohio State gets to go. That defeats the entire purpose of the regular season AND the Power-5. Is Wake Forest a Power-5 school or isn't it?
Assuming Ohio State defeats Michigan (they seem to do always do that now), assuming Cincinnati knocks off Notre Dame, and Wake runs the table (very possible) then the likely playoff teams will be
- Oklahoma
- Wake Forest
- Oregon
- Alabama
Right or wrong. Cincinnati is not Power-5 (yet.) They soon will be (2023 I think.) So they are not in playoff conversation when there are already enough undefeated Power-5 teams. And the SEC can forget sending BOTH Georgia and Alabama if Wake/BC and Oklahoma/Baylor and Oregon are undefeated.
I'll tell you what though, it sure is fun to fantasize about BC being part of this shit because (as of right now) they are!
Feminism: Eve eats ALL the apples, gives God the middle finder when He confronts her, and has the serpent serve Adam with an injunction ordering him to stay away from her AND to provide her food and shelter because he dragged her out of the Garden.