Just saw a statement about Utah backing into the RB. Guess looking at the P12 and B10 I’m not fully getting what has to happen if Michigan and USC do make it onto the playoffs.
I of course want is to win the RB but if the RB doesn’t have to take Utah and Purdue I objectively want to understand why they would? I can’t see how their hand is forced if we don’t both win.
Then again I’m still a bit confused how we come out on top of the 3 way tie to play on Friday. Not sad about it (very happy). But confused.
In a 3 way tie, where not all teams play each other, they go to win percentage against common conference opponents. Washington didn’t play Utah or USC, so Utah’s win percentage is higher in common opponents.
We honestly are unlikely to go to the RB if we lose as we will not be the highest CFP ranked team after USC, it’s likely Washington would go.
That concept has always bothered me. A team advances to a championship game or a tournament based on its record. That’s what Utah did. “Backing in” is more a perception than anything real. If Utah had played and beaten CU after OSU beat Oregon and UW beat WSU, it would look like we played our way in. (Which we in reality did.) Saying that someone backed in is just a way to denigrate the accomplishment. Sour grapes, envy, whatever you want to call it.
There are so many issues with the “backing in” argument, especially this year.
Washington had a schedule that featured 3 home OOC games against Kent State, Portland State and Michigan State. Those teams combined to go 14-21 this year.
They did not play Utah or USC in conference play. That means Washington and USC only played one against the top 3, Utah and Oregon both played 2.
It’s ironic Washington fans are running their mouth about their “resume” being better, especially with Utah and Washington sharing a loss to UCLA. The difference? Utahs second loss is to Oregon. Washington…ASU.
Utah had a more ambitious out out of conference schedule by far, and lost to two top 4 conference teams, while beating the top team.
Agree. And looking at it in even a different way- what if we were 6-2 going into our last game and it was against Southern Cal, and the result against them was the same (43-42 win). People would be saying we played our way into the championship game. “Backing in” and “playing in” are a matter of when those games are played.
Of course, we plan on beating USC and going directly to the Rose Bowl. But I read a few minutes ago that if we lose in the championship game, and USC then goes to the CFP, Washington will be in the Rose Bowl because they would then be the next highest-ranked team in the conference. I don’t like that. After the debacle over BYU getting to claim a national championship in 1984 simply because of its ranking, I thought college football was moving away from rankings being the factor determining bowl game positions (outside of the CFP, of course). Seems like teams ought to be able to win their way into bowl games, not rank their way. So if the winner of the conference championship game goes to the CFP, the other team that made it to the championship game should go to the Rose Bowl. Am I right?
Washington gets in the RB by bypassing an extra game?
If that’s the case, how about if USC goes max “on advice of a preponderance of agents” and by-passes both the CCG (and the Rose Bowl) and declares CFP or bust?
Has anyone talked to the agents of Penix & half of those receivers, who may suggest bypassing all of this to prep for the draft?
Seriously, this talk about UW skipping the CCG to slip in the side door in Pasadena would validate everything wrong with college football.
It would be ironic if the Rose Bowl Committee drives a dagger in what’s left of college football by prompting conferences to abandon conference championship games as completely irrelevant extra miles on the players.
(What’s left? Bag all the bowl games except whatever’s a part of the CFB? Thousands of agents would agree.)
The Rose Bowl Committee needs to seriously think about how their decisions impact the game of college football.
OK, perhaps I need to hedge the bet a little here:
How can we create a NIL collective directed at the Rose Bowl Committee members, themselves?
You know, “help them” make the right decision, a reward for a job well done, and words like that,
The Ducks spent a pile of money, built lavish facilities, hired a line of high-dollar recruiters, worked the analytics, but got beat by the slow and steady act of Jonathan Smith and Oregon State.
One frustrated UO donor saw the Ducks ahead by 21 points in the second half, picked up the phone, and bought a luxury suite at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for the Pac-12 Championship game.
The cost: $11,000, plus catering.
“Last box that wasn’t in the corners of the stadium,” the donor said.
Two comments:
a fool and his $11,000 were soon parted. This guy expects me to feel sorry for someone who would make ANY decision based upon a 21 point 3rd quarter lead? Sorry, no.
slow and steady did build the Beavers program and did win the game for them, but I fear that largely going forward, the teams that will be in the national spotlight, play in the big games, and win them, will be those spending a pile of money. We’re getting there now, and when we completely arrive at that point, I suspect it will be the end of my lifelong passion for college football.
In this Oprah era of “Everyone goes to a Bowl” many of the games have lost their cachet with fan bases. Even the Rose Bowl has slipped a little because of the CFP. From my own misspent youth, I can remember when it was a championship bowl.
Think about it, this year the game is going to be played by two teams who may have not won their conferences. Not anymore.
Last year when we won the PAC 12, tOSU was a “next best team” as the B1G sent its champ (Bitchagain) to the CFP. Though Buckeye fan attended the game, Utah flat owned the stadium with the number of fans who bought up tickets. Though we were excited on our “First Trip,” tOSU…not so much.
This year if U$C wins on Friday, and Bitchagain wins on Saturday, the Rose Bowl will be an “Also Ran” bowl of “next best teams” as both will be in the CFP.
I hope when we go to the 12-team playoff the Rose Bowl will always stay in the rotation of locations for a playoff game.