The latest potential twelve team FBS playoff bracket was released earlier this week. The requisite hand wringing and whining happened about five seconds after that. There are a number of teams (mostly from the SEC) bemoaning their exclusion from the playoffs.
To be perfectly clear, if you are ranked anything after number eight in the polls, just shut up and and accept your fate. If you make the playoffs, great. If you didn’t, well, play better next year. There is no injustice being meted out to any of these teams. I don’t want to hear about strength of schedule or margin of victory. It is pretty clear that if you want in the playoffs, you should win your conference or don’t lose more than one game. Harsh but fair. Look I get that everyone can have a bad game (Notre Dame anyone?). But Miami, all you needed to do was beat Syracuse and you would still be playing. And, don’t even get me started on three loss teams like Ole Miss.
I suppose at some point this bracket is going to jump to sixteen teams, but for now it is more than good enough. Finally, the national champion is guaranteed to be decided on the field instead in a Marriott Hotel conference room.
The Picks
Week 13 Results
Finished the season with a great(?) 2-2 run. It was an ugly season picking games. Easily the worst numbers I have had since I started documenting my picks. A brief summary below:
- I really did think that Vandy would keep it close against Tennessee. For awhile, the Commodores were up for the challenge, but eventually they faded.
- The BS – Pitt game was similar as the Panthers played well for a stretch. Boston College, however, righted the ship and took care of Pittsburgh and got me a much needed win.
- Miami had been flirting with disaster all season. Picking and getting the Syracuse win was easy money.
- It was a bad weekend for a lot Aggies, New Mexico State and Texas A&M.
As for the other remainder of the games, it was a mixed bag of results.
- Indiana and Penn State each took care of business. Ohio State did not, losing to a very average Michigan team. When Ryan Day looks in the mirror does he see James Franklin?
- The Georgia Tech – Georgia game was a great finish. Even my wife hung around to watch that OT-palooza.
- I was thinking that I still to have seen both the NCAA champion (Georgia, maybe) and the worst (Kennesaw State). However, with Kent State’s loss to Buffalo, I believe the Golden Flashes have secured the title of worst FBS team with a 0-12 record.
- What’s dumber then planting your flag in an opponents logo? Getting in a fight with football pads on. Even if you get the helmet off, the likelihood you will inflict any real damage to your combatant is slim to none.
No more picks
I don’t pick past the regular season because I think we have all suffered enough. The games this weekend should be great. The Group of Five games should be particularly exciting and I don’t think the big boy conferences are going to rest on their laurels.
That’s all I got – enjoy the games.
Tree