This week I was planning on going to see Navy play SMU in Fort Worth, Texas. However, just like last year, my heart isn’t in it. That, and my wife gently questioned if I really needed to go away on Thanksgiving weekend. It was a good point. There are a ton of great games on Thanksgiving weekend as it is rivalry weekend. Even better, at least a couple of them, Michigan versus Ohio State and ‘Bama versus Auburn, have national playoff implications. The Iron Bowl is a the classic example where on paper, Alabama should easily handle Auburn. However, when it comes to rivalry games, you never know. So, why would I want to both risk the ire of my wife and watch Navy hammer SMU in person, when I can watch multiple games from the couch instead. Sorry Mustangs, maybe next year.
The Big Ten sure is making a mess of the playoff rankings. If Michigan doesn’t win the conference title, it all gets very complicated. Supposedly, the committee values the conference title above all else. Say either Wisconsin or Penn State win the Big 10 championship. Where would that leave a two loss Ohio State? It genuinely does not seem to be fair that either Washington or Clemson (assuming they win out) get dropped to give the Big Ten two teams. I don’t think a two loss Buckeye or Wolverine gets in if the committee has any integrity. It would also be a shame if Western Michigan goes undefeated and Navy/Boise State/Houston get the New Year’s Day game because they are higher ranked. I really think that going to an eight game playoff format is the way to go. Less drama for the talking heads, but a much better result for the teams from the weaker conferences such as Oklahoma. In any case, it should make for some good viewing in the next couple of weekends.