Playoffs versus Polls - Week Nine
Thanks to the performances of South Carolina and West Virginia this past weekend, we have our final five pretty well set with roughly a month remaining in the regular season. A loss by anyone at this point would be cataclysmic. If a four-team playoff were pending, Florida would be in the worst shape with a (probable) upcoming matchup against Alabama in the SEC Championship. People have made their opinions known that some will not vote for a team who fails to win their own conference. The BCS, however, shows no such disdain towards second place finishers. Thus, Florida is in the thick of this, trying to replicate what the Crimson Tide was able to do just last season.
Let’s take a closer look at the five remaining Championship competitors with the important caveat being that probably 80% of this group would have to lose for any other dark horses (Oklahoma, USC, etc.) to emerge with viable title game aspirations.
Alabama
- * Currently number one in the polls, although only fourth in the computer rankings.
- * A half game lead on Mississippi State for first place in the SEC West.
- * Starts a stretch of three consecutive games against ranked opponents.
- * The Big One: November 3 at LSU.
- * Winning out would mean another BCS Title game appearance.
Florida
- * Currently second overall but first according to the computers.
- * Alone atop the SEC East, having just ventured through their toughest tests.
- * The Big One: this weekend versus Georgia.
- * The Big One, Rivalry Edition: November 24 at Florida State.
- * Winning out would mean a trip to the conference title game but nothing further is guaranteed.
Kansas State
- * Fourth in both human polls and second on the computers translates to third overall.
- * By themselves atop the 10-team Big 12 (no conference title game).
- * With the conference crumbling around them, toughest tests have already been passed.
- * A number of good opponents left but no Big One.
- * Winning out means nothing; they need help.
Oregon
- * Humans like the Ducks; computers do not. Computers actually have Oregon State ahead of them.
- * Currently tied with the aforementioned Beavers for first in the Pac-12 North Division.
- * Three huge games still remain just to reach the conference championship.
- * The Big One, Rivalry Edition: November 24 at Oregon State.
- * The Big One, Rematch Edition: November 3 at USC, result may determine whether teams face each other again for the Pac-12 crown.
- * Upcoming schedule will help computer rankings and winning out could hop Oregon to second in the BCS.
Notre Dame
- * Third according to the computers, fifth according to most humans, first according to Catholics.
- * Three game lead on Navy for the title of Best Independent.
- * Two huge games remaining to determine how high the Irish can jump.
- * The Big One, Spot Flip Edition: this weekend at Oklahoma. A loss here may flip Oklahoma into this coveted (not really coveted) fifth spot.
- * The Big One, Spot Flip Edition Part Deux: November 24 at USC. A loss here may flip USC into this coveted (not really coveted) fifth spot.
- * Winning out would have been huge come playoff time with Notre Dame garnering so much respect from humans. Computers are not as easily swayed.
AOTM Predicted BCS Top Two:
(1) Alabama vs. (2) Oregon
AOTM Predicted Playoff Top Four:
(1) Alabama vs. (4) Kansas State; (2) Oregon vs. (3) Notre Dame
Week 9 Football - What to Watch For
