They say schedule matters... we'll see next tuesday Nov. 26

[picksix]

I believe in my ducks and we will take care of business in Tempe this weekend. Alabama plays POWERHOUSE Western Carolina this weekend and no matter what the final score is of that game Oregon should move up to #5 no questions asked. They have to start penalizing teams who play Division 2 teams in week 13.

[Merganzer]

I expect that after their win, Alabama will stay at 5. Next week, will be interesting, If a win over Western Alabama still keeps Alabama at 5, the committee is keeping a tight hand on the tide, waiting for one of the top 4 to lose.

[lukeyrid13]

There's no chance the Tide make the playoff over a 12-1 Oregon. Oklahoma would be the main competition for that #4 slot.

[Merganzer]

There's no chance the Tide make the playoff over a 12-1 Oregon. Oklahoma would be the main competition for that #4 slot.

Let's hope so. Oklahoma is in a weird situation. The committee isn't liking them very much, and I don't think it helps them that to win the Big12 they have to beat Baylor, a team that the committee has even less regard for, again. Also, the Big12 is just weird. First, because, for football, it has only 10 teams. But what is really strange is that each team does what the Pac-10 used to do, no divisions, play a round-robin, and the best record at the end is the champion. But now, they still have the same schedule; but have a championship game, between the first and second place teams.

[nogerO]

There's ZERO chance we pass Alabama. The bias for the SEC is plainly on display on the selection committee. Every year the polls rank at least 5 SEC teams in the top 25 Then they all tend to play 3 cupcakes to start the season, and then with their 7 conference games instead of 8, and then the 4th cupcake later in the season, the best teams from the SEC only play 2 tough games on average each year. And by tough game I don't mean a a couple of 6-0 or 5-1 teams who haven't played anyone so far in the season playing each other with the loser still staying in the top 15. However the playoff selection committee certainly takes the out of whack first 5 or 6 polls seriously so you always have teams like Oregon or Baylor or Minnesota having to try to leap frog over a bunch of over rated teams. If you think anyone will pass Alabammy if they win out, I'm sorry but it's just NOT going to happen. There's no way they won't have Alabama at 5 just waiting for someone above them to trip up so they can happily move Bama into the playoffs. 8 team playoff is a must and the powers that be need to pull their heads out of their collective asses and give us a true champion who has won it via a fair playoff system.

[lukeyrid13]

2014 set a good precedent. TCU and Baylor were I believe 3 & 4 going into the final weekend, neither played in a conference title game and were pushed back to 5 & 6. If Oregon wins 12 straight, beats 7-8 bowl teams, has 10 conference wins, a top 10 win, played a top 25 non-conference opponent and gets beat out by a team with their backup QB who didn't win their own division.....then I legit think we see playoff reform.
Commissioners won't be happy, you'll see non-conference games cancelled etc. I just can't see Bama being selected in that scenario.

[Merganzer]

2014 set a good precedent. TCU and Baylor were I believe 3 & 4 going into the final weekend, neither played in a conference title game and were pushed back to 5 & 6. If Oregon wins 12 straight, beats 7-8 bowl teams, has 10 conference wins, a top 10 win, played a top 25 non-conference opponent and gets beat out by a team with their backup QB who didn't win their own division.....then I legit think we see playoff reform.
Commissioners won't be happy, you'll see non-conference games cancelled etc. I just can't see Bama being selected in that scenario.

I hope you're right, but imagine this scenario:
If Matt Jones can lead Alabama to a win over Auburn. The most glaring fact about Oregon's 12-1 conference winning season in the Committee's mind will be that Oregon lost to Auburn; and that Alabama's only loss was to LSU; with a now obviously injured Tua, who's untouched fumble provided LSU with its margin of victory. Ultimately, the committee will ask itself, "Is Oregon better than Alabama?"

[nogerO]

2014 set a good precedent. TCU and Baylor were I believe 3 & 4 going into the final weekend, neither played in a conference title game and were pushed back to 5 & 6. If Oregon wins 12 straight, beats 7-8 bowl teams, has 10 conference wins, a top 10 win, played a top 25 non-conference opponent and gets beat out by a team with their backup QB who didn't win their own division.....then I legit think we see playoff reform.
Commissioners won't be happy, you'll see non-conference games cancelled etc. I just can't see Bama being selected in that scenario.

I hope you're right, but imagine this scenario:
If Matt Jones can lead Alabama to a win over Auburn. The most glaring fact about Oregon's 12-1 conference winning season in the Committee's mind will be that Oregon lost to Auburn; and that Alabama's only loss was to LSU; with a now obviously injured Tua, who's untouched fumble provided LSU with its margin of victory. Ultimately, the committee will ask itself, "Is Oregon better than Alabama?"

And the answer will be...how could they be, they don't play in the SEC!