Sports tells us a lot about ourselves. We are prone to idolatry and false priorities, but there is something I have noticed on social media proclamations about the college football playoffs this year that I believe reveals something about our culture and our nature. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve read the following, or some variation of it, I would have a large nickel collection.
Any team with only six wins in the regular season is disqualified and should not be included in the college football playoff.
Many of those who say this are Big-12 fans who wanted Oklahoma in or SEC fans who thought a second team from that conference should be included (likely Texas A&M). Some just don’t like Ohio State. After OSU put a beatdown on Clemson, this opinion was shared even more widely than before. Many other opinions have been shared.
- “Notre Dame shouldn’t be in.” (A sentiment I tend to agree with.)
- “No conference should have two teams in the playoff.” (Another opinion that I think has merit.)
What makes the “six-win” viewpoint unique is that it is stated as if it were a rule, some kind of guideline that was ignored. The Committee ignored that rule about how a team with only six wins was eliminated from contention in the playoff and included OSU anyway.
Just the facts…
1. The CFB playoff committee has essentially unfettered freedom to choose any four teams they choose. They are tasked to choose the four best teams and they have no guidelines, no formulas, no strictures. If they stated that they believed the four best teams were Central Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Utah State, and Slippery Rock, those teams would be in the tournament. Of course, since the committee is controlled by the Power 5 Conferences, such choices are unlikely. The point is that they meet and talk and make choices, but they do not have any rules except their own opinions.
I am not a fan of this system and I am not defending it. I hate the fact that a group of unaccountable men (are there women on the committee?) sitting in secrecy in a room somewhere make the decision on who gets to play in the tourney. It stinks. It is the system we have.
2. They give some explanation of their decisions every year, but the goalposts move a bit. One year conference championships matter a lot, but the next year they ignore them and include an Alabama team that didn’t even make its conference championship game. They do as they please annually then explain what they did.
3. This year, with all the cancellations and isolations and disruptions from COVID, the system was more dysfunctional than usual. The Big-10 changed its rules to allow Ohio State to compete in the conference championship game. Originally, 6 games were required to get in, but they removed that rule after Michigan canceled its rivalry game with OSU. Indiana, which would have gone to the game, was so angry they covered up all their B1G logos for their bowl game. As a fan of a Big-10 team, I’m grateful, since they laid a total stinker against a mediocre team from the mediocre SEC.
4. Is Ohio State one of the four best teams in the nation? The evidence seems to support that notion, especially after they drilled the team I thought might be the real #1. I watched several Clemson games this year and thought when Trevor Lawrence was under center they were formidable. OSU made them look ordinary, even inept.
Did Ohio State deserve to be in the tournament? YES! Why? Because there is only one entrance requirement. A team must be one of the four best teams in the nation in the eyes of the members of the committee. There is no other requirement. Conference championships and records are not determinative. Members of that committee, meeting in secret and accountable to no one but themselves, must think a team is one of the four best. They thought OSU was in the top 4 and so a) they were in and b) they deserved to be in.
That is our system. I don’t like it, but that is the system. I think at least there ought to be an 8 team tournament and I’ve written here on that. The system is the system though. Just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean the system is rigged or unfair. By the system that is currently in place, OSU was a legitimate part of the CFP. They very well might win it all.
What’s It All About?
We have a tendency to make our own opinions the standard by which all things are judged. Of course, any of us can state our opinions about anything, but the fact that I have an opinion doesn’t make that opinion the standard for the world.
The fact that I don’t think a six-win team should be in the playoffs doesn’t mean that a six-win team is illegitimate. My opinions are not the standard of truth.
I have seen this in so many areas of life, especially in the Baptist world.
We tend to imbue our opinions with biblical import, assuming our opinions must be mandates from on high.
- If I didn’t vote for a particular candidate, his election must be “corrupt.”
- If a vote at business meeting or the SBC annual meeting doesn’t go my way, it must be a sign we’ve abandoned the gospel and truth.
- If people disagree with me, they must be the enemy of all things holy.
We tend to sanctify, even deify our opinions and make officious pronouncements of truth. We can stand firmly on that which the word of God affirms but tend to seek a similar authority for our own opinions. Perhaps we are just buying into the worldly “hot take” system. Who knows? But the tendency to make official pronouncements based on our opinions is dangerous. We need to distinguish carefully between God’s word and our opinions.
In my opinion, of course, the SEC is evil and Alabama needs to lose by at least 30 points. Right, CB? Come to think of it, that might be a prophetic word…never mind.
Since this is issued ex-cathedra, I will broach no disagreement. In the words of the great Mark Driscoll – to disagree with me is the rebel against heaven.
Lost me at “mediocre SEC.”
But I’d join you in the 8 team playoff, since top players opt out of lesser bowl games. Georgia lost a bunch. Make a note, though, that UGA supplied the QB for Ohio State.
I don’t know if college football can be fixed. There are a handful to top teams with NFL talent backing up NFL starting talent. Big money all around.
CB Scott may have an opinion on this.
Yeah imagine how good Georgia might’ve been the past three years if they had played him back in 2018. Or even given him hope of winning the job in 2019.
Of course, I miss no opportunity to rail against the SEC.
I don’t think they are a great conference. They have one great team. They’ve won several close games against mediocre teams.
Apparently Denial is a river on the northern plains.
I know. Those SEC fans live in fantasyland, don’t they?
Your hilarious! The NORTHERN PLAINS should have tipped you off that I speak of those who live in the footprint of a conference that erroneously labels itself the Big 10 (they can’t even count the number of teams they have correctly) as those in denial regarding the greatest conference. This inferior conference will always look with envy upon the SEC!
SEC! SEC! SEC!
My only quarrel with this, Dave, is that even if the committee believed the four best teams were Central Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Utah State, and Slippery Rock, they’d still put at least three of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame in the playoff. Because it’s still a business/TV show.
Not exactly sure how that corresponds to your point about the SBC, but I bet we could figure something out.
Honestly, those 5 teams (well, leave Notre Dame out) those 4 teams are generally among the best in the nation.
One of the problems hurting College Football is that there are three or four teams so much better than others and they win every year. Sure, an LSU puts together a superteam once in a while, but next year, the question will be who is joining OSU, Bama, and Clemson in the tourney.
Those 3 teams generally DESERVE to be there.
Oklahoma and ND form the second tier.
Oklahoma was not worth that spot at the beginning of the season, but by the end they were. But that’s why the games are played. I still think OU is a year or two away from being in that top tier again.
Here’s a personal gripe. OK lost 2 games early in the season – played poorly. Almost lost a 3rd. By the end of the year they were probably one of the 4 best. Probably would have beaten ND easily.
The committee would have been totally justified if it ignored the 2 losses and put OK in. They can do whatever they want.
An eight team playoff based on what happens on the field rather than on the opinions of a biased committee would be great. Run the games through the Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Cotton and Peach Bowls with an independent championship. Take the five power five conference championship game winners and the next three teams in the rankings who didn’t lose a conference championship and you’d have a good field that would be enough motivation for players with an eye on the NFL to stick around until it was over.
For a counter point: why is there any playoff at all? These are school teams not professional organizations. The student athletes risk injury, lose personal time to study or visit with family and friends and receive no compensation for playing extra games. The beneficiaries are big media, stadium owners, and athletic departments, and perhaps, armchair coaches who debate which teams or conferences are best. Let’s return to a view that benefits to the participants are our priority.
Even high school teams have tournaments.
If you ever had the opportunity to play any sport in a “playoff” or “tournament,” you know that it is not about the money you may or may not make in the future. If you haven’t been there, you can’t really understand it. I realize as well as anyone that when a person’s life is summed up, trophies and ribbons mean little/nothing in the scope of eternity. However, competing and winning fairly in any sport is of some value in the journey home. I hate participation trophies with all my heart. To compete in sports whether you win or lose… Read more »
It blows me away that Jesus spoke the very words His father gave Him, and never missed the mark. Which makes me think, did He have opinions? In His humanness? He could have spoken into any situation at any time with complete knowledge, or called out literally anyone, but He didn’t. He was perfectly obedient in His speaking. Very, very intriguing.
You are right, Dave Miller. “Sports tells us a lot about ourselves.”
Let me illustrate:
BAMA Fans = Major Winners. = Always have been. Always will be.
Hawkeye fans = Mega Losers = Never Winners = Cannot buy a Championship. Hopeless in the Football Universe to ever be able to buy a National Champions sweatshirt.
Yep, you’re right, Dave, Ole Buddy, Ole Pal, sports tells us a lot about ourselves.
Am I wrong? Did the SEC go 6-2 in the Bowl games or not? Asking for a friend named Dave Miller.
They did, but the bowl tie-ins that the SEC has are always to the SEC advantage, with the SEC team playing a lower rated team. Other than Alabama and Ohio State, who are in the championship, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Northwestern came out a lot better than any SEC team that had to scramble to win against inferior opponents. After watching Oklahoma dismantle a Florida team that Alabama struggled to beat, my hopes of another Ohio State blowout of the Tide have been considerably raised.
We. Shall. See.
Ohio did beat Clemson. That’s a fact. I was shocked. I was not shocked like I am when Auburn beats BAMA, but shocked nonetheless.
However, St Nick has by now watched every moment of that game and so has the team. They have watched it over and over.
Now, the greatest football coach since Coach Bear Bryant graced the gridiron will develop a game plan to defeat the hope so team from Ohio.
Yes. We. Shall. See.
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!!
Did the season end with four (4) SEC teams in the top ten? Asking for another friend named Dave Miller.
If six games can get you in, then each team should have been evaluated on their best six games. OSU has historically had a hard time not stumping their collective toe and the Big10 made sure they wouldn’t.
8 teams is a good start, but the FCS model actually produces undisputed champions.