re: Only one scenario keeps a 1-loss Bama out of the playoffs:

Jeff Long Article 1

quote:

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You noted on ESPN that some of Mississippi State's wins came against teams previously ranked. Why should past rankings be a criteria if those teams have shown to not be as good as they were when they were ranked? Well, it's just something the committee discusses. We know if a team was previously ranked 14, 15, 16, and you know what, teams played differently part of the year. A team that may have been playing very well at the beginning of the season, whether through injuries or level of competition, they're not playing as well. It's not a criteria, but we certainly discuss and know when a team was previously ranked in the top 25.

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Jeff Long Article 2

quote:

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Ohio State's performance in a 13th game gave them a quality win against a highly ranked team that allowed them to move into that fourth spot."

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Notice, he did not say BIG 10 championship. He said 13th game and quality win.

Other key words repeated are "body of work" and "performance on the field". Ergo, all teams will be judged on those criteria, not some checklist of accomplishments like conference titles.

And honestly, if Bama's oline and penalty situation don't improve, we won't look good enough to get in regardless of wins/losses. Eye test is MONUMENTAL.