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The Playoff Monopoly won't end until the ACC/B1G/B10 develop national title challengers
Posted on 2/7/21 at 2:49 pm
Posted on 2/7/21 at 2:49 pm
The SEC is not all that different than it has been. Since 2013 the SEC has had 4 different SEC Champions, 4 different teams in national title games, 2 different national champions, and a host of other teams that were 1 win away from the national title game/playoff (A&M, Florida, Missouri). Alabama is in the middle of probably the greatest 15 year run in college football history, and yet the SEC has STILL seen 2 other teams win national titles (Auburn, LSU) and 2 others play for national titles (Georgia, Auburn).
The reasons for the lack of parity solely exist because of the other 4 Power 5 conferences and their inability to have more than 1 (or 1 at all in the P12) program that can produce a national title caliber season/team:
- The P12 is basically nonexistent on the national stage
- The B1G is dominated by Ohio State (4 straight B1G titles)
- The ACC is dominated by Clemson (6 straight ACC titles)
- The B12 is dominated by Oklahoma (5 straight BXII titles)
Alabama is in the middle of the aforementioned run, and Alabama has only won 2 of the last 3 and 5 of the last 7 SEC Titles. The 2 teams that won SEC titles in the other years went on to play in the national title game (2017 Georgia, 2019 LSU). The winner of the SEC Title Game has played in every national championship game since 2006 (except for 2014, though they made the playoff as the #1 seed). The SEC has, across the upper level of the conference, put up legitimate resistance to Alabama's run. None of the other leagues can say the same to their best team (Ohio State, Clemson). I mean, think of some of the Oklahoma teams the last 5 years that went to the playoffs when they were clearly not complete teams, but nobody in the BXII could take advantage (2018, 2019).
Until the P12 wakes up and somebody in the B1G/B12/ACC steps up, we will keep seeing Ohio State and Clemson every single season and Oklahoma most seasons. The only threat to those schools is them losing a game or 2 and having a 2nd SEC school or Notre Dame take their spot.
The reasons for the lack of parity solely exist because of the other 4 Power 5 conferences and their inability to have more than 1 (or 1 at all in the P12) program that can produce a national title caliber season/team:
- The P12 is basically nonexistent on the national stage
- The B1G is dominated by Ohio State (4 straight B1G titles)
- The ACC is dominated by Clemson (6 straight ACC titles)
- The B12 is dominated by Oklahoma (5 straight BXII titles)
Alabama is in the middle of the aforementioned run, and Alabama has only won 2 of the last 3 and 5 of the last 7 SEC Titles. The 2 teams that won SEC titles in the other years went on to play in the national title game (2017 Georgia, 2019 LSU). The winner of the SEC Title Game has played in every national championship game since 2006 (except for 2014, though they made the playoff as the #1 seed). The SEC has, across the upper level of the conference, put up legitimate resistance to Alabama's run. None of the other leagues can say the same to their best team (Ohio State, Clemson). I mean, think of some of the Oklahoma teams the last 5 years that went to the playoffs when they were clearly not complete teams, but nobody in the BXII could take advantage (2018, 2019).
Until the P12 wakes up and somebody in the B1G/B12/ACC steps up, we will keep seeing Ohio State and Clemson every single season and Oklahoma most seasons. The only threat to those schools is them losing a game or 2 and having a 2nd SEC school or Notre Dame take their spot.
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 4:52 pm
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Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:09 pm to SummerOfGeorge
I think they are gonna try to expand playoff to try and create more parity. They are gonna guarantee every conference a spot in it. That way a West Coast recruit knows it can stay home and make the playoffs as long as they win their conference
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:11 pm to mistaken4193
quote:
I think they are gonna try to expand playoff to try and create more parity. They are gonna guarantee every conference a spot in it. That way a West Coast recruit knows it can stay home and make the playoffs as long as they win their conference
But until someone starts beating Ohio State, Clemson or Oklahoma occasionally (not every year, once every 3-4 years)..........all that does is add one sacrificial lamb from out West. Those 3 continue to win their league every year without any opposition, and they continue to be in the playoff. Alabama still wins the SEC most of the time, but as we've seen they are pushed and when someone else beats them or wins the league instead of them, they generally go to the playoff and win.
Nobody from the ACC/B12/B1G other than the 3 teams that have won those leagues every year for the last 4 years competes at a national level. In that same time period, LSU has won the SEC/National Title and Georgia has won the SEC/won their first playoff game and gone to the national title game out of the SEC. So the playoff will continue to feature those 3 every year until somebody does.
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 3:16 pm
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:14 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Agree. And there are programs in all of those conferences that are completely capable of stepping up. We know Oregon, USC, Stanford, FSU, Miami, Texas, Michigan State are all capable of being in the mix.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:18 pm to SummerOfGeorge
They’ll expand the playoff but nothing will change. It’s ultimately up to coaching and recruiting and nothing else.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:25 pm to mistaken4193
quote:
I think they are gonna try to expand playoff to try and create more parity.
Playoff expansion doesn't create parity. It might garner some initial interest from a broader audience, but the same teams will win. It may actually be counter productive, as it brings facts to the hypotheticals. All will see how great the difference between 1 and 8 and 2 and 7 really are in most years. I hate the injury risk it exposes to top teams who already earned their right to play for a NC in the regular season. 6 is the top that any expansion should occur with no auto bids. Even at 6, it isn't necessary.
It is culture and access to talent that gives the South the advantage in football. Since 2005, there has only been 1 x champ not to come from a current SEC state. And, that school is just about the sole survivor in dominant football culture from the B1G.
Coaching, recruiting and commitment to promote/grow facilities and staff are the best means for other schools to improve.
Reducing scholarships is the only means to gain greater parity as top level talent goes to more schools. But, that only hurts kids' shots at a college education and the best schools STILL get the best talent. So, we've seen that it doesn't really help over the long run as teams adjust.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:53 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
Alabama is in the middle of probably the greatest 15 year run in college football history, and yet the SEC has STILL seen 2 other teams win national titles (Auburn, LSU) and 2 others play for national titles (Georgia, Auburn).
Well said. People love to conveniently forget how Auburn was seconds away from winning in 2014 and Georgia was 1 play away in 2018. The SEC is a great conference and Alabama is a dynasty that happens to be in the SEC. we are the best frick the other leagues.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 3:56 pm to SummerOfGeorge
If Michigan, Florida State, Texas and Southern Cal were all just half as good as they were 15-20 years ago, it'd go a long way. Too many 1 team conferences... that's not the SEC's problem.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:02 pm to turnpiketiger
quote:
Well said. People love to conveniently forget how Auburn was seconds away from winning in 2014 and Georgia was 1 play away in 2018. The SEC is a great conference and Alabama is a dynasty that happens to be in the SEC. we are the best frick the other leagues.
Think about what the SEC has done in the midst of Alabama's run (2009-2020 - 12 seasons)
LSU
- 1 National Title (2019)
- 1 National Runner Up (2011) (lost to Alabama)
- 1 Playoff
- 2 SEC Titles
- 4 Top 10 finishes
Auburn
- 1 National Title (2010)
- 1 National Runner Up (2013)
- 2 SEC Titles
- 3 Top 10 finishes
Georgia
- 1 National Runner Up (2017) (lost to Alabama)
- 1 Playoff (another year, 2012, in which they were the #2 team in the country and lost to Alabama)
- 1 SEC Title
- 6 Top 10 finishes
Florida
- 4 Top 10 finishes
Texas A&M
- 2 Top 10 finishes
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 4:07 pm
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:22 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Absolutely correct Summer.
I would take it a step further. If you go back in time, all the other conferences were at best two team conferences.
The SEC has always had several very good teams.
It took the BCS and the playoffs to prove this to be true.
I would take it a step further. If you go back in time, all the other conferences were at best two team conferences.
The SEC has always had several very good teams.
It took the BCS and the playoffs to prove this to be true.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:40 pm to Rohan Gravy
Not a good thing when 2-team conferences become 1-team conferences.
The complaints about stagnation will be over the moment Florida State, Michigan, Southern Cal, and Texas get their asses in gear.
The complaints about stagnation will be over the moment Florida State, Michigan, Southern Cal, and Texas get their asses in gear.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:48 pm to Rohan Gravy
quote:
Absolutely correct Summer.
I would take it a step further. If you go back in time, all the other conferences were at best two team conferences.
The SEC has always had several very good teams.
It took the BCS and the playoffs to prove this to be true.
Yep - and whenever Saban hangs it up Alabama will drop back to the pack and it will be more like it was in the late 1990s-2000s when there were 3-4 teams that would be the best team in a given year (Auburn, Florida, LSU, Georgia, Tennessee). But even now, with Alabama doing what it is doing, the rest of the SEC still knocks Alabama off every few years. That doesn't happen in the other leagues.
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 4:49 pm
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:50 pm to SummerOfGeorge
quote:
The winner of the SEC Title Game has played in every national championship game since 2006
Except 2014 [small correction, but, you know, I have issues. Also, Lane Kiffin should be charged with a crime for not relying on Henry against OSU]
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 4:53 pm
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:51 pm to biclops
quote:
Except 2014 [small correction, but, you know, I have issues]
Posted on 2/7/21 at 4:53 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Add Missouri to that list. They finished in the top 5 in 2013. Very good team.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 5:20 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Expanding the playoff doesn’t do squat for parity.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 5:49 pm to SummerOfGeorge
They have to do away with divisional play. Not having Bama playing UF and UGA on a regular basis while throwing in trash OOC games. It is true in the Big 10 and ACC. I do not want to hear about this years SEC 10 game schedule, because they even went out of the way to even the play. This was before the Covid numbers also.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 5:50 pm to SummerOfGeorge
Well it ain't happening. The SEC, and Clemson, have an advantage due to demographics
Posted on 2/7/21 at 5:58 pm to mistaken4193
quote:
I think they are gonna try to expand playoff to try and create more parity. They are gonna guarantee every conference a spot in it. That way a West Coast recruit knows it can stay home and make the playoffs as long as they win their conference
This is so stupid. The playoffs should NEVER become a participation trophy.
Posted on 2/7/21 at 6:02 pm to MontyFranklyn
quote:
Well it ain't happening. The SEC, and Clemson, have an advantage due to demographics
There are a ton of "demographics" that should be making FSU, Miami, GT, and the Carolina schools better. Not to mention Texas, Michigan, and Penn State, and the California schools. They've got bigger problems than just the recruiting base.
This post was edited on 2/7/21 at 6:04 pm
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