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Will there have ever been a tougher path to the championship than for Texas A&M?

3,955 Views | 24 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by The Lost
Toptierag2018
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Would potentially have to face and beat:
Ranking from AP poll week 1:

#3 Alabama
#6 LSU
#25 Tennessee
#11 Auburn
#8 Florida
#4 Georgia
#2 Ohio State
#1 Clemson

Has there ever been a tougher and more unrealistic path to a championship?
Slamn Sharpe
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Last season
GumboMaverick
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McDadeTXAggie said:

Last season
EOT
TopoTacos
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AG
I'm only seeing one #1 ranking there, so nah...
Toptierag2018
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TopoTacos said:

I'm only seeing one #1 ranking there, so nah...


Well obviously because it's a single poll. There can't be more than one #1. If you played out the schedule over the season there could be multiple #1's at the time we play them in theory.
Slamn Sharpe
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Toptierag2018 said:

TopoTacos said:

I'm only seeing one #1 ranking there, so nah...


Well obviously because it's a single poll. There can't be more than one #1. If you played out the schedule over the season there could be multiple #1's at the time we play them in theory.


Last years #1 is tougher than this years #1. I can say it again in 3 months
TheWoodsAg
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AG
Last year's LSU > This year's LSU
Last year's Bama (especially earlier in the season) > This year's Bama
Last year's Auburn > This year's Auburn
Last year's UGA > This year's UGA
Last year's Clemson (but no Covid) = This year's Clemson

The 10 game SEC schedule in 10 weeks is the only thing that makes this year more difficult.
Toptierag2018
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TheWoodsAg said:

Last year's LSU > This year's LSU
Last year's Bama (especially earlier in the season) > This year's Bama
Last year's Auburn > This year's Auburn
Last year's UGA > This year's UGA
Last year's Clemson (but no Covid) = This year's Clemson

The 10 game SEC schedule in 10 weeks is the only thing that makes this year more difficult.


Bama is better. Their D was garbage. Return majority of best players and get back Dylan Moses. They have best backfield with Najee Harris back and the healthy addition of Trey Sanders. Also the most experienced OL in nation with 4/5 back and several multiple year starters there.

Clemson is worse. Lose several early round defensive players lose Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross at WR and lose 4/5 OL. It's not obvious yet but they have taken a step back. Plus lost Xavier Thomas at DL due to Covid.
West Point Aggie
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AG
OP keeps running into chunks of the sky on a daily basis
Agsuffering@bulaw
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The question every year is whether we can beat Bama and only lose 1 game. Do that, and we get a shot against UGA/UF in the SECCG. Do that, and we get a shot in the playoffs.

WERE we to beat Bama and split with Auburn/LSU, we should be good enough for UF and UT.
agnerd
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AG
I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.
33
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agnerd said:

I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.

Conference championships should be the most heavily weighted factor in the CFP. It's not, but it should be.
"So long as an opinion is strongly rooted in the feelings, it gains rather than loses in stability by having a preponderating weight of argument against it."

- John Stuart Mill, 1869
greg.w.h
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AG
33 said:

agnerd said:

I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.

Conference championships should be the most heavily weighted factor in the CFP. It's not, but it should be.
If every team played a balanced schedule then this would be true. So the conference championship of the BDF should be the only BDF team considered for the semis ever.

But in an unbalanced schedule the teams competing for the CCG might not both be better than the second place team in the tougher division. So the CCG is indicative for selecting one team. But the second place team in the tougher division could also be selected over, for example, a BDF champion that only played one consequential opponent for the year. Hope that helps.
Toptierag2018
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greg.w.h said:

33 said:

agnerd said:

I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.

Conference championships should be the most heavily weighted factor in the CFP. It's not, but it should be.
If every team played a balanced schedule then this would be true. So the conference championship of the BDF should be the only BDF team considered for the semis ever.

But in an unbalanced schedule the teams competing for the CCG might not both be better than the second place team in the tougher division. So the CCG is indicative for selecting one team. But the second place team in the tougher division could also be selected over, for example, a BDF champion that only played one consequential opponent for the year. Hope that helps.


Iowa State won the conference at 8-3 with a loss to Louisiana Lafayette They deserve to be in because Conference champion!
Iraq2xVeteran
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AG
If the conference champions of SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Big 10 all finish undefeated or one loss, the College Football Playoff Committee will probably select all four of these teams for the four playoff spots. Before we can contend for a National Championship, we have to beat Alabama and finish with just one loss to win the SEC West. If we do that, we have a good chance of beating Georgia or Florida in the SEC Championship Game. By accomplishing both feats, we would get into the playoffs.

If one of the conference champions has two or more losses, that would open the door for one-loss at-large teams. In 2016, Penn State defeated Ohio State 24-21, won the Big 10 East, and defeated Wisconsin 38-31 in the Big 10 Championship Game, but lost two games to Pittsburgh and Michigan. As a result, 11-1 Ohio State got selected over 11-2 Big 10 Champion Penn State. In 2017, Auburn defeated Alabama in the Iron Bowl to win the SEC West, but got crushed 28-7 by Georgia in the SEC Championship Game to fall to 10-3. So, 11-1 Alabama got the final playoff spot over 11-2 Big 10 Champion Ohio State and 12-1 Wisconsin, who was undefeated before the Big 10 Championship Game loss.

.

TheWoodsAg
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AG
Toptierag2018 said:

TheWoodsAg said:

Last year's LSU > This year's LSU
Last year's Bama (especially earlier in the season) > This year's Bama
Last year's Auburn > This year's Auburn
Last year's UGA > This year's UGA
Last year's Clemson (but no Covid) = This year's Clemson

The 10 game SEC schedule in 10 weeks is the only thing that makes this year more difficult.


Bama is better. Their D was garbage. Return majority of best players and get back Dylan Moses. They have best backfield with Najee Harris back and the healthy addition of Trey Sanders. Also the most experienced OL in nation with 4/5 back and several multiple year starters there.

Clemson is worse. Lose several early round defensive players lose Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross at WR and lose 4/5 OL. It's not obvious yet but they have taken a step back. Plus lost Xavier Thomas at DL due to Covid.


No.

Bama when we played them last year with a healthy Tua at the top of his game, Jeudy/Ruggs/Smith/Waddle all on the field at the same time, a top 10 pick at tackle and a secondary that had Diggs and McKinney is better than what we're going to play in week 2 with this years Bama's team. You're not even close if you think a Mac Jones led team is better than what we played last year in late September.
TexAggie1999
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agnerd said:

I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.


Seriously doubt a 2 loss SEC team gets in over a 1 loss champion from another conference. For 1 thing, with conferences not playing each other at all until the playoffs, there is really no basis for comparisons of conferences.

Any comparison would be based on previous season reputations, and I doubt the commiteee would want to so obviously embrace that.
TexAggie1999
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Last year's schedule was definitely a tougher path to a championship. OP assumes we win the SEC West, win the first playoff game, and then play in the Championship.

Making similar assumptions for last year, it would mean we had to play Georgia twice and Clemson twice. Basically, you trade a games this year with Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt for a 2nd game with Georgia and Clemson and 3 cupcake teams. I think Georgia, Clemson, and 3 cupcakes is tougher than Florida, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt. Clemson > Florida. Georgia > Tennessee. 3 cupcakes about equal to Vanderbilt.
TheWoodsAg
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AG
TexAggie1999 said:



For 1 thing, with conferences not playing each other at all until the playoffs, there is really no basis for comparisons of conferences.

Any comparison would be based on previous season reputations, and I doubt the commiteee would want to so obviously embrace that.


What if a conference gets steam rolled by the Sun Belt?
Ginormus Ag
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AG
That would never happen to a real conference!
Username checks out.
OldShadeOfBlue
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AG
Arkansas
greg.w.h
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AG
Toptierag2018 said:

greg.w.h said:

33 said:

agnerd said:

I like the SEC's chances of getting 2 teams in this year. And with ALL SEC teams playing difficult schedules, 1 loss really doesn't hurt at all. Heck, we could even have a 2-loss SEC team in the playoffs if Big 12 and Big10 don't have undefeated conference champs.

Conference championships should be the most heavily weighted factor in the CFP. It's not, but it should be.
If every team played a balanced schedule then this would be true. So the conference championship of the BDF should be the only BDF team considered for the semis ever.

But in an unbalanced schedule the teams competing for the CCG might not both be better than the second place team in the tougher division. So the CCG is indicative for selecting one team. But the second place team in the tougher division could also be selected over, for example, a BDF champion that only played one consequential opponent for the year. Hope that helps.


Iowa State won the conference at 8-3 with a loss to Louisiana Lafayette They deserve to be in because Conference champion!
Exactly
OldShadeOfBlue
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AG
Toptierag2018 said:

TheWoodsAg said:

Last year's LSU > This year's LSU
Last year's Bama (especially earlier in the season) > This year's Bama
Last year's Auburn > This year's Auburn
Last year's UGA > This year's UGA
Last year's Clemson (but no Covid) = This year's Clemson

The 10 game SEC schedule in 10 weeks is the only thing that makes this year more difficult.


Bama is better. Their D was garbage. Return majority of best players and get back Dylan Moses. They have best backfield with Najee Harris back and the healthy addition of Trey Sanders. Also the most experienced OL in nation with 4/5 back and several multiple year starters there.

Clemson is worse. Lose several early round defensive players lose Tee Higgins and Justyn Ross at WR and lose 4/5 OL. It's not obvious yet but they have taken a step back. Plus lost Xavier Thomas at DL due to Covid.
This Clemson team shows no signs of being worse than last season. Dabo has claimed this is the best roster he's ever coached.
Texas Rooster
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No.
VatoLocoAggie
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Aggies never back away from a tough schedule. In fact, we look forward to it!

Like the old Aggie saying goes, "Anytime, baby ..."
Gig Em and God Bless America
Texas A&M National Champions in Football 1917, 1919, 1927, 1939, and 2012

SEC Proud!
The Lost
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TheWoodsAg said:

TexAggie1999 said:



For 1 thing, with conferences not playing each other at all until the playoffs, there is really no basis for comparisons of conferences.

Any comparison would be based on previous season reputations, and I doubt the commiteee would want to so obviously embrace that.


What if a conference gets steam rolled by the Sun Belt?

Not really defending the big 12, but don't forget arky and vandy exsist.

Sec had losses to San Jose state, Wyoming, unlv, Georgia state last year.
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