Playoff Controversy Unleashed: Dissecting Top Foursome Choices and Forgotten Teams in College Football

Buckle up for a deep-dive into the contentious world of college football playoff selections! We're putting the system on trial, examining the controversial top foursome - Michigan, Washington, Alabama, and Texas - and dissecting the committee's decisions. Tensions rise as we question Michigan's spot at the helm and applaud Washington's well-earned place. Let's dissect the controversy around Alabama's inclusion and why Texas swayed the committee's favor.

Not stopping there, we're turning the spotlight to the overlooked teams - Georgia and Florida State. It's time to challenge the system that left them sidelined due to reasons beyond their control, like injuries. We're expressing our frustrations and demanding a better solution. Will our prediction for Alabama as the season's victor hold true? Stay tuned to hear our bold predictions and join the conversation. And remember, we're switching gears for our NFL Talk this Thursday. Don't miss it!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hey everyone, it's your girl, lacey, and surprise, I am coming on with a special episode today to talk about the college playoffs and the teams that got in and especially the teams that did not. I know I'm only covering NFL, or I have been. College football is a big part of my life too, and I think there's plenty to talk about there. I will be adding the college football to my episodes for the next season. I just started because this was my first time with my podcast just talking about the NFL, but I could not waste this opportunity to come on and talk to you guys about the flawness of the college football playoff committee. I had to tell you what I thought and get y'all's opinions on it too, because to me it was not fair. It hasn't been fair, it's been flawless from the beginning. And to even think, before we went to four teams, it was only two teams. There is five powerhouse conferences and only four of those teams get in. So always there is a team looking from the outside that is deserving of being there. But here we are. The yesterday was the selection committee, and the top four teams was one Michigan. Let's start there Now. Michigan has been under the microscope a lot this season, obviously with their cheating scandals, their coach Harbaugh not being on the sideline with them. Yes, they're winning, but are they playing really big opponents? I think their only big opponent was Ohio State and the fact that they win these games because of the cheating that still I feel like has been proven hasn't been proven. But are they deserving of being number one? The committee thought so. I'm not sure if they did, but I guess there wasn't enough evidence to overturn it. So they took the number one spot. As much as I could go in, probably talking more about them, I'm gonna move on because it is what it is. So they take the number one spot.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Number two Washington, probably the only one that made the most sense to me. Washington has had a great season. They're deserving of being there. They're undefeated. They beat teams when they needed to beat them and the Oregon-Washington game, outside of the Alabama-Georgia game, was right there, neck and neck hostile environment, and Washington prevailed when a lot of people thought Oregon was gonna beat them, especially playing against Bo Nicks. Right, so Washington, well-deserved, I think. Arguably you could even put them as number one over Michigan, which I'm not sure of that seating, but I guess they're okay with the way that things came out, because now they'll match up against Texas. But Washington, I agree with Committee you got one of them right and that is Washington, so no arguments for me there. Washington is deserving. Washington will play in the college playoffs and I think that they have a good chance of making a run for it.

Speaker 1: 3:20

This is where it gets dicey, guys. It got messy and I do agree with the mess, but you had two spots left and you had four teams that were deserving of being there, and those four teams are Alabama. You can never count them out. They were struggling at the beginning. They benched their quarterback but then has since come on and could possibly win the Heisman Trophy this year for his performances. But they went in and beat Georgia, the number one team in the nation, who's been there forever. I think they broke their winning streak of 29 straight games, hard fought battle. I mean these teams were both extremely physical, arguably the top two best teams in the country, and they had to battle it out.

Speaker 1: 4:13

Alabama came in and did what they needed to do to at least give their argument the best that they were deserving to be in the college playoffs, and they beat a team that hasn't been beat in a really long time. A big fight down at Mercedes Arena and it came out. I mean, decided by three points, but fans loved it. I enjoyed watching it. It was just good football and it came up down to the very end. But I can see why Alabama was in the discussion. Not only is it Alabama right we're all always talking about Alabama and they were left out last year but I think if they didn't beat Georgia we wouldn't be having this conversation. But they did and it was a big win and it was obviously an immeasurable win to the college committee and because of that they got in.

Speaker 1: 5:06

So I understand Alabama. I mean, if you were looking at the top four teams best teams they got it wrong. They got it wrong. Alabama and Georgia should have been in there, but they weren't going to take two SEC teams and because they had voted for Alabama to be in, you could not put Alabama into the mix without putting Texas in there. Why? Because Texas went down to Tuscaloosa week two and beat Alabama by 10. Why can you not measure that? I mean, why would we even schedule these type of non-conference games if they didn't matter when it came to college playoffs? So Texas had that in their pocket, even though I think Texas went down there and beat them when they were still trying to figure out who they were and what their identity was, because they didn't. I mean, millrow was benched the following week. They were going back and forth with their quarterbacks and they hadn't quite figured it out. But Millrow, I think that was his defining moment after that game and he came in and took over and has just been playing stellar football ever since. But because the committee votes for Alabama to be in, you can't put Alabama in without Texas, because then that game in week two won't matter and you don't have a case to prove that it doesn't matter. So I think because that came in, that's why Texas ultimately took that spot.

Speaker 1: 6:45

Texas, to me, has been struggling for a while. I know they lost, but you have to look at it right. They lost to Oklahoma. Like you can play that into a factor. Alabama lost to Texas. You can play that into a factor on why you could argue them not being in the playoffs because they have that loss.

Speaker 1: 7:09

Texas coming from the Big 12, they played close matches. I know they still won and they only had one loss, but then they played an Oklahoma State team in the Big 12 championship. They did deserve to be there because they beat the teams in their conference on an off day, I think, for teams. But did they belong in the championship game? No, no, they lost a lot of players last year. This was a rebuilding year and they had no business being in the Big 12 championship game. They just didn't, and it showed. I mean, it was not a fun game, it was boring from the get-go. So, as a committee member, yes, you're the Big 12 championship winner, but it was against a mediocre team, not even a great team, right, just a good team. So I don't understand how the committee factors in all of that.

Speaker 1: 8:09

But here's where it gets crazy, because Florida State guys, this is just devastating and I see both sides of it and I see where it is. But this is where I feel like things are flawed, right, like the whole system is flawed and it's been flawed and it'll probably continue to be flawed because of it. But you have a Florida State team who is undefeated 13 and 0. Steller Season and you have quarterback and Jordan Travis, who I think would have won the Heisman hands down, has it not been for this injury. But he got injured, you know, seasoned ending injury, dislocated or broke his ankle, so he is out. And now the turns of tide.

Speaker 1: 9:03

But this is where adversity comes in. They go down to Gainesville, a huge rival game, which is really a hostile environment, hard to play in, and they have to go and win against Florida with a backup quarterback. Their backup quarterback ends up getting a concussion in that game and is ruled out at the end, but that was the very end, so you kind of got to give it to him that he was with that game. And I know Florida is not great this year, I know they are not having a great season and they were playing with their backup quarterback, but it's still Florida, florida State. It's a big game. They're going to show up.

Speaker 1: 9:47

It was extremely loud in there and Florida State had a championship defensive team that took, you know when their quarterback went down, took their team on their back and yeah, it's not going to be a blowout. You're asking the defense to win these games for you now and they're doing their job. That's not fair. They went in, they win and now they go to the ACC championship game against another just good team in Louisville. But they're still a top 15 team and, yes, they didn't win by much, but they won with their third string quarterback because, again, the defense took it over and, guys, they don't get into the playoffs. You literally tell all these players who are fighting out there and doing what they needed to do to keep an undefeated season, and you don't put them in because they're not the team they were when Jordan Travis was their quarterback. I just I'm devastated for these players. I am I'm devastated and I know it's in the bylaws of the committee to look at factors, whether it be the coaching or a player, with their availability for the playoffs.

Speaker 1: 11:07

And I do agree. Stephen A Smith said it and you know he is right in this moment. Last year the committee got it wrong by putting TCU in the college playoffs. They went in and got completely, completely embarrassed by Georgia in the championship game and it wasn't good football. I think it's a business at the end of the day. I think they're gonna see who can. You know one. They want the best teams in there that are gonna give the best games for the most watches, obviously, most ticket sales, and they want these games to be top tier games. And last year they messed up by putting TCU in because it was just a terrible game. A lot of hype for nothing and people lost interest early in that game. They were scared this was going to happen again if they put Florida State into the college playoffs.

Speaker 1: 12:08

I truly believe that. I do believe that is a weighing factor. I don't think they thought they could compete with the Georgia's, the Washington's, the Alabama's, and that was the deciding factor. But how do you tell a Florida State team that they did everything in their power and they were successful and they had an undefeated season, the guys still wearing the jerseys out on the field that they are not gonna compete for their goal and what they want and what everybody wants for a college championship? Like, how do you say that?

Speaker 1: 12:50

Like, what are we telling players? Are we saying that we don't step up if we lose someone, losing Jordan Travis? Do we just throw our season away and not play for the next man up? Do you not allow certain players to play in games when you have a lead or you know if it's not a big enough lead that will impress a committee? Like, do you not give those players a chance to play? There's so many factors in that and I just really hate that for the coaching staff I think Nick Norvell is an outstanding coach and the adversity that this team had to face and overcome.

Speaker 1: 13:33

At the end of the day, guys, if you're listening, it was a bad decision by the committee not to allow you to play, but you have to just stay proud and know that this was a season to remember and it's just terrible. I mean, every player plays for these moments and they play with trying to go undefeated because of the flawed system on they only taking four teams and you have to have that undefeated to stay in there. But them allowing two teams into the playoffs that have a loss over an undefeated team is not fair. It's not. You want to look at. Oh well, the Florida-Florida State game was a close game, so we have to take that into a factor. Well, then you take in the factor of Oklahoma and Texas and Oklahoma beating them. That's a rival game. Like what are we comparing here? It's a disgrace. I hate it. I'm happy that it's going to 12 teams next year because it allows more, but they are doing an injustice to a team that was deserving to be there. Try to change my mind. Like I said, I see both sides and I see, with them saying they're not the same team but you're taking away.

Speaker 1: 14:57

This team had to play differently. The defense had to step up. Their third-string quarterback only had four receptions ever in the college playoffs and came in and won, did enough for his team to be victorious. So because he did it, now you're going to look at him and say he's not what it's going to take to be in the college playoffs. Like what are you telling that kid? It's just, it's flawed, it's been flawed and it will continue to be flawed until they figure it out. I don't think a committee can literally. I mean, they have a rule for everything. They have a rule like oh, we have to look at this, because this is what we says we have to look at. No, at the end of the day, college football should be the best four teams, the best four teams go compete for a national championship and they're not doing that. I mean even this.

Speaker 1: 15:50

The last one that I want to talk about Georgia. Georgia is still arguably the best team in college football they have been. They hadn't lost in 29 games until they lost to Alabama. So you're telling me, because they lost to one Alabama team and they're in a one loss, but they're not better than Texas. That's ludicrous to me. It's absolutely ludicrous and I just I don't understand it. But I think my understanding is they couldn't. They had to put someone from the SEC in right, they always do and it had to be Alabama or Georgia. I think their job would have been a lot easier if Georgia would have won that game, because once Alabama won, they made a big enough argument to get in.

Speaker 1: 16:39

But I don't think you could put Alabama in without putting Texas in. That's just the bottom line because of what Texas did in week two. Why play those games? Like I mentioned before, if they aren't gonna count for something and Texas had the upper hand, you can't put Alabama in unless you put Texas in because they beat them head to head. I think it could have been if Georgia would have won. I think we would have saw Georgia and Florida State, washington and Michigan as your top four.

Speaker 1: 17:12

So, yes, things get crazy at the end, but I don't think it should be measured the way that it is, because even the conference championships there's some conferences that are a lot worse than others I mean, you have an Alabama and a Georgia playing right, then you have a Texas and an Oklahoma State and then Michigan playing Iowa no offense to my Iowa people out there, but that's not the same standard. That's not. I mean, I promise you, michigan was probably hoping for a Florida State to come in at the end to play. They don't wanna play Alabama, they don't. But you're just saying like everything should be looked at differently, or everyone should play the same type of competition or the same teams, and it should just go to like the NFL does and do East West and all that. But I know we gotta keep it that way.

Speaker 1: 18:04

But it's flawed guys. The four teams that are in it do not all deserve to be in it. And the two teams looking out, georgia and Florida State Georgia, to me, I think, still would have won the championship. I think they would have beat all four teams that were in that or that are in the playoffs right now. And Florida State did everything. There's nothing else they could have done except for hey, jordan, have better legs and don't break your foot right. Like that's literally what it comes down to. They are punishing a whole team because of a freak accident that, I promise you more than anybody Jordan Travis didn't want. And what are we teaching Jordan Travis. I mean, he probably feels the weight of the world. If he wasn't injured, him and his team would be playing Like that's guilt that we shouldn't put on a young player like that. It just shouldn't happen that way.

Speaker 1: 19:01

So I had to come in and address this. I don't understand it. I don't think it was right. It's extremely flawed and I think it will continue to be flawed until there is a better system put in place. We shouldn't have bylaws for every little thing. We shouldn't punish teams who have injuries. That's part of football. Football comes with injuries. It's going to happen. But if you have injuries and you have major adversities and you continue to say undefeated for the season, no question. You should be playing for a title at the end of the year, no question.

Speaker 1: 19:42

But that's not how it went. We have Michigan playing Alabama first, then we have Texas playing Washington and then the winners of those will meet. But at the end, when we crown a champion, are we really going to feel like they were the best football team in this season? I don't think we can. The system is flawed and it has robbed everyone from this experience, and I don't think even holding that championship up at the end of the year, you can truly say that you were the best football team in the 23-24 season.

Speaker 1: 20:24

So I had to give my two cents on this. It was apparent that the system is flawed. It is what it is. There's no going back.

Speaker 1: 20:32

I feel like teams that were deserving did not get their chance and it's just again I'll say it a flawed system. And now these two teams that were deserving to be there do not get to compete. So, college football, you need to do better, and that's what I have to say about this. But if you wanna hear my two cents on how I think this will all play out, alabama will be your champion at the end of the season. I'm saying it now but because of the way the things went and the teams that are in Alabama will be your champion at the end of the season. Thanks for letting me give my two cents in the college football world. Let me know your thoughts and tell me if you agree or disagree with what I had to say about the committee and the teams that are biding for the championship come New Year's Day. Thanks, see you guys Thursday for NFL Talk. Your girl is signing off.