Alabama, Clemson Turn CFP Semi-Finals into Demolition Day

Published on 30-Dec-2018 by J Square Humboldt

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Update

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Alabama, Clemson Turn CFP Semi-Finals into Demolition Day

Maybe someday, this doubleheader of destruction will serve as an allegory for a higher purpose.

Full marks to Alabama and Clemson for playing within the rules and taking fair advantage of the playoff system format, beating every milligram of snot outta their opponents in the College Fooball Playoff semis.

But still, sanctioning total annihilation in the name of profits and glory is just not the way to go.

 

Throughout the annals of college football, championship dynasties have never managed to string together more two titles in a row. The Crimson Tide went 3-for-4 through 2009-2012, and Oklahoma under Bud Wilkinson won a pair of crowns while setting the record for longest winning streak with 47.

No one in the ivory towers of acadamia clamored for change then any more than they clamor for change now.

But Pandora's box has rightly been opened with the advent of a playoff system, and it does need change.

 

Damn right it is.

Before the obvious solution is posited for the umpteenth time, here's the carnage that further fuels the contention that, just possibly, the wrong teams were selected for the semi-finals:

Notre Dame was well and truly exposed ... again. Not even the Hunchback coulda saved them:

 

Since 1995, the Fighting Irish haven't fought hard enough in what are now New Year's Six bowls and playoff games. They're 0-8 in them.

Hell, Notre Dame's 5-13 in all bowl games since then.

Their mystique and independent schedule can suck in the best of them, for sure, and no matter how objective the Selection Committee members say they are, the flaws in their criteria suck more and their perspective bias is greater than they admit.

 

At least Oklahoma covered, which was the only real drama on display in the second game.

And after trailing 21-0 when the first quarter ended, the Sooners did give The Citadel a chance to do a bitta trolling:

 

The Crimson Tide was a machine out there, rising to the occasion when rising was required.

Other than that, they dicked around just enough to keep the second half interesting for the sportsbooks. ESPN surely appreciated that.

 

The takeaway here is Kyler Murray is a helluva college QB. Full stop. Emphasis on college.

Dude's 5-9 when he's got good posture. For all the yuks about Alabama being NFL Lite, level-headed fans know the next level is just that. Dudes there are taller and faster.

Murray constantly missed high on his passes due to his releases needing a sharper arc to get over the pass rushers' outstretched arms. It's a glaring deficiency that had a significant effect in this game.

 

Seriously, Oakland's bonus money spends at Safeway and parts beyond. What with Murray's MLB first-round status, the A's will give him every shot at earning large for a long, long time.

And unlike the NFL, the contract guarantees in MLB are actually guarantees.

If Alabama did anything beneficial for someone beyond themselves, then, they confirmed Murray's a baseball player.

 

Furthermore, if there's any proof that the CFP selection criteria is flat-out messed up, look no further than the sardonic Daily Player 12.

When a format based on an Onionized CFP model and built on a beer-&-nachos budget basically duplicates results from the Committee's spa-&-luxury gig, something's outta whack beyond insider perks.

*Note: Ohio State was the Daily Player 12's fourth qualifier in this season's rankings. Urban Meyer can only wish ...

 

Maybe the Buckeyes coulda made either semi-final more competitive.

Then again, maybe the Georgia Bulldogs woulda eliminated one of the favorites.

And what're the UCF Golden Knights supposed to do other than bolt for the Big XII if an invitation arises?

 

Negatori. That only works when someone cares.

Should a collective urge like that ever arise, though, the CFP's gotta earn their wad by sorting out the logistics and letting the challengers sort out the results out themselves.

With an eight-team bracket:

  • All Power Five champions,
  • At least one Other Five champion, and
  • An at-large team or two.

 

Because that's all they are.

Consider the obvious advantages of this format:

  • Who gives a damn about records or whether a conference plays an eight-game or nine-game schedule? The champion's in.
  • Suddenly, it won't matter if teams arrange non-con schedules on an A-B-C basis or with cupcakes galore.

 

  • If teams need seven home games to make bank, so be it. Their conference schedules won't be affected.
  • If a Georgia is still out there at season's end after losing out in the championship game, it's still got a way to get into the bracket.
  • And Notre Dame, BYU, Army, et al, should either hook up somewhere or accept the narrower at-large route.

 

If you wanna keep all the broadcast revenues and playoff payouts to yourself instead of sharing like conference members do, then fine.

Your option, dudes, but your consequences, too.

 

There will be powerhouse programs every season, but that doesn't mean the playoff should be reduced to two teams. It means a real bracket of contenders should settle who survives to take them on.

After this year's semi-final results and knowing who didn't make the cut, this -- or any -- alternative beats the hell outta the CFP's reality.