The Daily Player 12: What Have You Done for Us Lately?

Published on 27-Nov-2018 by Alan Adamsson

Football - NCAA    NCAA Football Daily Update

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The Daily Player 12: What Have You Done for Us Lately?

Maybe we should just drop all pretenses and blame Albert Einstein.

No, not because his Theory of Relativity kicked your butt in Physics class.

Let's do it because it justified perspective, which is actually a heavy, right on, and solid concept, even for those who aren't transcendental or tripping out on bath salts.

If it only stayed in its lane ...

 

The reality, though, is its acceptance filtered into the social sciences and thus rationalized all sortsa crazy stuff.

Like exclusion.

For example, why wouldn't a group that makes the most money think it's entitled to doing whatever the hell it pleases because it has the most money so it can keep the most money?

Relatively speaking, this could be done in some cases if, say, certain complicit parties are talked into sitting on a Selection Committee to make sure the right kinda teams can benefit.

 

Then they create a few criteria that look stern at first glance but upon closer scrutiny, contain just enough weasel words to give wiggle room that can bend light if they so desire.

And of course they so desire.

 

So if, relatively speaking, a certain undefeated team ...

It's relatively simple to see the fix is not only in, it's deeply embedded deep in the system.

 

With that in mind, let's check in to see what's new at the spa this week:

1. Alabama   3. Notre Dame
2. Clemson   4. Georgia
   
5. Oklahoma   9. Florida
6. Ohio State 10. LSU
7. Michigan 11. Washington
8. UCF 12. Penn State

 

Well, look at that.

A team that just puked all over itself is still ranked higher than the team with the untested rookie QB that's still undefeated.

 

Actually, no. It's not.

Here's the bitch, as if it wasn't obvious enough already:

No one really thinks UCF could hang with Alabama for an entire game, but hell, sometimes stuff happens ...

  • Who thought Boise State was gonna beat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl?
  • Who figured undefeated Utah would take down the Crimson Tide in the 2009 Sugar Bowl?
  • Changing sports, how 'bout them Retrievers doing what March Madness had never seen before?

 

The FBS needs to declare its Anointed Four based on results, not brand names or opinions.

It'll only happen when they expand the bracket and invite champions. From more than five conferences.

The Daily Player 12 is based on taking the Selection Committee's objective criteria literally. More than literally, in fact. No opinions, just data.

It considers all FBS teams with two losses or less after Week 12:

  • Until a conference title is clinched, division leaders will be considered as first-place teams.
  • Power Five scores in non-conference games will be measured on a win-loss basis.
  • Head-to-head results will be measured separately on a win-loss basis.
  • Bookies are the only evaluators who put their dosh where their conclusions are. Bovada championship odds will be factored into the rankings.
  • Geeks have an unbiased place in this process; Anderson-Hester computer rankings are easily understandable and will be included.

 

The Daily Player 12 rankings are calculated on tangible fact:

  • Standings matter. The Big XII has ten teams; no other conference has a division that large, so a first-place team will get 10 points, a second-place team will get 9 points, and so forth. If a team is tied for a position, it will be considered to hold the higher position. A conference champion will be awarded 5 bonus points.
  • Non-con Power Five wins will be worth 3 points; those losses will be worth 1 point.
  • Notre Dame's schedule will be measured against ACC teams.
  • If BYU ever becomes a factor, we'll figure it out then.
  • Head-to-head conference wins will be worth 3 points; those losses will be worth -1 point.
  • Bovada and Geek rankings will be based on a 25-point scale and factored down by a constant of 0.3; thus, a first-place position will be worth (25 x 0.3) = 7.5 points, second place for either will be worth (24 x 0.3) = 7.2 points, and so on. If a team is tied for a position, it will be considered to hold the higher position.

Put them all together and ...

Right now, you're probably asking yourself ...

  • UCF? ... Damn right, they're ahead of Michigan. Donor dosh is rolling in, too, so stadium upgrades with nifty cool features are already in place or in process.
  • Georgia over Alabama? ... Big deal. That's about to sort itself out. So relax and enjoy a refreshing adult beverage while checking on your Bovada account and appreciating athletic skills you can only hope to master:

 

  • Ohio State? ... Numbers don't have eyes. As they say, you can choose your opinion, but you can't choose your facts. Not if you want any cred.
  • Notre Dame? ... At least one undefeated team's a lock for the Anointed Four. Dudes have earned it, no matter how rankings are formatted.

For the record, here's what the Geeks have to say, based solely on games played to date, which is what the Committee's supposed to be doing:

So much for tracking the anti-climatic while fighting for truth, justice and the American way. This weekend, the rubber finally meets the road.

Then the bitching will get über-real, but not enough to get that eight-team bracket.

Unfortunately.