CFP Title Game, Alabama vs tOSU, Jan 11, 8:15 ET on ESPN, Miami

[LordJeffBuck]

Bigger picture view here....

Obviously, this is an important game for this season. It's also an important game for the entire CFP era as well. If Alabama wins, they're clearly the kings of the CFP, with 3 titles in 7 years. But if Ohio State wins, would the Buckeyes then be able to claim the throne?

Here's a table showing the performances of all CFP teams, ranked by winning percentage:

College Football Team	Invites	Record	WinPct	Titles
Louisiana State Tigers	1	2-0	1.000	1
Alabama Crimson Tide	6	7-3	.700	2
Clemson Tigers	6	6-4	.600	2
Ohio State Buckeyes	4	3-2	.600	1
Oregon Ducks	1	1-1	.500	0
Georgia Bulldogs	1	1-1	.500	0
Washington Huskies	1	0-1	.000	0
Florida State Seminoles	1	0-1	.000	0
Michigan State Spartans	1	0-1	.000	0
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	2	0-2	.000	0
Oklahoma Sooners	4	0-4	.000	0

If Ohio State beats Alabama, then the Buckeyes will have as many titles as Alabama; a better winning percentage (.667) than Alabama (.636); and a 2-0 record versus Alabama head-to-head. To me, that makes Ohio State the best team of the CFP era.

 

[DZ83CK]

Bigger picture view here....

Obviously, this is an important game for this season. It's also an important game for the entire CFP era as well. If Alabama wins, they're clearly the kings of the CFP, with 3 titles in 7 years. But if Ohio State wins, would the Buckeyes then be able to claim the throne?

Here's a table showing the performances of all CFP teams, ranked by winning percentage:

College Football Team	Invites	Record	WinPct	Titles
Louisiana State Tigers	1	2-0	1.000	1
Alabama Crimson Tide	6	7-3	.700	2
Clemson Tigers	6	6-4	.600	2
Ohio State Buckeyes	4	3-2	.600	1
Oregon Ducks	1	1-1	.500	0
Georgia Bulldogs	1	1-1	.500	0
Washington Huskies	1	0-1	.000	0
Florida State Seminoles	1	0-1	.000	0
Michigan State Spartans	1	0-1	.000	0
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	2	0-2	.000	0
Oklahoma Sooners	4	0-4	.000	0

If Ohio State beats Alabama, then the Buckeyes will have as many titles as Alabama; a better winning percentage (.667) than Alabama (.636); and a 2-0 record versus Alabama head-to-head. To me, that makes Ohio State the best team of the CFP era.

But Bama and Clemson still would have made the CFP 2 more times apiece, had more title game appearances, and have the same # of titles. I would say OSU rates behind those two in this era regardless.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

But Bama and Clemson still would have made the CFP 2 more times apiece, had more title game appearances, and have the same # of titles. I would say OSU rates behind those two in this era regardless.

So, because Alabama and Clemson were better at getting votes from the CFP Committee, they should be rated ahead of Ohio State even though they were worse on the field? Interesting argument....

EDIT: You have essentially made the "quality loss" argument.

 

[charlohiottean]

So, because Alabama and Clemson were better at getting votes from the CFP Committee, they should be rated ahead of Ohio State even though they were worse on the field? Interesting argument....

EDIT: You have essentially made the "quality loss" argument.

OSU would have a better win% than Clemson, but they’d still own the head to head. So, tie?

 

[DZ83CK]

So, because Alabama and Clemson were better at getting votes from the CFP Committee, they should be rated ahead of Ohio State even though they were worse on the field? Interesting argument....

EDIT: You have essentially made the "quality loss" argument.

Your argument is it matters who beats who in the CFP, therefore (with 1 more win) OSU > Bama ... conveniently ignoring OSU's 2 losses to Clemson compared with 1 win. I would think with your logic you can't rate OSU ahead of Clemson. Or maybe you see them as even somehow, but it is a pointless debate.

The years OSU missed, they lost 2 regular season games in one of those years which basically disqualified them. Bama has not lost 2 games prior to the CFP in any of these years. OSU also had 1 year they made it without winning the division & 1 year missed due to losing the division in spite of only having 1 loss, both same as Bama. I would say yes that the Committee choices to give Bama 2 more bids are evidence that Bama has been better than OSU. Clemson has won their conference every season but the first, when they weren't chosen for the CFP, which gives them more conference titles than OSU, and never having had more than a 1-loss regular season when making the CFP, I think it is probably safe to say they have been slightly better than OSU if you weight all of these seasons equally.

I noted also they both made the title game and lost, that is an extra CFP win for each of Bama and Clemson - twice - compared with OSU.

 

[GeorgiaBuck2]

Why don't we win first, then discuss.

 

[ScriptOhio]

If Ohio State beats Alabama, then the Buckeyes will have as many titles as Alabama; a better winning percentage (.667) than Alabama (.636); and a 2-0 record versus Alabama head-to-head. To me, that makes Ohio State the best team of the CFP era.

If Ohio State beats Alabama, obviously Alabama would still be the CFP king:

1) Alabama will have played 11 CFP games and Ohio State will have only played 6.

2) Ohio State is not in the SEC and Alabama is.

3) Some of Alabama's losses really don't count against them because; (and I'm not sure who they were) but I'm almost positive that they didn't have all their players available for those games (i.e. the losses).

 

[BB73]

Bigger picture view here....

Obviously, this is an important game for this season. It's also an important game for the entire CFP era as well. If Alabama wins, they're clearly the kings of the CFP, with 3 titles in 7 years. But if Ohio State wins, would the Buckeyes then be able to claim the throne?

Here's a table showing the performances of all CFP teams, ranked by winning percentage:

College Football Team	Invites	Record	WinPct	Titles
Louisiana State Tigers	1	2-0	1.000	1
Alabama Crimson Tide	6	7-3	.700	2
Clemson Tigers	6	6-4	.600	2
Ohio State Buckeyes	4	3-2	.600	1
Oregon Ducks	1	1-1	.500	0
Georgia Bulldogs	1	1-1	.500	0
Washington Huskies	1	0-1	.000	0
Florida State Seminoles	1	0-1	.000	0
Michigan State Spartans	1	0-1	.000	0
Notre Dame Fighting Irish	2	0-2	.000	0
Oklahoma Sooners	4	0-4	.000	0

If Ohio State beats Alabama, then the Buckeyes will have as many titles as Alabama; a better winning percentage (.667) than Alabama (.636); and a 2-0 record versus Alabama head-to-head. To me, that makes Ohio State the best team of the CFP era.

Whichever team wins, the combination of tOSU/Bama/Clemson will have won 17 of the 21 CFP games in 7 years. They will also have 10 of the 21 losses, but LSU will be the only other team to have defeated one of those 3.

Some fans will say that’s bad for college football, but I only care about what’s good for THE Ohio State University.

 

[Zurp]

3) Some of Alabama's losses really don't count against them because; (and I'm not sure who they were) but I'm almost positive that they didn't have all their players available for those games (i.e. the losses).

I thought the 2014 game didn't count because Ohio State was playing their third string quarterback and Alabama shouldn't be expected to get pumped for that game. Plus, they had to worry about their draft stock.
As far as I understand, Alabama was 0-0 in the playoffs in 2014, with a split national championship, since we all know they would have beat Oregon. I mean, even Ohio State beat Oregon, and Alabama was way better than Ohio State that year. (See also, SEC vs Big Ten.)

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Your argument is it matters who beats who in the CFP, therefore (with 1 more win) OSU > Bama ... conveniently ignoring OSU's 2 losses to Clemson compared with 1 win. I would think with your logic you can't rate OSU ahead of Clemson. Or maybe you see them as even somehow, but it is a pointless debate.

The years OSU missed, they lost 2 regular season games in one of those years which basically disqualified them. Bama has not lost 2 games prior to the CFP in any of these years. OSU also had 1 year they made it without winning the division & 1 year missed due to losing the division in spite of only having 1 loss, both same as Bama. I would say yes that the Committee choices to give Bama 2 more bids are evidence that Bama has been better than OSU. Clemson has won their conference every season but the first, when they weren't chosen for the CFP, which gives them more conference titles than OSU, and never having had more than a 1-loss regular season when making the CFP, I think it is probably safe to say they have been slightly better than OSU if you weight all of these seasons equally.

I noted also they both made the title game and lost, that is an extra CFP win for each of Bama and Clemson - twice - compared with OSU.

My argument isn't perfect. But after listening to "You don't belong!!!" for the past seven years, if we beat Bama, it's an argument I'm going to make all day every day.

 

[ScriptOhio]

DEFENSE HAS STRUGGLED AGAINST TOP OFFENSES
Alabama’s defense has been solid in most of its games this year. The Crimson Tide have held opponents to 24 points or fewer in 10 of its 12 games, and ranks 13th in the FBS with only 19 points allowed per game.

Against the two top-10 offenses Alabama has faced this year, however, the Crimson Tide’s defense has been exposed.

In Alabama’s third game of the season against Ole Miss, the Crimson Tide gave up 48 points on 647 yards, including 379 passing yards and 268 rushing yards. And in the SEC Championship Game against Florida, the Crimson Tide gave up 46 points on 462 yards, including 408 passing yards.

Ohio State’s offense, ranked fourth in the FBS in total yards per game (544.9) and tied for fifth in points per game (43.4), is even better than both of those offenses, especially if Justin Fields, Trey Sermon and the Buckeyes play like they did against Clemson. So there’s reason for confidence that the Buckeyes will have another big night offensively against Alabama.

 

[Wells4Heisman]

 

[Abenaki]

 

[bukIpower]

I'd be shocked if he can go... first week back is this week after he just started land based running??? This is nothing more than a kid seeing if he can go because it's everyone's dream of playing in the title game.

That said I'd be extremely surprised if he plays. Can't blame him for seeing if it's even possible though.

 

[underoath437]