Ohio State just lost a great game at unranked Penn State. They’ll probably fall from #2 to somewhere between #7-#10 when the next polls come out. Their pursuit of a playoff spot likely remains unaffected. Is that a good or bad for college football?
In the old BCS system, Ohio State would need plenty of help to get back into the national championship discussion. @KilroyFSU has been a past guest on the blog weekly ACC podcast with @Hokiesmash and myself. He’s been anti-playoff since the playoff system began. He has a point.
Without a question. This game only hurts their seeding. One of the reasons I don’t like a playoff. These losses aren’t as big. https://t.co/Dnb7oSjRXW
— KilroyFSU (@KilroyFSU) October 23, 2016
Regular season losses are diminished in the current system. If Ohio State wins out, which includes a Big 10 Championship they are in playoffs barring 4 Power 5 undefeated champions. At least I think so. I’m not sure the committee is ready leave out an undefeated power 5 champion. We just don’t know what the committee will do if faced with a 1 loss Big 10 Champion Ohio State against against an undefeated champion from the Big 12 like West Virginia for a final playoff spot.
What we do know for sure, is that losses are diminished now, but here’s the benefit of the current system. Ohio State has enhanced their profile, and is more able to absorb a loss because they played and won at Oklahoma. What if Ohio State had played Eastern Michigan? Would today’s loss have affected them more or less? Hard to say, but if I am Ohio State that OOC win helps the resume. Can West Virginia, Washington, or Baylor afford a loss? Mostly likely not. Their OOC scheduling was just too poor. At least West Virginia did try to schedule Missouri and BYU, even though those wins don’t carry much weight as Missouri and BYU have already lost 9 games between each other.
Also it’s not like Ohio State can back into the playoffs. They still have to win out, because a second loss will eliminate them for sure. There was still the chance a single loss to Michigan would have allowed to Ohio State to make the playoff. That is not possible now.
I can agree… losses aren’t as significant now as before, but the current system seems to encourage tougher OOC scheduling which to me is better in general for college football.
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