After decades of dreaming about it, years demanding it, and months arguing about it, the Playoff Era is finally here. The old BCS system would have produced a National Championship Game of #1 Florida State (only undefeated) and #2 Alabama (SEC Champion), but with both of those squads losing in the National Semifinals, the new system is instantly validated.
This offseason, we will take the role of the Selection Committee and look at how every BCS season (1998-2013) would have played out in the current College Football Playoff setup. As a staff, we will analyze, debate, and ultimately select the 4 most deserving teams and seed them #1 through #4. Once the bracket is set, we will throw the historical matchups into the game simulator over at What If Sports, a complex algorithm that simulates any matchup of teams from 1996 to the present. We will simulate each matchup 25 times for a more accurate sample size, and report the series results and average score. How different would the college football landscape look if the 4-team playoff had come 16 years sooner? Would the SEC still have held the crystal trophy for 7 straight seasons? Would Oregon have a championship by now? How would the famous #3 teams such as 2000 Miami, 2003 USC, 2004 Auburn, and 2011 Oklahoma State fare with a shot at glory? Would the BCS busters prove themselves? Let the games begin - here's what should have been: 2008 SEASON BACKGROUND & SELECTION COMMITTEE The Big 12 created issues with their 3-way tie for the South Division title between 1-loss Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech who all beat each other in triangular fashion. For us, the Selection Committee, we deferred to the conference itself and who they picked to represent the division in the Conference Title. It was Oklahoma that got the nod, and they certainly impressed in the title game, beating #19 Missouri 62-21. The Sooners earned a bid, and given the strong resumes of other 1-loss division and conference champions, Texas and Texas Tech were not considered further. SEC Champion Florida earned the #1 seed for their 12-1 season. The SEC Championship Game was a #1 vs. #2 matchup featuring undefeated Alabama. The Tide lost to the Gators 31-20, but demonstrated that they were still one of the 4 best teams in America, and as SEC Western Division champions, their resume was still stronger than the Texas teams. Finally, Pac-10 champion USC earned the #4 spot thanks to a 3-0 record vs. the Top 25, and a decisive 35-3 victory over Ohio State. USC's defense was historically dominant, averaging just 9.7 points allowed per game.
Undefeated Utah and Boise State were both left out due to easier schedules, and their non-AQ conference affiliations. ***Remember, our Selection Committee is taking the perspective of the day after the completion of the conference championship games, NOT as analysts looking back 6 years later. Yes, Utah destroyed Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, but that knowledge wouldn't have been available for this Committee. 
2008 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Former Heisman-winner Tim Tebow continued Florida's special 2008 season by averaging 30 points per game against the stout USC unit that had previously allowed just 9 per game. The Gators won the series 16 games to 9, and advance to the Playoff Championship.
Led by 2008 Heisman Sam Bradford, the Sooners offense set an NCAA record for scoring. That trend continued here in the National Semifinal, even against a Nick Saban defense! OU won 24 of 25 games by a blowout margin of 43-20. The computer simulation resulted in an outcome different from the actual meeting in real life. Yes, Urban Meyer led the Gators past the Sooners 24-14 in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game. Here, the computers sided with "Big Game Bob" Stoops, giving Oklahoma a 17-8 (games) decision with an average score of 35-27. Maybe the computers aren't able to factor in impact hits and jump passes. 
LINKS to our other CFB Simulation Features:
|
PICK SIX PREVIEWS ON THE RADIO:
2015 PREVIEW
|
|
|
© 2022 Pick Six Previews LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy |
|