RaceToTheTop

SMU likely to be anxious but have to remember that they were three spots up on Alabama. I don't see them going ahead of SMU.

Good. Clemson wins. What a meltdown by SMU.

SMU failure on defense here. Clemson getting a change to win on about a 55 yard field goal.

SMU touchdown. Kicking the extra point. Think that SMU has secured their spot win or lose, IMO. So Alabama's spot comes down to whether SMU or Clemson wins in OT.

Both games are barn burners.

Penn State getting the ball back. Wonder if the decision to go for the two point conversion earlier that failed will end up costing them.

Considering Penn State can't stop Oregon, do they onside kick? IMO, they won't.

Oregon defense isn't great. Offense is.

Big question in the SMU/Clemson game....SMU down 7, ball back with four minutes left. If SMU loses by this score: 1. Does the committee keep SMU ahead of IU and Alabama? 2. Do they drop them below IU but ahead of Alabama? 3. Do they drop them behind both and leave them out of the playoff? -------------- IMO, the likelihood is in order #2, 1, 3.

Missed call -- Penn State completion, refs overturn it.....Penn State goes quick for some reason and doesn't give enough time for review.

Strange sequence.....Penn State QB runs for 18, throws one pass, leaves the game for just one play, comes back in. Announcers said he hurt his shoulder but seems strange to leave for one play, certainly not long enough to look at it.

Oregon and Penn State both with 450+ yards now.

SMU within 7 at 31-24. Clemson gets its first penalty but it gets declined -- running into the kicker on a successful field goal and the penalty wouldn't have given them the first down.

Clemson has no penalties with 8 minutes left in the game.

SMU down 10 and driving, trying to make it a one score game.

I know this is the football thread, but Gonzaga is skull dragging Kentucky right now in roundball. Up 15 with 17 minutes left.

"Google me. I mean, seriously, Google me. Who am I?" -- Barry Odom

Man, how do you miss the face mask on SMU there? Ref was looking right at it.

So how did Ohio State play this week? I think that you are thinking too much like a fan and not reflecting what the committee has been indicating. It was my opinion that if Penn State were going to drop behind anyone except potentially Notre Dame they would have had to lay an egg against Oregon tonight. At the end of the day, the last impression of Penn State is likely to be a competitive loss against the #1 team in the nation. Ohio State's last impression was a loss to a mediocre Michigan team in their home stadium.

I don't disagree that Ohio State is a better team. But I doubt that the committee will be moving Ohio State will be moving them up over Penn State this week. And I'd put a decent amount on it.

The worst loss that either Penn State or Ohio State would be Ohio State's home loss to a 6-5 Michigan team. That has context as well. So I wouldn't say that the context is that simple. At some point who you lost to is in the conversation as well. Alabama lost to two teams in the SEC (one by 21 points) who are only bowl eligible because they beat Alabama.

How much money would you bet on Ohio State being seeded better than Penn State should Oregon win the title game? Because I think that would be throwing money away -- again, not based on what I personally feel but rather on what the CFP committee has been indicating.

I'm not saying I disagree. But let's also face the fact that if SMU loses to Clemson that they would have been better off losing a tiebreaker for the conference championship (Miami, Clemson, and SMU all had one conference loss) because they would have been safely in while Alabama would have benefited by not being in the SEC championship game because a loss there would have knocked them out. EDIT: That said, I could end up wrong. But I'm just trying to go by what the committee has been saying......which could all be smoke. My feeling is that if you play a conference championship game, it should count. By the same token, if IU had the tiebreaker over Penn State and played in the Big Ten championship and lost to Oregon and were then removed from the playoff picture because of some idle team that wasn't in their conference championship, I think that there is a serious issue with that as well.

Penn State and Ohio State both with two losses, but Penn State played an extra game (which was the conference title game) AND finished ahead of Ohio State in the conference. And what I am mostly going by is what the words of the committee. I'd put solid money on Penn State being seeded above Ohio State even with a loss to Oregon.

Because of what the committee has said in terms of handling winners/losers of conference championship games -- basically not penalizing a team for reaching their championship game. I'm not arguing for that thinking or against it, just going by what the committee has said. I think outside of a team getting trounced, the amount of movement you see isn't going to be major. I don't see Texas falling below the 5 seed unless Oregon loses, in which case Oregon is the 5 and Texas is the 6. The truth is I could see a scenario where Notre Dame actually goes to the 7 if Penn State wins of hangs really close with Oregon. Given the Georgia win, I don't see Notre Dame being any better than the 6 seed. The one item yet to be seen is how the committee is going to handle SMU if they continue to lay an egg to Clemson in the second half. If they are true to their word, Alabama is out. If not, Alabama is in.