Week 14: Conference Champs Week
OVERVIEW
December 4, 2015
Joe Broback
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK
Time is winding down on the college football season, but the intensity is ramping up. Conference championship week is vitally important for teams participating, but for various reasons. Each team wants a conference championship, and some also want a playoff spot/better bowl. The benefits of winning a conference championship are endless. Winning that game seals a player’s name in the record books forever.
Five potential playoff teams are participating this week (Clemson, North Carolina, Alabama, Iowa, and Michigan State), but not all five will make it. Chaos is at an all-time low in college football, but that could easily change if Clemson and Alabama lose. Wins by both teams will keep the top four the same with Iowa or Michigan State getting the last spot. New coaching hires have been announce this past week (the big ones: Mark Richt to Miami and Kirby Smart to Georgia), but all of that will be overlooked in anticipation of these games.
BOWL MANIA
While these teams will be focusing on various different goals, all of the aforementioned will be participating in the postseason of some kind. This brings up the debate about bowl games: are there too many? To any player whose team gets into a bowl, the excitement level room is high. One more game of football is guaranteed for these players this year; and for seniors, it’s their last college game ever. I think it’s great that these players get to play the game they love one more time in a year, but do we need so many games? There are many people that are saying that the kids want to play because they love the game. This may be true, but what if the bowls took away the incentives provided with participation? No school payouts, no PS4, iPad, apparel, nothing. You just get to play the game. I ask those same people to answer that question. Is it really about the love of the game or is there money that drives that passion to play in a bowl? I don’t doubt players would still be fired up to play, but ultimately money drives that excitement. Anyone saying that money is not a factor when deciding to go to a bowl is naïve.
Next, those who say that having so many teams play in bowl games probably don’t even know what the bowls are or who played and won those games. Anyone outside of the two fan bases wouldn’t know who won the game because they don’t draw attention unless it’s a big bowl game. For those out to prove me wrong, tell me some things. Who played in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl last year? Who won? The vast majority of you probably just Googled the answer. Next question: who won the national championship last year? Most of you can probably answer that question with ease. My point is, this is college football, not Pop Warner. If a team doesn’t make it to the postseason, tough luck, play better next year. Trust me, no one besides their fans and supporters feel bad for them. Every team goes through trials and tribulations every year and if you think you’re the only team, you’re oblivious to college football. Back to my two earlier questions, most people remember the national champions versus a bowl participant. A 6-6 team won’t be known by “oh we made a bowl game” because the label put on that team is usually underachieving, overrated, or mediocre. No one remembers those teams because of the bowl they went to anyways.
Some of these bowl games might go away, but most of them will be around for a while. I understand it ends up being a business benefit to sponsor a bowl, and there are also valid arguments for having so many bowls. For seniors, there season continues for one more game. Coaches can bond with their players in a more relaxed setting (unless it’s a bigger bowl game), and fans get to travel to a place they’ve never been before to enjoy the area and watch their team play. Elements like these are why I’m torn between how I feel about the number of bowl games. Bonding between a player and coach is something that is underappreciated in sports because the media focuses on the negatives and controversies. Another argument for those who complain about the bowl is: don’t watch the game if you don’t like it. This is true, some teams just don’t care that they are playing in a smaller bowl because they get to enjoy that experience. Sometimes it’s about the experience the players receive when their team is selected for a bowl game.
I will more than likely watch as many bowl games as I can, but it gets to a point where the bowl pool is oversaturated. There is no simple answer to this question, but I hope this doesn’t expand more. Expanding the playoff would hopefully eliminate a couple bowl games, but even that isn’t guaranteed. Some bowl games turn out to be great games, but most of the small bowls don’t provide the quality of entertainment. For those still curious and didn’t look it up, Louisiana Lafayette beat Nevada in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl 16-3. Great game.
Non Power 5 Playoff
*all rankings relative to this section
Four In:
#1 Houston Cougars (11-1)----Great news for Cougars fans: they are playing Temple for the AAC championship after dismantling Navy at home, and they are working on a deal to keep Tom Herman at their school. In a period of coaches relocating, Houston is working feverishly to keep Herman from leaving. The Cougars also dominated Navy, and Greg Ward Jr. returned to form in the win. A win against Temple gives them the birth to a New Year’s bowl game. Oh and there was this catch by Demarcus Ayers.
#2 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (10-2)----The Hilltoppers are right where they want to be in the Conference USA championship game against Southern Mississippi. Last week, Marshall stood no chance against the Hilltoppers offense. The Golden Eagles are allowing 207.8 yards passing, while WKU has the sixth best passing offense in the nation. That matchup alone should make this game interesting. My pick: don’t doubt Brandon Doughty. Hilltoppers roll on.
#3 Navy Midshipmen (9-2)----Any dark horse chance Keenan Reynolds had for the Heisman is no gone. Losing to Houston took the wind out of the sail quickly. Reynolds performance was still solid, but his defense gave up 555 yards to the Cougars and 52 points. The triple option offense is not built to come back quickly, and while Navy still had a chance, they could not slow Houston’s offense. Next up? Army-Navy. Navy is 9-2 and Army is 2-9. I don’t think I need to say who will win because it’s fairly obvious.
#4 Temple Owls (10-2)----Temple took the warning UConn sent when the Huskies beat Houston. That caution landed the Owls in the AAC championship and a chance to play in 2016. Temple suffocated the Huskies, letting up only 138 yards and three points while forcing two turnovers. Now if Temple can slow down Houston and keep things manageable for the offense, Temple has a chance. Let the Cougars score quick: loss #3.
Four Out:
#5 BYU Cougars (9-3)----The longer this season went on, the harder it was to justify these guys being in this grouping. Do they belong here? Do they belong with the Power 5? BYU won’t make a New Year’s bowl game, but will play a bowl game somewhere. The Cougars need to think about joining a Power 5 conference. It seems like that’s the only way to have a chance at the playoff.
#6 Memphis Tigers (9-3)----Memphis took out three weeks of anger and frustration out on SMU. Paxton Lynch threw 7 touchdowns in one half of work and dominated the Mustangs from the opening kickoff. For once, the Tigers defense joined in on the fun, allowing an astounding 97 yards of offense while forcing five turnovers. Too bad they couldn’t produce like that three weeks earlier. At least they can be thankful SMU's defense couldn't figure out how to play defense.
#7 San Diego State Aztecs (9-3)----After starting the year 1-3, SDSU has won eight in a row, with their closest margin of victory being 14 points. Donnell Pumphrey and Chase Price have been the workhorses all year rushing for a combined 2,353 and 22 touchdowns. QB Maxwell Smith has been solid all year throwing for 1529 yards and 13 TD’s while only throwing 2 picks (someone have Leidner talk to him). The Aztec defense, tied for 5th in total yards allowed, has been stellar has well. Up next will be a true test for that defense as they face Air Force’s triple option for the Mountain West title.
#8 Toledo Rockets (9-2)----Rough week for the Rockets. They lost to Western Michigan, that loss gave the title game spot to Northern Illinois, and their coach, Matt Campbell is leaving for Iowa State. Tough to see if you are a Rockets fan, but they must shift their attention to the bowl game and worry about their new coach and the losses later.
Other notables:
Bowling Green Falcons (9-3), Appalachian State Mountaineers (9-2), Arkansas State Red Wolves (8-3), Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles (9-3), South Florida Bulls (8-4), Marshall Thundering Herd (9-3)
CFP PLAYOFF TEAMS
Teams in the playoff:
#1 Clemson Tigers (12-0)----Clemson survived the South Carolina scare, but need to play better to beat North Carolina. Deshaun Watson will need a big game to win the Heisman, but he’s not focused on that. Getting into the playoff is a priority, and the Tigers will come ready to play.
#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1)----Beat Auburn thanks to Derrick Henry’s legs (shocker). Florida awaits, and the Tide won’t overlook them. Nick Saban has this team focused on the task at hand by taking things one week at a time. Henry’s performances lately have been outstanding. Expect more of the same in the future.
#3 Oklahoma Sooners (11-1)----May be the best team of the last month, but their seed depends on how other teams do this week. All the Sooners can do now is wait and see.
#4 Michigan State Spartans (11-1)----Iowa could have this spot, but doesn’t have the quality wins that the Spartans have. MSU has beat Ohio State and Michigan, versus Iowa has beat Wisconsin and Northwestern. However, if the Hawkeyes win this game, they will seal their spot in the playoff.
The Next Four:
#5 Iowa Hawkeyes (12-0)----As stated above, win and they’re in. Iowa has played with a chip on their shoulder all season, and that attitude will help them beat the Spartans. One problem: Iowa hasn’t played a team of Michigan State’s caliber. How will the do against a team they haven’t competed with before?
#6 North Carolina Tar Heels (11-1)----Does the committee not like teams that score 50+ multiple times a year? Maybe it’s they know these teams can keep that production up for long. UNC deserves to get in the playoff with a win over Clemson. If they will is up to the committee, and signs are pointing towards no.
#7 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)----Hey committee, the Buckeyes have a good win on their schedule! A beat down of Michigan. Now they’re trying to use Notre Dame’s excuse of: we only lost to one good team. Ask the Irish how it worked out for them. To be fair, the when you lose criteria seems to be not favoring OSU.
#8 Stanford Cardinal (10-2)----Stanford can jump teams into the playoff, but need some luck. First, they need to beat USC, a team they have beaten once already, but that was the third game of the season. Should pandemonium hit college football once again, the Cardinal have a chance. The committee has made some controversial decisions in the past, so it could happen in the future.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
*all rankings are based on AP Poll
Overall Record: 30-24 Last week: 3-3
AAC CHAMPIONSHIP: #22 Temple at #19 Houston
This is a battle of two unique teams. Houston can score points at will (42 points per game), while Temple’s focus is to halt any scoring (18.8 points given up per game). One of these sides will have to give. The next question becomes: if Temple’s defense can keep Houston’s offense in check, will their own offense be able to put up enough points? Temple has surpassed the 40 point barrier two times this season, while Houston has done it six times. There is one difference between these two teams: big school experience. Temple lost to Notre Dame by four, while Houston beat Vanderbilt 34-0. The Houston win hardly counts as experience, but Temple loss to a top ten team. That experience will go a long way in helping the Owls control this game. Both teams’ coaches are rumored to be moving in the offseason, so it could be a matter of which team handles the distractions better. Houston’s Tom Herman is rumored to be staying at Houston, so that could give the Cougars more peace of mind. That and they are playing a home game for the conference championship.
My pick: Houston 38 Temple 21
PAC 12 CHAMPIONSHIP: #20 USC vs. #7 Stanford (Levi’s Stadium)
Many thought this game would be a playoff play-in game at the beginning of the season. It still is in a way. Stanford can still get into the playoff (with help), but needs to beat USC to do it. These teams played the third game of their seasons, and Stanford came away with the upset win on the road against a top 10 team. Yep you read that right. USC was ranked 6th coming into this game, but wow have the tables turned. USC is now 8-4 and snuck into this game, Stanford is ranked 7th and can make the playoff. Stanford is still kicking itself for their early face plant against Northwestern, but has been strong since minus one game. Hard to believe a Pac 12 champ could have four losses, but that won’t happen this year.
My pick: Stanford 35 USC 24
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP: #5 Michigan State vs. #4 Iowa (Lucas Oil Stadium)
One of these teams was expected to be here, the other was expected to finish fourth in their division and fire their coach. Iowa is the latter, but has silenced the doubters all year. An unblemished record shows teams need to take them seriously. In their way is a Spartans team that is one (controversial) play away from being undefeated as well. Both teams are physical at the line of scrimmage, so it will be a war in the trenches. Both teams have quarterbacks that are solid at throwing and can take pressure off the run game with timely passes. Iowa’s best win came against Northwestern, Michigan State’s against Ohio State. The Spartans have had some wild games (Michigan and Oregon), while Iowa has been steady all year. A win guarantees a playoff spot for one team, while a loss eliminates the other. Connor Cook should be healthy for Michigan State, and his big game experience will shine.
My pick: UPSET SPECIAL: Michigan State 33 Iowa 20
ACC CHAMPIONSHIP: #10 North Carolina vs. #1 Clemson (Bank of America Stadium)
I want to like the Tar Heels more, but the one loss just holds me back. Losing to South Carolina, a team with a 3-9 record, puts a major dent in their playoff hopes. The Gamecocks beat UCF and Vanderbilt too, which doesn’t make UNC look any better (those two teams have a combined record of 4-20). Still, I’m a huge fan of the underdogs. With Marqise Williams, Ryan Switzer, Elijah Hood, T.J. Logan, Quinshad Davis, and Mack Hollins, the Tar Heels are loaded on offense with talent. Add in the defensive revival aided by Gene Chizik, and the Tar Heels have a complete team. Both teams have shown they are capable of winning shootouts and close games, so it will come down to who can make more stops on defense. For Clemson, a birth to the playoff is on the line; for the Tar Heels, the playoff is possible but they would need help. There is only one way I can see UNC making the playoff without help: beating Clemson by 35+, which is seems laughable at this point. UNC can beat Clemson, though, and the Tigers are aware of that. Dabo Swinney will have his team focused and that intensity should carry the Tigers.
My pick: Clemson 30 North Carolina 24
SEC CHAMPIONSHIP: #18 Florida vs. #2 Alabama (Georgia Dome)
No surprise that Alabama is in this game, but Florida is (well from where they started). The Gators were not projected to win the SEC East to begin the year, but Jim McElwain has his team playing ball really well. Some cause for concern after last week’s 27-2 beatdown they endured at the hands of Florida State. Florida’s offense has not been the same without Will Grier, who was suspended for using PED’s, and Treon Harris has shown the drop-off at that position. Seniors on this team decided Demarcus Robinson could return to play this week, which should give them a boost at receiver. However, the defense will need to figure out what they will do to stop Derrick Henry. Henry is the frontrunner in the Heisman Trophy race with 1797 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns. The Tide’s offense has many athletes it can hurt you with, and OC Lane Kiffin has shown he can draw up plays to expose defenses that cheat to load the box. DC Kirby Smart has indicated he will be with the team until after the bowl/playoff, which means the defense will be ready to play. Their front seven is scary good, and Kelvin Taylor may not find much room to run. Roll Tide.
My pick: Alabama 42 Florida 10
