The real official first vote thread

[WiregrassTiger]

It's tonight. But it doesn't matter. I doubt AU will make top 4. Who cares? We handle our business and we make it. That part isn't looking so likely, defensively.

In the end, if we lose another one (or Bama for that matter) and FSU/ND waltz in, it'll be another travesty. No way either if those deserves it over us or another 2 loss SEC west team, IMO.

Oregon prob does.

[dallaswareagle]

Don't care about the 1st, or the 5th.


Only care about the last one.

[Godfather]

Honestly, I worry if we win out and don't go to the SECG that we might be out.  Committee has stressed the importance of winning your conference.

[Townhallsavoy]

I am very interested in tonight's vote if and only if the committee is voting genuinely and not simply contributing to the conversation of the season. 

If they take this seriously and release the first top 25 as if it were the last, then we will find out a lot about how they are going to vote every year.  We'll know what they value and what they're looking for in teams that qualify for the final four.

For example, I've heard an argument for Alabama over Auburn.  The argument is that Alabama lost to a top ten team on the road and lost at the last minute.  Auburn lost to the #1 team on the road but for the most part was dominated throughout the game.  Point Alabama?

I've also heard that Alabama's best OOC win was against a good WVU whereas Auburn's best OOC win was against the Big Texas Conference's best team, #11 Kansas State.  Point Auburn?

Or how about conference respect?  Michigan State is #8 with their only loss coming against Oregon, @Oregon, early in the season.  Does the committee reward or fault Michigan State for the loss?  Does the committee keep Michigan State at #8, drop them, raise them?  Do they care at all for the perception of the Big 10 conference? 

I'll be happy if I see this:

1. Miss State
2. Florida State
3. Auburn
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Oregon

I will not be happy if I see this:

1. Miss State
2. Florida State
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Michigan State
6. Alabama

[GH2001]

I am very interested in tonight's vote if and only if the committee is voting genuinely and not simply contributing to the conversation of the season. 

If they take this seriously and release the first top 25 as if it were the last, then we will find out a lot about how they are going to vote every year.  We'll know what they value and what they're looking for in teams that qualify for the final four.

For example, I've heard an argument for Alabama over Auburn.  The argument is that Alabama lost to a top ten team on the road and lost at the last minute.  Auburn lost to the #1 team on the road but for the most part was dominated throughout the game.  Point Alabama?

I've also heard that Alabama's best OOC win was against a good WVU whereas Auburn's best OOC win was against the Big Texas Conference's best team, #11 Kansas State.  Point Auburn?

Or how about conference respect?  Michigan State is #8 with their only loss coming against Oregon, @Oregon, early in the season.  Does the committee reward or fault Michigan State for the loss?  Does the committee keep Michigan State at #8, drop them, raise them?  Do they care at all for the perception of the Big 10 conference? 

I'll be happy if I see this:

1. Miss State
2. Florida State
3. Auburn
4. Alabama
5. Notre Dame
6. Oregon

I will not be happy if I see this:

1. Miss State
2. Florida State
3. Notre Dame
4. Oregon
5. Michigan State
6. Alabama

Lou, mark may and the rest of the ACC honks on Sunday night had it exactly like your second one. That's what worries me. They are trying to sway public perception. Not to defend nd or bama, but between those 2 and us, the losses are all to top 10 teams on the road and were not blowouts. Oregon lost to fucking wash state. But somehow everyone has them as automatic. Give me a fucking break.

[Snaggletiger]

I'm not interested at all in tonight's vote.  As WT said, if we win out over Ole Miss, A&M, Georgia and Bama....and then the SECCG...we're in.  Period.  My prediction is that everyone's apple cart is going to get upset between now and then.  All this talk about how many SEC teams making it and SEC bias, when the fact is there are several very likely scenarios where this league gets skunked.  Nada, zip, zilch.  Think back to 2004.  USC and OU went wire to wire in the polls as #1 and #2.  We're a decade plus removed from that and unless my failing memory keeps failing me, nothing close to that has happened since.  It ALWAYS gets wild down the stretch and teams start dropping like flies.  It will happen again this year.     

[djsimp]

My question is, why have this poll come out now if the committee is only going to consider conference champs? If this is so, this poll means diddly squat.

[dallaswareagle]

My question is, why have this poll come out now if the committee is only going to consider conference champs? If this is so, this poll means diddly squat.

Just in case the turds need a way in.

[War Eagle!!!]

Auburn wins out. Miss. State wins out to SECCG. 2 loss UGA wins east and beats MS State in SEC championship game. What happens then?

[Buzz Killington]

Auburn wins out. Miss. State wins out to SECCG. 2 loss UGA wins east and beats MS State in SEC championship game. What happens then?

Human sacrifice...dogs and cats living together!  Mass hysteria!

[Buzz Killington]

Admittedly, I haven't paid much attention to the details of how this committee will work.  Will each person's top 25 be advertised just like the AP voters?

[Townhallsavoy]

Lou, mark may and the rest of the ACC honks on Sunday night had it exactly like your second one. That's what worries me. They are trying to sway public perception. Not to defend nd or bama, but between those 2 and us, the losses are all to top 10 teams on the road and were not blowouts. Oregon lost to fucking wash state. But somehow everyone has them as automatic. Give me a fucking break.

After watching Oregon against Arizona and California, there's no way they should be in the top 4.  They are a shell of their former selves.  Without Mariota next year, they'll lose 2-3 games easily.  Maybe more. 

But for some reason, since 2009, ESPN has desperately wanted Oregon to win an NC.  I'm assuming there's some kind of big contract between Nike and ESPN.  Has to be. 

[WiregrassTiger]

Auburn wins out. Miss. State wins out to SECCG. 2 loss UGA wins east and beats MS State in SEC championship game. What happens then?

My guess is that the west doesn't make it. Thuga, FSU, Oregon or ND at one loss would go before a 2 loss SEC west team.

Quality loss bs is just that.

Like GF, Im worried about this committee. I really think its a lot to do with selecting teams from different regions in the end. A push for college football equality, if you will, to appease everyone outside of the Sec. The word is already out that conference championships matter. That speaks volumes.

I couldn't care less about tonight's shindig.

[War Eagle!!!]

My guess is that the west doesn't make it. Thuga, FSU, Oregon or ND at one loss would go before a 2 loss SEC west team.

That's the thing. MS State and Auburn would both only have one loss while the SEC champion UGA would have 2 losses.

My guess would be UGA and MS State go and Auburn gets left out.

[AUChizad]

That's the thing. MS State and Auburn would both only have one loss while the SEC champion UGA would have 2 losses.

My guess would be UGA and MS State go and Auburn gets left out.

Have to take all 3, IMO, but that would be met with torches & pitchforks, so I guess the East Champion & the runner-up in the West. Lost later.

[Godfather]

Have to take all 3, IMO, but that would be met with torches & pitchforks, so I guess the East Champion & the runner-up in the West. Lost later.

It would also depend on the loss. 

If UGA just blew the doors of of Miss State, then I imagine it would be AU.

However if it was neck and neck and UGA won by 3 on a last minute FG, I would suspect it would be State.

[dallaswareagle]

That's the thing. MS State and Auburn would both only have one loss while the SEC champion UGA would have 2 losses.

My guess would be UGA and MS State go and Auburn gets left out.

MS State would be very late and right before selection, I think that hurts them more that our loss earlier.

[WiregrassTiger]

That's the thing. MS State and Auburn would both only have one loss while the SEC champion UGA would have 2 losses.

My guess would be UGA and MS State go and Auburn gets left out.

With someone ( I don't know who) circulating the story about conference champs taking a priority (or something like that) --that's the only thing that I think may put Thuga in and leave us or whoever is left in the west out.

The more I think about your scenario, I find it highly unlikely any 2 loss team other than a conference champ gets in. Moving to the SEC east or the Acc would greatly enhance our future chances.

We need at least 8 teams in the playoff.

[Townhallsavoy]

Here's a scenario:

Missouri's remaining schedule: Kentucky, @A&M, @Tennessee, Arkansas

All winnable games.  Four shittastic opponents. 

Auburn beats Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama. 
Alabama beats LSU and Miss State. 
Ole Miss beats Miss State.

Missouri vs. Auburn - SEC Championship.  Missouri wins. 

Who does the SEC send?  1 loss Missouri and 2 loss Auburn, Alabama, Miss State, Georgia or Ole Miss?

[jmar]

MS State would be very late and right before selection, I think that hurts them more that our loss earlier.

Agree with WT and GF with regard to the worry over confence champions getting some steam which is why Patterson hangs 82 on Texas Tech when 66 might have sufficed. Notre Dame gets similar respect I'm guessing, possibly a bit more but they need to win soundly.

When I made notice of Michigan State's loss at Oregon Chizad rightly called me out but at that point in the season I think there had to be a measuring stick to weigh others by and this was it.

So my earliest prediction was a three way tie in the SEC West between us, Turds and LSU with the winner playing USCe. WRONG!
Okay substitute State for LSU and Thuga for 'Cocks.
I still think we get a three way tie in the SEC West.

Alabama is the only west team the panel would consider among the final four w/o playing in the SECCG. All others will have to fight a prelim bout to get in.

FSU is in. If Notre Dame runs the table the Big 12 is in danger of being left out. If Michigan State wins out they benefit by any further bad showings by the SEC. Oregon must win out convincingly. None of the PAC 14 teams can hold up away from home.

Not very confident the SEC lands two and all involved would likely hope for UGA to prevail.