Sports Illustrated
The 12-Team Fake Playoff Selection Committee had what was likely its most difficult decision of the season in choosing this field. The debate raged deep into Sunday night and even into Monday morning as we squabbled over various issues: (1) Is Oklahoma, which has looked just about as vulnerable as any top-10 team this year, really getting the luxury of a first-round bye? (2) What do you do with one-loss teams Oregon and Ohio State, since the former beat the latter but the latter has looked better? (3) Who do you grant a home game to—Ole Miss, Ohio State or Notre Dame? (4) Who gets the final at-large spot at the No. 11 seed?
Now, let us sift through these. The answer to the first is yes, because only conference champions have access to the top four seeds (had Oregon not lost at Stanford, the Ducks would be in this spot instead of the Sooners, but alas). As for No. 2, Oregon and Ohio State feel like a pair joined at the hip. Last week, the Committee did the unthinkable and left them both out of the field altogether (gasp!). This week, they’re back into the field comfortably after losses from Penn State, Oklahoma State and Iowa. What’s been difficult is to separate the two, seeing as though they have one loss, similar overall résumés and played to a touchdown difference in Columbus, Ohio, earlier this season. That said, Oregon has looked way more vulnerable of late, but it’s on the field that counts, and the Ducks won 35–28.
Mostly because of the amount of quality wins, we gave the home nod this week to the Rebels, who would host the Buckeyes in a first-round game in Oxford (fun!). Each of these three teams has a respectable loss, but the Buckeyes and Irish lost at home—a dagger that, in the end, cost them from hosting a game.
Before we get to No. 4, it’s on to the bracket!
