Extra Points: Does Alabama's loss open up CFP Final Four?
Tony Barnhart (Mr. CFB) and Mark Blaudschun (A Jersey Guy) both love college football, but often have different viewpoints.
Topic: CFP's Final Four has been criticized for not being inclusive as the SEC (Alabama) and ACC (Clemson) have dominated. Does Alabama's loss to Texas A&M change that?
Mr. CFB.
Here is the stat you need to remember, Jersey Guy.
The CFP has been in existence for seven years. Four teams have been invited each year. That means a total of 28 bids have been extended to the College Football Playoff.
Of those 28 bids, 22 have gone to only five schools: Alabama (6), Clemson (6), Ohio State (4), Oklahoma (4), and Notre Dame (2).
LSU, Oregon, Georgia, Florida State, Michigan State, and Washington have gone one time each.
So that means that only six of 130 FBS schools have made the playoffs in seven years.
That needs to change and Alabama's loss to Texas A&M could open up at least one spot for a newbie.
Until Alabama lost, it looked pretty likely that an undefeated Crimson Tide would meet an undefeated Georgia in the SEC championship. Barring a total blowout, both Alabama and Georgia would go to the playoffs. That could still happen if a once-beaten Alabama beats an undefeated Georgia in the SEC championship game.
But the more likely scenario is that Alabama's loss opens up some hearts and minds to a team like Cincinnati (5-0) if it runs the table in the American Athletic Conference. Cincinnati has already beaten two Power Five teams in Indiana (2-3) and Notre Dame (5-1). There is just a sense that a 13-0 Group of Five team deserves to get a shot.
So, if the CFP pairings were picked tomorrow, here is just one man's opinion of what they would be:
Orange Bowl: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl: Iowa vs. Cincinnati
That would give us two teams that have not been in the CFP before. And that's a good thing. It will be even better when we go to a 12-team playoff.