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Does the ACC need to go undefeated to make the playoff?

DoctorKrazey

DoctorKrazey

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I realize we’re still very early in the season and there’s a lot of football left to be played, but if I had to answer this question right now I think the answer is…yes. When you look at the Big 10 currently I think the odds are overwhelming that at least one out of Michigan, Ohio St., and Penn St. will be in. In the SEC you have Georgia, obviously, but if you have a Bama or LSU with 1 loss at the end of the season they’re a threat to get in. The real outlier for me is the PAC 12. I thought they would be good this year, but not this good. USC, Oregon, Washington, Utah, etc. are all threats to make the playoff. Lastly, you have Texas/Oklahoma from the Big 12 who, either one, will take up another spot. When you look at our schedule I don’t see anyone that scares me, and I definitely believe the possibility is there to run the table, and we just might have to.
 
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Lots of competition this year. Everyone can't go undefeated in Pac12, and SEC will be UGA or nobody (all their top teams already have a loss). Mich/OSU/Penn will leave 1 man standing. The last spot will go to the last standing undefeated team in the ACC/Big12. If both are undefeated, tough job selecting. Every league has a pretty strong top 3-4 that's currently undefeated except the SEC. Will be easier to know the possibilities by week 9, when more of the top conferences match ups will have been played.
 
It depends on how the season ends. Plenty of teams currently have a loss. An ACC team can get in with a loss if the loss is against a quality opponent and the other schools have one or more losses.
 
DoctorKrazey said:
I realize we’re still very early in the season and there’s a lot of football left to be played, but if I had to answer this question right now I think the answer is…yes. When you look at the Big 10 currently I think the odds are overwhelming that at least one out of Michigan, Ohio St., and Penn St. will be in. In the SEC you have Georgia, obviously, but if you have a Bama or LSU with 1 loss at the end of the season they’re a threat to get in. The real outlier for me is the PAC 12. I thought they would be good this year, but not this good. USC, Oregon, Washington, Utah, etc. are all threats to make the playoff. Lastly, you have Texas/Oklahoma from the Big 12 who, either one, will take up another spot. When you look at our schedule I don’t see anyone that scares me, and I definitely believe the possibility is there to run the table, and we just might have to.
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Way way waaaaay too early to tell.

The PAC 12 always cannibalizes itself. Michigan and Ohio St play one another they also both play Penn St. Texas plays Oklahoma. Alabama plays LSU.

The season has barely started. Ask again in November.
 
No. Here is my dream scenario (that doesn't involve the Canes going undefeated).

We lose to FSU, but beat them at a neutral site in the championship game - both 1 loss.
TAMU (or LSU) run the table, and beat UGA in the championship game - both 1 loss.
Washington drops a game, but beats USC - both 1 loss.
Michigan beats OSU. OSU beats Penn St. Penn St. beats Michigan in the championship game. Two of those teams have 1 loss.
UT and Okie do an FSU/Miami situation - both 1 loss.

People's heads will explode. It's also a scenario where no SEC goes, since their conference champ might have lost to the ACC champ.
 
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There's a very real possibility of Miami/FSU splitting a regular season/championship game series. It might be interesting to see if either one of those 1 loss teams gets an invite over a 1 loss team from another P5 conference. The saving grace might be FSU's win over LSU and Miami's win over A&M could prove to be beneficial for either team.
 
caneULM said:
That scenario will never happen. Teams from SEC didnt even win the conference(Alabama) and still made the playoffs.
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New season, and the SEC teams have been getting whipped OOC. LSU got destroyed by FSU, Miami whipped Texas A&M, Texas waltzed into Alabama and beat them down, UNC dominated South Carolina.

IF UGA loses to a SEC West team in the SEC Title game there is a real chance the SEC gets left out this season.

I think Texas, Washington, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, FSU are all better right now than any team not named UGA in SEC. I think majority of those can beat UGA also. UGA was in a battle royal at home to an average South Carolina team, that ended up losing their best WR in the first half. UGA schedule is cheeks, so they can go 12-0 regular season, but it also wouldn't' surprise me if they lost the title game.

Oregon could be in that group also as teams that can beat any SEC team not named UGA, and maybe even them.
 
If you want to be guaranteed a spot then yes. Otherwise with one loss, assuming we win the ACC, we’ve got about a little better than 60% chance to make it and would depend on how other teams do.

The fact that we’re even talking about this goes to show what a huge improvement this team has made over last year. Pretty amazing
 
atlCanesFan said:
I would like to think so, but Bama has made the playoffs with a loss and not even making the SEC championship game.
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Every team is the SEC is going to finish with at least two losses this year except UGA. So they will eliminate themselves.

If UGA were to lose to an inferior team or to a two loss SEC West team in the title game they won’t make the playoff with 3-4 other undefeated teams. And I think you would have to take a 1 loss Michigan, Penn St, FSU, or Oregon over UGA.

A lot of ball to be played and I’m probably wishful thinking but that scenario is in play this year unlike the last 20 years.
 
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I did the ESPN playoff predictor and if we lost only to FSU in the regular season but then beat them in the ACC title game we had a 64% chance of making the playoff.
 
Before the ND/OSU game on Saturday, there was this commentary from a dark haired woman gushing over FSU and their struggle with Clemson. She even said FSU would probably get in the CFP even if they have a loss. Supposedly the committee is looking at FSU struggling in a dog fight with 2 back to back unranked teams as "resilient".

When I tell you I rolled my eyes 🙄

IMO & to some others college football opinions I value, they don't look like a top 4/5 team at all.
 
The Pac teams are all going to beat up on each other. No one will come out of that buzz saw with less than 2 losses.

UT - Texas winner has a shot of going undefeated. But I can see one loss for each of them.

I still think UGA loses to Tennessee but may win all the others so they may be in. Maybe they can get upset in the SEC Championship game but hard to pick against them.

O$U will lose to Michigan. Michigan can lose to Penn State. Penn State can lose to O$U. Going to be fun to see who wins that conference. Their Conference tie breakers are interesting to say the least. It may come down to record of their Conference opponents in the other division. Penn State beat up on Iowa who's probably the best in that division. O$U will have to root for Wisconsin to do better.

I think ACC makes it in with one loss.
 
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