CFP and Steelers Win

I decided midway through the afternoon yesterday  that the Monday Morning Blog Post would concentrate on the final bracket for this first ever 12 Team College Football Playoff.

Oh, I am not going to make a case as to whether or not a three loss Alabama or an 8-3 South Carolina, who beat Clemson, should be in there, nor do I care about who is seeded where.  Let the ESPN gasbags deal with all of that.  Rather, I want to speak to one of the unintended consequences, for this year at least, that this format hath wrought, and that is the complete and utter lack of drama that was Conference Championship Saturday in college football, or College Football, as Kirk Herbstreit might put it.

Think about it.  Of the twelve teams in the bracket, four of them (Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, and Indiana) didn't even play on Saturday because they had failed to qualify for their conference title game, and three of the teams actually LOST in their title game but are still alive for the Championship.  Only one of the games was a win-or-go-home game, Clemson vs SMU, and that was only if Clemson lost.  SMU lost, but they are still alive for the CFP title.  The people who bitch about Notre Dame being an independent and not having to win a Conference Championship in order to qualify, should now shut up entirely, because, clearly, winning your conference championship doesn't matter (see Texas, Penn State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Indiana, and SMU).

Oh, the games themselves were terrific:  Georgia 22 - Texas 19 in OT, Oregon 45 - Penn State 38, and Clemson 34 - SMU 27 on a last play of the game field goal, but the question becomes, if these games don't matter, and clearly they do not when it comes to deciding a CFP Championship, then why play them at all?  And before you answer, I will tell you that I already know answer. When it comes to big time sports, the answer to ALL of your questions is MONEY.  These games will continue to be played as long as ESPN or some other TV sugar daddy will open the vaults to the universities in question.

All that said, I am really looking forward to the games that will be played and the sturm und drang  that will surround them.  In the opening round alone....

• Clemson vs Texas. Who doesn't want to watch this game and cheer for Dabo Swinney to get his Bible-thumping ass kicked? Hook 'em Horns, I say!
• Tennessee vs Ohio State.  After losing his fourth straight game to Michigan last month the question becomes, "Will Ryan Day lose his job if he goes out early in the CFP tourney?"
• SMU vs Penn State.  Can James Franklin win a game against a ranked team?  
• Indiana vs Notre Dame.  Well, it is Notre Dame, after all, and they are playing an in-state rival, and just how good is Indiana after all?

It's gonna be a lot of fun, I do believe.

********

Oh, and I can't not mention something that always brings great joy to my football heart....

Steelers 27 - Browns 14

Yep, a Steelers win over this long time rival is always good news.  I thought I'd include a few highlights of yesterday's game for my Cleveland pals.

Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins on one

 of his two missed field goal attempts

Kadarius Toney muffs a point which was recovered 

by Steeler Ben Skowronek.  The game was 

pretty much over at that point anyway, 

but it put a nice bow on the Steelers victory.

The Steelers are now 10-3, have a two game lead over Baltimore in the AFC North, as they head into a brutal three game stretch of the schedule: @ Eagles, @ Ravens, Chiefs at home on Christmas.   Three playoff caliber teams as they gear up for the Playoffs.