CC's Season Ending CFB Poll

[Crease Creature]

The regular season has come to an end, Notre Dame's hopes for a decent bowl are dashed, the SEC is so extremely overrated its not even funny anymore, and I bet Stanford really really regrets not changing their QB sooner. That loss to SDSU in week 2 is the only thing keeping them from having a shot at this playoff thing.

I want to thank everyone who has come here each week to see what I think of the college football scene. I have a lot of fun putting these lists together and sometimes they take a lot longer when things get complicated (this week's took 2 hours to research for (the playoff seeding takes portions of two or three days)) but I feel like it's worth it, though my wife feels otherwise most of the time.

This is the last poll of the season. Next week, after the conference championship games I will do the seedings for my 16 team FBS tournament. As you guys know, that features the champion of the 10 FBS conferences, and 6 at-large bids (because who wants to stop at 12 or 14?).

And as for the poll, well, this one is going to look very similar to the first one we did after week 3. I won't go through some of the responses, as much as I would like to and see how much some of your opinions may have changed, but I will repost the link to our first poll here

And to see the movement from last week: click here

Disclaimer: Last week I mistyped the conference records for teams that did not play 9 conference games this year.


Ladies and Gentlemen, for your consideration, the results of the 2017 CFB Regular Season

1. On Wisconsin (12-0; 9-0 Big Ten) - The game was dominated beginning to end with the Badgers' suffocating defense and gut-busting running game. Hornibrook had his first B1G game this season without a pick, looked good and poised in the pocket, delivered some good TD balls, and gave way to Jack Coen early in the fourth. JTaylor earned his record setting 8th Big Ten Freshman of the Week award and should be a strong candidate for the Doak Walker. Paul Bunyan's Axe resides in Madison for a 14th straight year, the Badgers take the overall series lead 60-59-8, shut out the Goophers in Minneapolis for the first time since 1922, and became the first team to win go undefeated in the current 9-B1G season game format (and capturing the first undefeated regular season for the Badgers since 1912). Wisconsin also received 21 first place votes in the latest coaches poll and 10 from the AP, finishing third in both, but they get the bump from 2 to 1 in my esteemed and highly regarded rankings. Congrats Badgers. Jump Around. Let's bring this one all the way home. Up next: B1G Conference Championship vs Ohio State (last: 2)
2. Boomer Sooner (11-1; 8-1 BigXII) - Of the teams that have one loss, Alabama has the least bad, but OU has better wins (Ohio St, TCU) than the Tide, and is still playing. Which Alabama is not. That loss, by the way, came a month ago to bowl bound Iowa State. People have been tossing a lot of crap about the Cyclones winning without realizing that ISU isn't 3-9 this year. The Sooners took care of business in a game where WVU never really made it close, and the Mountaineers DC admitted that he should probably be fired after the way his unit performed in that one. Baker Mayfield probably locked up the Heisman with his 14/17 for 281 yds and 3td day. OU won by 18 last time they played Texas Christian, and will need to do so again. I don't think TCU makes the final four if they win, though Alabama certainly hopes that they emerge victorious. Up next: BigXII Conference Championship vs TCU (last: 4)
3. War Eagle (10-2; 7-1 SEC) - For me, this is where things started getting tricky. How far does Miami fall? Does Alabama fall at all? We'll get there in a minute. The second question is easy to answer, yes, Bama fell. They were in this spot last week. Does a two loss team deserve to play for the national championship in a four team system? I think if they're the winner of the SEC they will, and they only have losses to 9-3 LSU and 11-1 Clemson. Sorry Stanford and USC. I will admit that I didn't see much of this game, as I was too nervous early on about the Badgers (I let my wife take me shopping...) but I was impressed by the way Auburn controlled the tempo throughout and kept everything in front of them, as a whole. I believe that the SEC champ will make the final four, but I don't think the loser (or Alabama) should. If I did a poll next week, Georgia would move into this spot if they won. Up next: SEC Champsionship Game vs Georgia (last: 5)
4. CLEMSOOOOO-N (11-1; 7-1 ACC) - I wasn't aware that South Carolina had slipped back into the rankings last week, but Clemson took care of them easily. I will still say, that of the one-loss teams, Clemson's is very much so the worst of them all. I know that they had some injuries that game, but they were already losing when that happened. It was like how JT Barrett's 3rd quarter injury was blamed on a pre-game camera man. For people saying that Clemson had the best schedule, you don't see it on the eye test. Auburn is about it, though VTech and NC State are pretty good. I will say, Miami would take this spot if they win the ACC. Up next: ACC Championship Game vs Miami (last: 7)
5. Go Dawgs (11-1; 7-1 SEC) - Not gonna lie, when it was only 17-7 at halftime, I was worried that the Yellow Jackets might trip you up. A nice day by your QB allayed those concerns. Notre Dame certainly didn't help your cause, though. A rematch with Auburn looms, and you guys got the doors blown off last time. What will be different this week? Win and you're in. Up next: SEC Championship @ Auburn (last: 6)
6. Roll Tide (11-1; 7-1 SEC) - it's funny how one loss changes the whole narrative. Go back and check the record, folks, because you heard it here first. I dropped Bama last week after an awful showing against 4-loss MS State that they still managed to win, and then scheduling the cream puff in late November. I get that Alabama is a big brand, but their results against their schedule are not of a high caliber. People are dogging Wisconsin for playing bowl-eligible Utah St, Conference Championship contending Florida Atlantic, and just a damn awful BYU team when Alabama has almost the exact same non-con schedule (bowl eligible Colorado St, Conference Championship contending Fresno St, and awful (and desperately bowl seeking) FSU). The difference is that the Badgers played another conference game and Alabama scheduled an FCS opponent for late November. I can see the committee trying just about anyway to get them in, but it's not happening here folks. Up next: bowl season (last: 3)
7. C-A-N-E-S (10-1; 7-1 ACC) - that was a bad loss, no other way to go about it. The good news is you have a chance at redemption, and to start the season with a hurricane or two means you can probably overcome some adversity. But this was still a bad, bad loss. Not as bad as losing to Syracuse, though. Were you looking ahead? Pitt has a reputation as a giant slayer that should have given you some pause. Win, though, and that can change a few things. I think you will get in if you beat Clemson. The opportunity to play another game is huge, as Alabama did not earn that chance. Up next: ACC Championship @ Clemson (last: 1)
8. FIGHT ON! (10-2; 8-1 Pac-12) - inactive Up next: Pac-12 Championship vs Stanford
9. O-H-I-O (10-2; 8-1 B1G) - Did you guys know that Jim Harbaugh is 1-5 against Michigan State and Ohio State? Not the kind of thing you're hoping for with that hire. Granted, he's only three years into this thing, but this is supposed to be when his talent starts taking over. It's gotta be concerning that he hasn't found his quarterback yet. The rumors surrounding JT Barrett's mysterious pre-game cameraman collision are fascinating. Some of the reports describe a previously injured meniscus issue that can cause serious long-term (and short-term) damage to the knee. I wouldn't put it past Urban Meyer to conceal something like that, but I think it's worth a look. Between that and the Greg Schiano thing, I hope you have a very distracting week. Up next: B1G Championship @ Wisconsin (last: 9)
10. We Are Penn State (10-2; 7-2 B1G) - While I couldn't give you the bump over ND last week, they complied on their own by dropping their game. 66 points is impressive, even if it is against Maryland. Enjoy finals and your time off until the bowl game. Nice season. Up next: Bowl season (last: 11)
11. Central Florida (11-0; 8-0 AAC) - What a finish! If you missed out on this one, you missed one of the more thrilling college football games of the season. It had everything you want except defense. I don't know where you'll end up, but I congratulate you on one heck of a season. Too bad you can't get that cancelled game against Georgia Tech back on the books. Up next: AAC Championship vs Memphis. (last: 14)
12. Washington (10-2; 7-2 Pac-12) - I couldn't find a chant or cheer or anything regarding your pop culture, so work on that, would ya? Way to throttle an opponent that absolutely needed to win this game to have a shot at something meaningful. I bet you wish now you'd taken Arizona State a little more seriously. Their coach got fired, by the way, so you didn't do anybody any good with that loss. I think this is five in a row for the Apple Cup? Have a nice break. Up next: Bowl season (last: 13)
13. Fear the Frog (10-2; 7-2 BigXII) - No reason to drop you other than that I was not impressed with you giving up 22 points to Baylor. Any interesting scenarios regarding OU's opponent in the title game were put to rest, though, by you putting up 45 of your own. I know a couple of teams east of you on both sides of the Mason-Dixon line are hoping for a similar outcome from you on Saturday. Up next: BigXII Championship @ Oklahoma (last: 12)
14. Memphis (10-1; 7-1 AAC) - Finishing a season with one loss, and that to the team leading the other division in your conference, is nothing to sneeze at. You'll get a shot at taking them on once more, this time for a lot higher stakes. Nothing like warming up against a conference bottom dweller and dropping 70 on them. If UCF has anything left in the tank after their exhilarating win last week, this should be another exciting one. Up next: AAC Championship @ UCF (last: 15)
15. Shoulda Played Like Champions (9-3) - Ha ha, according to the standings, UMass won the independents by beating BYU this weekend to lead the conference with a 1-0 record. There is a whole new docket of bowls salivating over the Irish after this weekend. What happened in Palo Alto was not pretty, and while you saved a little face coming out of halftime, things just dropped off a cliff in the fourth quarter. I won't drop you behind Stanford, though, as your losses are only to teams vying for their conference titles. Up next: Bowl season (last: 10)
16. Stanford (9-3; 7-2 Pac-12) - I forget which game started first, but the rout was on in Seattle (and in your favor) while you game was in the balance. A short sequence in the fourth quarter sealed your trip to the Pac-12 title game. A strong finish to a season that got off to a really bumpy start. Up next: Pac-12 Championship @ USC (last: NR)
17. Orange Power (9-3; 6-3 BigXII) - Like many seasons previously, the disappointment this year is palpable. You dropped one to a team you could have beaten, one to a team you should have beaten, and one to a team you shouldn't have lost to. Mason Rudolph broke Barry Sanders' 1988 record for TDs in a season (44) by one, but unlike that year, Rudy won't be going to New York for any ceremonies. You could have, though. Winning the bowl game and getting ten wins should be enough to placate T. Boone and the other boosters, but drop this one and I think things get a little warm for Coach Gundy. Up next: Bowl Season (last: 18)
18. Hail Spartans (9-3; 7-2 B1G) - We will do honorable mentions and The Pit this week, but I wanted to include Michigan State for what they did to Rutgers. You should all know that I am a huge fan of good defense, and if that comes at the expense of inept offenses, so be it. Not only did Sparty flip their record from last year (congrats Coach Dantonio), but if there was a record for such things, MSU won the time of possession battle in a big way. Last year Air Force claimed the unofficial TOP single game record of 45:14 in a win over Georgia State. MSU went 47:50, and held the Scarlet Knights to 31 offensive plays. They did manage to score a touchdown somehow. Former UW assistant Chris Ash led Rutgers to 4 wins, doubling their total from last year in his second as the head coach. Will MSU get a New Year's game? Up next: bowl season (last: NR)

• Honorable Mentions: I think we are seeing a good trend among pollsters this year.
  • teams are being recognized across the country for good seasons. Here are some of the standouts from the AP and Coaches polls of teams you don't normally expect to ever find there:
    • Fresno St, South Florida (even after a loss!), SDSU (again (I had them rated early in the season))
    • and teams receiving votes:
      • Toledo, Iowa State, Troy (12 coaches had them in their poll), and Florida Atlantic (7 coaches)
  • Teams right outside my poll: LSU and Virginia Tech

Welcome Back Stanford, Michigan State
Dropped out: Washington State, Mississippi State

Tournament Auto-bid Contenders:
[xtable=skin1|683x231]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td=333x@}AAC: Memphis vs UCF{/td}
{td=334x@}
At large contenders:{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}ACC: Miami vs Clemson{/td}
{td=334x@}the losers of conference title games{/td}
{td=334x@}On the Bubble:{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}Big XII: TCU vs OU{/td}
{td=334x@}Alabama{/td}
{td=334x@}Notre Dame{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}B1G: Ohio St. vs Wisconsin{/td}
{td=334x@}Penn State{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}C-USA: North Texas vs Florida Atlantic{/td}
{td=334x@}Washington{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}MAC: Akron vs Toledo{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}MWC: Fresno St vs Boise St{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}Pac-12: Stanford vs USC{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}SEC: Georgia vs Auburn{/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td=333x@}Sun Belt: Troy vs Arkansas State (though App State is still alive, I would not award them as they did not play either of the teams they are tied with){/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{td=334x@} {/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
and now for a feature that has long lain dormant, we return to the hellish landscape of THE PIT OF DESPAIR.

Trudging through the Inferno this week are:

• the two lunatic AP writers that included a FOUR AND SEVEN Florida team in their poll. For real, Florida, who hasn't won a real game since the end of September, received two votes in the AP poll. The only thing you can hope is that they meant 9-3 Florida Atlantic, otherwise I hope they lose their polling status. **Yep, according to collegefootballtracker.com, Dave Foster and Jonny Miller had FAU at #25 in their polls. CC apologizes for this error.
• Florida State for being the only hurricane affected team to reschedule a non-conference game from earlier this season (against Louisiana-Monroe) in a desperate attempt to maintain a forty year streak of winning seasons (though they'd need to win a bowl game) and a 35 year streak of bowl games. On top of all of that are the rumors flying around of HC Jimbo Fisher going to Texas A&M on a lucrative deal. I can't find out exactly when this game was rescheduled, but I get the feeling it was probably right around when Boston College took a big dump on them Halloween weekend and the Seminoles fell to five losses. I think it's cheap and transparent and I hope it blows up in their faces.
• The SEC bias that pervades much of the national sports media. Can someone tell me why there's a four loss team in the polls (MS State) after losing to a 6-6 team? Can I get a rational explanation as to why the SEC should get a 2nd team in the playoff regardless of how most of the other conferences sort themselves out? TW posted a nice link last week regarding this issue. I get it that the SEC West is usually loaded, and that it'd be better if the SEC East could establish a little more consistency (when was the last time more than one of those teams was good at the same time?), but the conference as a whole isn't the "our bottom five teams would go undefeated in your conference" strong it's often made out to be.
• The Baylor Football Program should have been shut down, and I will never stop believing that. You had the coaches and the players responsible for that culture existing in place, you had the proof, you had the support, and the most that was managed was a couple of players transferred, a couple were kicked off the team, and the head coach was shown the door (though not without a fight from the boosters). I usually disagree when the NCAA goes backs and vacates wins, etc., from previous seasons, because that punishes the staff and players now for something that they had no control over or involvement in. This is waaaay different, and it was not handled appropriately in my eyes.

And that's the way I see it.

Thanks again, and come back next week to check out the playoff seeding! I may even post a poll if the last couple of teams are really close.

 

[Crease Creature]

USC, OU, UCF (holy smokes 62-55 was the final against Memphis), Florida Atlantic, and Toledo have clinched bids to my postseason tournament.

Appalachian State has clinched a share of the Sun Belt Conference, but will be ineligible for my bracket due to not having played with of the teams they were tied with this morning.

 

[Crease Creature]

Ohio St, Georgia, Boise St, Clemson, and Troy are your other automatic qualifiers.

F*4king Ohio St...

 

[Crease Creature]

The Conference Champions have been seeded.

Hosting games will be:

1.UCF

2. Florida Atlantic

3. Oklahoma

4. Georgia

5. Clemson

6. Ohio St

7. USC

8. Boise St

Playing at USC-10. Troy
Playing at Boise St-9 Toledo

The six at large bids are still being worked on.

Probables: Alabama, Wisconsin, Penn St, Miami

Debatables: Auburn, Notre Dame, TCU, Washington, and Memphis.

Long shots: SDSU, Stanford, Fresno St,

 

[Crease Creature]

Notre Dame's hopes for a decent bowl are dashed

I'm actually a little peeved that ND and LSU get a New Year's Day bowl. I know the set up is different, but i still believe that there aren't any games that matter played before 1/1, despite the Cotton and the Orange being played before even New Year's Eve day.

 

[TW]

I believe in the New Years Day game as well. If you're high enough in the rankings, you should be playing a featured game on New Years Day, not any other day. It's pure crap if you're not.