In case you weren't hanging around ODB yesterday, a day in which we had nearly 1400 comments in two open threads despite not even playing, a lot of good things happened for the Baylor Football program's chances at this year's CFB Playoff. Let's start from the top:
Good Things That Happened Yesterday:
We'll take this chronologically using links provided by our good friends over at the mothership.
No. 8 Ohio State 31, No. 25 Minnesota 24
In this game, Ohio State won (albeit not in dominating fashion due to the fact that they were playing in what looked like a blizzard) against new #25 Minnesota, buoyer of TCU's playoff hopes and key cog in numerous playoff debates. Ohio State's win should push Minnesota back out of the top 25, taking away what I'll call an independent Top 25 win for TCU (in that we can't have that win, too). This was a good thing.
This was obviously the pièce de résistance of the day yesterday for Baylor fans. After trailing for much of the game in hilarious fashion, TCU pulled out an ugly win on the road over the Jayhawks. It may sound weird, but that's exactly what we needed them to do. One of the things we have to do going forward is hold off Ohio State, presumed B1G Champion. We need TCU to be ranked as highly as possible, though below us, to do so. Winning ugly against a bad Kansas team knocks out a lot of the "eye test" BS we were hearing but doesn't give them a loss. This was a very good thing.
No. 5 Alabama 25, No. 1 Mississippi State 20
Not such a good thing since I think Mississippi State's garbage TD late might be enough to keep them in the #4 spot of the CFB Playoff. Would have been much better at 32-13 or the like for us. Still, MSU didn't look all that good in this game and may yet lose another, plus, should Bama win out, MSU won't get the opportunity to win the SEC Championship game, a potentially important factor.
Oregon State 35, No. 6 Arizona State 27
Knocks another team out from on front of us in the CFP rankings with their second loss. Unequivocally good, though ASU never should have been that high to begin with. They were a pretender the entire time.
It took them longer than expected to get going, but Oklahoma ended up doing what we needed them to do and should be back in the Top 25 this coming week. That's good for us because it gives us our second T25 win and gets our game against them (the 48-14 win) back in the minds of the committee.
I wish I could have put FSU's loss on this list, but alas, they managed to win again despite being down 15+ at one point. They're going to get to the Playoff and get destroyed by a team much better than they are. I also thought about throwing in UT's win at OSU as a good thing simply because it seems like UT is peaking and could easily beat TCU, granting them some T25 buzz that could eventually help us out.
If I'm totally brain-farting on a game that helped us out yesterday, let me know in the comments.
Mark Seymour's Rankings
I'm going to do this a couple of different ways. First, my Top 4 were I a one-man playoff committee. Then what I think the Committee itself will do.
Seymour's Top 4:
1. Oregon Ducks
2. Alabama Crimson Tide
3. Baylor Bears
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
5. Mississippi State Bulldogs
6. Florida State Seminoles
The Committee's Top 4 (I'm guessing):
1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Florida State
4. Mississippi State
5. Ohio State
6. Baylor
Don't kill the messenger; that's just how I see it ending up. Feel free to disagree. As always, we will post the actual Coaches and AP Polls when they come out starting in about half an hour. If we don't, you can see them on the Mothership's Composite Rankings if/when those become available.
LINKS LINKS LINKS LINKS LINKS LINKS
Speaking of the Mothership-- we'll start there:
The awesome, unexpected, and meaningful of college football's week 12 - SBNation.com
Let's figure out the most important things of a fun and crazy Week 12.
College Football Playoff threat watch: We'll get to see either FSU or Bama lose - SBNation.com
An instantaneous survey of the teams in the best position for the College Football Playoff at this moment, based on what happened this weekend and what's yet to happen going forward.
Updated College Football Playoff and bowl projections: Bama, Ohio State moving up - SBNation.com
Three weekends out, college football's postseason picture takes slight focus. Full predictions on what we'll get to watch in December and January.
How Saturday's results will change the College Football Playoff rankings picture - SBNation.com
Focusing on the final scores that will impact the top 25, with full FBS final scores at the bottom.
Playoff picture: Week 13 - Big 12 Blog - ESPN
This week, the 12 members of the College Football Playoff selection committee have another dilemma.
I don't really have that many links, sorry. When you don't actually play, things get a little sparse.
TWEETS TWEETS TWEETS TWEETS TWEETS TWEETS
Four In, Four Out coming soon @sportingnews. Four In: 1. #Ducks, 2. #Tide, 3. #Noles, 4. #SicEm.
— Matt Hayes (@Matt_HayesSN) November 16, 2014
Quick look at my Top 6 #FOXFour 1) #Ducks 2) #Bama 3) #FSU 4) #Baylor 5) #TCU 6) #Buckeyes
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) November 16, 2014
The easy way to settle the Baylor vs TCU debate is this: both deserve a playoff spot over FSU
— RockChalkTalk (@RockChalkTalk) November 16, 2014
best since robert griffin, you mean? and yes. RT @Tiffitos_Way: is it fair to say winston is the best college qb since luck
— Bomani Jones (@bomani_jones) November 16, 2014
Stop for a sec and think about how morally bankrupt a football program has to be to have the nation collectively rooting for Miami. MIAMI.
— patmuldowney (@patmuldowney) November 16, 2014
The #Jayhawks did their part, and I did my best to remind #TCU, Gary Patterson, and the CFP about the #Baylor Bears. pic.twitter.com/A95hrrGfDN
— Josh DeMoss (@jdemoso) November 16, 2014
@OurDailyBears @CFBPlayoff #EveryoneInBlack pic.twitter.com/dE2oX57ccq
— nick pants (@nick_pants) November 16, 2014
After all that, sure did seem more like Kansas lost that game than TCU won it. Eh, @DesmondHoward?
— OurDailyBears (@OurDailyBears) November 15, 2014
My AP ballot: FSU Ore Ala Bay MissSt TCU OhSt OleMiss UCLA Ga MichSt Az Aub KSU ASU Wis Utah GT CSU USC Mizzou Boise OU Marsh Neb
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) November 16, 2014
After sleeping on it, here are my Rankings: 1. Alabama 2. Florida State 3. Oregon 4. Baylor 5. TCU 6. Miss. State 7. Ohio State
— Greg McElroy (@GVMcElroy) November 16, 2014
Perfect usage. 10/10. RT @davidubben Kansas fans dropping the "Overrated" chant on TCU. A lot to chew on right there.
— OurDailyBears (@OurDailyBears) November 15, 2014
The really good news for Kansas is that by new @CFBPlayoff law, you only have to actually win the first three quarters to get credit.
— OurDailyBears (@OurDailyBears) November 15, 2014
Seriously, if a second team moves ahead of Baylor because they beat Minnesota, I might lose my mind. It's MINNESOTA!
— BaylorScout Tim (@TimWatkins04) November 16, 2014
On @SportsCenter, this is my new top 4. 1. Alabama 2. Florida State 3. Oregon 4. Mississippi State 5. Ohio State 6. Baylor
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) November 16, 2014
Brand new Top 4...lots of change! 1. FSU 2. Oregon 3. Alabama 4. Ohio State Next two 5. Baylor 6. Miss State
— Danny Kanell (@dannykanell) November 16, 2014
Good point from @ESPN_CoachMack: Oregon and Baylor had the best days. Because they're not playing. Minefield day out there.
— Travis Haney (@TravHaneyESPN) November 16, 2014
TCU looked so bad against Kansas, the @CFBPlayoff committee is going to punish Baylor.
— Matt Hayes (@Matt_HayesSN) November 15, 2014
There are more I could put in here, but I'll end with this:
Baylor. Just. Win.
— Terrance Ganaway (@TerranceGanaway) November 16, 2014