The College Football Playoff: Controversy on The Horizon

What a college football season it has been; ups and downs, Heisman watch list and some surprises along the way. Here is what we know.  Alabama, Ohio State and Clemson are all in the College Football Playoffs, as the fourth and final spot is still up for grabs. This Saturday current holder Washington, one of the surprising teams to emerge this year, will look to beat Colorado on their way to a playoff birth. The other championship everyone will be watching is the Big 10 Championship between Wisconsin and Penn State, two teams not many expected to be matched up in the big game. Especially when the two Big 10 teams ranked ahead of them; Michigan and Ohio State. Four teams separated in the rankings, Michigan has lost 2 of its last 3, both the Badgers and the Nittany Lions both should be ranked ahead of Michigan. That is if one is basing it off the rule and outline the College Playoff Committee provides. It is definitely that time of year chuckleheads, one more week to debate this great game, the question is what or who do you think the four in the playoffs should be?

Let's look at the way the committee makes selections and what all goes into the committee. The purpose of the playoffs is to “preserve the excitement and significance of college footballs unique regular season where every game counts.” That statement contradicts itself in the current situation but we will come back to that. The goal of the playoff systemic to take four teams to start the new year, number one in the ranking will play number four and the number two and three teams will play. The winner of the two semifinal games will play for the College Football National Championship. This game by rule will be played in a different city and always on a Monday night. The Committee is comprised of “
A talented group of high-integrity individuals with experience as coaches, student-athletes, college administrators and journalists, along with sitting athletics directors, comprise the selection committee. These are the members of the 2016 College Football Playoffs committee are:Kirby Hocutt, Barry Alvarez, Jeff Bower, Herb Deromedi, Tom Jernstedt, Bobby Johnson, Jeff Long, Rob Mullens, Dan Radakovich, Condoleezza Rice, Steve Wieberg and Tyrone Willingham.” Let's just say they are going to have their hands full this year.

As stated earlier, with the season winding down the way it has there is a slight contradiction to every game counts. If that is True when Ohio State beat Michigan, think about it, losing this late in the season, two out of the last three week nonetheless, it should have killed the wolverines. However, this event has only just put them on the outside looking in. If Washington loses, as the board sits now, Michigan would benefit from them losing in the PAC 12 Championship on Saturday and would all but eliminate Washington’s hopes of being in the playoff. The other Championship game on Saturday will be Wisconsin vs Penn State. Penn State goes into Saturday riding an eight-game winning streak, a streak that was started when the Nittany Lions beat Minnesota on October 1st and have not lost since then. Since October 1st the Lions have beaten the #2 Ohio State Buckeyes, which is the only loss for the Buckeyes. How do you tell Penn State if they win the Big 10 Championship? If Wisconsin wins, the committee is in the same position; how do you tell a conference champion congratulations but sorry to a team that did not even win their division or possibly two teams are in and you are not? As one can see there is trouble on the horizon as we will all find out Sunday following the conference championships.

When the college football playoff was established three years ago, the stage was set for college football fans who were tired of the old Bowl Championship Series (BCS). Four teams battle it out for college football supremacy. “The selection committee ranks the teams based on conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, comparison of results against common opponents and other factors.” After this weekend, it is quite possible that the Big 10 Champion could be on the outside looking in for this year’s football playoffs. The Big 10 has four teams in the top 8, #2Ohio State, #5Michigan, #6Wisconsin, #8Penn State, Penn State and Wisconsin will play Saturday in the Big 10 Championship. Let this sink in reread the quote earlier in the paragraph on how the committee selects the teams for the playoff. Some fans are screaming foul (yes I'm talking about Michigan fans), but there is definitely controversy on the horizon. It is that time of year chuckleheads, one more week to debate this great game, the question is what or who do you think the four in the playoffs should be?

Written By: Carlo Guadagnino
http://cguadagn.wixsite.com/carlo-guadagnino

Edited By: Daniel Bishop M.A.



References
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/mich-m-footbl-body.html
http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/osu-m-footbl-body.html
http://www.uwbadgers.com/schedule.aspx?path=football
https://www.google.com/amp/www.mlive.com/articles/19751066/michigan_cfp.amp?client=safari
http://www.collegefootballplayoff.com/overview
http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/#/0

Pittsburgh vs Baltimore: Heavyweight Fight for First in the North

According to its definition, a rivalry is a competition for the same objective or for supremacy on the same field.  An example of a rivalry in its truest form can be found in the AFC North, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. These two teams are no strangers to each other or the implications of their match up this coming Sunday. The Steelers and the Ravens will once again square off in the first of two games, this one being for supremacy in the AFC North. There are a lot of question marks for both sides; for the Steelers will Ben Roethlisberger will play? Another is how will a healthy Baltimore team handle a depleted Steelers roster? Lastly, will the Ravens continue their streak against the Steelers dating back to November 2013? The Steelers and Ravens, as they do every year, will meet twice; on November 6th in Baltimore and on December 25th in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh and Baltimore since 2000 have accounted for eleven of the fifteen division titles. The Steelers have won seven of those titles. The Ravens have had the Steelers’ number five out the last six times they have played, stretching back to their Thanksgiving Day game in 2013. In that five-game stretch, which includes a playoff road victory for the Ravens, they have outscored the Steelers 144-123. On top of the stretch of games that the Ravens have had success in, coming off their bye week, the Ravens expect to bring back five big name players. Steve Smith Sr, Terrell Suggs, CJ Mosley, Marshal Yanda, and Ronnie Stanley are all expected to make their returns to Baltimore. Add those guys to a team that is underperforming to this point and it is a recipe for Ravens to have a big day in front of their home crowd.

The Steelers have several walking wounded players; Ben Roethlisberger highlights the top of that list. Roethlisberger could miss his eighth game in twelve seasons against the Ravens. Ben, who was injured in a game early this season in a loss to the Dolphins, is also coming off a bye week as well looks as if he could make his return to the lineup. The Steelers have a tough choice ahead of them. On the one hand, Landry Jones has proven he is not the quarterback of the future and the game is for first place in the division. On the other side of things, is it worth Ben getting hurt in a game that is known for its ugliness and physicality? The weapons that the Steelers have mixed with a semi healthy Roethlisberger, expect the Steelers to start Landry Jones and for the bulk of the work load to fall on the run game and the defense. The Steelers have not thrown the ball efficiently when Roethlisberger is not under center.

Regardless if you are a Steelers fan or a Baltimore fan, one thing is for certain it is going to be a chippy slug fest with one team claiming the top spot in the AFC North and one team who must wait for revenge till they play each other again. The Steelers and Ravens are on each other's Christmas list for their second contest, but all eyes will be in Baltimore this weekend for this clash of AFC North powers.

Written by:
Carlo Guadagnino
http://cguadagn.wixsite.com/carlo-guadagnino

Edited by:
Cody Yocca
Daniel Bishop M.A.

References:
http://m.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/With-First-Place-On-The-Line-Ravens-Hone-In-On-Their-Division/4918a389-b987-4b7f-bfb1-2f48e6bb7243
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2673261-pittsburgh-steelers-vs-baltimore-ravens-betting-odds-analysis-nfl-pick#
https://www.google.com/amp/www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-preston-column-1101-20161031-column,amp.html?client=safari
http://www.pennlive.com/steelers/index.ssf/2016/11/steelers_ladarius_green_ravens.html
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/10/31/ravens-have-won-5-of-their-last-6-games-vs-steelers/
http://www.vegasinsider.com/nfl/history/afc-north/
http://m.steelers.com/news/article-1/Steelers-21-18-all-time-vs-Ravens-in-regular-season/725785bb-cfa4-4a08-ac9a-558753aed078
http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/teamvsteam?opp=3
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/injuries/PIT/pittsburgh-steelers