Pitt is the ONLY ACC team that controls their own destiny.

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

You'd think something so obvious wouldn't even need to be stated.

You can tell our fans aren't used to paying attention to the rankings this late into the season.

Last year, after most teams had played 7 games, there were 16 power conference schools with 0 or 1 losses. The next week, there were 13. The next week there were 11. Then 9. Then 9 again. Then 8. Then 7.

And that season was on the high end for teams finishing with 0 or 1 losses. It's usually less. Additionally, contained within those 7 teams was at least 1 team from all 5 power conferences, which means all auto bids would have been accounted for with 5 spots left to fill.

So, yeah... don't see a 1-loss power conference team being left out any time soon.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

The conferences are just too big. There's like 20 teams that have only 1 or 2 losses (or are undefeated) and don't seem to have "beaten anyone". Conference size and portal dynamics have really warped perception. You have 5-6 bluebloods who ply their brands into big preseason ranking based on pure brand and then there are 40+ schools that are pretty equal but baseless preseason rankings decide much of their fate and playing your way into the elite field is almost impossible.

I've noticed this too but I'm not sure if there's any fact behind it. It seems as if there are far more undefeated teams than usual and I would think that's due to the size of the conferences and the uneven schedules. Look at who Indiana and Penn State have played so far. Look at Iowa State. We dont really have conferences anymore like we used to have. These are essentially all independents with an 8 or 9 game scheduling agreement to play those games against 15, 16, or 17 other teams.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I've noticed this too but I'm not sure if there's any fact behind it. It seems as if there are far more undefeated teams than usual and I would think that's due to the size of the conferences and the uneven schedules. Look at who Indiana and Penn State have played so far. Look at Iowa State. We dont really have conferences anymore like we used to have. These are essentially all independents with an 8 or 9 game scheduling agreement to play those games against 15, 16, or 17 other teams.

There are 7 undefeated P4 + ND schools and 9 with 1 loss.

That's the high end for what is normal, but it's still well within range. After week 10 in 2019 (first one I randomly picked), for example, it was 7 and 5... and it seems like more teams played 8 games already that season than they have at this point this season. Also, SMU and Cincy each only had 1 loss but they don't count since they weren't in power conferences at the time.

This season really isn't much different from the usual ebb and flow. Imagine if 2007 happened a year or two after NIL and the transfer portal. People would really be exaggerating the effects of those things.

And I'm not claiming they have no effect on the game. But it's a small sample size to start making declarative assertions.

 

[Mufasa94]

Auburn missed out on it in 2004. USC and Oklahoma went undefeated and played for it.

Correct, and in the earlier Bowl Coalition/Alliance years, a pre bowl unbeaten Big East champ (WVU) was left out of the two team final for a 1-loss ACC (FSU) champ in ‘93.

There was precedent for FSU last year. Just as that WVU team eventually got demolished in their bowl, so did FSU. FSU should have won their bowl if they want a valid forever complaint.

 

[Upg bobcat]

Correct, and in the earlier Bowl Coalition/Alliance years, a pre bowl unbeaten Big East champ (WVU) was left out of the two team final for a 1-loss ACC (FSU) champ in ‘93.

There was precedent for FSU last year. Just as that WVU team eventually got demolished in their bowl, so did FSU. FSU should have won their bowl if they want a valid forever complaint.

Completely disagree, especially for FSU last year. Being denied the opportunity to play for the national championship is probably the biggest let down that could possibly exist. It's totally understandable why they lost the bowl game so bad.

 

[cashisking884]

Correct, and in the earlier Bowl Coalition/Alliance years, a pre bowl unbeaten Big East champ (WVU) was left out of the two team final for a 1-loss ACC (FSU) champ in ‘93.

There was precedent for FSU last year. Just as that WVU team eventually got demolished in their bowl, so did FSU. FSU should have won their bowl if they want a valid forever complaint.

Also happened in 94 when PSU went undefeated but undefeated Nebraska was voted number 1 in both polls.

 

[cashisking884]

You can tell our fans aren't used to paying attention to the rankings this late into the season.

Last year, after most teams had played 7 games, there were 16 power conference schools with 0 or 1 losses. The next week, there were 13. The next week there were 11. Then 9. Then 9 again. Then 8. Then 7.

And that season was on the high end for teams finishing with 0 or 1 losses. It's usually less. Additionally, contained within those 7 teams was at least 1 team from all 5 power conferences, which means all auto bids would have been accounted for with 5 spots left to fill.

So, yeah... don't see a 1-loss power conference team being left out any time soon.

We’re far enough into the season now that after every week, Connelly releases the odds for teams to win their conferences and discusses the hows and whys of it all.

There really is no reason to care about all of these deserving teams getting left out when you see the odds laid out. It’s far more likely that it all takes care of itself.

 

[Mufasa94]

Completely disagree, especially for FSU last year. Being denied the opportunity to play for the national championship is probably the biggest let down that could possibly exist. It's totally understandable why they lost the bowl game so bad.

When their game took place, FSU still had an opportunity to be awarded the AP poll’s MNC.

There has been a precedent of a non-system participant (‘03 USC) being awarded a title, just as there is precedent for one of the polling systems to change their #1 team (‘97 NU) with a little assist from the media.

Lastly, instead of wallowing in self pity, PSU (multiple times) and Auburn have gone out and won their bowl when they wouldn’t be awarded a title with a perfect season.

Btw, I would have preferred FSU be included over Texas last year.

 

[Upg bobcat]

When their game took place, FSU still had an opportunity to be awarded the AP poll’s MNC.

There has been a precedent of a non-system participant (‘03 USC) being awarded a title, just as there is precedent for one of the polling systems to change their #1 team (‘97 NU) with a little assist from the media.

Lastly, instead of wallowing in self pity, PSU (multiple times) and Auburn have gone out and won their bowl when they wouldn’t be awarded a title with a perfect season.

Btw, I would have preferred FSU be included over Texas last year.

No team that has not been selected for the 4 team playoff has been awarded a national championship. Ask 2014 TCU, who absolutely dominated their bowl game, it still was not enough, and the same would have happened to FSU. The lone exception is the one rating system that awarded UCF the title in 2017 (was it Colley?) -- many don't consider that a real title.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Just keep winning fellas