Wisconsin Football: We Want Bama (to keep winning)
Wisconsin football fans should root for the Alabama Crimson Tide to keep rolling and help the Badgers into the College Football Playoff.
Wisconsin football and the Alabama Crimson Tide are the only 10-0 teams in college football. Future Nebraska Coach Scott Frost and Central Florida are 9-0. So is Miami.
So with just two games to play in the regular season, undefeated and #1 Alabama can be Wisconsin’s friend.
The Badgers have already clinched a spot in the Big Ten title game. You already know this.
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But at 10-0 and still favored at least until Indianapolis, there’s every reason to ruminate on the College Football Playoff (CFP). Of course, if Wisconsin goes undefeated en route to a Big Ten title it’s hard to see them missing the CFP.
But there is no certainty in the highly subjective polling world. So the goal is the Playoff and concomitant notoriety it affords. Therefore, root for clarity over chaos.
At this point, it looks like there are six serious contenders for the four places: Alabama (10-0), Miami (9-0), Georgia (9-1), Oklahoma (9-1), Clemson (9-1), Wisconsin (10-0).
This is where Alabama can help. The Crimson Tide have the Iron Bowl against two-loss and #10 Auburn before the SEC title game. Georgia lost to Auburn (badly) over the weekend. But should still be a one-loss Bama foe in the SEC Championship.
Georgia beating an undefeated Alabama could be bad for Wisconsin. The CFP Committee could decide that both Georgia and Bama deserve a CFP spot. Especially if the game is an instant classic.
You probably remember the 2012 BCS Championship game? Alabama and LSU wrestled to a 9-6 Tiger OT win during the regular season. That result was inconclusive enough to warrant in BCS eyes a replay in the national title game which Bama won comfortably.
The same scenario could play out over in the ACC where one-loss Clemson and Miami are on track to settle the conference. The holders knocking off the Canes in dramatic fashion might nudge the CFP committee towards rewarding both.
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Either situation would rob a spot from another Power 5 conference. At this point, the Pac-12 will have (at best) a two-loss champion, so we can eliminate the Conference of Champions.
The Tide and Hurricanes can also hand a second loss to contenders (Georgia, Clemson) which should eliminate them. That way, even a one-loss Wisconsin could have an argument.
Frankly, if the Tide keep rolling, and Miami and Wisconsin win out the top four will be fairly academic. Toss in one-loss Oklahoma who finish with Kansas (technically a football team still) and West Virginia. The Sooners may see TCU again in the Big 12 title game who they thumped last Saturday.
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Thanks to the internet I’m sure they will be well reasoned dissent to even that list. So at the moment, Alabama and Miami joining Wisconsin as undefeated conference champs helps the Badgers secure a CFP place.