We wouldn't have to go undefeated if played well.
by tdiddy07 (2021-11-02 20:21:51)

In reply to: Sure- that's true  posted by garbageplate

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Instead we have climbed up from a bottom-third offense in college football in yards per play and yards per game to maybe somewhere just below the midline now (in 70s and 80s in total offense ypp). Our ppg is actually 38th. I don't know how much our 3 non-offensive TDs props that up, but it looks like that is more than average. Despite that, we still have only the 59th ranked scoring defense, 68th ypp and 74th total defense.

But our schedule wasn't holding us back, it's been letting us win squeakers with a mediocre team. There's little reason to think we'd be favored against any team ahead of us. And it's a stretch to think we'd anything better than a toss-up against Baylor or OK State behind us.

If we were handily beating the bad teams on our schedule like OSU has been after their Oregon loss, we could survive a close loss to UC and be in the mix.

We'd be a few spots higher with more convincing wins
by garbageplate  (2021-11-02 21:20:42)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

But I still think our schedule would be a hindrance at the end of the season when it's time to pick teams. Besides, if we were talented enough to be a top 4 or 5 team, we wouldn't need to be propped up by a weak schedule.

The ACC part of the schedule is just a bunch of no-win games. We get little credit for winning them and we lose credibility by playing those games close.

I'd rather play a better schedule and have our true standing laid bare. Of course, it benefits Kelly and Swarbrick to go 11-1 against a soft schedule than to challenge themselves than to challenge themselves in a manner consistent with their predecessors.

Cincinnati is the one game we couldn’t lose.
by NDCuse  (2021-11-02 23:11:52)     cannot delete  |  Edit  |  Return to Board  |  Ignore Poster   |   Highlight Poster  |   Reply to Post

It’s apparent that the CFP does not want a group of 5 so our ceiling is one spot behind Cincinnati and out of the playoffs. Had we lost to Wisconsin (who’d be 6-2 and likely finish 10-3) and then beat Cincinnati, we’d be in much better shape. Agree that we also would have benefited from not having 3 mail biters against garbage teams.

It doesn’t really matter. The only question is whether the talent on Bama and OSU gels fast enough to challenge UGA. No one else really has a shot.