12-1 Iowa, a lock for the playoff?

Chips28

Member
I think so, you have an SEC champ, ACC champ, BIG 12 champ in the playoff. 12-1 Iowa versus 11-1 notre dame with Iowa likely coming off a victory against OSU, not sure how the committee passes on Iowa. Now if ND loses to Stanford, there is no doubt a 12-1 Iowa is in the playoff. Thoughts?
 
Notre Dame would not get left out with a 2 point loss on the road to the #1 team in the country. In your scenario Iowa would have lost to the an unranked team.

Notre Dame brings more TV ratings so there's no way. They want the viewers and then they can turn around and sell more ads for future years.
 
ND's loss is to Clemson, in your scenario, ours would be to Purdue, or Nebby. No way ND is left out with 1 loss.
 
You know, the dirty secret is that both Alabama and Notre Dame could not afford any loss at any point or they are done. Even Okie St. could take a loss better than a one loss team. It's possible for Iowa to take a loss, but I really don't feel like testing this theory. Nor do I feel like spending a week shouting how good Nebraska is.
 
I'll believe Iowa can hang with Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame, OU if and ony if they can Beat OSU and do it beyond a hair.
 
I think so, you have an SEC champ, ACC champ, BIG 12 champ in the playoff. 12-1 Iowa versus 11-1 notre dame with Iowa likely coming off a victory against OSU, not sure how the committee passes on Iowa. Now if ND loses to Stanford, there is no doubt a 12-1 Iowa is in the playoff. Thoughts?

There are ways Iowa could make the playoffs with a loss.... but it requires a handful of other teams stumbling.
 
I think so, you have an SEC champ, ACC champ, BIG 12 champ in the playoff. 12-1 Iowa versus 11-1 notre dame with Iowa likely coming off a victory against OSU, not sure how the committee passes on Iowa. Now if ND loses to Stanford, there is no doubt a 12-1 Iowa is in the playoff. Thoughts?

I completely agree 100% with you and I have been trying to explain to many people this same exact scenario. Whenever I explained this to people, all Hawkeye fans or National Media want to say is, "Nope it's Iowa. They won't be in with a loss".

Please go through all of the possible scenarios. A 1 loss Iowa team that wins the BIG 10 championship has a very good shot at the playoff. Here is the worst case scenario as we sit today.

13-0 Clemson, 13-0 Okie State, 11-1 Notre Dame, 12-1 Alabama and 12-1 Iowa. In this case, Clemson, Okie State and Bama would be in for sure. Iowa very easily could have just beaten undefeated and #1, defending national champion Ohio State. I personally don't believe the committee with Barry Alvarez and Tom Osborne would allow an 11-1 ND team to be in over the Big 10 champion especially when ND didn't play in a conference championship. Ask the Big 12 conference how that went for them last year.

Now, lets say Notre Dame loses to Stanford (as of right now Stanford is a 2.50 point favorite of Notre Dame). Then you would have ACC Champion, Big 10 champion, Big 12 champion and SEC champion. Iowa is guaranteed to be in the playoff under this circumstance. Please somebody explain a different scenario how a 1 loss Iowa BIG champion team would not be in the playoff if Notre Dame Loses? You won't find 1.

Here is another possible scenario. North Carolina 12-1 ACC champion, 11-1 Oklahoma team along with 11-1 Okie State, 12-1 Bama, 12-1 Iowa and 11-1 Notre Dame. In this scenario, I also believe that Iowa would be in. I don't believe for a second that the committee would take a 1 loss ACC champion over a 1 loss Big 10 champion. North Carolina would be out. Or possibly the Big 12 champion instead of NC.

Once again, if you break things down, a 1 loss 12-1 Iowa team has a very good chance at making the playoff especially if Notre Dame loses. I could possiblly understand people's thinking if Notre Dame doesn't lose but then we still could hold out hope that North Carolina wins the ACC or Okie State loses and the committee would have another tough decision.
 
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All this speculation assumes Iowa beats a previously unbeaten Ohio State. Here's a scenario in which I think even an unbeaten Iowa could be left out of the playoffs...

Ohio State loses to either MSU or Michigan. Iowa then wins the B1G by defeating a 1 or 2 loss team.

In that scenario I think we get left out.
 
I completely agree 100% with you and I have been trying to explain to many people this same exact scenario. Whenever I explained this to people, all Hawkeye fans or National Media want to say is, "Nope it's Iowa. They won't be in with a loss".

Please go through all of the possible scenarios. A 1 loss Iowa team that wins the BIG 10 championship has a very good shot at the playoff. Here is the worst case scenario as we sit today.

13-0 Clemson, 13-0 Okie State, 11-1 Notre Dame, 12-1 Alabama and 12-1 Iowa. In this case, Clemson, Okie State and Bama would be in for sure. Iowa very easily could have just beaten undefeated and #1, defending national champion Ohio State. I personally don't believe the committee with Barry Alvarez and Tom Osborne would allow an 11-1 ND team to be in over the Big 10 champion especially when ND didn't play in a conference championship. Ask the Big 12 conference how that went for them last year.

Now, lets say Notre Dame loses to Stanford (as of right now Stanford is a 2.50 point favorite of Notre Dame). Then you would have ACC Champion, Big 10 champion, Big 12 champion and SEC champion. Iowa is guaranteed to be in the playoff under this circumstance. Please somebody explain a different scenario how a 1 loss Iowa BIG champion team would not be in the playoff if Notre Dame Loses? You won't find 1.

Here is another possible scenario. North Carolina 12-1 ACC champion, 11-1 Oklahoma team along with 11-1 Okie State, 12-1 Bama, 12-1 Iowa and 11-1 Notre Dame. In this scenario, I also believe that Iowa would be in. I don't believe for a second that the committee would take a 1 loss ACC champion over a 1 loss Big 10 champion. North Carolina would be out. Or possibly the Big 12 champion instead of NC.

Once again, if you break things down, a 1 loss 12-1 Iowa team has a very good chance at making the playoff especially if Notre Dame loses. I could possiblly understand people's thinking if Notre Dame doesn't lose but then we still could hold out hope that North Carolina wins the ACC or Okie State loses and the committee would have another tough decision.

You are assuming that Iowa plays OSU in the BIG championship..But what if its either Michigan or MSU..Then that BIG win doesn't look as impressive. The ESPNs of the world are looking for any reason to crash Iowa's party. We cannot lose any games unless there are other 1 loss champions. A 11-1 ND will be in over an 11-1 Iowa.
 
All this speculation assumes Iowa beats a previously unbeaten Ohio State. Here's a scenario in which I think even an unbeaten Iowa could be left out of the playoffs...

Ohio State loses to either MSU or Michigan. Iowa then wins the B1G by defeating a 1 or 2 loss team.

In that scenario I think we get left out.

Ok. Let's do this then. 12-1 Iowa, 12-1 Bama, 11-2 Stanford,10-2 Notre Dame, 12-0 Okie State, 13-0 Clemson.

In your opinion, who would get left out in that scenario? Guaranteed it isn't Iowa. All we need is for Notre Dame to get beat by Stanford
 
You are assuming that Iowa plays OSU in the BIG championship..But what if its either Michigan or MSU..Then that BIG win doesn't look as impressive. The ESPNs of the world are looking for any reason to crash Iowa's party. We cannot lose any games unless there are other 1 loss champions. A 11-1 ND will be in over an 11-1 Iowa.


Ok. Let's do this then. 12-1 Iowa, 12-1 Bama, 11-2 Stanford,10-2 Notre Dame, 12-0 Okie State, 13-0 Clemson.

In your opinion, who would get left out in that scenario? Guaranteed it isn't Iowa. All we need is for Notre Dame to get beat by Stanford
 
All this speculation assumes Iowa beats a previously unbeaten Ohio State. Here's a scenario in which I think even an unbeaten Iowa could be left out of the playoffs...

Ohio State loses to either MSU or Michigan. Iowa then wins the B1G by defeating a 1 or 2 loss team.

In that scenario I think we get left out.

Not of ND or Oklahoma State lose.
 
All this speculation assumes Iowa beats a previously unbeaten Ohio State. Here's a scenario in which I think even an unbeaten Iowa could be left out of the playoffs...

Ohio State loses to either MSU or Michigan. Iowa then wins the B1G by defeating a 1 or 2 loss team.

In that scenario I think we get left out.

I don't understand your logic...Iowa is #5 right now, which 4 teams are going to keep Iowa out of the playoff if they are undefeated??
 
I don't understand your logic...Iowa is #5 right now, which 4 teams are going to keep Iowa out of the playoff if they are undefeated??

Time will tell. As the Big 12 works its way through the meaty part of their schedule it's not a lock that we remain #5 even if we win.
 
I don't understand your logic...Iowa is #5 right now, which 4 teams are going to keep Iowa out of the playoff if they are undefeated??

Chips, you're spot on. I really can't understand how this "undefeated Iowa gets left out" thing is still... well... a thing. An undefeated Big Ten Champion will always beat out any undefeated non-champ (read: a one loss ND or a split Big 12 championship). But we don't even have the opportunity to have undefeated P12 champ (or even a 1 loss team from the P12), and okie state has to win out still to have an actual undefeated big 12 champ. The SEC can have a 1 loss team (whatever, it's the state of the world we live in, like it or not).
So you've got:

Clemson
Okie State
Alabama/Florida (whoever wins the conference is probably in if they have only 1 loss)

Who is missing from this that ISN'T a big ten champ with no losses? That last slot is going to go to the big ten champion (quite likely even if they have one loss, but absolutely if they have no losses). There is NO scenario in this season that will leave out an undefeated big ten champ
 

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