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It will be interesting to see the CFP rankings tomorrow. The AP and Coaches are already released and Texas is sitting behind Miami/Vandy. 

Last week the CFP had Texas down at #16, also still behind Miami/Vandy.

Miami and Vandy both won games by wide margins against teams the CFP had in the top 25, and obviously Texas had a statement win.

If the CFP is going to reward Texas for that win, they'll have to show their hand this week by putting Texas ahead of those two. Because none of the three are playing in a CCG, so there'd be no explanation for any relative movement after CCG week. 

Vandy has zero big wins and a loss to Texas. Keeping Texas behind them seems to be punishing them for scheduling tough OOC, or at the minimum not giving them enough credit for big wins to offset the bad loss to Florida.

Miami has two decent wins (ND in their opener and Pitt in their closer), and two losses I wouldn't consider terrible. 

As if someone forced the Big Ten to have 9 conference games this whole time.  FFS

Endless whining about something that isn't against any rule.
I'm happy the SEC is moving to 9 just so the Big Ten fans can shut the fuck up about it.

I typed up this reply over the weekend but it disappeared into the cloud so I'll try again. 

I take a middle-road view of the 9 league games issue.  @Gigem has a point:

9 games What a joke. Chances are you’d end up with one extra game vs Kentucky or some other perennial bottom feeder.

I conditionally agree.  It is entirely possible that Ohio State's ninth league game this year was Purdue in which case what difference does it make if Ohio State played eight league games and four OOC or nine and three? 

The conditions are these:

• What OOC is getting dropped to make room for the ninth league game?  For example, this season Florida played eight league games, two P4 (Miami, FSU), a quality G5 (or whatever, USF), and a cupcake (Long Island).  Which of those four OOCs are they dropping?  It probably isn't going to be Long Island so there is a decent chance that UF going to nine league games will actually make their schedule easier because swapping out Miami for Arkansas is a distinct possibility. 
• I've been harping on this point for a while now but in the mega-conference era we simply can't think of all SEC Schedules nor all B1G Schedules as being more-or-less equivalent.  They simply aren't. 

With respect to point #2, here are Florida's and Ole Miss's SEC opponents ranked 1-8 by final SEC record:

• 7-1 UGA:  7-1 UGA
• 7-1 Ole Miss:  6-2 OU
• 7-1 aTm:  3-5 LSU
• 6-2 Texas:  2-6 UF
• 4-4 Tennessee:  2-6 UK
• 3-5 LSU:  1-7 USCe
• 2-6 UK:  1-7 MissSt
• 1-7 MissSt:  0-8 Arkansas

Those two league schedules aren't remotely comparable.  Ole Miss played only two teams that finished with non-losing records in the SEC.  Florida played five.  We all need to accept the new reality that there are massive variations in the difficulty of league schedules even WITHIN the leagues. 

I typed up this reply over the weekend but it disappeared into the cloud so I'll try again. 

I take a middle-road view of the 9 league games issue.  @Gigem has a point:I conditionally agree.  It is entirely possible that Ohio State's ninth league game this year was Purdue in which case what difference does it make if Ohio State played eight league games and four OOC or nine and three? 

The conditions are these:

• What OOC is getting dropped to make room for the ninth league game?  For example, this season Florida played eight league games, two P4 (Miami, FSU), a quality G5 (or whatever, USF), and a cupcake (Long Island).  Which of those four OOCs are they dropping?  It probably isn't going to be Long Island so there is a decent chance that UF going to nine league games will actually make their schedule easier because swapping out Miami for Arkansas is a distinct possibility. 
• I've been harping on this point for a while now but in the mega-conference era we simply can't think of all SEC Schedules nor all B1G Schedules as being more-or-less equivalent.  They simply aren't. 

With respect to point #2, here are Florida's and Ole Miss's SEC opponents ranked 1-8 by final SEC record:

• 7-1 UGA:  7-1 UGA
• 7-1 Ole Miss:  6-2 OU
• 7-1 aTm:  3-5 LSU
• 6-2 Texas:  2-6 UF
• 4-4 Tennessee:  2-6 UK
• 3-5 LSU:  1-7 USCe
• 2-6 UK:  1-7 MissSt
• 1-7 MissSt:  0-8 Arkansas

Those two league schedules aren't remotely comparable.  Ole Miss played only two teams that finished with non-losing records in the SEC.  Florida played five.  We all need to accept the new reality that there are massive variations in the difficulty of league schedules even WITHIN the leagues.

You know what?  I probably have a bad attitude this week but all we're doing is polishing a turd with these 16 team conferences anyways.  I don't even actually know how many teams the Big 10 has.  I think it's up to 18 by now isn't it?  
None of it makes any sense.  The SEC has multiple teams with 1 conference loss, and our CCG is Alabama and Georgia. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.  

The only real answer is to have a true round-robin for the whole conference, no matter how many teams you have.  Ideally, 10 or so teams.  Maybe 12, but you have to concede out of conference games.  Fine by me, you'll have them in the playoff.  Because in the long term, you can never schedule conference games with any semblance of balance because the minute you do the teams that are at the top will tank (LSU, Florida) and the teams that traditionally on bottom will get good (Ole Miss, Vanderbilt).  

A&M will for sure go to the playoff, and likely win the first round, and possibly even make it to the 3rd round.  I saw one projection that lists A&M/Tulane, Texas Tech, and then some combo of Ohio State/OU/ND.  We already beat ND in Southbed, no reason to think we can't beat them at a neutral site.  I like our odds vs OU.  Ohio State I wouldn't bet with your money but it would be awesome to make the 3rd round.  

When all the dust is settled you know who will be in the final?  Georgia and Ohio State.  Mark my words.  Meet the new boss.  Same as the old boss.  

the lesson is........... when ya get a lucky draw and a weak conference sched, take full advantage.  Don't "F" it up

Let's just get to 20 team conferences already, and split into 2 divisions again, and that will quell most of this.

(Not that I like 20 team conferences, but if it is inevitable....just do it)

the lesson is........... when ya get a lucky draw and a weak conference sched, take full advantage.  Don't "F" it up

Also, the lesson is-- never schedule a potential loss.

Will more elite programs adhere to that philosophy now than before?