The SEC Forum at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

That is a complete total nonsense argument. The purpose of the committee is to select the best four teams and not some arbitrary secondary method of choice. Just because a team wins its conference does not make it better than the second or even third place team of another conference.

FWIW I am completely reconciled to the fact that Alabama is not going to make the playoffs. Hocutt has defacto announced that Ohio will be in the playoffs if they beat Wisconsin. That is what he meant when he said there was little difference between 5-8.  Should Ohio be in the playoffs with their two blowout losses versus Alabama with it's one loss to Auburn? Hell no, but the Big 10 runs the NCAA and Ohio runs the Big 10.

The committee is FAR more arbitrary than the old BCS system.  At least a third of that formula was set in stone before the season began, and the other two-thirds, while by vote, had an advantage over the current system in that so many more votes theoretically allows for more democratic opinion. 

Now, a small handful of people can do whatever they want.  It's much easier to put in who they want in, and they're accountable to nobody.  If the committee wants Alabama in, they're in.  If Alabama doesn't make it, it's because the committee didn't want them. 

Resume has so very little to do with it. 

Being conference champ is an admitted positive on the list of criteria.  It counts.

There could be TWO slots open if TCU beats OU.

I wonder if the committee will act gun-shy about non-conf. champs after last year.  I don't think anybody would've thought TOO much about it, but the committee kinda drew attention to themselves with some comments they made which sounded at least a little like buyer's remorse with the whole Ohio State thing last season.  
No doubt in my mind they put OSU in mainly because of helmet factor.  Then they crapped the bed, and it wouldn't surprise me if that were a big factor in keeping Alabama out this year.
Which is a serious drawback, imo.  I've stated that based on resume (pending this weekend's CG's), I very well may not have Bama in my top 4.  But I don't trust the committee to do anything that wise.  I trust them a lot more to do a make-up call for Ohio State last year and block Alabama out....which is not a good reason at all to keep Bama out.  If they don't have Alabama in, they need better reasons than getting bit by the Buckeyes in days gone by.  

I believe the committee idea has been a disaster. They have one criteria one day and change it the next. They tell us one day conference championships are very important then the next they put Ohio in and leave out conference champion Penn State who actually beat them head to head which is another criteria. They make TCU number three who then blows out their final opponent and then they arbitrarily move TCU completely out of the playoffs.

What about these weekly rankings? They go to great lengths broadcasting their rankings on a prime time television show. Then they say they wipe the slate clean and start again the following weekend. So, in effect, the rankings that they just did were completely useless. Does that make any sense to anybody?

You could do better with a saloon full of drunks. 

How do you guys feel about same-conference teams both getting in if they haven't played?  Does it matter if they already have?  What's the harm in letting 2 teams in from a conference if those 2 teams haven't settled it on the field (Bama-UGA this year, for instance)?

Cincy, where are any of your representations documented about committee policies? The fact is the committee rules one way and a year later reverses course depending on their personal preferences. If their purpose is other than selecting the best four teams they should simply admit what they are doing which is politicking.

I would also like a justification of the secrecy of the meetings. Why are we the public denied insight into how these decisions are made?

Looks like Georgia is going to win this thing.  Congrats to long-frustrated Dawg fans.

Wish that the late, great Mr. Hoople were around to see this.