Fact or Fiction: The SEC will get two teams into the playoff
In today’s Fact or Fiction national columnist Mike Farrell looks at three big recent topics in college football and decides whether each statement is indeed FACT or if it’s FICTION.
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1. The SEC will get two teams into the playoff.
Farrell's Take: FACT. Let’s face it. This is happening. Whether it’s a two-loss Alabama team or a one-loss Georgia team, one of them will get into the playoff arguably without deserving it. If it’s Alabama with two losses, the Crimson Tide would have no case to make with a loss to Texas A&M now that the Aggies fell to Ole Miss. A close loss to No. 1 Georgia in the SEC title game isn’t enough to overcome two losses.
And if Alabama wins, Georgia really doesn’t have a great case to be the No. 3 or 4 seed. What wins do the Bulldogs have? A bad Clemson team, an average Arkansas and Auburn? The quality wins just aren’t there for them to lose to Alabama and still make it.
But let’s be clear. We know it will happen. Georgia and Alabama are headed to the playoff barring an upset loss.
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2. Jimmy Lake should have been given another year.
Farrell's Take: FICTION. Jimmy Lake was selected by Chris Petersen as his replacement at Washington and we are learning that Lake was in over his head. This Washington team was supposed to be a contender in the Pac-12 and the Huskies have simply been horrible.
His 7-6 record isn’t a full indication of how poorly this team has played and how the Huskies have underachieved. The early season loss to FCS Montana was a bad sign and not being able to beat anyone outside of teams like Cal and Arizona this season wasn’t going to keep him safe.
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3. Lincoln Riley should be upset about the late Baylor field goal.
FICTION. C’mon, Lincoln Riley. Do your homework. Dave Aranda knows the third tiebreaker for the Big 12 is point differential and the added three points in the Bears' 27-14 win over the Sooners could be key down the line. Of course Riley knows that as well and said he wouldn’t have done it after the fans stormed the field once already, but you can’t blame Aranda here. It is what it is.
Why didn’t Oklahoma just take a knee when the game was out of reach instead of scoring a touchdown with 2:26 left?
If you want to avoid that in the future, Lincoln, then your team needs to play better.