Cavalcade of Whimsy: America, You Actually Believe Alabama Is Out Of The College Football Playoff?

LSU didn’t end Alabama’s College Football Playoff hopes, and the most important position, in the latest Cavalcade of Whimsy.

Week Three of the Cavalcade’s “USE A CUCK-TAYEL STICK”

Now, if Ed Orgeron did this …

Five Cavalcade of Whimsy footballey opinions and, like, other stuff

5. Pac-12 bowling for … bowls, part 2

Last week, I found a theoretical way for all 12 Pac-12 teams to become bowl eligible. All 12 teams are still in the hunt for a bowl game, but now I’m going to knock almost all of them out. It’s not going to happen, but …

Oregon, USC, Utah and Washington are already bowl eligible.

One more team has to get in considering the head-to-head matchups, but it’s possible the Pac-12 has a nightmare scenario with as many as seven teams not being bowl eligible.

– Arizona loses two of its last three to at Oregon, Utah, at Arizona State
– Arizona State loses its last three games to at Oregon State, Oregon, Arizona
– Cal loses to USC, at Stanford, at UCLA
– Colorado loses to Washington, at Utah
– Oregon State loses two of its last three to Arizona State, at Washington State, at Oregon
– Stanford loses two of its last three at Washington State, Cal, Notre Dame
– UCLA loses two of its last three to at Utah, at USC, Cal
– Washington State loses two of its las three Stanford, Oregon State, at Washington

Done. I’m sorry, Larry Scott.

4. Texas A&M schedule

I wish people would pay more attention to the schedules. I’m tired of having to explain that just because a team has a few losses, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worse than a team with a better record. Case in point, Texas A&M.

Are the Aggies a killer this year? Not really. They struggled to get by Ole Miss, and they did the nearly impossible and had to work to beat Arkansas. But they’re 6-3 and going bowling.

While that might not seem like any big whoop, consider they already played Clemson at Clemson, Auburn, and Alabama. Start with those three CFP top 11-caliber programs, and then factor in what’s coming – at Georgia, and at LSU.

A&M will end up likely playing three teams going to the College Football Playoff, and at least one other going to a New Year’s Six game.

3. Rivalries

Rivalries are a cop-out.

You can have a lousy season, but come up with one decent win, and boom – that’s supposed to matter.

You can be doing a wonderful job, but fail to come up with regular wins over your rival, and boom – all of the other good you’ve done gets forgotten.

With all of that said, no team in America right now could desperately use something positive more than Michigan State. After losing four straight, and collapsing against Illinois, beating Michigan in Ann Arbor really, really, really, really matters.

2. Florida State’s coaching situation 

Deion. Do it, Florida State.

For me, make my all-time favorite college football player your next head coach.

The speed, the flash, the bravado, the game – I was all in.

I don’t care if the program becomes total train wreck during his tenure. I don’t care if things get weird if FSU is a regular on the 7-5 bowl circuit and keeps getting wiped out by Clemson.

I want the press conferences. I want the storyline. I want that guy coaching college football.

It’s not the right move – get Jeff Brohm, FSU – but whatever.

Go for it, Florida State.

With that said …

1. What’s with the USC head coaching job?

I honestly don’t have another name other than Urban Meyer.

I’m asked over and over on various shows who the right guy for the gig is, and I’ve got nothing.

If you’re USC, and – in general – you’ve been assuming that the next logical move for your program and your fan base is to bring on one of the greatest head coaches of all-time, where do you go if it’s not the one guy out there who could turn the thing into a national title contender in a snap?

If and when USC becomes open, it’s the A-list of A-list college gigs. The place can get anyone short of Nick, Dabo and Jimbo at this point, and it’s not insane to assume that Lincoln Riley or Tom Herman would be a moon shot.

Trying to steal away Chris Petersen from Washington or David Shaw from Stanford would be terrific, and PJ Fleck would be an interesting call – although, the act might wear thin fast in LA – but it’s sort of Urban or bust right now, right?

If anyone has a second option, I’m all ears.

NEXT: The sure-thing picks of the century for this week

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