I understand that perspective, however....

Posted on: December 5, 2016 at 14:24:11 CT

The playoff committee is not bound by the rules of the Big 10. They evaluate teams based on the entire season. They look at record, strength of schedule, and how teams played. Penn State did beat tOSU, but they won in a fashion that didn't give anyone confidence that they were the better team. A blocked field goal returned for a touchdown is reminiscent of the Auburn vs Alabama kick 6 play. Penn State also had 2 losses, one vs an 8-4 team on the road and an ass kicking from Michigan 49-10. Penn State deserved to go to the Big 10 championship because they met the criteria for the tie break rules in the Big 10. If Michigan doesn't lose to Iowa on a field goal to end the game, there is a 3 way tie for first in the Big 10 and no one would think Penn State got screwed. If the Big 10 tie break was non-conference record, and not head to head outcome, Ohio State would have been in.

The two best teams in the Big 10 were Ohio State and Michigan, in my opinion. The Big 10 tie break rules put Penn State in the Championship game, but they may want to take a look at changing the rules. Overall record is important as well as head to head play. If Penn State had lost all 4 of it's non-conference games and went 7-1 in conference, 7-5 overall for the season with a close win over tOSU, the tie break rules would still dictate that 7-5 Penn State would go to the championship game over a 11-1 Ohio State. That doesn't sound right at all, but 10-2 everyone is OK with.

As long as there are only 4 teams in the playoff, there will be controversy and a conference champion or two will be left out of the power 5 and so far we have never had a 2 loss team in the playoff (I believe). This year it was Oklahoma and Penn State. Get used to it. This 4 game playoff system will continue until 2020.