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Teams that lost a playoff game that could've won the title

Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:50 pm
Posted by WG_Dawg
Member since Jun 2004
87649 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:50 pm
I was thinking recently about the 2022 UGA/OSU peach bowl and how phenomenal of a game it was, and how incredible OSU played despite the loss. I think everyone pretty much knows that OSU would have easily throttled TCU in the title game. Got me thinking about other cases where a team lost a playoff game but likely could've/would've won the title had they made it.

This one is a LOT more iffy, but I also rewatched the 2017 rose bowl recently and I think OU would've likely beaten bama for the title that year. OU's defense was mediocre and not near as good as UGA's obviously, but their offense was hell on wheels. They put up insane numbers that year including putting up 48 on us that game. Baker Mayfield and kyler murray, Cedee lamb, Mark andrews, etc. They definitely would've scored on bama but likewise would've given up points too. The key variable, to me, is that in this scenario jalen hurts doens't get pulled at halftime for utter and complete incompetence like he did against us. In other words Tua (and najee and some of the other TFr that were inserted due to no other choice) don't play as much either. With hurts playing the full game I have to think OU wins in a high scoring shootout.

Can y'all think of any other such examples? Doesn't need to necessarily be limited to playoffs either, although I guess it'd be a harder exercise using older formats.

Posted by Big4SALTbro
Member since Jun 2019
17357 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:53 pm to
If bama beat Michigan last year they would have throttled Washington by a million.

Preplayoff 2012 UGA wins a nc if they beat bama

Going even further if 2012 LSU had beat bama and won the sec they also easily win a nc.

This post was edited on 8/1/24 at 12:54 pm
Posted by Porter Osborne Jr
Member since Sep 2012
41264 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:54 pm to
85 Dolphins
Posted by tdme
Member since Jan 2022
176 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:55 pm to
Georgia 2012

They lost to Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
Bama goes on the throttle Notre Dame for the National Title. Georgia would have beaten N.D. badly as well.
Posted by RLDSC FAN
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Member since Nov 2008
53201 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 12:57 pm to
quote:

This one is a LOT more iffy, but I also rewatched the 2017 rose bowl recently and I think OU would've likely beaten bama for the title that year. OU's defense was mediocre and not near as good as UGA's obviously, but their offense was hell on wheels. They put up insane numbers that year including putting up 48 on us that game. Baker Mayfield and kyler murray, Cedee lamb, Mark andrews, etc. They definitely would've scored on bama but likewise would've given up points too. The key variable, to me, is that in this scenario jalen hurts doens't get pulled at halftime for utter and complete incompetence like he did against us. In other words Tua (and najee and some of the other TFr that were inserted due to no other choice) don't play as much either. With hurts playing the full game I have to think OU wins in a high scoring shootout.


I agree, I think OU outscores them. Then the question becomes, do Tua and Najee stay at Bama? Both were said to be complaining about lack of playing time.

To add to this thread, I would have loved to seen 2019 lsu v Osu. I still can't believe osu blew it against Clemson. They were clearly the better team, IMO.
This post was edited on 8/1/24 at 1:00 pm
Posted by EZE Tiger Fan
Member since Jul 2004
51801 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:00 pm to
quote:

Georgia 2012


To be fair, half the SEC that year would have destroyed ND
Posted by JimTiger72
Member since Jun 2023
7821 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:00 pm to
That one is less clear.

There have been semifinal CFP games that felt more like the National Championship:

22-23 UGA/Ohio State
14-15 Bama/Ohio State
Posted by FootballFrenzy
Chief of the Grammar Police
Member since Oct 2023
4800 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:04 pm to
I think we would have had a good shot at winning the championship if we'd been given the rematch against Bama in 2020.
Posted by Gnash
Cypress, Tx
Member since Oct 2015
6164 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:05 pm to
2011 New Orleans Saints
2019 New Orleans Saints
Posted by Big4SALTbro
Member since Jun 2019
17357 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:08 pm to
Bama d would have eaten Penix alive. They also would have been able to just run the ball
Posted by karmew32
Ponchatoula, LA
Member since Jan 2017
1578 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:08 pm to
Is this specifically for CFB? I'm pretty sure that's what you meant, but it wasn't made clear.

Anyways, 1998 Kansas State and 2007 West Virginia. I'm slanted towards examples from programs who either haven't won it all or haven't in decades.
Posted by RLDSC FAN
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Member since Nov 2008
53201 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:10 pm to
quote:

think we would have had a good shot at winning the championship if we'd been given the rematch against Bama in 2020.


You weren't beating that Bama team that year
Posted by WG_Dawg
Member since Jun 2004
87649 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:10 pm to
quote:


If bama beat Michigan last year they would have throttled Washington by a million.

Preplayoff 2012 UGA wins a nc if they beat bama


both good choices and I agree
Posted by Buckeye06
Member since Dec 2007
23506 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:22 pm to
quote:

To add to this thread, I would have loved to seen 2019 lsu v Osu. I still can't believe osu blew it against Clemson. They were clearly the better team, IMO.



Well the officials clearly blew the game but even if OSU wins that game, they weren't beating LSU 10 days after. Fields had a bad knee and Dobbins got hurt during that game. OSU would have needed a fully healthy offense to have a real shot against that LSU team. By end of that year, you needed to be able to put up 40+ just to be competitive with them in games.

I guess the other way to look at it is if OSU was the 1 seed, they probably get by OU, and LSU gets by Clemson, so you get that title game. Still think LSU would have been a rightful favorite
Posted by FootballFrenzy
Chief of the Grammar Police
Member since Oct 2023
4800 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:48 pm to
quote:

You weren't beating that Bama team that year

Unfortunately, we'll never know if you're right...
Posted by Ostrich
Alexandria, VA
Member since Nov 2011
9066 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:48 pm to
2017 Oklahoma
Posted by Ryan3232
Valet driver for TD staff
Member since Dec 2008
26444 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:53 pm to
This thread makes title made me immediately go to Saints 11 and Saints 19 like a previous poster pointed out.


The Braves winning the World Series 3 years ago and losing last 2 years with a much better overall team is another one.
Posted by Ghost of Colby
Alberta, overlooking B.C.
Member since Jan 2009
12632 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:55 pm to
quote:

To be fair, half the SEC that year would have destroyed ND

I would even put money on South Carolina and A&M to beat Notre Dame that season.
Posted by Roll Tide Ravens
Birmingham, AL
Member since Nov 2015
45475 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 1:59 pm to
I think 2014 Alabama beats Oregon if Alabama had beaten Ohio State.
Posted by holdmuh keystonelite
Member since Oct 2020
1476 posts
Posted on 8/1/24 at 2:21 pm to
2007 WVU
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