2015 McMNC: Alabama Crimson Tide

AP Top 10: Final Record -- Key Bowl Results

1. Alabama (14-1): Won CFP Bowl, 45-40
2. Clemson (14-1): Lost CFP Bowl, 40-45
3. Stanford (12-2): Won Rose Bowl, 45-16
4. Ohio State (12-1): Won Fiesta Bowl, 44-28
5. Oklahoma (11-2): Lost Orange Bowl, 37-17
6. Michigan State (12-2): Lost Cotton Bowl, 0-38
7. TCU (11-2): Won Alamo Bowl, 47-41
8. Houston (13-1): Won Peach Bowl, 38-24
9. Iowa (12-2): Lost Rose Bowl, 16-45
10. Mississippi (10-3): Won Sugar Bowl, 48-20

The second year of the four-team CFP was a little better than the first, although that may have been accidental. The committee still messed it up again, although in their defense, there were some circumstances they could not avoid struggling with in the end. That is the problem with a four-team system: It's better to mess up the eighth or 16th team in the playoff, rather than the fourth.

The issue here was two-fold, actually: Michigan State was a crippled Big Ten champion, with one loss and a QB who couldn't throw the ball due to injury. Oklahoma and Stanford were two-loss conference champs, and only one of the schools could advance. To omit MSU because of Connor Cook's shoulder injury would have been unfair to the rest of the Spartans, even if it may have been the right thing to do. Leaving Stanford out of the fray, as a result, leaves us again with a questionable champion.

However, there is little doubt the Crimson Tide were the best team in the country this time around. Ohio State was probably the second-best team in the country, but MSU upset the Buckeyes in Big Ten play (without Cook playing). That was a choke job by Ohio State, in truth, and while Clemson almost pulled it out in the end, the Tigers were an inferior team. However, the Cardinal were evenly rated with Clemson, leading us to question, in principle, whether or not Stanford could have won it all if given the chance. And then there is Houston, too, although we can chuck that out pretty easily based on schedule strength: The Cougars beat four ranked teams, although none of them finished in the Top 10.

Quick comparisons between Alabama and Stanford, then, for argument's sake: The Crimson Tide played the harder schedule, and that pretty much kills the comparison right there, since the Cardinal had two losses. One defeat was the first game of the season, on the road, which Pac-12 teams notoriously do not do well in when the time zone is different. But Stanford also lost at home to unranked Oregon by two points, which killed its hope for CFP glory. Alabama lost to Mississippi at home by six points in the third game of the season, demonstrating once again that if you're going to lose, do it in September.

Congratulations, Alabama.

McMNC Revision:

1. Alabama
2. Stanford
3. Clemson
4. Ohio State
5. Houston

RUNNING SCORECARD:
Penn State: +1977, +1981, =1982, =1986, +1994
USC: -1962, =1967, +1969, =1972, +1978, +1979, =2003, =2004
Tennessee: +1938, +1942, +1950, -1951, =1998
Washington: +1960, +1991
Georgia Tech: +1952, +1990
Pittsburgh: +1936, -1937, =1976, +1980
Ohio State: -1942, +1944, =1954, =1968, =2002, +2012, =2014
Oklahoma State: +2011
Utah: +2008
West Virginia: +2007
Boise State: +2006
UCLA: +1965
Arkansas: +1964
Mississippi: +1962
Iowa: +1956
Illinois: +1951
Purdue: +1943
Stanford: +1940
California: +1937
TCU: -1938, +2010
BYU: =1984
Syracuse: =1959
Texas A&M: =1939
Georgia: +1946, -1980
Michigan State: -1952, +1953
Michigan: +1947, =1948, -1997
Nebraska: =1970, =1971, -1994, =1995, +1997
Oklahoma: +1949, -1950, =1955, -1956, +1957, =1975, =1986, =2000
Auburn: -1957, +1983, -2010
Maryland: -1953
Clemson: -1981
Colorado: -1990
Florida State: -1993, =1999, =2013
Texas: =1963, -1969, =2005
Army: -1944, -1945
LSU: =1958, -2003, -2007
Florida: =1996, -2006, -2008
Miami-FL: -1983, =1987, =1989, -1991, =2001
Minnesota: -1936, -1940, =1941, -1960
Notre Dame: -1943, -1946, -1947, -1949, =1966, =1973, -1977, =1988, +1993
Alabama: +1945, =1961, -1964, -1965, -1978, -1979, =1992, =2009, -2011, -2012, =2015