Commentary: It ain't over until the selection committee speaks in December



Listen, I understand the anger, the pain, and the frustration. But as President Obama said this week, “The sun will still come out tomorrow.”

And he was right. Because anything can still happen for the Huskies after a disappointing loss.

Yesterday was a wake-up call for the Dawgs. But the immediate dismissal of their playoff chances following their loss to USC has already turned to hope, thanks to Clemson and Michigan losses and pretty much pandemonium across the college football landscape. It’s a reminder about why we play the games and can’t make assumptions until the final selection show on Sunday December 4th.

Anything before that date is pure speculation, false narratives, and a weekly rankings show intended to build unnecessary drama.

We still have three more weeks to sort it all out – and I wouldn’t rule anything (and I mean ANYTHING) out.

I mean, you can analyze the coaches polls and AP polls all you’d like, but what ultimately matters is the criteria set forth by the selection committee. And while our sample set from them includes only one year, we do know that conference championships are their top priority. No at-large team has reached the playoff yet. Which means that a Pac-12 Champion, whoever it is, will get consideration – some more than others, but consideration nonetheless.

Based on that, a 12-1 Huskies team that’s conference champs would likely get in. By the same token, an 11-2 Cougars with a Pac-12 title and undefeated conference record but an opening loss to an FCS team and then Boise State probably wouldn’t – but it doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be completely out of the conversation. I mean, this is college football. Stranger things have happened.

But getting all up in arms and smashing your flat screen TV like this Clemson fan did last night really isn’t worth it, until you’re 110 percent sure that your team is done. It’s a waste of time and energy, and for that guy, a waste of a lot of pixels. Worry about winning the next game, and things will take care of themselves.

So if you’re the Huskies or Cougs, just take care of business the rest of the way, and the worst case-scenario is a trip to the Rose Bowl.

And I think we’d all agree: Spending New Years in Pasadena is one hell of a consolation prize.