[Mick]

It's all the more reason to expand the playoffs and kill the bowl system.  If that means doing away with conference championship games, hallelujah!

I know I've been on record wanting no more than an 8-team playoff, but if Stanford eked in as a #16 seed this year, and say they played #1 Alabama, I highly doubt McCaffrey would be skipping that game.

You would think so.  I think he would be even less likely to play if Stanford was a #16 seed playing against Alabama's #1 ranked run defense.  Bama's run defense is monstrous and would do serious damage to McCaffrey's reputation.  They've given up an average of 63 yards per game and 2 yards per carry.  McCaffrey's poor games against Washington and Washington State have been forgotten in the glow of 200 yard efforts against some of the worst defenses in the NCAA.

if he runs against 'Bama, the illusion shatters.  It would materially affect where he's selected.

Assuming he's not injured, I think he's doing damage to his draft status by refusing to play against a very poor run defense.  After his near Hiesman run last year, he was projected to be a mid-to-late first round pick.  Other posters here tell me he's now projected to be a second round pick.  Well, okay.  On the surface, if he were to play in some mythical 'Bama v. Stanford game, he could vault himself back up in the draft with a great game.  Frankly, I think he could do the same were he to play in the Sun Bowl.

Of course, if he's injured but claiming he's "preparing for the draft," all he's doing is deceiving his future employers along with turning his back on Stanford's football team, coaches, fans and alumni.  And if I were a GM or scout, I'd be concerned.  But that's another story.

[Mick]

It's all the more reason to expand the playoffs and kill the bowl system.  If that means doing away with conference championship games, hallelujah!

I know I've been on record wanting no more than an 8-team playoff, but if Stanford eked in as a #16 seed this year, and say they played #1 Alabama, I highly doubt McCaffrey would be skipping that game.

You would think so.  I think he would be even less likely to play if Stanford was a #16 seed playing against Alabama's #1 ranked run defense.  Bama's run defense is monstrous and would do serious damage to McCaffrey's reputation.  They've given up an average of 63 yards per game and 2 yards per carry.  McCaffrey's poor games against Washington and Washington State have been forgotten in the glow of 200 yard efforts against some of the worst defenses in the NCAA.

if he runs against 'Bama, the illusion shatters.  It would materially affect where he's selected.

Assuming he's not injured, I think he's doing damage to his draft status by refusing to play against a very poor run defense.  After his near Hiesman run last year, he was projected to be a mid-to-late first round pick.  Other posters here tell me he's now projected to be a second round pick.  Well, okay.  On the surface, if he were to play in some mythical 'Bama v. Stanford game, he could vault himself back up in the draft with a great game.  Frankly, I think he could do the same were he to play in the Sun Bowl.

Of course, if he's injured but claiming he's "preparing for the draft," all he's doing is deceiving his future employers along with turning his back on Stanford's football team, coaches, fans and alumni.  And if I were a GM or scout, I'd be concerned.  But that's another story.