in the American conference and you win those games, UConns Bob Diaco said, I dont know how youre not going to be a part of that group of four, I really dont.The highest-ranked champion fro

Giants manager Bruce Bochy has removed struggling Santiago Casilla as the teams closer, saying that Hunter Strickland and Derek Law will be in line for save opportunities as San Francisco enters a crucial series against the rival Dodgers.Bochy announced his bullpen shakeup one day after Casilla recorded his ninth blown save of the season -- tied for most in the majors -- in Saturdays 3-2 loss to the Cardinals.Bochy declined to appoint either Strickland or Law as a designated closer, but acknowledged that the Giants ninth-inning situation needed to be changed.Its time to tweak it a little bit, Bochy told reporters before Sundays game. Im not saying Law is the closer, but Strickland and Law will be more in the mix in the ninth.San Francisco (79-70) did not face a save situation in Sundays 3-0 loss to St. Louis (78-71), which moved one game behind the Giants for the National Leagues second wild card. The Giants enter Mondays series opener in Los Angeles five games behind the first-place Dodgers (84-65) in the NL West.The hard-throwing Strickland has a 3.24 ERA and three saves in 68 appearances this season. Law, a 26-year-old rookie, has a 1.90 ERA and one save in 55 games.Casilla, 36, has served as the Giants primary closer since midway through the 2014 season and has converted 31-of-40 save opportunities this season. His nine blown saves are tied with White Sox right-hander Nate Jones for most in the majors. Its also the most blown saves by a Giants reliever since Robb Nenn had nine in 1999.Im having bad luck, Casilla said Saturday. I was looking for a double play, but we lose the game. I try to do my best. Im not going to be sad or kill myself. Its a game.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.Marcos Alonso Jersey . 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Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively.There is no convoluted formula or secret access code into the College Football Playoff. It is, however, an exclusive club -- one that so far has been reserved for the big boys of college football, the conference champions from the Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, Pac-12 and SEC.The only common denominator between the haves and have-nots chasing a spot in the playoff is the one question every team must answer for the selection committee: Who did you beat?Last year, Houston beat Florida State, Louisville and Vanderbilt. Memphis beat Ole Miss. Cincinnati beat Miami. The entire American Athletic Conference went 6-4 against the ACC and won a total of 10 games against Power 5 opponents. It finished with three 10-win teams in Houston, Navy and Temple.New Years Six bowl? Definitely. Top four? Not a chance.I talked to the committee and I talked to the chair, said American Conference commissioner Mike Aresco. We were able to talk to them at the College Football Playoff, and I said, I just think there might be this bias toward teams that have always been there, teams in the P5 with the big names, but these teams can play, and Houston couldve been a very worthy playoff team.It still might be.The American raised its profile in the eyes of the committee last year, but in order for the group to even consider a team from the Group of 5 -- comprised of The American, the MAC, the Mountain West, the Sun Belt and C-USA -- it would likely have to be undefeated, including at least one win over a ranked Power 5 opponent, and the entire league would have to have a few top 25 teams like the American did last year.Its not impossible.Its just not probable in this system.I think the landscape needs to be evened out and made fair, said former Oregon offensive coordinator and first-year UCF coach Scott Frost. I think from our perspective, an eight-team playoff would be a lot better. Then you can take the top Group of 5 team and throw them in with the seven best Power 5 teams.I think the number of conference games needs to be standard throughout the leagues, he said. Im coming from the Pac-12, where we had to win nine straight conference games, and whatever nonconference you had, and a playoff if you get there. Wed be playing Arizona State or USC in Week 10, watching the SEC play The Citadel or Georgia Southern. Those kinds of things arent equitable. If were going to get to a point where everythiing is fair, then they need to even out the scheduling with everybody and give everybody a fair shake.ddddddddddddTemple coach Matt Rhule hasnt forgotten what it feels like to be undefeated and left out. He was on the 1994 Penn State team that went undefeated and didnt win the national title.This system? Its sooo much better, he said.That team wouldve killed for this opportunity, he said. I think its a step in the right direction, but I look forward to the day we open it up to eight teams. Im hoping that some day that happens, because I think the teams in this league, if they put them in the playoff, people would be really surprised at what we would do. I think wed have some really great games.There will be several chances to prove it this season.Houston has gotten the bulk of the attention as the Group of 5s best playoff hope, but ESPNs Football Power Index gives Boise State the best chance of any Group of 5 team to win out, at 7.9 percent - the fourth-best chance of any team in the country behind Oklahoma, Florida State and Clemson. FPI projects Houston to win just 8.6 games, but the Cougars will face Oklahoma and Louisville.South Florida also has a monumental opportunity at home when it faces Florida State, but its unlikely the selection committee could ignore a season opener against Towson. Memphis once against faces Ole Miss, Tulsa travels to Ohio State, and SMU has TCU and Baylor. One of the more underrated difficult schedules is ECUs three-game stretch against NC State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech.Lining up against Power 5 opponents is one thing. Winning those games is another.If you become the conference champion in the American conference and you win those games, UConns Bob Diaco said, I dont know how youre not going to be a part of that group of four, I really dont.The highest-ranked champion from the Group of 5 is guaranteed a spot in a New Years Six bowl, which Houston earned last year, when they beat Florida State 38-24 in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. If the Cougars can beat the Sooners in Week 1, they should immediately be taken seriously in the CFP race.If they went undefeated and win those games, Aresco said, I dont know how you keep them out.Maybe you dont.Its going to take perfection, though, to find out. ' ' '