For a side note, the Toledo Rockets were initially in the College Football Playoff rankings but managed to lose right as they came out, so they are no longer in it. The Duke Blue Devils and Pittsburgh Panthers both have two losses but have no shot given that they play in the ACC Coastal Division.
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The Ohio State Buckeyes know better than anyone that the only College Football Playoff (CFP) ranking that matters is the last one.
In other words, it is still possible for there to be five undefeated teams after the conference championship games with only four spots available in the playoff.
“How [Alabama] won those games that they won against quality opponents, I think that sends a strong message of why we ranked Alabama higher than Florida”, Long said.
But as the committee showed previous year, their ideas of what teams should be in are fickle and can change from week-to-week-without notice. Oklahoma won the game 62-7.
However, it was only the first poll, and the only one that really counts is the last poll. Sagarin ranks the Cowboys 70th, 34 spots higher than Baylor. And it also follows that the criteria for selection in the CFP process is more involved and hopefully more objective than the highly subjective nature of the other top-25 national polls. Cooper has caught 44 passes for 609 yards and four touchdowns this year despite playing on a team that has gone through multiple quarterbacks.
So, should Baylor, TCU and the Big 12 be anxious? The Utes are followed by Memphis, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
The College Football Playoff committee just released their first rankings on November 3: If the playoffs started now, Clemson, LSU, Ohio State, and Alabama would be the lucky four to make the four-team postseason, with Notre Dame next one in line at number 5. With four playoff spots at stake, the committee’s rankings have much more riding on them.
Oct 17, 2015; Manhattan, KS, US; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) is chased by Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Jordan Willis (75) early in a game at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. The big name players, the big money programs and coaches, and the SEC West are invincible in the playoff committee’s eyes.
So those same feelings probably rose to the surface on Tuesday when the first CFP rankings were announced and consisted of Clemson, LSU, Ohio State and … wait for it … once-beaten Alabama at No. 4. Not a very impressive marker for a team that aspires to be in the conversation as a Football Playoff contender. SEC East leader Florida should feel slighted with their #10 ranking, as they dominated the one team that beat Alabama (Ole Miss) and their loss was a narrow one to #2 LSU.
Would you still put an unbeaten Baylor or TCU team into the College Football Playoff over an unbeaten Michigan State team?
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I am confused by the committee’s infatuation with Oklahoma having lost to a horrid Texas team, but they are a big name with big money, and how interesting would it be if they win out and make the playoff as a one loss Big 12 team when a season ago the committee ignored undefeated little brothers TCU and Baylor?
