Although it is safe to say that nobody really knew what was going to happen with the first set College Football Playoff rankings which aired last evening on ESPN, I don't know if anyone saw Alabama ranked No. 2. It's a sure thing at 3! At 3 Sure! However, to place a Alabama team that lost to Alabama ahead of any undefeated or one-loss team from Georgia well, I believe that CFB fans are beginning to feel nostalgic for the days of computers deciding everything.
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In this sense, the grass is always greener. Fans complained that the BCS model had to decide the rankings using a combination of multiple polls, computer models, mathematical calculations, and human observation.
This year's Oklahoma team is No. despite being the FBS' only 9-0 team. 8 under four different one loss schools. This is a controversial opinion, but I believe it's fair. Although they have made some improvements since Spencer Rattler was replaced by Caleb Williams, a true freshman quarterback, five of their nine games against unranked opponents were decided by one score. Their record would be closer to that of the Nebraska team, which has six losses and a record of only one score.
After the Kansas disaster, the Sooners don't look ready to face opponents like Georgia and Michigan State in the CFP. The BCS playoff model wouldn't necessarily recognize that. CFP committees can and do.
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However, it is unlikely that the BCS model would have snubbed Group of 5 powerhouse Cincinnati (which was No. 2. The CFP committee was ranked No. 6), shut out UTSA (undefeated), beat Illinois, Houston (one loss), beat SMU, and Coastal Carolina. The committee has shown inconsistency in not recognizing the achievements of other teams over the years. ESPN spoke with Gary Barta, CFP chair: We have great respect for Cincinnati. It was a great win. They beat who else?
Now, I have to ask this question about Cincinnati's teams, out of an ill-informed sense of moral fairness. Whom is No. 5 Ohio State beaten? The AP Poll shows that there is a lot of no one in the CFP. However, the CFP placed Minnesota at No. 20 The Buckeyes' most notable win so far was this weekend against Penn State, which is CFP-unranked. Cincinnatis best win was against a top-10 team on the road. The committee is very respectful of the Bearcats, so they should be thankful to be considered.
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What about No. 4 Oregon? They won a big win over Ohio State in the first half of the season. Then they lost an OT match against 3-5 Stanford. Their other win was against No. 25 Fresno State was the other ranked win. The committee seems to have placed them in the rankings over the more successful Group of Five teams to increase Oregon's profile.
Michigan is No. 7-1. 7 and No. If Oklahoma wins, they'll be able to hop Michigan, Cincinnati and possibly Oregon. If Oklahoma wins, they'll be able to hop Michigan, Cincinnati and possibly Oregon depending on their final records. It seems the committee values close losses more than quality losses (as in a team that was ranked below average Stanford and Texas A&M) rather than winning.
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The real problem is Alabama, which is ranked No. Alabama is 2 points ahead of unbeaten Michigan State. This includes an impressive comeback win against a very strong Michigan team and Kenneth Walker III, a Heisman front runner. Is Alabama worthy to be among the top four? Yes, I think so. I doubt anyone would disagree with me. They are a great team as usual, with many impressive wins. The CFP committee placed them in the second place, which suggests that they are preparing for the possibility to place a two-loss Bama team into the playoff if Georgia loses to them in the SEC championship.
If this were to happen, I think we would be facing a violent protest at Gaylord Texan, especially after Barta said, "We don't worry about or think about the past years." Preseason polls don't matter. They are irrelevant and shouldn't be part of our discussions.
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Although I will be the first to admit how great Alabama football is, this statement is a complete lie. Alabama's ranking is based on their past years in the playoff, and Bama makes ESPN money and has a lot of viewers. Perhaps it isn't more than that, and we have to be open-minded about corruption in the sport. This first ranking shows that it is high time to expand the playoffs.
Tonight's meeting of the CFP management committee will discuss eight-vs-12 team expansion options starting in 2024. As fans grow tired and angry at the same few teams each year, it seems inevitable that this will be the end. If this happens, will the goalposts for Group 5 schools like Cincinnati continue to move? They can't argue against a Power 5 schedule that would shut down a team like Cincy out of the Top 8, undefeated or otherwise.
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Maybe preseason poll bias aside, the BCS computer model was better than 13 people with bias deciding the rankings. It is always greener, but I am sure of that. It's also the first week of rankings. There is a lot of football to be played and I'm sure there are many more topics that will get you excited.
