At this time of the year in college football, the top 25 rankings are merely a conversationally topic. At this time of the year, the top 25 rankings are simply an influence of what those 12 people that sit in a room and decide the top 4 teams in college football to go on and compete for the national title in January.
Based on last years decisions week in and week out, those decisions can leave people in shock and ah and last nights Playoff rankings were just that with the unveiling of the committee’s first top 25 playoff rankings of the 2015 season.
With the first College Football Playoff rankings that came out late Tuesday evening, the Clemson Tigers, the LSU Tigers, the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Alabama Crimson Tide are a top of the first playoff rankings in college football.
To me, the committee is grading the teams, not projecting them. Their decisions are based on what has been presented to them. They base their decisions on what has happened, not what may happen.
With last nights unveiling of the first top 25 rankings, it raised a few questions of my own. Mostly questions that leave me confused.
Why does 6 spots separate Florida and Alabama?
To me, Alabama and Florida are almost the same exact team and they have written the same resume this season. So, why are they so distant from each other in the rankings?
Alabama and Florida have just one loss a piece. Alabama lost to #18 Ole Miss at home by 6 points. Florida lost on the road to #2 LSU on the road by 7.
Alabama beat a struggling Georgia team 38-10 in Athens, a victory that Playoff selection committee chair Jeff Long cited as coming against a “quality team”. I would have to agree with him on that one. Florida also beat Georgia in Jacksonville 27-3. Obviously that was a pretty decisive victory as well, but I’m not hearing that they played a “quality team”.
I just can’t see the committee’s logic behind this. I see a Gator team that should be higher ranked than the Tide.
What has Ohio State done this year to be in the top 4?
My only thought about this ranking, and much like their current #1 ranking in the AP Poll, is because they are the defending national champions.
You can’t tell me at this point in the season that Ohio State has done so much that they have proven to be one of the best teams in the nation. You just can’t. They have so much talent on their team, but have played mediocre all season long that it’s embarrassing and it has made the Playoff Committee and the AP voters looks like they don’t watch football.
Apparently they don’t watch games in Dallas. There’s a team not far from there, and the school is called Baylor University. They are without a doubt the best team in the country. Them and LSU are really the only teams that have stayed consistent all season long. I guess when they really haven’t played anybody, that hurts their playoff stock. Oh wait, Ohio State hasn’t played anybody either. What gives, Playoff Committee?
Could Oklahoma be this years Ohio State?
When the Playoff rankings first came out last season, Ohio State was ranked 16th. The Buckeyes suffered an early loss to Virginia Tech at home last season, overcame that, made their way into the playoffs and won the national championship. Could this possibly happen again? The Sooners are in position to pull it off.
The Sooners have had impressive wins thus far in the season, especially that come-from-behind victory in Knoxville the second week of the season. However, the Sooners suffered a loss against their rival in Texas.
The Sooners also had another impressive road win against Kansas State and Kansas with other convincing wins against West Virginia and Texas Tech.
With the back end of their schedule coming up against Iowa State, Baylor, TCU, and Oklahoma State, the Sooners are in solid position to sneak into the Playoffs at #16 if they win out. The only thing that can be a bit nerve wrecking for them is when they take on Baylor in Waco. That certainly isn’t going to be an easy task, but the Sooners have all the makings in the world to pull off the upset.
How did Clemson become #1?
I’m not here to take a shot at Clemson. There’s no doubt about it that they have made some noise this year by playing solid football and are well deserving of a top 4 spot. But #1? Someone has to explain that to me.
Why no love for the Pac-12?
The committee seems to have such high standards for the SEC, which it does appear that a bulk of the committee influenced by Alabama, by ranking six SEC teams in the top 20. However, the high standards don’t seem to be met in the Pac-12.
The Pac-12 has three teams ranked in the first playoff rankings, but none of them are ranked in the top 10. Stanford dominated #23 UCLA and USC, but suffered a loss to #17 Northwestern. Utah embarrassed Oregon and beat #17 Michigan, and both teams aren’t good enough to crack the top 10? Seriously?
It appears that Stanford’s and Utah’s counterparts aren’t making them a legit threat to the playoff committee.
