What the playoff rankings and teams should have looked like.

With the context of actual game play, several things that most keen football fans and observers knew already were validated by the results.

It’s a shame the CFP Committee was force-fed to include the wrong teams based on brands and conference affiliation.

This is what the CFP ended up doing.

1. Indiana (13-0)
2. Ohio State (12-1)
3. Georgia (12-1)
4. Texas Tech (12-1)
5. Oregon (11-1)
6. Ole Miss (11-1)
7. Texas A&M (11-1)
8. Oklahoma (10-2)
9. Alabama (10-3)
10. Miami (10-2)
11. Tulane (11-2)
12. James Madison (12-1)

This is what they should have done, and through the first five I agree.

1. Indiana (13-0)
2. Ohio State (12-1)
3. Georgia (12-1)
4. Texas Tech (12-1)
5. Oregon (11-1)
6. Texas A&M (11-1)
7. Miami (10-2) – Miami started the CFP rankings way too low at 18, and it should have been closer to 14 or 15.
8. Notre Dame (10-2) – Notre Dame wasn’t given enough credit for winning 10 straight games in dominant fashion. Each one by double digits, including USC, Navy, and 8+ win teams, NC State, and Pitt. Texas A&M beat Notre Dame so leave them ahead.
9. Ole Miss (11-1) – The CFP Committee made a point to penalize teams for players being out ask 2023 FSU. So just be consistent. Ole Miss lost their HC Lane Kiffin, and on paper wasn’t the same team. They should have dropped. To their current credit, Ole Miss is taking care of business. Maybe deserving teams should have their opportunity.
10. Oklahoma (10-2) – I will give credit to the Sooners for their win over Michigan, but their final stretch was struggle wins against several mediocre teams, Tennessee, Missouri, and LSU. The win at Alabama was decent, so Oklahoma was a playoff team, but it shouldn’t have been hosting
11. Tulane (11-2)
12. James Madison (12-1)

First out BYU

I really wanted to include BYU. That’s a playoff-caliber team, but someone had to get left out. Ole Miss beat Oklahoma, and the Sooners had a non-conference win over Michigan. Scheduling OOC is risk / reward, and teams that win those type of quality games should be rewarded. Without a second G5 team, BYU would have made it. That’s just bad luck.

Next out Alabama

Alabama won at Georgia. Good win, but where was anything else? The loss to FSU was unforgivable, and the Tide hadn’t looked like a playoff team since mid October. The CFP Committee has to be able to look at the nuance of mega leagues, and that’s something they’ve struggled with.

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