The College Football Playoff selection committee last night released its first Top 25 rankings, with Arkansas AD and committee Chair Jeff Long saying that it was an "extremely difficult" process, according to George Schroeder of USA TODAY. Schroeder notes over the "course of 12 hours Monday and Tuesday, the committee took a deep dive into the season." Long said that the "'good, solid football discussions' included plenty of conversations about how games were won and lost, including specific instances." Long: "It was intense. It was very serious, and I think every person in that room understands the weight of our decision -- especially as we get closer to that weekend of Dec. 6 and 7 and the ultimate decision on Dec. 7." Long said that the committee would "start from scratch weekly, and he expected something approaching volatility." Several times, Long added that the committee "did not consider conference affiliations, but he acknowledged that almost everyone else was talking about" the SEC's "dominance atop the committee's poll." In discussing how the committee's "thinking would change over the next six weeks, Long made a point to mention conference championships, which are among five principles to be used by the committee, according to the official protocol, to distinguish among otherwise comparable teams." The "other principles: strength of schedule, head-to-head results, comparative outcomes of common opponents and factors such as injuries" (USA TODAY, 10/29). In Jackson, Michael Bonner notes the committee looked at video and "used their own expertise for the rankings." The playoff group also "retained SportSource Analytics to provide the data platform for the committee's use" (Jackson CLARION-LEDGER, 10/29).
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CFP RANKING
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SCHOOL |
AP RANKING
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USA TODAY RANKING
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1
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Mississippi State |
1
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1
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2
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Florida State |
2
|
2
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|
3
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Auburn |
4
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4
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|
4
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Ole Miss |
7
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9
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5
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Oregon |
5
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6
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6
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Alabama |
3
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3
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|
7
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TCU |
10
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10
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8
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Michigan State |
8
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5
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|
9
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Kansas State |
11
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11
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10
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Notre Dame |
6
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7
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11
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Georgia |
9
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8
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12
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Arizona |
14
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15
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13
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Baylor |
12
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12
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14
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Arizona State |
15
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14
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15
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Nebraska |
17
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16
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|
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COMING UP WITH THE RANKINGS: Long said the committee starts "with a pool of teams" and each committee member "nominates the teams that they want in, so 25 teams they think should be in the top 25." Long: "We put those all in the pool. The computer pulls them out. Alright, here are the 25 teams that most of you have selected. ... The committee felt strongly that we need to come out each week to let fan bases and college football know where their teams stand and how the committee is viewing their team." The committee is "directed to consider injuries" when evaluating teams, but it does not "discuss the past in the committee room" (
"The Dan Patrick Show," 10/29).
IMPORTANCE OF SCHEDULING: In N.Y., Marc Tracy notes the respect "shown to Auburn, which crushed LSU and beat Kansas State on the road, displayed the importance of strength of schedule." The importance of strength of schedule also was shown with the members’ "snubbing of Marshall, which at 8-0 has the best record" in the FBS, but "has not played a single team" in a Power 5 conference. Arizona, ranked at No. 12, also "did not seem to get full credit for defeating Oregon on the road" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/29). ESPN’s Mike Greenberg said, “What the committee basically said is, ‘We're more interested in your wins than we are in how good your losses are.’ … All things considered, I think I like a lot what I saw last night. I think it seems like a very reasonable way to go about this” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 10/29).
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY? The AP's Ralph Russo notes one of the "big complaints" about the AP Top 25 and the USA Today coaches' poll is the "emphasis on whatever happened most recently." But Ole Miss' home win over Alabama earlier this season "carried weight" with the CFP committee (AP, 10/29). In Dallas, Kevin Sherrington notes TCU, which lost 51-48 to Baylor, "ends up six spots ahead of the 13th-ranked Bears because of its record against teams that count." Sherrington: "Once upon a time, head-to-head was a no-brainer. Decide it on the field, right? But I’m not as convinced as I used to be" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 10/29). In Oklahoma City, Berry Tramel writes the committee, by "design or not, let slip its most important criteria." Tramel: "Turns out, it’s not quality wins. Not strength of schedule. ... It’s the same thing it always has been in college football. Defeats." The weight of a loss "remains an anvil upon the backs of ballteams." Two losses is a "virtual elimination" (OKLAHOMAN, 10/29).
STAYING POWER: San Diego State coach Rocky Long said that former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is "worthy of serving" on the selection committee. Long, "She grew up in a high school coach’s family. Guess what? The best coaches in America are high school coaches. ... I grew up in a high school coach’s family. She knows just as much about football as the other people on that committee, maybe more.” In San Diego, Tod Leonard notes Long's view "is the opposite" of former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 10/29).
