Tuesday night was a substantial one in America that revealed noone actually understands anything when it comes to surveys and forecasts.
I am, of course, talking about the College Football Playoff, whose committee revealed its veryfirst rankings of the season. The preliminary rankings of the field advised us why this thing was broadened to 12 groups in the veryfirst location: to provide larger platforms and incomes to programs from the Big Ten and SEC.
Just appearance at the rankings. Seven of the top-8 groups are from those 2 conferences, with No. 4 Miami as the only outlier. If the season ended this week, we would have a playoff field with one Big 12 group in BYU, one ACC team in the Hurricanes, an independent in Notre Dame and Boise State filling the mandated area for a Group of Five champ. The other 8 areas? Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas, Penn State, Tennessee, Indiana and Alabama. We may as well relabel this as the Big Ten-SEC Invitational.
SMU is simply outside of the field right now at No.13 The Mustangs – contending in a significant conference for the veryfirst time because the Southwest Conference imploded almost 30 years ago – are unbeaten in ACC play and have just one loss, by 3 points to unbeaten and Big 12 frontrunner BYU. Besides name acknowledgment, why is two-loss Alabama more deserving of a area than SMU? Why is a Notre Dame group that lost at home to North Illinois more deserving of area than SMU?
The rankings are the method they are not because of benefit, achievements or abilities on the football field: It’s since the College Football Playoff is eventually a made-for-television item, and the committee is its de facto manufacturers. And a playoff with Notre Dame and Alabama in it is merely more appealing to a broader audience rather than one that consistsof, state, SMU and Iowa State rather, or – God forbid – Washington State and Army, who have a integrated record of 15-1 this season.
There’s still a lot of football left to play and the rankings with shift and modification and morph over the next coupleof weeks. But puton’t be stunned on Dec. 8 when you’re preferred ACC, Big 12 or Group of Five group is omitted over some Big Ten or SEC program with numerous losses.
Best Game of the Week: No. 3 Georgia at No. 16 Ole Miss
Saturday, 3: 30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+
ATHENS, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 11: Head coach Lane Kiffin of the Mississippi Rebels speaks with head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs prior to the videogame at Sanford Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Lane Kiffin’s group is an underdog at home by about 2.5 points. It’s clear that when Ole Miss is shooting on all cylinders on offense, it has what it takes to hang with Georgia offensively, however what about on the other side of the ball? Ole Miss has to win this to get back into genuine contention for the College Football Playoff.
Game that may have an effect on the College Football Playoff: No. 11 Alabama at No. 15 LSU
Saturday, 7: 30 p.m. ET – ABC/ESPN+
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – OCTOBER 26: Mason Taylor #86 of the LSU Tigers is praised by colleagues after a goal in the veryfirst half versus the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on October 26, 2024 in College Station, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
This one is quite basic: The loser of this videogame will have 3 losses, making their chances of earning a quote to the College Football Playoff very long. The winner, ontheotherhand, enhances their resume and mostlikely fractures the field if they can win out. Three of the last 5 matches inbetween Alabama and LSU haveactually been chosen by 6 points or less.
Awesome Group of Five match worth seeing: No. 25 Army at North Texas
Saturday, 3: 30 p.m. ET – ESPN2
Nov 2, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken looks at the scoreboard throughout the veryfirst half versus the Air Force Falcons at Michie Stadium.