Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Sports

Playoff rankings are clear: The easier schedule, the better your chances

Walk together with me, everyone, down the road of College Football Playoff confusion.

No. 4 Penn State has one win against a team in the College Football Playoff rankings. No. 3 Texas, No. 6 Miami, No. 9 SMU and No. 10 Indiana have none. What those five teams have in common: one loss.

Meanwhile, I give you those with wins against the committee’s top 25: No. 7 Georgia (three), No. 13 Alabama (three), No. 2 Ohio State (two), No. 15 South Carolina (two) and No. 5 Notre Dame (one). What those five teams have in common: a combined seven losses to teams in the rankings.

Now I’m not a rocket scientist, but it appears those who play easier schedules have better records. This, of course, leaves two critical questions:

Why reward teams who have an easier path to success?

Why – and here’s the biggie – penalize teams for multiple losses to those teams in the top 25?

BREAKDOWN: Winners and losers from the College Football Playoff ranking

At some point, if the College Football Playoff continues along this path of using a selection committee (which isn’t a given for the new contract beginning in 2026), degree of difficulty must be factored into the equation.

It’s like diving in the Olympics. Anyone can nail a jackknife. How many can hit a reverse 4½ somersault in pike position?

‘We were impressed with some of the things Indiana did,’playoff committee chairman and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said of the Hoosiers’ 23-point loss to Ohio State. ‘We still felt their body of work was strong enough to stay in the top 10.’

Indiana’s resume is wins over three 6-5 teams (Washington, Nebraska, Michigan), and a three-possession loss to Ohio State in its only other game against a team with a winning record.

That’s some body of work.

This leads us to this week’s overvalued and undervalued of the College Football Playoff rakings:

Overvalued

No. 4 Penn State

Best win: 21-7 vs. No. 23 Illinois

Worst loss: 20-13 vs. No. 2 Ohio State.

This week: vs. Maryland.

Eye test: Exhibit A for uniform bias. It’s Penn State, it’s the Big Ten ― and sonofagun, did you see that Illinois win? (Ignore that pesky late win last week over middling Minnesota. Nothing to see here).

No. 6 Miami

Best win: 41-17 at Florida.

Worst loss: 28-23 at Georgia Tech.

This week: at Syracuse.

Eye test: The Hurricanes face the Orange this week needing a win to reach the ACC championship game. Lose, and they’re all the way out of the rankings — with no hope of an at-large spot. Miami has 14 interceptions this season, and Syracuse QB Kyle McCord – who leads the nation in passing yards – has thrown 12.

No. 10 Indiana

Best win: 31-17 vs Washington.

Worst loss: 38-15 at No.2 Ohio State.

This week: vs. Purdue.

Eye test: The drum major of the overvalued. Indiana isn’t 8-1 in the SEC. Or the Big 12, or more than likely, the ACC. What exactly does that say about the top-heavy Big Ten? It says the committee isn’t doing its work.

Undervalued

No. 8 Tennessee

Best win: 24-17 vs. No. 13 Alabama.

Worst loss: 19-14 at Arkansas.

This week: at Vanderbilt.

Eye test: The No. 3 scoring offense and No. 2 scoring defense in the SEC. But like everyone else in the best conference in college football, the Vols have struggled on the road, including a 14-point loss at No. 7 Georgia. Alabama lost three games on the SEC road, Georgia lost twice, and all three of No. 21 Missouri’s SEC losses are away from home. Translation: Tennessee can’t overlook Vanderbilt. If the Vols win, they’re in the field.

No. 15 South Carolina

Best win: 44-20 vs. No. 20 Texas A&M

Worst loss: 27-3 vs. No. 14 Ole Miss

This week: at No. 12 Clemson

Eye test: A three-point loss to LSU, a two-point loss at No. 13 Alabama, and a season of what-ifs. The Gamecocks need a big win over Clemson, and a lot of help to reach the 12-team field: Vanderbilt over Tennessee, Auburn over Alabama, Syracuse over Miami, and most important, Mississippi State over Ole Miss.

No. 16 Arizona State

Best win: 28-23 vs. No. 19 BYU

Worst loss: 24-14 at Cincinnati

Up next: at Arizona.

Eye test: QB Sam Leavitt missed the Cincinnati game, and the Sun Devils couldn’t win with nomadic backup Jeff Sims. If Leavitt is healthy, they are likely 10-1 with two wins against the rankings (including at No. 24 Kansas State). In that scenario, considering the committee’s affinity for one-loss teams, Arizona State would likely be in the top 10 and among the projected first four seeds.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

    Fill Out & Get More Relevant News


    Stay ahead of the market and unlock exclusive trading insights & timely news. We value your privacy - your information is secure, and you can unsubscribe anytime. Gain an edge with hand-picked trading opportunities, stay informed with market-moving updates, and learn from expert tips & strategies.

    You May Also Like

    Business

    Many U.S. retailers are hoping to put the fall quarter behind them. The decisive outcome of this month’s presidential election, which showed a GOP...

    Stocks

    If you want big returns, I’m convinced you’ll find them in small caps. When I make bold predictions, and many of you know that...

    Business

    The domestic box office is poised for its biggest Thanksgiving haul since the pandemic thanks to a Polynesian princess, a pair of witches and...

    Business

    Shares in a little-known drone company soared Wednesday after it announced that Donald Trump Jr. had joined its advisory board. Unusual Machines, an Orlando,...

    Disclaimer: hotopportunitynow.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 hotopportunitynow.com | All Rights Reserved