Alabama Football: How Selection Committee should rank Bama
By Ronald Evans
On Tuesday night, in a shorter than normal 30-minute format, the CFB Playoff Selection Committee will again disappoint Alabama football fans.
Then again, perhaps it is possible that the committee will rediscover the original AND primary intent of the four-team Playoff format. That intent was to identify and select the four best teams after Championship Weekend.
As I wrote in an earlier post, in my opinion, Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Michigan are currently the four best, though not necessarily in that order. Alabama Football needed a statement win against Auburn. The Tide got a win for the ages but failed to dominate a 6-win team. The result was not Playoff resume enhancing.
Before I make more direct complaints about the Selection Committee, it should be acknowledged this is an unusual Playoff season. In the history of the CFB Playoff, there were rarely more than three teams that deserved to make the final four, and some years only two. This season going into Championship Saturday there are seven legitimate Playoff contenders.
It is entirely possible that in the last rankings on Sun. Dec. 3, the teams ranked No. 5 and No. 6 will be as deserving as those ranked in the top four. At least such a situation will stifle any claims that moving to 12 teams is too many.
Before stating what the Selection Committee should do on Tuesday night, let’s review. It is obvious the committee gives little weight to Strength of Schedule (SOS). They should, but Alabama football fans should not hold their breaths.
Alabama Football and other SOS rankings
Per Jeff Sagarin’s calculations, among the top eight Playoff contenders, the Texas Longhorns have the best SOS.
- Texas Longhorns – No. 2 among all FBS teams
- Alabama Crimson Tide – No. 15
- Washington Huskies – No. 26
- Ohio State Buckeyes – No. 37
- Oregon Ducks – No. 52
- Michigan Wolverines – No. 55
- Georgia Bulldogs – No. 56
- Florida State Seminoles – No. 66
How contenders should be ranked on Nov. 28
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Michigan Wolverines
- Texas Longhorns
- Florida State Seminoles
- Washington Huskies
- Alabama Crimson Tide
- Oregon Ducks
- Ohio State Buckeyes
In the final ranking on Sunday, a likely undefeated FSU, minus its QB star for the Playoff, should be moved down. If oddsmakers are correct and Oregon beats Washington, the Huskies should be dropped below Alabama as well.
After an Alabama win in Atlanta, either Georgia or Oregon would not make the final four. To achieve the old goal of the ‘four best teams’ a Georgia loss and an Oregon win should not bump the Bulldogs out in favor of the Ducks.
