By Michael Haag | Sports Editor, Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer and George Schroeder | LTVN Executive Producer
After weeks of anticipation and nail-biting battles on the gridiron, the College Football Playoff Committee named its first Top 25 rankings of the year on Tuesday, including No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Michigan and No. 4 Florida State for the top four.
While it’s still early on, did the committee get it right? Here are the reactions from three members of the Baylor Lariat.
Check out the full #CFBPlayoff selection committee rankings for games played through Saturday, October 28.
Where does your team rank as we head into the month of November?
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) October 31, 2023
Michael Haag | Sports Editor
The College Football Playoff Committee can’t please everyone. That’s just not feasible, but that’s life, right? Regardless, the rankings came out. They’re somewhat solid but also super head-scratching.
I liked that Ohio State was No. 1, given the resume and things like that. The Buckeyes have the best wins among those undefeated schools, and they deserve to be at the top. I’m not here for the “Georgia is back-to-back national champions, they should be No. 1 until dethroned” argument. That’s not how rankings work. You rank based on what you’ve seen this year.
There’s nothing wrong with the top six in my opinion, but the six-through-nine spots had me questioning the committee in a big way. So you give Ohio State the benefit of the doubt for having strong wins, but Oklahoma doesn’t get any love for beating Texas? I understand the Sooners lost at Kansas, but head-to-head should have some influence on rankings. It shouldn’t be the end-all be-all, but it definitely matters.
My only other burning issues with the rankings are that Ole Miss is above Penn State, and Tennessee is ranked higher than Utah. Also, Air Force at No. 25 is just flat out disrespectful. The Falcons are a legit team and should be in the conversation for a New Year’s Six Bowl if they finish as undefeated Mountain West Conference champions.
Overall, it wasn’t too bad. People tend to overreact to these rankings when we all know there’s a lot of football left to play. With Baylor football fighting for bowl eligibility down the stretch, it’ll be interesting to see how the five Big 12 teams that were ranked on Tuesday finish out their seasons.
Foster Nicholas | Sports Writer
It’s tough to see Baylor football not be a contender for the top 25, however, the college football landscape is beginning to take shape. I hate to say it, but my first gut reaction to the poll indicated that the committee is going to take it safe and do everything “right” in the top six. Ohio State fits the bill as the No. 1 team in the nation due to the strength of schedule to this point and the sheer dominance in which it has cruised through that. All but two teams ranked No. 1 in the primary poll ended up in the four-team playoff (Mississippi State in 2014, Tennessee in 2022), yet there is a real scenario where the Buckeyes make that three since they are still awaiting a matchup with No. 3 Michigan.
The rest of the top four rounds out fine, the two-time reigning national champion Georgia slotted at No. 2 and Florida State squeaking in at No. 4. While all four teams are clearly deserving of a spot, I wish the voters would have been more realistic. Those are currently the four best teams, but I don’t see a scenario where they are really the last four standing. Whether it be No. 5 Washington or No. 6 Oregon, someone in the Pac-12 will be represented in the playoff. Why not take your shot now if you’re the committee and let the other teams know there is still work to do? Maybe that’s just me.
I might be too critical with the top six, but my real gripe comes with the top 10 as a whole. How on earth can No. 9 Oklahoma be behind No. 7 Texas, especially with the absence of sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers? I get that the Longhorns must be in front of No. 8 Alabama because of their shocking road victory, but why does the same factor not apply to the Sooners, considering they beat Texas? Consistency is not something the committee was great about in the primary poll, but it’s good to have something football-wise to nitpick instead of the Bears for once.
George Schroeder | LTVN Executive Producer
It’s the most wonderful time of the year folks, and kicking off the race to Selection Sunday, the CFP Selection Committee pretty much got it right in week one. So let me start with what the committee got glaringly wrong. Air Force and Tulane round out the CFP’s top 25, dropping significantly from their spots in the AP poll. I’m fine with that, but putting 7-1 Tulane over an undefeated Air Force simply makes no sense.
If you take one message away from today it’s this: Everything is going to work itself out.
Let’s address the elephant — or rather, bulldog — in the room. The playoff race is about one thing and one thing only: this season. I don’t care what you accomplished last year or the year before. So, sorry to the Georgia fans reeling at the sight of a “2” next to their logo, but Ohio State is in the right spot (for now). Even if it hasn’t been playing great recently, Washington has the best win in the country by the CFP’s standards over No. 6 Oregon, yet it’s No. 5, while Michigan sits at No. 3 with absolutely no resume. As a side note, I personally think Florida State and the ACC are fraudulent, but I’ll give the Seminoles the benefit of the doubt for now.
Both with 7-1 records, OU is behind Texas after beating the Longhorns. Is there any question Oklahoma would be ranked above Texas had the Sooners lost to Kansas before beating Texas? I don’t think so. Oregon is just behind Washington after losing to the Huskies in Seattle, but the Ducks have looked more than dominant while the Huskies have escaped the bottom of the barrel in the Pac-12 twice in a row. In just a few short weeks, OSU or Michigan will knock the other out of the conversation. As we roll into November, what matters is winning. As I said, everything is going to work itself out.
Currently, I wouldn’t rearrange the top-ten teams, and among the top six, every single team — including a one-loss Oregon — could make the case for being number one. Any of them could win it all. Whatever you think about the rankings, one thing we can all agree on is this: We need a 12-team playoff now.
