The first poll from the college football selection committee came in yesterday and here’s the rankings:
1. Georgia 8-0
2. Alabama 7-1
3. Michigan State 8-0
4. Oregon 7-1
5. Ohio State 7-1
6. Cincinnati 8-0
7. Michigan 7-1
8. Oklahoma 9-0
9. Wake Forest 8-0
10. Notre Dame 7-1
11. Oklahoma State 7-1
12. Baylor 7-1
13. Auburn 6-2
14. Texas A&M 6-2
15. BYU 7-2
16. Mississippi 6-2
17. Mississippi State 5-3
18. Kentucky 6-2
19. NC State 6-2
20. Minnesota 6-2
21. Wisconsin 5-3
22. Iowa 6-2
23. Fresno State 7-2
24. San Diego State 7-1
25. Pittsburgh 6-2
Is it what most of us expected? For the most part, yes. Minnesota making it was a bit of a surprise. As with Mississippi State to a certain extent. UTSA not in was a bit of a let down. The Road Runners are having a heck of a season and I expected to see them in at least at the bottom.
Cincinnati ranked #6? Do they belong in the top 4? Maybe they do. They did beat Notre Dame. But, I doubt the powers that be want a G5 school in the playoffs and have that money not go to a P5 conference.
Is this pure speculation on my part? Of course it is. No one would ever admit to it. Well, maybe down the road in a biography but that’s not going to change anything.
Is this a good list? Sure, why not? College football, at least big time FBS college football has never made sense. Why would we expect a group of 13 people in a room to make decisions that would bring happiness to everyone?
Honestly, if you want to watch college football in a fairly just and fair system then watch the lower leagues. FCS, Division III, Division III/NAIA have playoff structures that seem to work seamlessly. It’s also good football for the most part. Will you be watching NFL level talent? No, most likely not. Baggers can’t be choosers.
Why doesn’t the FBS move to a model like the lower division? That’s a great question and I probably could not answer it in one article. You have big schools and conferences that do not want to share the wealth. You have bowls and cities that house the bowls that rely on the employment and income of these bowl games. Traditions and conference tie ins that will never die. Fanbases that want to go to said bowls. You also have small schools with no power whatsoever in what is going on. The list goes on and on.
So, sit back and enjoy what has come out and wait and see what will come next week. Maybe just maybe there will be some upsets in the top 25 and a new school will come up and replace the loser.
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