OXFORD, MS — Diving into the swirling vortex of opinions and controversy that is the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, because this week, the talking points are hotter than a rivalry game under the lights! For the third consecutive week, we’ve got the same top three, and while Ohio State and Indiana sit atop the mountain, it’s Texas A&M at No. 3 that’s really got people scratching their heads – and probably for good reason.
The Aggies stand as one of the two undefeated teams within the challenging landscape of the SEC. They have successfully maneuvered through this treacherous terrain, highlighted by a significant road victory over the then-ranked Notre Dame. However, they remain unable to secure a position in the top two, particularly in light of Indiana’s recent struggles on the road against an unranked Drew Allar-less Penn State. This situation reignites the longstanding discussion: What is the genuine worth of competing against a tough schedule if it fails to result in an improved ranking? Is the committee truly rewarding the strength of schedule as much as they claim?
Questions like these landed squarely in the lap of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, whose own Rebels are ranked seventh.
Kiffin, known for his straightforward approach, provided an exemplary analysis regarding Texas A&M’s ranking in the CFP.
“Texas A&M being three, you know, well, what more do you want them to do to be one?” Kiffin said, exasperated by the committee’s decision. “Like I said, when people want to schedule, and they say, okay, man, we need you to schedule hard teams. You’re going to have nine SEC and then play another hard one. Well, they went up to Notre Dame and won, so those people that say, man, those schedules are worth it to play that, what good did that do if that’s not rewarded, you know?“
It appeared to many that Kiffin hit the nail on the head in his response. The Aggies did what everyone asks: they challenged themselves, they beat a quality opponent outside the conference, and they’ve been flawless within the SEC.
“If they just played whoever and just had an easy win, they’d be ranked in the same spot, so what good did that do if that’s not rewarded? It’s a critical point that forces us to question the system to some degree.“
“They got the highest metrics of everybody, and they’re not number one. So I don’t know. Again, you talk about those two teams right there, put them on a neutral site, ask Vegas what’s the spread, and that, to me, shows more than people sitting around a room just guessing,” Kiffin said.
The irony, of course, is that despite the current CFP rankings puzzle, the SEC is still a hotbed of championship aspirations. Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss all have legitimate opportunities to run the table, setting up what could be an incredibly compelling and unpredictable SEC Championship picture in the decision on which two teams represent in the upcoming game on December 6.
Kiffin’s Ole Miss team is not spending too much time on ranking disputes and pointless arguments. Their attention is firmly directed towards the field as they get ready to welcome Florida this Saturday at 7PM ET. The season is still ongoing, and with these leading teams continuing to compete, the path to the College Football Playoff is sure to be as chaotic and uncertain as it has always been.
