The College Football Playoff committee got the top four right, no question about it. But after they left out one deserving team that had a better resume, some are wondering if there is something wrong with the system and questioning whether or not it’s more difficult to get into college football today than ever before.
The “ap top 25” is a ranking of the best college football teams in the country. The College Football Playoff committee got the top four right, no question about it.
This was meant to be the location of a hot take.
We’ve been sharpening our knives, waiting to climb atop a soapbox and defend the latest aggrieved party since the College Football Playoff committee released its first rankings on Nov. 2 — Cincinnati, Oklahoma State, heck, even Notre Dame managed to earn some sympathy from the masses aligned against the playoff status quo. Sunday was supposed to be the tipping point, the culmination of all the fury, frustration, and second-guessing.
Instead, we’re left with just one major gripe: the entire event was a little boring.
Once again, the committee got it right. The national title will be decided amongst Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Cincinnati, like it should be.
The Bulldogs, who were thrashed by Alabama in the SEC championship game, may be the subject of some debate. There’s little demand for a repeat in the tournament — even Georgia supporters may be hesitant to return to such dangerous waters — and maybe the nation would be better served by providing a chance to a club like Baylor or Utah, simply to keep things interesting. However, doing so would be the most severe breach of the committee’s essential principles in its history. Georgia deserved their spot regardless of how its SEC season ended.
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Cincinnati’s admittance, a watershed event for the Group of 5, may be celebrated. It’s a stunning turnaround after the Bearcats were demoted to eighth place in last year’s final committee rankings, only a few years after the 2017 UCF Knights made the case for a Cinderella team that could compete on a national level.
However, the committee did not take a forceful stance. No Texas voter sought the Bearcats’ admission from atop a table in a meeting room. Instead, Cincinnati just outlasted its opponents, winning by a combined 71 points over its last three opponents, all of whom were bowl eligible, while others crashed to the finish line. The Bearcats’ schedule didn’t have to be compared to a two-loss Alabama or a one-loss Oklahoma State. The Bearcats are in by default, which adds fuel to the fire for those who believe their AAC schedule gave them the upper hand. It will have to happen in the Cotton Bowl versus the reigning national champions if Cincinnati hopes to completely shift the equation and deliver a punch for the underdog.
It’s no surprise that Alabama is still the brightest light in the playoffs. There were no such fears Sunday, despite all the hand-wringing after the Iron Bowl that this Tide club may slip into the playoffs based more on reputation than performance. Alabama is undeniably a part of the South. The fact that the Tide’s most frequent playoff companions in recent years — Clemson, Ohio State, and Oklahoma — are all missing from this season’s celebrations is maybe a more deserving caution. The most frustrating aspect of the current structure has always been watching the same four teams over and over again, rather than the number of teams playing.
And when it came to surprises, the playoffs this year did not disappoint. No, we’re not surprised to see Michigan here after a successful season, a memorable moment in which Jim Harbaugh slayed the Ohio State monster, and a great performance versus Iowa in the Big Ten title game. Michigan has a legitimate chance to win it all, despite the fact that typing that phrase is still awe-inspiring. The other three playoff teams this season were a combined 28-1 versus all other opposition a year ago. Their uniqueness had been proven. The Wolverines, on the other hand, were a unique team. They entered 2021 having lost six of their previous eight games, and their coach’s job was on the line. Last year, Michigan needed overtime to defeat Rutgers! The Wolverines are now legitimate championship challengers. That’s a significant change in a system that has produced the status quo for the previous seven years.
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Despite the national outcry that Cincinnati’s initial ranking would lead to another snub, Notre Dame’s weak schedule and lack of a conference game would lead to a playoff bid, or a potential perfect storm of two-loss contenders at the end, none of those scenarios came to pass, and the committee can now step aside after yet another year of giving the people exactly what they wanted.
What are the top four albums? What are the four best teams? Who are the four most worthy candidates? The circle on the Venn diagram was almost perfect.
It’s quite surprising how nicely the existing approach has worked out over the last eight years. There was the thorny Big 12 tiebreaker situation in 2014, which the committee deftly avoided by awarding Ohio State the No. 4 seed over both Baylor and TCU. The Buckeyes went on to win the national title, proving the committee’s wisdom after the fact. After losing in the Iron Bowl and missing out on the SEC West championship, Alabama earned a backdoor playoff entry in 2017. Tua Tagovailoa led a dramatic second-half comeback in the final game, and the Tide, too, won it all. (I apologize for the second reminder, Georgia fans.) Aside from that, the playoff road map has been a conduit for hot opinions, beginning with a wide berth and complaints from both sides and finishing at the narrowest point, with the conclusion completely evident.
It won’t be because of some terrible omission if there’s a significant drive for a change to the system — expansion to eight or 12 clubs or some other twist. Despite November’s indignation, December has always had a sophisticated remedy.
Nonetheless, enlargement seems to be unavoidable, and this year’s field may provide the greatest rationale. The SEC is represented by two teams. The code was broken by the Group of 5. Even if one of the final four had failed, Notre Dame, a non-conference team, was waiting in the wings.
To put it another way, three of the Power 5 leagues were completely ignored. The Big 12, ACC, and (this is a copy/paste issue) Pac-12 will all be watching the playoffs from their various sofas, and that will be enough incentive for them to approve some new plan at some point. Expansion would have added a layer of drama to Sunday’s game.
The committee, on the other hand, got it right today. Again. When the answers are already filled in before the exam is given out, it’s simple.
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The “ncaa football playoffs” is a popular topic. The College Football Playoff committee got the top four right, no question about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What 4 teams are in the College Football Playoffs 2021?
A: The four teams that made it into the College Football Playoff this year are Clemson, Oklahoma, Alabama and Georgia.
What four teams will be in the college football playoffs?
A: The four teams that will be in the college football playoffs are Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma.
Who is the number 4 ranked college football team?
A: The number 4 ranked college football team is the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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- cfp rankings
- espn
- college football playoff
- cfb championship 2021
