Clemson Football: CFB Playoff committee doesn’t watch film

The Clemson football team was ranked No. 5 in the first CFB Playoff rankings Tuesday evening, and something is clear about the committee.

The first CFB Playoff rankings were released Tuesday evening and the Clemson football program was left outside the top-four for the first time in quite a while.

The Tigers were ranked No. 5 behind the likes of Ohio State (No. 1), LSU (No. 2), Alabama (No. 3) and Penn State (No. 4)

With these new rankings, one thing is clear about the College Football Playoff committee: They don’t watch film.

At this point, you can have the conversation about whether Clemson football should be No. 5 or higher in the rankings. The Tigers’ schedule isn’t strong by any metric and they don’t have a ‘resume-building win.’ However, CFB Playoff Committee Chair Rob Mullens explained to the media the reasoning for putting Penn State ahead and Clemson, and it’s laughable.

He said (via Tigernet):

• Penn State has two marquee wins over No. 14 Michigan and No. 18 Iowa
• They also have a solid win over Pittsburgh

How can you say that with a straight face? Marquee wins? Michigan and Iowa are bolstered up rankings because they began the preseason AP Poll ranked inside the top-25. Michigan was No. 7 in the nation and Iowa was No. 20. Preseason hype is what have both of those teams ranked as high as they are, not anything that has happened on the field.

Yes, Penn State has some impressive ratings. But if you watched film you could tell that they are nothing more than another Big Ten team. They can’t pass (No. 48 in the nation in passing offense) and benefit from playing slow, grind-it-out Big Ten teams like Iowa and Michigan, who can’t compete with any type of high-powered offense outside of their conference.

As a matter of fact, the whole love for the Big Ten is unwarranted. Who has Ohio State played this season with a pulse? Is that schedule plastered with marquee wins- like Cincinnati and Wisconsin- or are they just bolstered up the rankings?

This isn’t to say that Clemson has had a tougher road, but it is to say that anyone that knows anything about football would take the Tigers to beat Penn State- and probably the vast majority of the four teams ahead of them- right now. Why? Because the ‘eye test’ says so.

Yes, Clemson football played one close game to North Carolina. Have you paid attention to what has happened afterward?

The CFB Playoff committee also praised Alabama- though the Crimson Tide have had a weak schedule, as well- for their on-field efficiency. No one wants to point out that they struggled with an abysmal Tennessee team at home? Oh wait, that just doesn’t count.

The problem is this: The committee doesn’t watch film, they look at stats and numbers, and they allow the media narratives to creep into their room. Why else would Georgia be ranked No. 6 in the nation despite losing at home to an awful South Carolina team?

Clemson being ranked No. 5 probably wouldn’t be so bad if we only looked at the scope of this season. But the committee has a history of giving privilege to the reigning champions. I can promise you that if Ohio State or Alabama had Clemson’s current resume, but they had won last year’s National Championship, they wouldn’t be ranked No. 5 currently. As a matter of fact, they probably would be ranked No. 1.

In the end, this first poll doesn’t really matter all that much. Two of the teams ahead of Clemson are guaranteed to lose (Alabama plays LSU this weekend; Penn State plays Ohio State in a few weeks), and it wouldn’t be surprising at all to see one of these two Big Ten teams be upset potentially before they even play each other.

With these rankings, I do feel sorry for NC State and Dave Doeren on Saturday.