The CFB Playoff committee released its updated rankings Tuesday evening following Week 11 and had Clemson ranked inside the top-four.
The Clemson Tigers debuted in the initial CFB Playoff rankings on the outside-looking in when it came to the top-four.
Just one week ago, the Tigers were ranked No. 5 in the country and were hoping for a couple of losses ahead of them to get inside the playoff field. Of course, we all knew that at least two losses would happen to the initial top-four because LSU and Alabama would play each other, and Ohio State and Penn State would play each other as well.
Following Week 11, Minnesota upset Penn State (previously No. 4) and Alabama (previously No. 3) fell to LSU at home. In the loss, the Crimson Tide gave up 46 points.
Despite losing a game at home, Alabama fans were expecting to remain inside the top-five no matter who might have a better resume and strength of schedule at this point in the season. They got exactly that Tuesday night when the CFB Playoff committee released its updated rankings.
Here’s a look at the top-10:
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Oregon
- Utah
- Minnesota
- Penn State
- Oklahoma
Thoughts:
The CFB Playoff committee has bought into the hype that the SEC and Big Ten are somehow better, even if they are just top-heavy. Alabama has no quality win and the Crimson Tide just lost. Despite that, they get credit for a ‘quality loss’- a term made up by the media and the committee to justify losing.
Georgia lost to South Carolina a few weeks ago- the same Gamecock team that got beat at home by App State and lost to Tennessee- and yet the Bulldogs are in the top-four. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Outside of the top-three, the committee got this completely wrong and continue to show the world that they’re truly not trying to get the most deserving teams, but the matchups that they want to happen.
Minnesota is only one spot ahead of team they beat. Oregon and Utah get placed as second-class citizens behind the ‘mighty SEC’ just because of perception, nothing that would be seen on film.
The Clemson football team is ranked No. 3– and rightfully so- but it won’t be surprising at all to see the committee try to justify moving Georgia ahead of the Tigers if the Bulldogs beat Auburn this coming week. It’s a crazy world we live in and every week it just proves more and more that we need an expanded playoff that doesn’t allow an incompetent committee to pick the teams.