Want CFP chaos? SEC is now the biggest Ohio State fan to get fifth team in playoff field

They’ll deny it. You bet your Golden Flakes, they will.

But when Saturday arrives and the first of the final three college football regular season weekends begins, officials in the big, bad SEC will have one of many monitors in the war room of the league offices turned to what’s unfolding in Columbus, Ohio.

Because if No. 2 Ohio State blows out unbeaten underdog and No. 5 Indiana, the odds of the SEC landing five teams in the first 12-team College Football Playoff dramatically increase. And if the Hoosiers win or keep it close?

Well then, Birmingham, we have a problem.

There are six CFP-worthy SEC teams, and unless Penn State stumbles against Minnesota or Maryland or Indiana gets blown out by Ohio State, four SEC teams will make the CFP field. It’s bad enough that the CFP selection committee virtually ignores strength of conference/schedule and has Penn State and Indiana – with a combined one win vs. teams in the College Football Playoff rankings (Illinois magically arrived in the poll at No. 25 this week) – ranked in the top five.

It’s worse that the committee has shown a clear preference to No. 3 Texas ― which has played one of the other five CFP-worthy SEC teams, and lost by 15 at home to Georgia. Alabama beat Georgia, which beat Tennessee, which beat Alabama. And Ole Miss beat Georgia, which beat Texas ― which hasn’t beaten anyone.

Get it?

Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka catches a pass for a touchdown against Penn State during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium on November 02, 2024 in State College, Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, there’s the 13-member selection committee – which includes six athletic directors and four former coaches – valuing one-loss teams (and unbeaten Indiana) above all else. Difficulty of schedule be damned.

Indiana, the CFP darling, has the worst strength of schedule of any Power Four…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/want-cfp-chaos-sec-now-020941893.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2024-11-20 02:09:00

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