The main argument we hear on the College Football Playoff Rankings Show and the sports debate shows is, what matters more? Talent/”eye test,” or resume?
This weekly column will add to that 2nd part. It answers the question of which teams have the best playoff resumes in all of FBS college football. Let me be clear, I will not be reacting to the CFP rankings or making a case for who I think the 4 playoff teams should be. But, I think it’s interesting to try to definitively rank the best teams strictly according to their resumes. That’s what I’ll do for the rest of the season every Tuesday morning here.
Before I unveil this week’s rankings let me explain the methodology of them:
I’ve developed a points system for each school and it goes as follows.
- 3 points for each win over teams who are ranked in the most recent CFP rankings. For example, I don’t care that USC was ranked 9th when Notre Dame beat them in week 7. They are not ranked now so that does *not* count as a win over a ranked team for the Irish. Conversely, Washington beat an unranked Arizona team in week 5, but since the Wildcats *are* ranked now that counts as a win over a ranked team for the Huskies
- 2 points for each win over a bowl eligible team
- 1 point for each win over a non-bowl eligible team with a winning record
- -1 point for every loss
- -1 an additional point for every loss to a team with a losing record. For example, Louisville has one loss so whatever their point total is one point will be subtracted from that. But that loss is also to Pitt who has a losing record, so an additional point will be subtracted from their total. Thus, in all, Louisville would lose 2 points from whatever their point total is. Let’s say they have 10 points before their losses are accounted for. So, the Cardinals would end up with 8 points because they’d lose one for their one loss, and another because that loss was to a losing team.
Clear as mud? Alright. Here are this week’s top 10 College Football Resume Rankings
T1. Washington & Alabama 18 points each
Washington:
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (6 Oregon, @21 Arizona, 18 Utah)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (@21 Arizona, 6 Oregon, @USC, 18 Utah)
Wins over other winning teams: 1 (Boise State)
Losses: 0
Alabama:
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (9 Ole Miss, 13 Tennessee, 19 LSU)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (9 Ole Miss, 13 Tennessee, 19 LSU, @Texas A&M, Kentucky)
Wins over other winning teams: 0
Losses: 1 (7 Texas)
3. Texas 17 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (@8 Alabama, 21 Kansas, 23 Kansas State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (Wyoming, @8 Alabama, 21 Kansas, 23 Kansas State)
Wins over other winning teams: 1 (BYU)
Losses: 1 (Oklahoma on neutral field)
4. Ohio State 16 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@20 Notre Dame, 10 Penn State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (@20 Notre Dame, 10 Penn State, @Rutgers, Maryland)
Wins over other winning teams: 2 (Western Kentucky, @Wisconsin)
Losses: 0
T5. Georgia & Florida State 15 points
Georgia:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (14 Missouri, 9 Ole Miss)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (14 Missouri, Kentucky, 9 Ole Miss, @Auburn)
Wins over other winning teams: 1 ( Florida on neutral field)
Losses: 0
Florida State:
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (19 LSU on neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (19 LSU neutral field, @Boston College, Duke, @Clemson, Miami)
Wins over other winning teams: 2 (Virginia Tech, Syracuse)
Losses: 0
T7. Michigan & Ole Miss 13 points each
Michigan:
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (@10 Penn State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (Rutgers, UNLV, @Penn State, Bowling Green)
Wins over other winning teams: 2 (Minnesota, Nebraska)
Losses: 0
Ole Miss:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@23 Tulane, 19 LSU)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (@23 Tulane, 19 LSU, @Auburn, Texas A&M)
Wins over other winning teams: 1 (Georgia Tech)
Losses: 2 (@8 Alabama, @2 Georgia)
T9. Louisville & Oklahoma 11 points
Louisville:
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (20 Notre Dame)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (@NC State, 20 Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke)
Wins over other winning teams: 2 (Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech)
Losses: 1 (@Pittsburgh, a losing team)
Oklahoma:
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (Texas neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (Texas neutral field, SMU, Iowa State, West Virginia)
Wins over other winning teams: 2 (Arkansas State, UCF)
Losses: 2 (@21 Kansas, @15 Oklahoma State)
Other Notable Teams:
T14. Oregon 7 points
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (@18 Utah)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 2 (@18 Utah, USC)
Wins over other winning teams: 1 (@Texas Tech)
Losses: 1 (@5 Washington)
