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 12 playoff teams should be. But, I think it’s interesting to try to definitively rank the best teams strictly according to their resumes.
Before I unveil this week’s rankings let me explain the methodology of them:
I’ve developed a points system for each team’s resume and it goes as follows.
- 3 points for each win against a ranked opponent – (WARO). The qualifier is those opponents need to be ranked in the most recent CFP or AP rankings. For example, I don’t care that Wisconsin was ranked when Notre Dame beat them in week 1, they are *not* ranked now so that does *not* count as a WARO
- 2 points for each win against Power 4 (P4) bowl eligible opponents that are unranked, 1 point if the opponent is from a Group of 6 conference (G6). The only exception is if the team we are examining is also G6 – (WABEO)
- 1 point for each win against P4 opponents with a .500 or better record that are unranked, 0.5 points if opponent is from G6. The only exception is if the team we are examining is also G6 – (WAWO)
- -1 point for every loss
- -1 additional point for every loss against an opponent with a losing record – (LALO)
Clear as mud? Alright. Here are this week’s College Football Playoff Resume Rankings
OTHERS IN PLAYOFF NOW BUT OUTSIDE TOP 12
T15 Boise State 4 points | #24 in CFP (Top G6 team) | 8-1 record
WABEO: Western Michigan
WAWO: 3 Memphis, Fresno State, Texas State
Previous week: T14
TOP 12
T11 BYU 5 points | #10 in CFP | 7-2 record
WARO: 2 #5 Notre Dame, #23 Arizona
WAWO: 1 ASU
Previous week: T4
T11 Indiana 5 points | #9 in CFP | 8-1 record
WABEO: Northwestern
WAWO: 3 North Texas, Nebraska, Michigan
Previous week: T10
T11 Tennessee 5 points | #8 in CFP | 7-2 record
WARO: 2 #3 Alabama, #11 Kentucky
WAWO: 1 Auburn
Previous week: unranked
T11 Notre Dame 5 points | #5 in CFP | 8-1 record
WARO: 1 Miami (7)
WABEO: 1 Wisconsin
WAWO: 1 UNC
Previous week: 22
T9 Ole Miss 6 points | #19 in CFP| 6-3 record
WARO: 2 #21 LSU, #22 Missouri
WABEO: 1 Louisville
WAWO: 1 Auburn
Previous week: T6
T9 UCLA 6 points | #4 in CFP | 9-0 record
WARO: 1 #16 Oregon
WABEO: 1 Wisconsin
WAWO: 1 Minnesota
Previous week: T14
8 Kentucky 6.5 points | #11 in CFP | 7-2 record
WARO: 2 #21 LSU, #17 South Carolina
WAWO: 2 South Alabama, Oklahoma
Previous week: 3
T4 Miami 7 points | #7 in CFP| 8-1
WARO: #13 Wake Forest
WABEO: 2 Pittsburgh, Clemson
WAWO: 1 UNC
Previous week: 4
T4 Alabama 7 points | #3 in CFP | 7-2 record
WARO: 1 #11 Kentucky, #17 South Carolina, #21 LSU
Previous week: T6
T4 Utah 7 points | #2 in CFP | 9-0 record
WARO: 2 #14 Houston, #10 BYU
WAWO: 1 Cincinnati
Previous week: T10
T4 Georgia 7 points | #1 in CFP | 8-1 record
WARO: 2 #3 Alabama, #19 Ole Miss
WAWO: 2 Oklahoma, Florida
Previous week: T6
3 Texas Tech 7.5 points | #12 in CFP | 8-1 record
WARO: 2 #14 Houston, #23 Arizona
WAWO: 3 Oregon State, ASU, West Virginia
Previous week: 5
2. Oregon 9 points | #16 in CFP | 6-3 record
WARO: 3 #24 Boise State, #18 USC, #20 Ohio State
WABEO: 1 Northwestern
WAWO: 1 Nebraska
Previous week: T6
1 Texas 11.5 points | #6 in CFP | 7-2 record
WARO: 3 #20 Ohio State, #8 Tennessee, #19 Ole Miss
WABEO: 1 Texas-San Antonio
WAWO: 1 Texas State
Previous week: 1
