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 team’s resume 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 does count as a win over a ranked team for the Huskies
- 2 points for each win over a bowl eligible team
- -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. In that instance 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.
*One change to the methodology:
Now that the regular season is over and College Football has a 12 game season, there are *no* “non-bowl eligible teams with winning records.” All the teams with .500 or better records *are* bowl eligible. So that category has been removed. Also, there is one 5 win team who is going to a bowl game (Minnesota), but in my rankings they don’t count as a bowl eligible team. I’m not giving points for beating a losing team who got into a bowl on a technicality.
Clear as mud? Alright. Here are this week’s top 10 College Football Resume Rankings
1. Washington 23 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (6 Oregon, @15 Arizona, @16 Oregon State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 7 (@15 Arizona, 6 Oregon, @USC, Utah, @16 Oregon State, Boise State, California)
Losses: 0
2. Georgia 21 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (9 Missouri, 12 Ole Miss, @21 Tennessee)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (9 Missouri, Kentucky, 12 Ole Miss, @Auburn, @21 Tennessee, @Georgia Tech)
Losses: 0
3. Alabama 20 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (12 Ole Miss, 21 Tennessee, 14 LSU)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (12 Ole Miss, 21 Tennessee, 14 LSU, @Texas A&M, Kentucky, @Auburn)
Losses: 1 (7 Texas)
4. Michigan 18 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@11 Penn State, 2 Ohio State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (Rutgers, UNLV, @11 Penn State, Bowling Green, @Maryland, 2 Ohio State)
Losses: 0
T5. Ohio State & Texas 17 points each
Ohio State:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@19 Notre Dame, 12 Penn State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (@19 Notre Dame, 12 Penn State, @Rutgers, Maryland, @Wisconsin, Western Kentucky)
Losses: 1 (@3 Michigan)
Texas:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@8 Alabama, 19 Kansas State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (Wyoming, @8 Alabama, Kansas, 19 Kansas State, @Iowa State, Texas Tech)
Losses: 1 (13 Oklahoma on neutral field)
7. Florida State 16 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (14 LSU on neutral field, @24 Clemson)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (14 LSU neutral field, @Boston College, Duke, @24 Clemson, Miami)
Losses: 0
8. Louisville 15 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (18 Notre Dame, @22 NC State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (@22 NC State, 18 Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, @Miami)
Losses: 2 (@Pittsburgh- a losing team, Kentucky)
9. Ole Miss 14 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@23 Tulane, 14 LSU)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (@23 Tulane, 14 LSU, @Auburn, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech)
Losses: 2 (@8 Alabama, @1 Georgia)
10. Oklahoma 13 points
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (7 Texas on neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (7 Texas on neutral field, SMU, West Virginia, Arkansas State, Iowa State, UCF)
Losses: 2 (@Kansas, @20 Oklahoma State)
Other Notable Teams:
11. Missouri 13 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (19 Kansas State, 21 Tennessee)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (19 Kansas State, Kentucky, Memphis, 21 Tennessee)
Losses: 2 (14 LSU, @1 Georgia)
T13. Oregon 10 points
Wins over ranked teams: 1 (16 Oregon State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 4 (@Utah, USC, @Texas Tech, 16 Oregon State)
Losses: 1 (@4 Washington)
