We are finally here. The regular season and Championship Week are in the books and we await the CFP committee’s final rankings tomorrow morning on Selection Sunday. So here are my final Resume Rankings.
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.
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.
Clear as mud? Alright. Here are this week’s top 10 College Football Resume Rankings
1. Washington 28 points
Wins over ranked teams: 4 (5 Oregon 2x one neutral field, @15 Arizona, @20 Oregon State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 8 (@15 Arizona, 5 Oregon 2x one neutral field, @USC, Utah, @20 Oregon State, Boise State, California)
Losses: 0
2. Alabama 25 points
Wins over ranked teams: 4 (11 Ole Miss, 21 Tennessee, 13 LSU, 1 Georgia neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 7 (11 Ole Miss, 21 Tennessee, 13 LSU, @Texas A&M, Kentucky, @Auburn, 1 Georgia neutral field)
Losses: 1 (7 Texas)
3. Michigan 23 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (@10 Penn State, 2 Ohio State, 16 Iowa neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 7 (Rutgers, UNLV, @11 Penn State, Bowling Green, @Maryland, 2 Ohio State, 16 Iowa neutral field)
Losses: 0
4. Texas 22 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (@8 Alabama, 25 Kansas State, 18 Ok St neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 7 (Wyoming, @8 Alabama, Kansas, 25 Kansas State, @Iowa State, Texas Tech, 18 neutral field)
Losses: 1 (12 Oklahoma on neutral field)
5. Florida State 21 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (13 LSU on neutral field, @23 Clemson, 14 Louisville neutral field)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (13 LSU neutral field, @Boston College, Duke, @23 Clemson, Miami, 14 Louisville neutral field)
Losses: 0
6. Georgia 20 points
Wins over ranked teams: 3 (9 Missouri, 11 Ole Miss, @21 Tennessee)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (9 Missouri, Kentucky, 11 Ole Miss, @Auburn, @21 Tennessee, @Georgia Tech)
Losses: 1 (8 Alabama neutral field)
7. Ohio State 17 points
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@17 Notre Dame, 10 Penn State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (@17 Notre Dame, 10 Penn State, @Rutgers, Maryland, @Wisconsin, Western Kentucky)
Losses: 1 (@3 Michigan)
T8. Louisville & Ole Miss 14 points each
Louisville:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (17 Notre Dame, @19 NC State)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 6 (@19 NC State, 17 Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke, Georgia Tech, @Miami)
Losses: 3 (@Pittsburgh- a losing team, Kentucky, 4 FSU neutral field)
Ole Miss:
Wins over ranked teams: 2 (@22 Tulane, 13 LSU)
Win over bowl eligible teams: 5 (@22 Tulane, 13 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, @18 Oklahoma State)
