College Football Enquirer Should Texas A&M be ranked above Indiana? + Big Ten private equity drama gets worse
Nov 11, 2025
The podcast dives into the intense debate over the College Football Playoff rankings, specifically whether Texas A&M's recent wins should propel them ahead of Indiana. It explores Vanderbilt's surprising path to the playoff and their unique challenges this season. The discussion also shifts to Wisconsin's surprising decision to keep coach Luke Fickell amidst coaching carousel dynamics and their struggle with NIL funding. Lastly, the Big Ten's private equity drama unfolds, examining governance concerns and potential impacts on the conference's future.
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A&M's Quiet Case For A Ranking Jump
- Texas A&M's quiet, undefeated run gives them a compelling case to leapfrog Indiana in CFP rankings.
- The committee may reward recent quality road wins and momentum over purely preseason narratives.
Metric Discord Shapes Ranking Debates
- Strength-of-schedule metrics complicate direct comparisons between Indiana and A&M.
- ESPN and Sagarin disagree, but A&M scores extremely high on strength-of-record metrics used by the committee.
Be Strategic About Coach Extensions
- Athletic departments should proactively extend coaches only when alignment and resources are clear.
- Avoid reactive extensions that pay up to keep coaches and then force expensive buyouts later.
