The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast Final College Football Playoff Rankings are here: did the Committee get it right?
Dec 9, 2024
The final College Football Playoff Rankings lead to heated discussions about team seeding and the committee's choices. Joel Klatt breaks down the decision to select SMU over Alabama and evaluates the logic behind prioritizing conference championships. He critiques the disadvantage faced by teams like Ohio State and Tennessee, while Oregon finds itself with a tough path despite its top seed. The episode also delves into the upcoming changes in the playoff format and the ongoing debates about fairness in rankings amid shifting conference dynamics.
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Playoff Format: A Renovation, Not Revolution
- The 12-team playoff format is a renovation, not a new system, built by the same people who created the Bowl Alliance, BCS, and 4-team playoff.
- This renovation tries to accommodate existing bowl games and conferences, leading to compromises and self-interest protection.
Conference Championship Games: Value Retention vs. Opportunity Cost
- Conferences insisted on retaining the value of their championship games, leading to automatic byes for top four champions.
- This decision, while protecting conference interests, creates ripple effects and opportunity costs.
Flawed Format: Top Seeds Disadvantaged
- The format is flawed because the top two seeds face tougher second-round games than lower seeds, despite having first-round byes.
- This is a consequence of prioritizing conference championship byes.