College Football Playoff Rankings: Alabama vs. UCLA Debate

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Playoff Debate Centers on SEC Bias, UCLA, Tennessee and Notre Dame

The college football playoff rankings sparked a debate over Alabama being ranked ahead of undefeated UCLA. While Alabama faces stronger competition, the discussion questioned whether strength of schedule receives too much weight and whether SEC teams benefit from bias in the rankings.

The matchup between Utah and BYU was identified as a game that could determine which team remains in playoff contention. Wake Forest was viewed as unlikely to make the field, while Kentucky and UCLA were considered possible playoff teams.

UCLA’s path would require taking care of Minnesota and finishing with a win over USC. A loss to UCLA would also damage USC’s playoff chances. Elsewhere in the rankings, Ohio State was viewed as unlikely to sneak in, while LSU could potentially move ahead of Ole Miss.

Tennessee generated disagreement. One view was that Tennessee’s fans would have a legitimate complaint if the team missed the playoff, while another argued that few people outside Tennessee would be upset. That led to a comparison between one-loss Tennessee and two-loss Notre Dame, with the expectation that Notre Dame would receive the spot.

Notre Dame’s schedule and past playoff performances were questioned, but its national appeal was presented as a major advantage. The discussion argued that the committee is also making business decisions and that teams such as Notre Dame and Alabama attract television audiences and sell out stadiums wherever they play.

Kentucky and UCLA were described as programs enjoying unusually strong seasons that should not be pushed aside. However, Kentucky was placed in a different category because of the style of its victories. UCLA was credited with winning through discipline, while Kentucky’s offense was praised for producing style points and resembling the offense Oregon was expected to have.