College Football Playoff: OU “Feeling The Love” But Not OSU!

The voters have shown a lot of love for OU lately and very little for OSU, even though both teams have the same record. What has Oklahoma done recently to elevate them from a team that had a chance of making the playoffs to a virtual lock to be included in the final four?

Let’s look at the meteoric rise Oklahoma has been on to see if their ranking is justified. We will begin by looking at how they were able to make it into the top ten after a terrible loss to the Texas Longhorns.

First the Oklahoma would have to make their way through Texas Tech and Kansas St. with a combined conference record of 6-11 for the season. The Sooners took care of business and were now on a roll. Next up Kansas.

The Jayhawks record at 0-12 might not seem that impressive, but they did give an FCS team, South Dakota State, quite a battle only losing 41-38. The Sooners’ 62-7 victory must have impressed the playoff committee as they moved up to number 15 in the College Football Playoff Committee rankings.

Next, Oklahoma would have to face Iowa State. Of the Cyclones’ nine losses three of them, to Toledo, Oklahoma State and Kansas State, were by a touchdown or less. No easy task for the Sooners but they prevailed 52-16 and moved up to number 12.

Now Oklahoma would have to get past Baylor, with the Bears playing a backup quarterback, to have a chance to make it in the top 10.  A 10 point win did just that. The playoff committee was so impressed with the win they moved the Sooners to number 7. Now to get into the top 4.

Playing at home against TCU, who was also playing with a backup quarterback, Oklahoma’s 30-29 win was so impressive the committee jumped the Sooners to number 3 over one loss teams Ohio State, Michigan State, Notre Dame and Undefeated Iowa.

Now all Oklahoma had left was to defeat in state rival Oklahoma State and they probably would secure a spot in the playoffs. Despite the Cowboys’ loss the week before to Baylor it could be a struggle. They were still 10-1 with most of their wins coming against FBS schools.

The Sooners also would not want Oklahoma State to keep it close until the end. The Cowboys had proved they could win a tight game, three of their wins, Iowa State, Kansas State, and Texas were by four points or less.

The Sooners prevailed in a 35 point win, scoring 55 points against the Cowboys’ 93rd ranked defense. That win may have solidified their number 3 ranking by the playoff committee.

Michigan State and Ohio State have the same record as Oklahoma, 11-1. The Spartans will be able to secure a playoff spot with a win over Iowa in the Big Ten Conference Championship Game. The Buckeyes will probably be ranked three spots behind the Sooners with no way to make up ground. Why?

Is it because Oklahoma is the Big 12 Champion, even though they didn’t have to play in a  championship game like the rest of the Power 5 conferences?  Is it because their only loss was early in the season, even if it was to a team that is 4-7? Or was the 31-24 double overtime win in a non conference game against Tennessee that put them over the top?

But if it is how you play at the end of the season that makes a difference, should the playoff committee at least take into account the Ohio State 29 point win in Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes scored 42 points against the Wolverines’ defense that is one of the best in the nation. Also, does it matter who you lost to. Ohio State lost to Michigan State and Oklahoma lost to Texas.

At the very least, since Oklahoma and Ohio State have identical records and both teams have finished their regular seasons they should be ranked close together. Then, after the championship games have been played the committee could have an honest discussion about the teams that should fill the spot or spots to round out the final four.

Last season the playoff committee did a fine job determining the four teams that deserved to play for the championship, I hope this year they will as well. But it seems they have been affected by the outcry by the Big 12 last year because their champion was not included. 

It has the feel this season like the committee decided to put the Big 12 champion in a position where it will be next to impossible to overtake them. Then, let the conference championship games sort out the other three spots.That would do away with at least one difficult decision.

Instead, let’s hope the playoff committee will do the same thing they did in 2014. They waited until every game had been played, then picked what they thought were the best four teams in the country. Hopefully this season they don’t just take the easy way out.