Former Alabama and NFL quarterback/current college football analyst Greg McElroy believes the CFP selection committee's first rankings got it very wrong. Specifically, he takes exception to Indiana being eight spots ahead of Ohio State.
Citing the 19-15 Buckeyes win in Bloomington last month and Ohio State's 24-23 loss to Texas in Austin back in September, McElroy made the case that Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers didn't play a strength of schedule worthy of such a gap between IU and a team that beat IU.
“But what I’m struggling with is that we are in an era where we are trying to value strength of schedule. We’re trying to value strength of record. We’re encouraging people to play this difficult non-conference schedule," McElroy said.
"Ohio State put it all on the line in Austin, Texas, in Week 2. All on the line. They went out there and lost a close game. A game in which they actually had a lot of control over. They give up 21 points in the fourth quarter, and they lose the game.
“You remove that game. You put them up against North Texas; that’s who Indiana played. You put them against North Texas; they win that game convincingly. Now, you are looking at an Ohio State team that is 7-1 and an Indiana team that is 8-1. And Ohio State has the head-to-head. Yet, there’s eight spots between them.”
McElroy noted that the loss of Julian Sayin at quarterback explains why the committee would ding the Buckeyes that way. That is consistent with Florida State's snub in 2023 because of Jordan Travis's injury, which, of course, benefited the Crimson Tide that December.
McElroy has to put that message out there before he starts being called out for a double standard. Citing OSU's strength of schedule only strengthens Alabama's case to be No. 5. The Crimson Tide tends to be on the receiving end of favorable CFP committee selections. It's an ESPN product, after all.
Ohio State wasn't honored for how tough the Buckeyes' schedule is
Perhaps the CFP selection committee is saving its respect for the Buckeyes for after potential wins over Oregon and Northwestern over the next two weeks. The Ducks were certainly forgiven for a 4-3 start. Oregon is ranked No. 22. Perhaps the Ducks are living proof that the committee may be open to a three-loss team if enough teams lose over the next month. Ditto for South Carolina at No. 21.
Either way, as things stand, Ohio State's dominant road win over No. 19 Iowa last month feels like it's fully cancelled out by losses to No. 7 UT and No. 20 USC.
The Buckeyes were given a higher hurdle to clear than SEC teams like Alabama and Texas, which at least played a challenge this season out of conference. The Crimson Tide played a pre-firing Mike Norvell Florida State squad.
We'll see if the rankings even out throughout the month of November. The final set of conference championship games will also provide interesting data points. Frankly, controversy should be expected so that the decision-makers in the sport can justify the disappearance of championship weekend.
The respect from the CFP committee isn't there for Ohio State yet, despite being a gauntlet of epic proportions. Time will tell if it ever comes.
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