Post by Peebag on Dec 7, 2014 16:25:50 GMT -5
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee on Sunday put out the only rankings that matter, the final rankings, and here they are...
1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide played the best schedule of any of the contenders by any measure and only lost to Ole Miss on the road.
2. Oregon: The Ducks played a solid schedule as well, but their one loss came at home.
3. Florida State: The Seminoles schedule didn't quite measure up to the teams ahead of them, and neither did their ability to dominate their opponents, but they also didn't lose despite playing in a number of close games.
4. Ohio State: Though everyone thought it would be a close call for the committee between the Buckeyes and Baylor, that was not the case. In the end, a slightly better schedule and some big wins away from home, plus a 13th game against a ranked opponent, was the difference for Ohio State.
"With the championship game, Ohio State demonstrated that they were a total team," committee chair and Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said. "They did overcome replacing two quarterbacks, and that's a tremendous statement about the quality of their team. With a conference championship in the Big Ten, with a win over the Western Division champion, Wisconsin, it was decisive for Ohio State to move into that fourth spot."
In regard to Baylor and TCU, which respectively finished at No. 5 and No. 6 in the final rankings, Long said the Big 12 gave the committee both teams as co-champions, a fact that was weighed and evaluated.
In the end though, it was Ohio State that earned itself the final spot over both teams. Long said Alabama, Oregon and Florida State were all "clear-cut" in the first three slots, with Ohio State easily grabbing the last spot.
Ultimately, Baylor over TCU was also decided by one factor.
"It came down, with TCU and Baylor, that debate of strength of schedule versus head-to-head. In this case, head-to-head was the deciding factor between Baylor and TCU,” Long said.
No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Ohio State will meet in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 8:30 p.m. Earlier that day at 5 p.m., No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 Florida State will square off in the Rose Bowl.
1. Alabama: The Crimson Tide played the best schedule of any of the contenders by any measure and only lost to Ole Miss on the road.
2. Oregon: The Ducks played a solid schedule as well, but their one loss came at home.
3. Florida State: The Seminoles schedule didn't quite measure up to the teams ahead of them, and neither did their ability to dominate their opponents, but they also didn't lose despite playing in a number of close games.
4. Ohio State: Though everyone thought it would be a close call for the committee between the Buckeyes and Baylor, that was not the case. In the end, a slightly better schedule and some big wins away from home, plus a 13th game against a ranked opponent, was the difference for Ohio State.
"With the championship game, Ohio State demonstrated that they were a total team," committee chair and Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long said. "They did overcome replacing two quarterbacks, and that's a tremendous statement about the quality of their team. With a conference championship in the Big Ten, with a win over the Western Division champion, Wisconsin, it was decisive for Ohio State to move into that fourth spot."
In regard to Baylor and TCU, which respectively finished at No. 5 and No. 6 in the final rankings, Long said the Big 12 gave the committee both teams as co-champions, a fact that was weighed and evaluated.
In the end though, it was Ohio State that earned itself the final spot over both teams. Long said Alabama, Oregon and Florida State were all "clear-cut" in the first three slots, with Ohio State easily grabbing the last spot.
Ultimately, Baylor over TCU was also decided by one factor.
"It came down, with TCU and Baylor, that debate of strength of schedule versus head-to-head. In this case, head-to-head was the deciding factor between Baylor and TCU,” Long said.
No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Ohio State will meet in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 8:30 p.m. Earlier that day at 5 p.m., No. 2 Oregon and No. 3 Florida State will square off in the Rose Bowl.
