CFB analyst says SEC bias boosts Clemson Playoff ranking |
A Fox Sports analyst says an overrated SEC is benefiting Clemson in the College Football Playoff rankings.
The Tigers came in at No. 4 this week, ahead of Oklahoma in not only the CFP rankings but also the Associated Press (No. 5) and Coaches Top 25s (No. 7). Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt disagrees with the CFP’s latest poll, swapping Alabama and Georgia at the top, followed by Notre Dame, Oklahoma then Clemson. He believes both Clemson and Auburn are overrated, and they work together to give the ACC Tigers one of the coveted top-four spots. “(SEC schools) been propped up by this committee for some reason and I think it's to give Clemson, Georgia and Alabama a better resume,” Klatt told Colin Cowherd this week. “You know of the coaches on the committee. The former coaches, most are southern, I'm just telling you.” The CFP ranking does include one more SEC team than the AP and Coaches polls, with three-loss LSU at No. 24. Mississippi State is two spots higher than those two rankings, at No. 16, but Auburn is ranked 10th in all three polls. “I just don't think we get a great interpretation with the one television partner (ESPN) that's talking about it,” Klatt said. “There's some errors in this committee ranking, and like always, we fixate on the top-4-5-6 and that's like the right hand of the magic trick. 'Hey, look over here!' What you don't know is that this committee is not just taking resumes and saying, 'Oh, what did they do?' They're also making the resumes. I've said this for a long time. They are manipulating resumes from what they do from 10-25.” ESPN has extensive ties to the SEC through its SEC Network, but also carries all five ‘Power’ conferences on Disney’s variety of networks. FOX and its FS1 and FS2 networks are limited to carrying PAC 12, Big 12 and Big Ten games. Klatt’s argument centers on a “down” SEC however, being overrated by both ESPN and the CFP committee. “Outside of the top-two, it's not even close,” the former Colorado QB said of the league, “but they've propped up Auburn and propped up Mississippi State and they've propped up LSU, who's a three-loss team that lost to Troy, and didn't rank Michigan, which is a two-loss team. That doesn't make any sense whatsoever. And they did that in part, to what? Make Clemson's resume look better.” Klatt points to Oklahoma’s resume as why they should be ranked higher. “I think Clemson is a touch overrated based on what they've done,” he said. “One is that Oklahoma, both of their road ranked wins are better than Clemson's road ranked wins. Their (Oklahoma's) loss is better. Oklahoma's offense is the first offense is in Power 5 history to be averaging 8.5(7) yards per play. The only offense in college football to do that is 2006 Hawaii. “They've got a great offense...Why would they not be No. 4? Because you prop up Auburn to No. 10 as a two-loss, you prop up LSU, you prop up Mississippi State.” Klatt calls the ESPN-SEC ties “problematic.” “I'm sure I'll catch a lot of heat for that,” Klatt said. “That's just the business of that. I think Oklahoma should be in the top-four. I think the resumes are certainly out there for everyone to look at.” For what it’s worth, ESPN’s strength of record metric calls a close race, rating Clemson, No. 3, and Oklahoma, No. 4, with Clemson facing a 46th-best remaining strength of schedule, and Oklahoma, 45th.
.@joelklatt's new Top 6:
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 7, 2017
1. Alabama
2. Georgia
3. Notre Dame
4. Oklahoma
5. Clemson
6. TCU pic.twitter.com/kZhdNeMatu
Upgrade Your Account
Unlock premium boards and exclusive features (e.g. ad-free) by upgrading your account today.
Upgrade Now
