Why Georgia shouldn’t be No. 1 in the CFP Rankings
Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz explains why the two-time defending champion Bulldogs shouldn’t be at the top of the College Football Playoff Rankings and who he has on the outside looking in after Week 9.
Video Transcript
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JASON FITZ: Georgia can't and shouldn't be the number one team in all the land when the College Football Playoff Committee releases their initial rankings. I'll tell you why and how I would do it. See, I've sat through the mock committee. And in that process, you learn what the committee is instructed. The committee is specifically instructed that past performance cannot be factored into the current season.
So if your answer is they're a two-time defending national champion, that literally cannot be part of the conversation. They can only look at this year's results. Based on this year's results, Ohio State is clearly the number one team in every metric.
Their strength of resume is number one. Their game control is number two. It hasn't always looked pretty, but those analytics show that they belong in the top of the land.
And Florida State comes in at number two, arguably the same reason. At least in the games they've needed to play against better opponents, they've done what they need to do. Number two strength of resume, number eight game control, these things matter.
That's why Michigan comes in at number three. Their strength of schedule is absolutely awful, it's 111th. But their game control in that process is number one. What's that tell you? It tells you they've absolutely demolished the bad teams they've faced.
Georgia can't say the same. Georgia's strength of schedule is virtually the same. It's number 100. But their game control has been absolutely less. Their game control is number nine right now. That shows you Georgia hasn't been as dominant in those games.
You factor that plus the Brock Bowers injury, I think the committee should absolutely play Georgia down. That means Washington sits as the first team out of this conversation. I would have loved to have put them in the top four. But after what they showed us on film Saturday, I don't think the committee or myself can justify that. So they're on the outside, looking in with time to make up that ground.
At number six, Oregon, my favorite of the one-loss teams. And it's not just for who they've beaten, it's also for who they've lost to. The committee always values a quality loss. And there is no better loss anywhere on anybody's resume than losing to Washington, who I just told you is number five.