RAHL REVIEWS WEEK 16 CFB TOP 25 RANKINGS
What are we doing? The Selection Committee has had reason to be criticized almost every single year since its inception. The public has cried out for changes, mainly for more respect to be shown toward teams who are not considered “blue blood” programs, and for the G5 teams as well. Yet the Committee continues to operate in the same buffoonish manner. As a matter of fact, they may have gotten worse. This latest batch of rankings have been met with widespread criticism online from both fans and professional writers. I am currently writing this just a few hours after the rankings were unveiled, so I’m sure I can expect even more criticism tomorrow on talk shows and in newspapers. By far the biggest issue with the rankings is where the Cincinnati Bearcats were placed. The Bearcats have dropped from #7 to #9 over the past few weeks despite being 8-0. They have been passed over by two teams with 2 losses (Iowa State, Georgia). Both teams have lost at least 1 game by 17 or more. To add to this insult, the Committee kept Florida above Cincinnati this week even after they suffered their 2nd loss as well – to a team with a losing record no less. So, what is the reasoning for this? I can only see 2 possible reasons for dropping Cincinnati, neither of which are acceptable. The Committee could be punishing them because they have not seen the field in weeks due to COVID. Another reason could be that Cincinnati is a Group of 5 team, so they are not seen as a “premier” or elite program, therefore giving these 2-loss Power 5 teams the benefit of the doubt. Both of those lines of thought are flawed. Punishing a team for taking precautions during a pandemic just shows a lack of morals. Cincinnati postponing games because of the Coronavirus has no bearing on how good of a football team they are. Punishing them for the conference they are in just sends a horrible message. What are these Group of 5 teams playing for if they can go undefeated and not sniff the playoff? It is time to address this. An 8-team playoff has never seemed more inevitable than it does right now.
As always, contact the Rahl Reviews sports staff on Twitter (@RahlBets) to give us any feedback or suggestions that you may have regarding our Top 25! We look forward to hearing your remarks! Enjoy!
1. ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE (10-0) CFP RANK: 1
The Tide rolls on in Tuscaloosa. After a somewhat sluggish few possessions to begin the game, Alabama took a 10-3 lead on a punt returned for a TD by WR Devonta Smith with 3 minutes left in the 1st quarter. The Tide would soon take control of the game, cruising to a 52-3 victory. They now look ahead to the SEC Championship game against Florida. A win there would send Alabama into the College Football Playoff. This may also end up being a statement game for QB Mac Jones’ Heisman campaign as he and his counterpart, Florida QB Kyle Trask, are thought to be the top 2 contenders for the prestigious award.
THIS WEEK: vs #11 Florida (SEC Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Alabama -17 / 74.5
2. NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH (10-0) CFP RANK: 2
The rematch is on! Notre Dame will once again take on Clemson. Only this time on a neutral field and the Irish will be tasked with stopping QB Trevor Lawrence instead of true-freshman QB DJ Uiagalelei. These two factors increase the difficulty of beating Dabo Swinney’s team by a large margin. It will be interesting to see how much that will sway things.
THIS WEEK: vs #4 Clemson (ACC Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Notre Dame +10.5 / 60
3. OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (5-0) CFP RANK: 4
After “The Game” was canceled, some rules had to be bent for Ohio State to play in the Big Ten Championship game. Sure, there will be backlash, but it was the right thing to do if the goal was to get the best team from the East division into the title game. The Buckeyes will look to cruise through Northwestern to a playoff berth.
THIS WEEK: vs #14 Northwestern (Big Ten Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Ohio State -20.5 / 57
4. CLEMSON TIGERS (9-1) CFP RANK: 3
For Dabo Swinney & company it is time for revenge. A double-overtime loss in South Bend tarnished Clemson’s record. They will now look to avenge that loss. It will be interesting to see just how big of a difference QB Trevor Lawrence will make in this matchup. A win here would surely lock up a playoff berth for Clemson, meaning Lawrence would play in the College Football Playoff in all 3 of his college seasons.
THIS WEEK: vs #2 Notre Dame (ACC Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Clemson -10.5 / 60
5. TEXAS A&M AGGIES (7-1) CFP RANK: 5
After their game against Ole Miss being postponed on Saturday, the Aggies will now look ahead to Tennessee, as they will try to finish their regular season off with a victory in Knoxville. Jimbo Fisher’s team is still in the hunt for a playoff berth, but they need some help. The Aggies will be doing some scoreboard watching in hopes that Ohio State falls to Northwestern, or that Clemson is handed a 2nd loss, either of which could possibly secure them a spot in the top 4.
THIS WEEK: at Tennessee
GAME LINES: Texas A&M -14 / 51.5
6. CINCINNATI BEARCATS (8-0) CFP RANK: 9
Bearcats fans have a legitimate grievance on their hands with the new CFP Rankings. Cincinnati is undefeated. Yet over the past 2 weeks, they have been passed over by Iowa State & Georgia, both of which are 2-loss teams… and it gets worse. The Florida Gators lost to a sub-.500 LSU team on Saturday for their 2nd loss on the season. Yet they also were ranked above Cincinnati in the poll, dropping only 1 spot. Something needs to be done with this system. It has its drawbacks, but the 8-team playoff seems like the logical move to fix this. Now I am not saying that I believe Cincinnati is one of the 4 best teams in the country, but in my opinion, they have earned the right to try and prove that they are.
THIS WEEK: vs #21 Tulsa (AAC Championship)
GAME LINES: Cincinnati -14 / 45.5
7. IOWA STATE CYCLONES (8-2) CFP RANK: 6
I mentioned that Texas A&M will be doing some scoreboard watching; the same situation applies to Iowa State. Of course, they will have to handle business on their end and defeat Oklahoma for a 2nd time this season, which is no easy task. After that, and if the dominos fall correctly, both Iowa State’s and Texas A&M’s fates will be in the hands of the Selection Committee.
THIS WEEK: vs #9 Oklahoma (Big 12 Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Iowa State +5.5 / 58
8. INDIANA HOOSIERS (6-1) CFP RANK: 11
Do Hoosiers fans have a right to be upset that Ohio State was placed in the Big Ten Championship even though they did not meet the number of games requirement? Sure, I would say they do. However, I like to think that if I were a Hoosiers fan that I could be objective enough to admit that Ohio State was the better team, considering they won the heads-up meeting. But still, I would imagine that it is a tough pill to swallow.
THIS WEEK: PPD
GAME LINES: N/A
9. OKLAHOMA SOONERS (7-2) CFP RANK: 10
The Sooners will be looking to avenge their loss to Iowa State this weekend when the two teams meet again to play for the Big 12 Championship. Iowa State won the first matchup by a touchdown. They secured the victory when they picked off QB Spencer Rattler on the would-be game-tying drive. Both Rattler and Iowa State QB Brock Purdy have improved their play since the meeting, so there could potentially be fireworks in this showdown in Arlington.
THIS WEEK: vs #7 Iowa State (Big 12 Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Oklahoma -5.5 / 58
10. COASTAL CAROLINA CHANTICLEERS (11-0) CFP RANK: 12
How surprising is it to see a Sun Belt Conference team in the top 10 this late in the season? I would imagine very. The Chanticleers have done more than enough to earn this position. They have 2 victories over ranked teams, including a victory over a BYU team who was in the top 10 of these rankings. Coastal will look to cap off a perfect season this Saturday when they meet Louisiana in the Sun Belt Conference Championship. It is worth mentioning that the Chants already defeated Louisiana by 3 on the road this season.
THIS WEEK: vs #20 Louisiana (Sun Belt Championship)
GAME LINES: Coastal Carolina -3.5 / 55
11. FLORIDA GATORS (8-2) CFP RANK: 7
Wow. There is so much to dissect from Florida’s 37-34 loss to LSU in The Swamp on Saturday. First off, Marco Wilson – what on Earth was he thinking? In a tied game with a little over 2 minutes remaining, Florida had forced a 3 & out and should have been receiving a punt, which would have set the stage for a last-minute Gators victory which would keep their playoff hopes alive. Enter Wilson – after the tackle, the Florida DB took the shoe of an LSU tight end and proceeded to “throw it 20 yards down the field” according to the referee. This resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that kept LSU’s drive alive. They would proceed down the field and K Cade York would eventually drill a 57-yard FG for the lead with 23 seconds left. QB Kyle Trask got the Gators into field goal range, but K Evan McPherson’s 51-yard attempt would sail wide left, along with the Gators playoff hopes. Standout TE Kyle Pitts did not play in this game. You have to wonder if that could have been a difference-maker.
THIS WEEK: vs #1 Alabama (SEC Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Florida +17 / 74.5
12. GEORGIA BULLDOGS (7-2) CFP RANK: 8
The Dawgs capped off their regular season by cruising to a 49-14 victory over Missouri. QB JT Daniels threw for 299 yards and 3 TDs, while RB Zamir White ran for 126 yards and 1 TD. This season may not have played out as Georgia fans wanted it to, but there is a ton of promise heading into next season.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
13. USC TROJANS (5-0) CFP RANK: 13
This Trojans team is tough to judge. Sure, they are undefeated. They have not played a ranked team yet, however. They keep finding a way to do what they need to, though. On Saturday, the Trojans found themselves down 2 against UCLA after the Bruins kicked a go-ahead field goal with less than a minute to play. USC would return the ensuing kickoff to the UCLA 43. On the first play of the drive QB Kedon Slovis threw a 35-yard completion, followed by an 8-yard completion for the game-winning TD. The Trojans will have an opportunity to go undefeated and be crowned the PAC-12 champs this Saturday in the Conference Championship against Oregon.
THIS WEEK: vs Oregon (12/18 PAC-12 Championship)
GAME LINES: USC -3 / 62.5
14. NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS (6-1) CFP RANK: 14
Northwestern’s defense is continuing to hold strong at a time that they really need it to. They surrendered only 1 TD on Saturday against Illinois, which helped them secure a 28-10 victory. That stout Wildcat defense will face its toughest test of the season on Saturday when they face #3 Ohio State for the Big Ten title in Indianapolis.
THIS WEEK: vs #3 Ohio State (Big Ten Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Northwestern +20.5 / 57
15. BYU COUGARS (10-1) CFP RANK: 17
This was a bounce-back week for the Cougars after their loss to Coastal Carolina. It looked like there may have been somewhat of a hangover from the loss, as the Cougars were down 14-7 after the 1st quarter. They would quickly right the ship, however, as they did not allow the Aztecs to score again, while they cruised to a 28-14 victory.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
16. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (8-3) CFP RANK: 15
Hats off to the North Carolina run game. Hats off to North Carolina in general, actually. The Tar Heels dominated their game against #8 Miami from start to finish. As a matter of fact, to say they dominated may be an understatement. The Tar Heels thrashed the Hurricanes from start to finish, eventually winning the game 62-26. After allowing a field goal on the first possession of the game, North Carolina would then score the next 34 points and would take a 34-10 lead into halftime. They would then win the 2nd half 28-16. Miami did not have an answer for North Carolina’s run game. The Tar Heels rushed for 554 yards, a staggering amount. RB Michael Carter was the star of the game, running for 308 of those yards and scoring 2 TDs. QB Sam Howell made his presence felt as well, throwing for 223 yards and 1 TD on 14 completions. Afterward, he would show the fans a downturned “U”.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
17. MIAMI HURRICANES (8-2) CFP RANK: 18
As you may have just read in North Carolina’s overview, the Hurricanes had a horrendous game, especially on defense. It was shocking to see Miami give up this many points and yards, as they typically field one of the most respected defenses in the ACC. It’s a toss-up in regard to the most embarrassing performance in the Sunshine State on Saturday. That title has to go to either Florida DB Marco Wilson’s shoe toss or Miami’s run defense. Flip a coin.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
18. BUFFALO BULLS (5-0) CFP RANK: N/R
The Buffalo Bulls are a team that makes me wish this were a normal season, with teams playing full schedules. I am extremely curious as to how this team would hold up over 12-14 games. Buffalo has run through everyone they have played. Literally. They are #1 in the nation in rush yards per game. None of their 5 victories have come by less than 19 points. They will look to continue this “run” in the MAC Championship game on Friday night when they take on Ball State in Detroit.
THIS WEEK: vs Ball State (12/18 MAC Championship – Neutral Site)
GAME LINES: Buffalo -13.5 / 67.5
19. IOWA HAWKEYES (6-2) CFP RANK: 16
After a sluggish start to the season, the Hawkeyes are still rolling. They won their 6th straight game on Saturday when they defeated #22 Wisconsin 28-7. Their 1-point loss to Northwestern in their 2nd game kept them out of the Big Ten Championship, which is probably a tough pill to swallow. They will look to end their regular season on a high note, however, as they will take on Michigan this Saturday.
THIS WEEK: PPD
GAME LINES: N/A
20. LOUISIANA RAGIN CAJUNS (9-1) CFP RANK: 19
It is redemption week for Louisiana. They will face #10 Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Championship on Saturday, looking to return the loss that Coastal handed them in the regular season. Even if they fail to do so, this season has been a great success for this team. Louisiana, along with Coastal, has garnered much respect for the Group of 5 Sun Belt Conference with their play this season.
THIS WEEK: at #10 Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt Championship)
GAME LINES: Louisiana +3.5 / 55
21. TULSA GOLDEN HURRICANE (6-1) CFP RANK: 23
Tulsa will meet their 3rd top-15 team of the season on Saturday when they meet #6 Cincinnati for the AAC Championship in Cincinnati. They are 1-1 in their previous 2 games against top-15 teams. They also boast a win against a ranked SMU squad. They will look to play spoiler against a Cincinnati team who has long-shot playoff hopes.
THIS WEEK: at #6 Cincinnati (AAC Championship)
GAME LINES: Tulsa +14 / 45.5
22. TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-3) CFP RANK: 20
The Longhorns are in wait-and-see mode this week. Believe it or not, the Longhorns still have a path to the Big 12 Championship. While I believe it unlikely to happen, Texas would be the replacement team if either Oklahoma or Iowa State have to withdraw from the game due to COVID-19 issues. Beyond that, they are also waiting for their bowl invitation.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
23. OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (7-3) CFP RANK: 21
Oklahoma State earned some attention this weekend when they went into Waco and steamrolled through Baylor. The 42-3 victory gave them some confidence as they head into bowl season. The Cowboys’ hopes of winning a bowl game took a hit, however, when star RB Chuba Hubbard announced before the Baylor game that he would be opting out to focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
24. LIBERTY FLAMES (9-1) CFP RANK: N/R
After ending the regular season, the Flames have been taking their time off to prepare for the future. Along with preparing for a bowl invitation, it seems that they are also preparing contingency plans in case head coach Hugh Freeze is lured away from the program. After speculation that Freeze may be a top candidate for the Auburn job, it was said that former Baylor coach Art Briles would be targeted as Freeze’s replacement.
THIS WEEK: None
GAME LINES: N/A
25. NORTH CAROLINA STATE WOLFPACK (8-3) CFP RANK: 22
This is a team that has been flying under the radar for much of the season. The Wolfpack’s record is quite admirable for a team who played 5 of their 10 games against AP-ranked opponents. To win 8 games with a schedule like that is an achievement for a team who, in the preseason, was expected to be in the middle of the pack in the ACC. It is also worth mentioning that NC State was at least a 7-point underdog in their 3 losses.
