College Football Playoff 2018: Did The Ohio State Buckeyes Get Robbed By The CFP Selection Committee?
Despite the Ohio State Buckeyes' (11-2) win over Wisconsin (12-1), 27-21, in Saturday's Big Ten championship game, it wasn't enough to get into the College Football Playoff. On Sunday, the CFP selection committee announced Clemson (12-1), Oklahoma (12-1), Georgia (12-1) and Alabama (11-1) as the four teams.
Clemson, the top seed, will face No. 4 Alabama in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, while No. 2 Oklahoma will play No. 3 Georgia in the Rose Bowl. The winners will meet in Atlanta on Jan. 8 to decide the national title.
It was Alabama that got the nod as the fourth team over Ohio State. The Crimson Tide barely edged Ohio State despite failing to reach the SEC title game.
Did Ohio State deserve to get in over Alabama? Some would argue that Buckeyes deserved to reach the CFP because they won the Big Ten title and defeated a Wisconsin squad that was undefeated. Ohio State also defeated Penn State (10-2), who were ranked No. 2 at the time, and played a tough schedule.
A knock against Alabama is their nonconference schedule. Nick Saban's squad faced Florida State (6-6) on a neutral site, while defeating Fresno State (9-4), Colorado State (7-5) and Mercer (5-6) at home. Alabama faced Mercer the week before they suffered their lone loss to Auburn, 26-14. Alabama only had four road games, and one of them was against lowly Vanderbilt (5-7).
But it is hard to argue against Alabama when using "the eye test." The Crimson Tide were No. 1 for almost the entire season and their lone loss was on the road against then-No. 6 Auburn on Nov. 25. In the Associated Press poll, Alabama finished with 1,307 points compared to Ohio State's 1,300. In the Coaches Poll, Alabama has 1,312 points, while Ohio State has 1,298.
Meanwhile, Ohio State's 31-16 loss to Oklahoma on Sept. 9 was at home. But more discouraging was a convincing road defeat to Iowa (7-5), 55-24, on Nov. 4. The committee likely judged that defeat as too glaring to overlook.
Though a case can certainly be made for Ohio State, Alabama likely deserved to get in.
There is just no way that someone can convince me that Alabama could play Ohio State’s schedule this year and not finish either 12-0 or 11-1.
— Peter Burns (@PeterBurnsESPN) December 3, 2017
ZERO way they would have 2 losses and give up 55 points in a 31 point loss to an average Iowa team.
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