The College Football Playoff selection committee is supposed to take head-to-head results into strong consideration when ranking teams. The committee is also supposed to pay attention to strength of schedule. The debut of the committee’s top 25 ranking proved this logic prevailed for the most part, although there were some minor exceptions. Baylor trailing TCU by six spots may have been the most egregious, considering the BEars rallied from 21 points in the fourth quarter to send TCU home with a loss.
So Baylor fans might be asking what gives? It’s the scheduling Baylor has organized. It ain’t pretty, and it cost them. College Football Playoff selection committee chair Jeff Long, Athletics Director at Arkansas, set the record straight following the release of the rankings with a small media contingent. Why was Baylor ranked behind TCU?Long on TCU-Baylor: “It goes back to who the teams have played at this point. Baylor has not had a strong schedule outside of win over TCU.”
— Chuck Carlton (@ChuckCarltonDMN) October 29, 2014
It is just one ranking, with many more to come as the season continues to sort itself out on the field, but the tone has now been established. The committee is going to take a hard look at schedule strength. Teams taking the easy way out with a weak non-conference schedule will have to do a little more to receive votes from the committee. Baylor may also want to take a second look at some upcoming non-conference schedules to see if anything can be done to add a little more something to it.
Mississippi State’s and Ole Miss’ non-conference schedules aren’t great, but they are a ton better than Baylor’s. Not close.
— TomahawkNation.com (@TomahawkNation) October 29, 2014
And let this not be a lesson just for Baylor, and let this not serve as a way to pile on Baylor. This can be a lesson for all schools moving forward.