David Hale argues college football's playoff expansion won't end outrage. The BCS era sparked fury over computer rankings. The four-team playoff created snubs like Baylor, TCU and 13-0 Florida State. The 12-team playoff was supposed to settle things, but last year the committee reverse-engineered its way off Notre Dame's Christmas card list.
Now the field may double from 12 to 24 teams. Hale says anger is like a virus that flourishes through exposure. More programs near the cutoff means more outrage. Nebraska once worried about corn futures; now the Huskers can spend a month outraged. NC State can focus on the committee instead of Dave Doeren. We'll split hairs over the best 4-4 team, with Auburn holding squatter's rights.
The committee can't distinguish between the 21st and 27th best teams. Outrage will come from Minneapolis, Starkville and Pittsburgh. Florida and South Carolina rank at No. 21 and No. 24 despite more losses than unranked SMU, Virginia Tech, Duke and Northwestern. Three-loss Oregon is in, while three-loss Illinois and Oklahoma State—who beat Oregon head to head—are unranked. Boise State checks in at No. 25.
Source: ESPN General · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing