ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum didn’t hold back his frustration over the unveiling of the updated CFB Playoff rankings.
Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up, Finebaum sharply criticized several aspects of the rankings. His biggest issue was the selection committee’s decision to drop Georgia to No. 12 after the Bulldogs’ 28-10 loss to Ole Miss.
With Georgia currently outside the playoff picture, Finebaum branded the rankings a “travesty.”
Despite Georgia boasting the country’s toughest strength of schedule and having an impressive resume which includes victories over Clemson and Texas, the Bulldogs’ recent loss sent them tumbling down the rankings.
Under the current system, this placement would exclude them from a playoff spot, with No. 13 Boise State earning an automatic bid as the top Group of Five program.
Get Up host Mike Greenberg voiced his dismay at the ranking system before inviting Finebaum to weigh in, stating, “Georgia has the nation’s toughest strength of schedule and the third-best strength of record.”
Greenberg went on to label the rankings a “mockery” for overlooking the Bulldogs’ strong credentials.
Finebaum’s response was blunt and impassioned: “What the committee said last night was a complete travesty. There’s no getting around it. And I know they work hard. They sit in a room at a five-star resort, ordering caviar and champagne, and sit around and talk about college football – where they have 4,000 numbers to look at. So, I don’t know how they came up with these numbers.”
Finebaum detailed Georgia’s grueling schedule, pointing out their dominant win over Clemson to open the year and hard-fought road games, including a significant victory against Texas which can’t possibly be overstated.
Georgia’s two close losses came on the road against playoff-contending teams, Alabama and Ole Miss.
Despite the shock at the low ranking, Finebaum acknowledged that as long as Kirby Smart’s team takes care of business going forward, they’ll be okay…
“They’ll play Tennessee this weekend, and if they win, they’ll probably end up in the committee’s good graces,” Finebaum said. “But how the committee can disrespect them and put schools like Penn State? Are you serious? What has Penn State done this year?”
With Georgia set to face No. 7 Tennessee on Saturday, Finebaum believes a win could reestablish their playoff prospects.
Yet he couldn’t mask his frustration with the current standings: “There’s no justification for where Georgia is now. I know I’m getting excited because there’s still three weeks to go, but how can you not be outraged at what we heard?”
Again, as long as Georgia wins out there’s no way they can possibly be left out of the playoffs.
However, these latest rankings have done nothing but add fuel to the fire for those who feel that the committee has no idea what they’re doing.
What are your thoughts on Finebaum’s comments?
More importantly, how do YOU feel about the latest rankings? … Who got screwed the most???
