Bias toward SEC finally shows in CFP rankings

It took four weeks, but it finally happened.

The Southeastern Conference bias struck the College Football Playoff rankings.

Alabama now sits atop the playoff committee’s Top 25, which is slightly more scandalous than Mississippi State remaining in the top four after falling to the Crimson Tide on Saturday.

It’s true that there are games to play and that these things have a way of working themselves out over time, but the message the committee sent on Tuesday with a top four of Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Mississippi State is fairly alarming.

For this week’s reaction, we will play a little point-counterpoint with selection committee chairman Jeff Long.

Point: Long said Alabama rose from No. 5 to No. 1 because of its “decisive” victory against Mississippi State and that the committee views the Crimson Tide as the nation’s most complete team on “offense, defense and the kicking game.”

Counterpoint: Is this guy serious?

In the next breath, Long said Mississippi State didn’t fall from the top four because it remained “within striking distance” to the end against Alabama and that “you never felt Mississippi State was out of it.”

How can any win be decisive when the other guys are within striking distance until the end and you never think they’re out of it?

Decisive is 28-3. It’s not 25-20.

Who in the world is preparing Long for these questions?

Also, how can a team (Alabama) that ranks second in defense, 40th in offense and 97th in special teams efficiency nationally be the country’s most complete outfit? I would think Baylor (No. 1 in offense and 19th in defense) might argue the point.

Heck, UNLV ranks 64th (33 spots ahead of mighty Alabama) in special teams efficiency and, God bless coach Bobby Hauck, but the poor Hauckster kid should have given up coaching that portion of the game years ago.

Alabama, which ranks 50th or worse in punting and punt returns, is as much the nation’s most complete team as UNLV is the Mountain West’s best at anything.

Point: Long then stated that Mississippi State also remained in the top four because of its overall resume.

Counterpoint: You mean the one with wins over Louisiana State, Texas A&M and Auburn, which now have a combined 11 losses? You mean the Mississippi State that counts as a quality win its defeat of an LSU side that has four losses and was just shut out by an Arkansas team that is 1-13 in its past 14 SEC games?

Quality sure isn’t what it used to be.

Point: Long said Florida State remained No. 3 and Texas Christian dropped from No. 4 to No. 5 because of: 1) The body of work by the Seminoles and how they have not controlled games; and 2) that TCU had to rally to beat a three-win Kansas team.

Counterpoint: I suppose that means winning every game you play (Florida State) doesn’t hold much weight with the committee and that margin of victory is absolutely a criteria it will use, which is foolish but suggests we all wager the mortgage and lay the 27½ with Baylor against Oklahoma State this week.

By the way, what does “control the game” even mean?

Isn’t the objective to win?

How is that not the most important thing in the minds of 12 committee members?

Point: There are games to play. This isn’t over.

Counterpoint: I’m decisive in the above opinion, even though I have a feeling the chance of two SEC teams making the playoff will remain within striking distance to the end and that no one from that conference will ever really be out of it.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on “Gridlock,” ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.