College Football Rankings Spark Debate: Is the SEC Really Favored?

The college football playoff committee has released its first rankings, and fans are already up in arms. Ohio State is sitting pretty at number one, with Indiana close behind at number two. But the real talk is about the SEC, which has a whopping seven teams in the mix. People are scratching their heads over Texas, who still has a shot at the playoffs despite losing to Florida. Meanwhile, Kirk Herbstreit is standing by the committee, saying they're just doing their job. Herbstreit, who's no stranger to football, points out that everyone has their own way of looking at things. He admits he's not part of the committee, but he gets why they make the calls they do. Fans are especially upset about Oregon being ranked ninth, thanks to that one loss to Indiana. But Herbstreit says the committee has their reasons, and everyone's got a case to make. Coaches aren't happy either. Lane Kiffin took a jab at the committee after they ranked Indiana above his team, only for Indiana to lose to Notre Dame. And let's not forget the Alabama fans who were furious when their team missed the playoffs last season. It's all part of the game, though. Before the rankings even dropped, people were talking about SEC bias. Danny Kanell, a Florida State alum, called out a controversial call in the Georgia vs. Florida game. He said it was a move to keep Georgia's championship hopes alive. But Herbstreit wasn't having it. He fired back, saying the polls—coaches, AP, and CFP—all show the SEC teams are just plain good. He even said he'd love to see the Big Ten dominate, but the facts are the facts. Herbstreit made it clear: rankings are based on what happens on the field, not favoritism. And the numbers back him up. The SEC has nine teams in the top 25 in both the AP and coaches polls, while the Big Ten has six, the Big 12 has five, and the ACC has four. As the season winds down, fans are divided, but Herbstreit is keeping it real.