Embrace the playoffs that put in the best teams.

We understand the outcry against Alabama making the College Football Playoffs—they are concerned Alabama will win it again. A lot of true fans hate Alabama since they win so much more than their teams. Everyone else who watches college football loves a winner, and the naysayers are jealous that their team doesn’t have as many fans as Alabama’s.

When it comes down to it, except for fans of a specific team, college football fans want to see good games. And Miami in the playoffs is not going to be a game to watch.

Miami is a team with a 0-1 record against ranked opponents (note they only played one ranked opponent) with a strength of schedule ranked 55^th according to ESPN. Alabama is a team with a 3-1 record against ranked opponents and a strength of schedule ranked 17^th according to ESPN. Really, which team do you think should be ranked above which Steven A Smith? You are a wise man, and while I have occasionally disagreed with your support for Alabama, I find it difficult to comprehend your “disgust” this time.

Why is strength of schedule so important? You can spot the non-athletes that are now football commentators with this question. Because it takes a lot out of a team. Look at how Vanderbilt stopped Alabama after they had played Georgia. Naturally, teams perform well when they face a very weak opponent. Miami played Wake Forest (4-7) and then lost to Syracuse the next week. Explain how Miami is so good if they can’t beat a team that was 28^th in the AP rankings at the time they played. Miami did not play anyone of substance.

Let’s look at the conference Miami is in. Last year, the committee selected Alabama over Florida State University. Why was that? FSU plays in an easier conference.

If you need proof, look at FSU this year. They lost some talented players, but all teams do. Did they get a new coach? Nope. So, if they are so bad this year, why would they have deserved to be in it last year? The 2023 Florida State Seminoles football team returned with 52 letter winners and 10 starters. Following Saban’s retirement, Alabama experienced a total loss of 40 players but managed to regain 9 starters. So how could they possibly win more this year than FSU if FSU was so great last year?

Last year Michigan won but not easily—they had to go into overtime in the first round to win. Their defense came up strong and stopped the quarterback of the opposing team at the three-yard line on fourth down.

The next round was pretty easy, with Michigan winning 34-13 over Washington. Remember, Washington beat Texas 37-31, and that was with Texas kicking a field goal with a little over a minute left to make it look close but not win.

 So why was the first round the only competition for Michigan? They played Alabama.

The outcry from many football commentators is not rooted in knowledge or logic. Due to the transfer portal and the NIL, college football is going to have a lot of losses by teams that play tough schedules and not many losses by teams that do not. Oregon this year has a 2-0 record against ranked opponents, but the rest of their games were against weaker opponents, which is why they have a strength of schedule of 60^th.

Should the Big Ten and SEC add a lot of teams from the ACC, what’s left of the Pac-12, and other Big 5 conferences to their conferences so they can have the easier schedules? The Big Ten and SEC have over half of the viewership for all of college football.

If you really look forward to college football season, then you accept the changes and embrace the competitive games. I applaud the CFP committee for looking past the pundits and screamers and picking out the best teams at this point.