Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

This Sunday will be Christmas, and as families join together I am sure most of the holiday talk, especially in Alabama, will center around the College Football Playoff games that will take place a week later. However, as excited as I am to enjoy the last bit of football we get, I can’t help but feel robbed for a second straight year.

When the College Football Playoff format was introduced, it was billed as the end of controversy. With the new format, four teams would have the chance to compete for the title bringing which would seemingly mean the actual best team would be crowned. However, all the format has done is create more controversy.

Alabama will head to the playoff for the third year in a row, the only team to go all three years, and for the second straight year the Tide will face an opponent that is nothing but an appetizer to them.

I am in no way blaming the Crimson Tide. I know that they would face anybody anywhere and probably win. I am blaming the committee. Last year Michigan State found their way in thanks to a fluke win over Ohio State. This year Washington has made it in because their conference is so weak. The Huskies only challenge was against USC, a team Alabama defeated by 46 points, and the Trojans dominated them. I understand that USC was playing much better when they met Washington than when they met Alabama but still the writing is on the wall.

So on New Year’s Eve will be treated to a game, that is supposed to be on of the two biggest games of the year, that will likely be over at halftime. I know that there is no way to make everyone happy and that if the playoff is expanded to eight teams then the ninth team will just complain. However, Penn State was left out of the playoff, despite winning the Big Ten, in favor of Ohio State, a team they beat, because they had two losses. While the Nittany Lions would probably not defeat Alabama either, they posed a much bigger threat than Washington would.

My point going forward is that the committee must do a better job of putting the actual four best teams in. Penn State lost two games early but no one was playing better than them late in the year. The Lions shouldn’t have been penalized because Washington had a much easier schedule.