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SEC Sports
NORMAN, Okla. ā The College Football Playoff Selection Committeeās impression of the Big 12 Conference seems to be twofold. They donāt appear to consider either of the leagueās lead dogs, OU and Baylor, a national title contender. Yet, they do appear to value the depth of the league.
The Sooners and Bears checked in at Nos. 10 and 13, respectively, in the second CFP rankings release this week. Both are behind leaders of every other Power Five conference. But theyāre joined by fellow league members Texas (No. 19), Oklahoma State (No. 22) and Kansas State (No. 24), making for half the teams in the Top 25.
While all of them are ranked No. 12 or higher, thatās as many as the SEC. Thatās just one fewer than the Big Tenās six. Itās three more than the Pac 12, who boasts only No. 6 Oregon and No. 7 Utah. Itās four more than the ACC, who saw its lone representative other than third-ranked Clemson, Wake Forest, take a tumble out after a loss at Virginia Tech.
Still, thereās a general thought that given the committeeās apparent lack of respect for Baylor it would behoove OU to win a close one in Waco this weekend. Perhaps that would demonstrate OUās ability to win a tough ranked game in a road environment, but also validate Baylor as the current, strong 9-0 team it is.
Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley, though, isnāt sure if thatās necessarily the case.
āMaybe, maybe not,ā Riley said. āI still think the playoff dealās still new enough that I donāt know that we know yet.ā
Upon offering that statement, Riley then got into some interesting discussion. Letās just say heās not buying the importance of the rankings at this very moment.
āI know why they do it,ā Riley said. āThey do it to build it up and TV and all that, and I get it from that perspective. But, to me, they shouldnāt do the playoff rankings until [the end]. They should just show them at the very end, and hereās whoās going, because who cares right now? Youāve got all the biggest and best games. Youāve got all the conference championship games. I mean, nobody knows.
āAnd so thatās how Iāve looked at it. Iāve looked at it that way the last several years, and weāve lost a game in the middle of the year and everybodyās told me, āWell, you aināt going to the playoff now and no way this happens.ā [I respond], āOK, just keeping winning.ā You know, and thatās what youāve got to do.ā
Itās a formula that, as OUās third-year head coach pointed out, has worked out quite nicely for the Crimson and Cream the past few seasons. In 2015, the Sooners responded from a loss to Texas with seven straight victories to close the regular season. In 2017, they responded with eight straight coming off their lone setback against Iowa State. Last year, they similarly responded with seven consecutive wins after their Red River Showdown defeat. The end result every time: a College Football Playoff berth.
āItāll be interesting to see how the playoff system continues to play out and as you get more years under its belt and more times to evaluate it,ā Riley said. āBut I do know this: Go back and look at where all those playoff rankings were week seven, eight, nine the last few years and look how it finished. You know, itās probably quite a bit different. Just the challenge for all of us is you canāt get caught up in it because it doesnāt matter now. You have to just go find a way and just find a way.
āAnd last year even after we beat Kansas here and we didnāt play very good, and Kansas wasnāt very good last year, and we beat them here, and everybodyās like, āWell, you barely beat a Kansas team that had struggled and no way.ā Again, it just plays out.ā
The Sooners, as mentioned, are in familiar territory. Theyāve dropped a game and thus have no margin for error and must win out, and they need some help in the process. But even if it comes down to a battle with the Oregon/Utah Pac 12 winner, theyāll have some potential solid resume boosts down the stretch, with four possible Top 25 wins, as it stands.
āI donāt know if people on the outside understand how strong this conference is right now,ā Riley said. āThis conference is as good as itās been in a long time top to bottom, and this conference, I think, has beat up on each other a little bit and will continue to, which is a sign of a healthy, really darn good, competitive conference. And thereās obviously a lot of big, important games coming up.ā
With all that said, Riley reiterated heād prefer full disclosure at the end and none of what comes in between. The full disclosure at the end, by the way, has been mighty kind to the Crimson and Cream.
āIt would not change what I do, except Iād have to answer less questions leading up to it,ā Riley said. āHonestly, it would not change, not one thing about [it]. I mean, I literally think about it none. Iāve never watched the show. I donāt. I know people probably donāt believe you. Coaches say they donāt read the paper; they donāt believe them. I do not care because weāve just got to win, and just win and try to win each week, and then weāll look up and see where weāre at.ā
With three games remaining, and then a potential Big 12 Championship Game after that, there are several games to win. The first one is at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at McLane Stadium in Waco against the Bears.
The Sooners and Bears checked in at Nos. 10 and 13, respectively, in the second CFP rankings release this week. Both are behind leaders of every other Power Five conference. But theyāre joined by fellow league members Texas (No. 19), Oklahoma State (No. 22) and Kansas State (No. 24), making for half the teams in the Top 25.
While all of them are ranked No. 12 or higher, thatās as many as the SEC. Thatās just one fewer than the Big Tenās six. Itās three more than the Pac 12, who boasts only No. 6 Oregon and No. 7 Utah. Itās four more than the ACC, who saw its lone representative other than third-ranked Clemson, Wake Forest, take a tumble out after a loss at Virginia Tech.
Still, thereās a general thought that given the committeeās apparent lack of respect for Baylor it would behoove OU to win a close one in Waco this weekend. Perhaps that would demonstrate OUās ability to win a tough ranked game in a road environment, but also validate Baylor as the current, strong 9-0 team it is.
Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley, though, isnāt sure if thatās necessarily the case.
āMaybe, maybe not,ā Riley said. āI still think the playoff dealās still new enough that I donāt know that we know yet.ā
Upon offering that statement, Riley then got into some interesting discussion. Letās just say heās not buying the importance of the rankings at this very moment.
āI know why they do it,ā Riley said. āThey do it to build it up and TV and all that, and I get it from that perspective. But, to me, they shouldnāt do the playoff rankings until [the end]. They should just show them at the very end, and hereās whoās going, because who cares right now? Youāve got all the biggest and best games. Youāve got all the conference championship games. I mean, nobody knows.
āAnd so thatās how Iāve looked at it. Iāve looked at it that way the last several years, and weāve lost a game in the middle of the year and everybodyās told me, āWell, you aināt going to the playoff now and no way this happens.ā [I respond], āOK, just keeping winning.ā You know, and thatās what youāve got to do.ā
Itās a formula that, as OUās third-year head coach pointed out, has worked out quite nicely for the Crimson and Cream the past few seasons. In 2015, the Sooners responded from a loss to Texas with seven straight victories to close the regular season. In 2017, they responded with eight straight coming off their lone setback against Iowa State. Last year, they similarly responded with seven consecutive wins after their Red River Showdown defeat. The end result every time: a College Football Playoff berth.
āItāll be interesting to see how the playoff system continues to play out and as you get more years under its belt and more times to evaluate it,ā Riley said. āBut I do know this: Go back and look at where all those playoff rankings were week seven, eight, nine the last few years and look how it finished. You know, itās probably quite a bit different. Just the challenge for all of us is you canāt get caught up in it because it doesnāt matter now. You have to just go find a way and just find a way.
āAnd last year even after we beat Kansas here and we didnāt play very good, and Kansas wasnāt very good last year, and we beat them here, and everybodyās like, āWell, you barely beat a Kansas team that had struggled and no way.ā Again, it just plays out.ā
The Sooners, as mentioned, are in familiar territory. Theyāve dropped a game and thus have no margin for error and must win out, and they need some help in the process. But even if it comes down to a battle with the Oregon/Utah Pac 12 winner, theyāll have some potential solid resume boosts down the stretch, with four possible Top 25 wins, as it stands.
āI donāt know if people on the outside understand how strong this conference is right now,ā Riley said. āThis conference is as good as itās been in a long time top to bottom, and this conference, I think, has beat up on each other a little bit and will continue to, which is a sign of a healthy, really darn good, competitive conference. And thereās obviously a lot of big, important games coming up.ā
With all that said, Riley reiterated heād prefer full disclosure at the end and none of what comes in between. The full disclosure at the end, by the way, has been mighty kind to the Crimson and Cream.
āIt would not change what I do, except Iād have to answer less questions leading up to it,ā Riley said. āHonestly, it would not change, not one thing about [it]. I mean, I literally think about it none. Iāve never watched the show. I donāt. I know people probably donāt believe you. Coaches say they donāt read the paper; they donāt believe them. I do not care because weāve just got to win, and just win and try to win each week, and then weāll look up and see where weāre at.ā
With three games remaining, and then a potential Big 12 Championship Game after that, there are several games to win. The first one is at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at McLane Stadium in Waco against the Bears.
