After this year’s College Football Playoff selections, a debate continues, especially regarding a high-profile team. The main point of contention? Alabama, after losing to the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game, was assigned the No. 9 seed, finishing the season 10-3.
Many thought Alabama’s defeat would open the door for both Miami and Notre Dame, but the committee decided differently, excluding the Fighting Irish and giving the Hurricanes the No. 10 spot. Conference champions Tulane and James Madison University were ranked No. 11 and No. 12, respectively.
Former Heisman Trophy winner and FOX Sports analyst Robert Griffin III believes the committee made a mistake this year, hinting at bias toward the SEC. He commented, “The bias in the SEC is clear. If you look at the numbers and trends over the past few years, I think most people would agree, the SEC isn’t as dominant anymore.”
Griffin argues that the Big Ten is catching up and the Big 12 is more competitive than often acknowledged. He suggested the committee had an opportunity to satisfy a larger audience, proposing that it would have been simplest to include both Miami and Notre Dame.
He noted that BYU, with an 11-2 record, seemed to be punished, particularly after their loss to No. 4 Texas Tech in the Big 12 championship. Griffin argued that if BYU was to be penalized, then Alabama, with one more loss, should be too. “They did the worst thing. They punished BYU and picked Miami over Notre Dame despite neither team actually playing in the conference championship,” he said.
Another issue is the committee’s credibility. With the expanded playoff format, some teams inevitably face elimination, but many share Griffin’s suspicion of bias in the selection process. He expressed concern that, “It’s not just that there might be an SEC bias; there’s obviously an SEC bias.”
Discussion continued, as Notre Dame turned down an invitation to a bowl, while BYU is set to compete against Georgia Tech in the Poptarts Bowl.
Griffin recently returned to Baltimore, where he surprised two veterans with new vehicles in a partnership with USAA, celebrating the spirit of the Army-Navy Game. The excitement and gratitude of those involved were palpable, especially as Griffin, coming from a military family, expressed his joy in working with USAA over the years.
Reflecting on the event, he mentioned how he loved seeing the joyful reactions of the families, particularly a young boy whose enthusiasm was infectious when discovering they’d received a vehicle.
