Following the release of the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday and with conference championship weekend approaching, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark strongly advocated for the league champion to secure a top-four seed and a first-round bye in the 12-team Playoff format, emphasizing that a Group of 5 champion should not be ranked above his league’s champion.
“There’s no justification for a Group of 5 champion to be ranked higher than our champion,” Yormark stated on Wednesday.
The Big 12 championship will see No. 15 Arizona State (10-2) face No. 16 Iowa State (10-2) in Arlington, Texas, with the winner guaranteed one of five automatic playoff bids reserved for conference champions. However, No. 10 Boise State (11-1) is set to host No. 20 UNLV (10-2) in the Mountain West championship on Friday, and a win could position the Broncos for one of the four first-round byes, potentially surpassing the Big 12 champion.
Yormark expressed his objections to this perspective during a media availability alongside Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham and Iowa State coach Matt Campbell. He criticized the selection committee for prioritizing team names over the quality of their resumes. “The (selection) committee seems to focus on logos rather than actual results,” he said. “Strength of schedule and victories against Power 4 opponents should be weighed more heavily.”
He pointed out that both Arizona State and Iowa State played 10 out of their 12 games against Power 4 opponents this season, while Boise State faced just one: top-ranked, undefeated Oregon, who handed the Broncos their only loss in a narrow 37-34 game on September 7. Boise State did, however, secure victories against Washington State and Oregon State from the Pac-12.
While the committee uses a confidential strength-of-schedule metric, ESPN’s rankings show Iowa State at 68th, Arizona State at 72nd, and Boise State at 86th. Conversely, in terms of strength of record, Boise State ranks 13th, Iowa State 15th, and Arizona State 16th.
Yormark further argued that the committee’s preference for one-loss Boise State should not undermine the position of the Big 12 champion over other teams with three losses. This comment seemed aimed at potential at-large bids for three-loss teams like Alabama and Georgia, as well as a possible three-loss ACC champion if Clemson were to defeat SMU on Saturday.
“The committee clearly emphasizes the win-loss record,” Yormark remarked. “By that logic, no three-loss team from a Power 4 conference should receive a bye over a two-loss champion from the Big 12.”
Currently ranked No. 11, Alabama (9-3), which is not playing in the SEC championship this weekend, is already placed ahead of Arizona State and Iowa State.
Yormark reiterated his support for the 12-team Playoff format, noting that it has generated the excitement anticipated, but he suggested that he may advocate for future adjustments based on recent developments.
“At the end of the season, the management committee will convene to discuss the format’s future and any necessary improvements,” Yormark said, also requesting clearer guidance on how the Playoff selection committee establishes its rankings.
“I genuinely need to understand — and I believe I echo the sentiments of the entire management committee and fellow commissioners — what specific metrics are being considered as we evaluate rankings each week,” he continued. “Strength of schedule was indicated to me early in the fall as a crucial metric, and I’m unsure that it has been prioritized to date.”
When asked about his confidence in the committee’s decision-making ahead of the final rankings, Yormark maintained a cautious but hopeful stance.
“I obviously take issue with what I’ve seen so far,” he acknowledged. “However, I trust that the committee will ultimately arrive at a fair conclusion, which should mean that the Big 12 earns a deserved bye based on the key metrics at play.
“Ultimately, the decision rests with the selection committee, but I am optimistic that it will be the correct one.”
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