In the first season of the College Football Playoff’s expanded format, Warde Manuel found himself at the center of numerous debates. As the chair of the College Football Playoff selection committee, Manuel is tasked leads the discussion about who will be selected for the playoffs. The biggest debate with Clemson winning the ACC was would SMU make over Alabama. Manuel, who serves as the athletic director at the University of Michigan, shared insights on the decision.
Photo Cred: Sporting News
“It was quite a debate,” Manuel said, acknowledging the challenges the committee faces in its discussions. He went on to explain the committee’s reasoning behind ranking Alabama higher than other teams, emphasizing the importance of strength of schedule in their evaluation process. “We value strength of schedule, which is why Alabama — as a three-loss team — was ranked ahead of other teams that have two losses,” he stated.
The committee’s focus on the full body of work is crucial in its decision-making. While strength of schedule plays a vital role, the committee also looks at how teams perform in key moments. In one example, Manuel highlighted the tight contest between SMU and another team, where SMU lost on a last-second field goal. Despite the defeat, SMU maintained its position ahead of Alabama in the rankings.
“We just felt that, in this particular case, SMU still had the nod at 10 above Alabama,” Manuel explained. “But it’s no disrespect to Alabama’s strength of schedule. It’s merely looking at the entire body of work of both teams.”
Photo Cred: CFB
The committee’s transparency in its reasoning is part of a broader effort to ensure fairness and clarity in a system that often feels subjective. While there will always be disagreements over the rankings and selections, Manuel and the committee’s focus remains on ensuring that the teams chosen to reflect the strongest overall body of work, combining performance on the field with the level of competition faced.
