Joel Klatt calls out CFP committee for Indiana ranking: ‘Clear brand bias’

Unsurprisingly, Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings didn’t go without a hitch.

They were bound to perturb some folks, whether it was an entire fanbase or those in sports media. And the latter seemed to take issue with how Indiana was ranked in the first-ever 12-team rankings.

Oregon leads the way, followed by Ohio State, Georgia, Miami and Texas. Penn State, Tennessee, Indiana, BYU, Notre Dame, Alabama and Boise State rounded out the 12-team field in the first rankings.

So, that would put the Hoosiers at No. 8.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt had about eight reasons why Curt Cignetti’s squad should be ranked higher than that. He took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that any blue blood with Indiana’s resume would be ranked no worse than No. 4.

The Hoosiers entered Tuesday with a 9-0, 6-0 Big Ten record, having beaten Florida International, Western Illinois, UCLA, Charlotte, Northwestern, Maryland, Nebraska, Washington and Michigan State—all handily.

The problem?

To put it kindly, their schedule leaves much to be desired. According to ESPN, Indiana’s strength of schedule is ranked 103rd, sandwiching the Hoosiers right between Fresno State and Temple. The remaining strength of schedule ranks 13th, so there’s a better argument next time around if they were to remain undefeated.

For now, the Hoosiers’ claim to a top-tier playoff spot is undermined by the reality that their opponents have largely been underwhelming.

Even if that may be the case, Klatt called the College Football Playoff Committee’s clear brand bias “striking.” Klatt didn’t shy away from calling out the committee for what he saw as a flawed evaluation process. He suggested that if the CFP committee wants to prioritize resumes and use the eye test, then Indiana’s dominance on the field—coupled with their undefeated record—should speak for itself.

Klatt also argued that BYU (projected No. 4 seed), with quality wins over SMU, Kansas State and Arizona, should be ranked higher than 9th based on its impressive resume, even though ESPN ranks their SOS at 63rd.

The clear brand bias of CFP committee is striking…If you want to rank off eye test that is fine, but have a set and watch @IndianaFootball without bias…If you want to rank off resume then have a set and rank @BYUfootball higher than those that don’t touch their ranked wins

— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) November 6, 2024

Klatt has a point, especially with Indiana finding itself behind five one-loss “blue blood(s).”

But that’s not the only blow; Indiana’s playoff seeding is another.

With Boise State claiming spot as the fifth-highest ranked conference champion, the Hoosiers are now the ninth seed. This means they’ll have to hit the road to face Tennessee in the first round. It’s a tough break for a team that’s been so impressive, but it’s a reality check. Their success has come against weaker teams, while other top-ranked teams have faced tougher competition.

Fair or not, a Nov. 23 date with No. 2 Ohio State will serve as that litmus test.

[Joel Klatt]