We all wanted an expanded College Football Playoff. We begged for an expanded College Football Playoff. And now we’ve come to find out the expanded College Football Playoff is just as exasperating as any iteration that came before it. Why? Because Joey Galloway can suggest Indiana sit star quarterback Kurtis Rourke in their program defining game against Ohio State because of the expanded College Football Playoff.
Yes, you read that correctly.
ESPN analyst Joey Galloway actually put forth the theory on national television that the undefeated 5th ranked Indiana Hoosiers bench their starting quarterback and best player against the 2nd ranked Ohio State Buckeyes during Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings show on ESPN. His logic? That it is in the program’s long term interests by the time the season comes to an end and because of recent college football history.
In that Indiana CFP discussion on ESPN, Joey Galloway suggests Indiana sitting QB Kurtis Rourke vs Ohio State.
“If I’m Indiana, I don’t know if I’m playing Rourke against Ohio State… What could keep Indiana out of this? Getting their quarterback hurt.” 🏈📺🎙️ https://t.co/QW26e3Elv0 pic.twitter.com/HsyRbBeL1F
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 20, 2024
“Honestly, if we believe in what our metrics are saying… if I’m Indiana, I don’t know if I’m playing Rourke against Ohio State. We saw what happened to Florida State last year, Jordan Travis. What can keep Indiana out of this? Getting their quarterback hurt. We saw it happened to Florida State last year, not playing anybody,” Galloway said.
Fellow ESPN analysts Booger McFarland and Greg McElroy were in disbelief at Galloway’s suggestion as was much of social media and college football fans watching on.
It’s one thing when star players sit out meaningless bowl games to preserve their draft stock at the end of the season. But regular season games? Top five showdowns? With a chance to clinch a playoff berth and compete for their first Big Ten championship since 1967? It would be a ludicrous thought in any other competitive sport, except for college football where narratives reign supreme.
In fact, Galloway liked the idea so much, he again returned to the idea later in the show once again drawing the ire of his ESPN colleagues.
Later, Joey Galloway keeps going on about how he thinks Indiana should sit QB Kurtis Rourke vs Ohio State.
“You can’t do that! It’s a culture killer.” – Greg McElroy
“You can’t do that. You can’t do that, Joey.” – Booger McFarland
“You can’t be serious.” – Rece Davis #CFP pic.twitter.com/sdBpwgTExV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 20, 2024
Just to play devil’s advocate here… is Joey Galloway’s idea really that crazy? Can you do that? Let’s say Indiana doesn’t bench Kurtis Rourke because waving the white flag against the Buckeyes could be a program and confidence killer. Let’s just say he aggravates an injury early on in the game (wink wink) and has to sit down to preserve his health for the massive Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game against Purdue and playoff journey to come (not that anyone would fake injuries in college football this year).
Indiana would be able to make the case to the CFP committee that they weren’t at their best against Ohio State, but they were able to dominate everyone else on their schedule when healthy. And, as a Power 2 team with only one loss, they couldn’t be torpedoed by an overzealous committee who were ready to punish Florida State last year and throw out everything they accomplished during the campaign because their quarterback got hurt. And if anyone can make an argument with force and conviction, it’s Curt “Google Me” Cignetti.
Yes, the idea really is that crazy. But what’s even crazier is that there is a actually an argument to be made in favor of it.
This week has seen the entire college football world melt down over Indiana and their undefeated season and strength of schedule because our minds are programmed to have incredulous debates about SOMETHING as it relates to the playoff. And because decades of college football history tells us Indiana doesn’t “belong” they have been the target of some ridiculous scrutiny when they have the same basic resume as Texas or Penn State who are ranked right alongside them.
Theoretically, the expanded playoff was supposed to prevent insane debates like this one. Teams were supposed to be able to prove it on the field instead of eye tests and who looked better getting off the bus and brand names.
Naturally, that has not happened. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The debates have gotten way more insane. But just remember, this would not be happening if we just got rid of the weekly rankings show and did the bracket reveal at the end of the season. We would all save a lot of energy, time, and sanity.
