Boo Corrigan explains reasoning for Ohio State over Alabama at No. 4 in final College Football Playoff rankings

The 2022 College Football Playoffs are set, with Ohio State edging out Alabama for the final CFP berth this season. Selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan joined ESPN live on the playoff reveal show to explain the reasoning behind the final CFP rankings.

In short, the committee felt that Ohio State had the better wins.

“Well I think you look at the big wins as well as part of this,” Corrigan explained. “And the win that Ohio State has over Notre Dame, the win they have over Penn State, compare that to Alabama with the wins over Texas, Mississippi State, some other close games. Again, keep in mind that the Michigan game did get away from them but it was a one-score game early in the fourth quarter.”

The Buckeyes also only lost one game, while the Crimson Tide had lost two.

But many had wondered if the fact that both of Alabama’s losses came on the road, on the final plays of the game against ranked LSU and Tennessee teams, while Ohio State’s came by 22 points at home against Michigan, might lead the committee to push a two-loss Tide team into the top four.

Not the case.

It’ll be Ohio State taking on No. 1 Georgia in the semifinals of this year’s College Football Playoffs.

“As we looked at the total body of work that we had the committee was comfortable with Ohio State at (No.) 4 and Alabama at (No.) 5,” Corrigan said.

Did avoiding rematch play into Ohio State CFP ranking at No. 4?

Ohio State snuck into the No. 4 spot in the final College Football Playoff rankings, but was there any consideration about the Buckeyes potentially moving past TCU? Or, rather, was wanting to avoid a rematch between No. 2 Michigan and Ohio State part of the reason the Buckeyes finished at No. 4 instead of No. 3?

Speaking with ESPN host Rece Davis after the rankings were revealed, Corrigan answered the question of whether the Michigan-Ohio State rematch possibility factored into their rankings.

“It really wasn’t discussed as we went into it,” Corrigan answered. “As we went into it, our goal was to get the Top 4 teams right, and make sure that we believe in Georgia No. 1, Michigan No. 2, TCU No. 3, Ohio State No. 4 for the reasons I was just talking about in regards to TCU and Ohio State.

“Again, our goal was to get the right four, ultimately the right 25 as we go through this and make sure we’ve got them in the right order, regardless of matchups and conferences and the rest of them.”