Boo Corrigan makes definitive statement on USC’s strength of schedule vs two-loss LSU

After revealing the updated College Football Rankings live on ESPN, CFP Selection Committee chairman Boo Corrigan joined Rece Davis to discuss why the 13-member panel made the decision to seed each team where they landed. With the top four unchanged, the teams at No. 5 and No. 6 drew plenty of attention as the next-in-line options. This week, that meant LSU and USC.

As the conversation started, Rece Davis asked Boo Corrigan how the CFP Selection Committee values the strength of schedule put up by USC when compared to LSU and others.

“That was the dominant conversation for the last couple days,” said Corrigan. “And it wasn’t a one-time conversation, it was over and over and over again to make sure we were looking at this the right way. There’s reasons for USC to be at No. 5, there’s reasons for LSU to be at No. 5. As we looked at it, the wins over Alabama and Mississippi carried the day more so than the wins over UCLA and Oregon State.

“As you alluded to, the good win that they had on Saturday was 48-45 and I think some of the members of the committee – as we looked at it – wanted to see a little bit more from their defense. As well, the overall strength of schedule from LSU really drove the day.”

Although the committee appears more impressed by LSU’s wins so far, USC has two more chances to pick up Top 25 wins with Notre Dame to close the regular season and a matchup to be determined in the Pac-12 Championship game.

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One of the most important discussions of the night applied to just about every team near the top, as many struggled through Week 12 and had to scrape out wins to remain in contention.

From Georgia to Ohio State, Michigan and TCU, the entire top four did not play up to their undefeated label, but retained the title nonetheless. USC won by three, while Tennessee lost in a major upset and plummeted out of the picture, begging the question how important it will be to win, and win pretty.

“A lot of times, teams are playing their sixth or seventh consecutive game as we’re looking at it,” said Corrigan. “But each of the four teams found a way to win. Georgia over Kentucky. The Ohio State-Maryland game was close, they get the pick six right there at the end. Michigan and Blake Corum getting hurt right before halftime – did play a play in the second half so that factors in. And then TCU with the excitement of a last-second field goal.”

While Corrigan seems understanding of the long season and difficulty of keeping energy up from week to week, he also mentioned earlier in the interview that Michigan’s better margin of victory was part of the reason for leaving them above TCU despite a weak non-conference resume.