College Football Playoff committee evaluating Oklahoma, Caleb Williams

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee provided its Week 11 rankings following an upset-filled Week 10. Heading into the final three weeks, the top seven teams – expanded from the usual six thanks to controversy – are Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Ohio State, Cincinnati, Michigan and Michigan State.

CFP Selection Committee chairman Gary Barta met with the national media shortly after ESPN’s live rankings reveal. After leaving 9-0 Oklahoma on the doorstep again, he faced another line of questions surrounding the Sooners CFP chances.

“The quarterback change to Caleb Williams has changed that team, Barta told reporters, via Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger. “(We are) looking to see if that continues.”

Oklahoma has one of the most interesting resumes in college football. Its undefeated record carries plenty of asterisks, but is an undefeated record, nonetheless. A quarterback swap from preseason Heisman favorite Spencer Rattler to freshman star Caleb Williams shocked the college football world but could provide the Sooners with their best chance at a national championship.

Unconvincing results leave their place within the pecking order up for debate, but they cannot be ruled out until someone capitalizing on the opportunity. Five of the Sooners’ nine victories have come by a touchdown or less. They also had a scare in Lawrence against a Kansas team that is currently winless in Big 12 play.

Bob Stoops on CFP rankings

Former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops did not understand the reasoning behind the Sooners low spot in the first College Football Playoff ranking last week. In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Stoops called out several perceived flaws in the selection committee’s process.

“At this point, I think we’re being penalized for not winning pretty enough,” Stoops said. “I disagree with the committee in this way: I believe losing is far worse than winning poorly. OU hasn’t lost and we have four teams in front of OU that have a loss. I can live a little bit to some degree with a tight Michigan-Michigan State game. Michigan led a good part of the game. But Ohio State hasn’t beat anybody of importance and they lost to Oregon at home. Alabama loses to a two-loss team at the time. To me, winning poorly trumps losing. So I disagree with it, but I didn’t panic about it at all knowing our big games are coming.”

With another snub in Week 11, Stoops confusion only promises to grow. However, the Oklahoma Sooners still control their own CFP chances with an undefeated record and chance to show off Caleb Williams.