Greg McElroy backs College Football Playoff committee on Ole Miss ranking

Ole Miss hearts broke on Tuesday night when seeing their College Football Playoff ranking. The committee slotted the Rebels at No. 13, ending their chances of being included in the 12-team field. Not what anyone in Oxford wanted but ESPN’s Greg McElroy was not too upset by it.

McElroy backed the committee on where Ole Miss was ranked, citing the poor relative strength of schedule. Losses to unranked opponents were mentioned as well by the ESPN analyst. The Kentucky loss at home, in particular, plus the late-season defeat to Florida.

“While Ole Miss has an outstanding win against both Georgia and South Carolina, their strength of schedule is 31,” McElroy said. “So by some of the teams in front of them in comparison, not quite as strong knowing that they lost to some teams not in the top 25 like Kentucky and LSU and obviously, that third loss against Florida is a tough one to stomach.”

The 31st-ranked SOS McElroy mentioned is per ESPN. Alabama is two spots in front of them, coming in at No. 17 in the metric. Miami was deemed good enough to be placed in front of Ole Miss by the committee as well but ranks No. 55.

Despite the difference in strength of schedule, Ole Miss fans would be quick to tell you Alabama has some bad losses too. Oklahoma and Vanderbilt, both of which finished the regular season 6-6, are the main culprits. Ole Miss even has a win over the Sooners, comfortably winning at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

Even so, the committee had the Rebels running third in what appeared (at least from the outside) to be a four-team race for the final at-large spot. Depending on conference championship games, Alabama will get the nod and compete for a national championship. Not how head coach Lane Kiffin envisioned the season ending — and his voice has already been voiced on social media.

McElroy ultimately agrees with what was done with Ole Miss.