How latest College Football Playoff rankings compared to the BCS simulation

After another release of College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, the disagreement was widespread on the order presented by committee chairman Gary Barta and company.

Moreover, calls of subjectivity and inconsistency could be heard across television and on social media, as many claimed head-to-head matchups and being undefeated is taking a backseat to brand name and team history. 

The grass isn’t always greener, but how would the old BCS system look after 11 weeks of college football? While there is agreement at the very top, that’s where it stops.

This week’s side-by-side comparison of the just-released #CFBPlayoff rankings and our simulated #BCS — where very little changed from the committee near the top, leaving the two ranking systems unaligned on top-4s, but agreed on top-2s: pic.twitter.com/Tyxk4us998

— BCSKnowHow.com (@BCSKnowHow) November 17, 2021

BCS vs. CFP: Similar yet different

The hypothetical BCS system has some immediate similarities with Tuesday’s College Football Playoff rankings — notably starting off with Georgia and Alabama at the top.

The differences start immediately afterwards though, with Cincinnati catapulting up to No. 3. The Bearcats are undefeated, but they still haven’t been able to crack the College Football Playoff top four.

One team who didn’t benefit from the BCS hypothetical was the Oregon Ducks. Instead of their No. 3 ranking in the College Football Playoff, the Ducks fell to No. 7 when ranked by the BCS.

Finally, fans of the underdog with appreciate the BCS’s No. 18 ranking of UTSA. The College Football Playoff committee continued to keep the Roadrunners down — ranking them No. 22.

From the BCS to the College Football Playoff

Prior to the current CFP system, college football was governed by the BCS. The final rankings were computer generated, and two teams faced off in the national championship to conclude the season.

The system also created matchups for four additional prestigious bowl games: the Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. 

The BCS formula used a number of factors to produce its list. There were three components to the rankings, with a mix of human and computer generated thoughts — the Harris Poll, the Coaches Poll and the computer rankings. All three parts were weighted equally. 

Beginning in 2014, the College Football Playoff replaced the BCS. Two semifinal games are played around New Year’s Day, and the games take place on a rotating basis at six of the country’s top bowls — the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The two winners advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship, played on a Monday night in the second week of January.

The CFP selection process is more subjective than the BCS. The teams are decided upon by 13 people and there is no longer a strict computer component. The selection committee is composed of athletic directors, former coaches and student-athletes, and others in the college administration world. 

Additionally, there is a board of governors made up of presidents and chancellors from the 10 FBS conferences plus Notre Dame which governs the administrative actions of the CFP.

College football remains the only college sport in the country without an officially NCAA-sanctioned championship. At its core, the CFP is really a television contract currently owned by ESPN.