Kirby Smart criticizes College Football Playoff seeding process, addresses impact of byes

As the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams this year, the top four seeds in the new bracket received byes. That meant nearly three weeks without games – and, now, those teams are all out of the field.

Georgia was the last one standing, and a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl meant the Bulldogs hit the end of the road. Kirby Smart didn’t attribute the quarterfinal loss to the extended time off, but pointed out some of the other matchups in the new-look format.

Get your team’s official College Football Playoff watch from AXIA by CLICKING HERE: “Watches that tell so much more than time”

Smart argued at least two lower-seeded teams were better in their respective matchups, which he said is a product of the seeding system. However, when it comes to his team, he noted the opportunity at hand since Notre Dame lost a key piece in Rylie Mills during its first-round game.

“I look at what Vegas says, and it went kind of what Vegas said, you know what I mean?” Smart said in his postgame press conference. “At least in those two games. I guess ours was a – I don’t know what it was. It was close. But two of those teams were better than the other teams, to be honest with you. And that is what it is. That’s more about the seeding process and where it is.

“But I’m not here to complain about anything. Given the opportunity, Notre Dame lost probably their best defensive player. So I don’t know how that’s an advantage.”

The 12-team College Football Playoff format had spots for the five highest-ranked conference champions in the bracket. From there, the four highest-ranked conference champions would be the Top 4 seeds. That meant Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State filled those respective spots.

All those teams received byes through the first round Dec. 20-21, and they’re now on their way to the offseason. That not only means the national champion won’t be a conference champion, but a new program will come out on top. None of the four coaches in the CFP semifinals have ever won a national championship.

Still, there’s been plenty of conversation about the future of the format. Former Alabama coach Nick Saban added to it on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday, specifically noting Oregon’s matchup against a surging Ohio State team.

“If I was an Oregon fan, I have to say this because it kind of bothers me, and you’re the 13-0 No. 1 seed, and you’ve gotta play Ohio State in the first round, I’m not an internet guy, but if I was an Oregon fan I’d be on the internet screaming about that,” Saban said.