Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart is unhappy with the College Football Playoff selection committee. Smart made that known after No. 12 Georgia’s 31-17 home win over the No. 7 Tennessee Volunteers.
Smart thinks Georgia should be ranked higher than No. 12. The Bulldogs have played the toughest schedule in the country and aren’t getting much credit from the playoff selection committee.
Yes, Georgia has played inconsistently, but the Bulldogs still are 8-2 despite facing five ranked opponents and just one ranked opponent at home.
“I don’t know what they’re looking for,” said Smart on the selection committee. “I really don’t. I wish they could really define the criteria. I wish they could do the eyeball test where they come down here and look at the people we’re playing against and look at them. And you can’t see that stuff on TV.”
Entering Week 12, the Big Ten had four of the five highest ranked teams in the country. It is rare for another conference to have so many teams ranked ahead of the best teams in the SEC.
“They’re not in that environment,” said Smart on explaining Georgia’s offensive struggles against Ole Miss to the committee. “They’re not at Ole Miss in that environment playing against that defense, which is top five in the country with one of the best pass rushers in the country. And they’re fired up. They got a two-score lead, and they’re coming out to play. They don’t know, they don’t understand that.”
To be fair, it would be tough for the selection committee to pick games every week. If would seem unfair to whatever teams’ games they aren’t attending.
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“I respect their decision. I respect their opinion but it’s different in our league,” said Smart. The next playoff rankings will be released on Tuesday, Nov. 19.