With rivalry week out of the way and conference championship games upcoming, the fire of college football is red hot. In addition to a slate of games this weekend, college football fans are waiting for the all-important rankings and pairings for the upcoming College Football Playoff (CFP) on ESPN.
Analysts have dominated mainstream sports programs over the last couple of weeks. Discussions surrounding the various teams that are in, out, or on the proverbial bubble. The college coaching carousel is also in full swing, headlined by Lane Kiffin’s jump from Ole Miss to LSU and the accompanying controversy.
Indeed, college football is taking center stage in the sports world right now. To this end, the most recent edition of ESPN’s College Football Playoff: Top 25 was both important and timely. The weekly ranking show becomes even more engaging as the playoffs approach.
Before this program, Greg McElroy and Heather Dinich had a strong stint on ESPN’s SportsCenter with Kevin Negandhi and Elle Duncan. They reviewed the possibilities, probabilities, and potential for the various teams as they jockey for position in the national rankings. McElroy and Dinich are two of the best college football analysts in the business, and their expertise shines on College Football Playoff: Top 25.
The show, which aired on ESPN the evening of December 2 began with a lively open featuring highlights of some of the top teams in the nation. With coaches’ soundbites and game action, it served as a tremendous lead-in to in-depth analysis of the college football landscape. Kudos to the production staff for creating a marvelous opening video with quick cuts, vibrant colors, and exciting footage.
Host Rece Davis opened the show with video from that day’s CFP Committee meeting in Grapevine, Texas. It offered a nice behind-the-scenes look at the people who will choose the playoff competitors.
Davis was joined at the anchor desk by Booger McFarland, Joey Galloway, and the aforementioned McElroy. The underlying suspense of the show builds toward the exclusive reveal of the latest Top 25 rankings. McElroy astutely noted that even teams ranked 21 through 25 affect the playoffs, as the higher they are ranked, the more strength-of-schedule credit goes to teams that beat them during the regular season.
One impressive graphic detailed the ins and outs of the 12-team College Football Playoff. This included the background and makeup of participating teams. It clearly explained that the four highest-ranked teams would be seeded 1 to 4 and receive first-round byes.
I appreciated how the panelists engaged in discussion as the graphics revealed the Top 25 teams five at a time in ascending order. Galloway, McFarland, and McElroy offered key insights as the rankings unfolded.
McFarland discussed Vanderbilt’s resume for the playoffs as the 14th-ranked team. The 9-3 Texas Longhorns were ranked 13th, and McElroy highlighted how Steve Sarkisian’s team had improved significantly in the second half of the season. McFarland also examined the Miami Hurricanes’ resume with a 10-2 record. Miami held steady at number 12, while BYU remained at number 11.
College Football Playoff: Top 25 on ESPN combines data and discussion better than almost any sports show on television. The mix of facts and analysis is substantial. A strong feature of the show is its seamless transition from ranking graphics to video of the team being discussed, complete with lower-third data displaying the team’s record and playoff case.
One particularly interesting ranking was Notre Dame dropping to number 10 despite a 10-game winning streak after an 0-2 start. Conversely, Alabama moved up one spot to number 9. Galloway expressed surprise at the Notre Dame/Alabama juxtaposition, as both teams held 10-2 records. Texas A&M dropped four spots to number 7, while Ole Miss rose one spot to number 6. Mississippi’s 11 wins in the regular season set a program record.
Oregon jumped to the number 5 slot, while Texas Tech moved up one to number 4. Georgia also climbed one place to number 3, while Indiana and Ohio State remained at numbers 2 and 1, respectively, both boasting perfect 12-0 records. Once again, the graphics on College Football Playoff: Top 25 were outstanding. This race to the playoffs is all about stats, and the on-air data clearly illustrates potential CFP outcomes.
After the analysts ran through the rankings, Davis explored possible CFP brackets.
With Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, and Texas Tech earning first-round byes, one intriguing matchup would pit Oklahoma against Alabama. McFarland noted that 12th-ranked Miami could miss the playoffs, while McElroy explained that if Alabama defeats Georgia in the SEC Championship game, they could leap into the top 4 and earn a bye.
Dinich also joined to provide bracket insights, analyzing potential conference champions who could enter the playoff mix. She noted that if BYU beats Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship, it could push Notre Dame out of the playoffs.
Returning from a break, Davis, McFarland, Galloway, and McElroy spotlighted Ole Miss, which held an 11-1 record and a 12th-ranked FPI. The Rebels had notable wins against number 8 Oklahoma and number 20 Tulane. Their lone loss was to number 3 Georgia.
College Football Playoff Committee Chair Hunter Yurachek joined the show live, discussing some of the committee’s heated debates, including Alabama’s ranking over both Notre Dame and Miami.
The interview showcased Davis’s talent. He possesses tremendous on-camera magnetism, captivating viewers with his distinctive voice and tone. His questioning style adds drama and excitement to the interview. Davis attempted to pin Yurachek on whether Miami could still jump over Notre Dame, but Yurachek deftly sidestepped, noting that the committee would re-rank the top 25 after the conference championship games. Davis offered a wry smile at Yurachek’s maneuver.
As College Football Playoff: Top 25 neared its conclusion, Davis briefly reviewed Alabama’s 27-20 win over Auburn, a victory that helped the Crimson Tide climb in the rankings. The team also previewed upcoming conference championship games in the American, Big 12, SEC, Big Ten, and ACC.
With Davis, McFarland, Galloway, and McElroy. College Football Playoff: Top 25 on ESPN provides viewers with premier college football analysis and opinion. No other show on television packs as much information and insight into a fast-moving, half-hour format.
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John Molori is a weekly columnist for Barrett Sports Media. He has previously contributed to ESPNW, Patriots Football Weekly, Golf Content Network, Methuen Life Magazine, and wrote a syndicated Media Blitz column in the New England region, which was published by numerous outlets including The Boston Metro, Providence Journal, Lowell Sun, and the Eagle-Tribune. His career also includes fourteen years in television as a News and Sports Reporter, Host, Producer working for Continental Cablevision, MediaOne, and AT&T. He can be reached on Twitter @MoloriMedia.
