Jordan Rodgers questions Alabama’s CFP edge over Tennessee

ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers criticized the College Football Playoff committee for ranking Alabama ahead of Tennessee despite the Volunteers’ 26-10 win over the Crimson Tide in October in Knoxville.

Alabama moved from No. 5 to No. 3 after beating LSU on Saturday. The Crimson Tide is 7-2, while Tennessee also has two losses, but the Volunteers remained well behind Alabama in the committee’s latest rankings unveiled Tuesday.

During Wednesday’s appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up,” Rodgers argued that Tennessee and Alabama should be close enough in the rankings for their head-to-head result to carry greater weight. His complaint centered on Tennessee being placed outside what he described as the same comparison group as Alabama.

Rodgers pointed to Tennessee’s 34-6 victory over a team ranked No. 11 by the committee, along with the Volunteers’ win over Alabama. He characterized those results as two top-11 victories by more than two touchdowns.

Alabama’s strength of schedule also drew questions from Rodgers. He said the committee had referenced Alabama’s win over Mississippi State when MSU was 4-0. According to Rodgers, quarterback Kamario Taylor was playing through a toe injury and later missed the rest of the season.

If the rankings held through the end of the season, Alabama would receive a first-round bye. Rodgers argued for giving Tennessee’s head-to-head win greater weight against Alabama’s strength of schedule, with both SEC teams having two losses.

Why it matters

Alabama’s No. 3 position would carry a first-round bye if it held through the end of the season. Tennessee’s 26-10 head-to-head win has not placed the Volunteers ahead of the Crimson Tide despite both teams having two losses.

What to watch next

The issue remains whether the committee’s final rankings preserve Alabama’s advantage over Tennessee and the first-round bye attached to the No. 3 position.