Key Points:
- The final AP Poll before playoff rankings may spark controversy, especially regarding Texas and Oklahoma’s uneven placements.
- Despite Texas’ head-to-head win and stronger resume, voters ranked Oklahoma higher after its upset over Tennessee.
- ESPN’s FPI supports Texas’ case, ranking their strength of record higher ahead of the College Football Playoff reveal.
In what was the final AP Poll before the release of the first College Football Playoff rankings, there were, unsurprisingly, quite a few upset fanbases.
The AP Poll has been around since 1936, and allows local journalists and personalities to vote on who they believe is the best team. Although the College Football Playoff diminishes the importance of the AP Poll once it rolls around, the AP Poll not only lays the groundwork for how we view these teams but could also play a role in how the playoff committee ranks them. With that being said, there have been quite a few instances this year of voters making some mistakes, whether it was one voter having Florida ranked ahead of USF after the Bulls beat the Gators, or a program like Washington debuting in the rankings for the first time in Week 11 despite having one of the stronger resumes.
Sunday’s release of the AP Poll was no different from the others this season, as there were quite a few head-scratching decisions made by the voters, but one that stood out the most was the ranking of the Oklahoma Sooners (7-2) and the Texas Longhorns (7-2).
The Sooners moved up from No. 18 to No. 11 after upsetting No. 14 Tennessee on the road. While that is a highly respectable win, the Longhorns went from No. 20 to No. 13 after taking down No. 9 Vanderbilt in a game that Texas easily controlled until the final moments.
An argument could certainly be made that Oklahoma’s win is more impressive, but considering the two teams have the same record, one does have to question why the head-to-head results didn’t influence the voters more. The Longhorns throttled the Sooners in the Red River Rivalry on Oct. 11, beating the then-ranked No. 6 Sooners 23-6 in Dallas.
Reesume comparison between Texas and Oklahoma
Not only does Texas have the head-to-head victory on a neutral site, but ESPN’s FPI also views the Longhorns as having the better resume. ESPN’s FPI ranks the Longhorns as having the No. 9 strength of record in college football, with two wins over top 10 teams, and a one-score loss to the current No. 1 team in the country, Ohio State.
As for the Sooners, they have the No. 11 strength of record in college football, with a 0-1 record against top-10 teams, but victories against three top-15 opponents.
This dispute amongst fans will be settled Tuesday evening when the College Football Playoff rankings are revealed, but until then, expect Texas fans to hold a grudge against the AP Poll for not giving them the edge over their Red River Rivalry counterparts.