The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Concerns Over Latest College Football Playoff Rankings, Who Makes The 12?

Episode Date: December 5, 2024

The release of the latest College Football Playoff rankings has raised many questions regarding teams that are being left out of the 12-team field ahead of conference championship weekend. Iowa State, Arizona State, South Carolina, and Ole Miss are pleading their case as they are currently on the outside looking in, while Alabama (9-3) sits at No. 11. How important is strength of schedule and will the College Football Playoff committee reconsider their selections following conference championships?

Lunch timers. This is the Matt Thomas Show. 1118 on Sports Talk 790. It is the Matt Thomas show with Ross. We have, I just don't get it coming up at the bottom of the hour. Your phone calls are welcome at 713-212-5-790. 7-13-212-5-790. We're supposed to have a special guest joining us here at this point, but...

Yeah, he's here. All right, I'm here to save the show. All right, Ross. We've got to step out because Gordy's here to save the show again. I mean, you invited me. I didn't create that sounder. I think it's a great sounder. I hate that sounder.

I hate that sounder. That's part of the reason why it brought you in is to have for the sounder play. Why do you hate it? I just do. It's classic. Come on. We value as a member of our 7-on-e-air team. Well, yeah, we're going to get you on there somewhere now.

It's good to see Ross back wearing his Texas gear in here. them horns, baby. All right. Now, everybody has seen the top 12 or whatever, than a 13-14 list. Yeah. Gordy, when you first saw it, what is your thought and how are you thinking about it now? And what are you thinking about what's going to happen this weekend? I guess the easy question for you is who is going to be really super pissed off this weekend?

I think Miami fans, I think SMU fans. I think if SMU loses, they are out. and so, you know, this is on Clemson, who, you know, Clemson's been pretty steady most of the year. They lost a Georgia in the opener. They had a hiccup along the way, but, you know, should have beaten South Carolina last week. They didn't.

But I think this committee's defiance for, or insistence that Alabama belongs in, I think is absolutely ridiculous. But, and look, I'm an SEC guy. You know, I'm through and through. I'm cool with the SEC getting four teams in, but I don't think Bama deserves to be in. I mean, they're getting the respect factor. The brand is getting the love just simply because of what they've done over the years. But nobody wants to acknowledge.

Nick Sabin's not the coach there anymore. This isn't the Bama teams of years past. And I'm sorry, but two weeks ago, I just watched them get their ass beat up in Norman, 24 to 3, couldn't find the end zone. It took their third loss. And yet we're still to believe this is one of the 12 best teams of the country. I beg to differ. Okay, so let's go in that room for a second. Tell me on the resume, what makes Alabama a three-lossed team in this conversation to begin with.

Chiching, chiching, it's money. That's all this is. This is to put a brand in that's going to get eyeballs. That's going to create viewership and ratings. No offense, SMU, ain't nobody watching the ponies. It's Bama. It's Bama. It's the brand.

That's all it is. So SMU has one loss this year to a very good BYU football team. That's it. Now, how has the ACC been week in and week out? How have the opponents been for SMU? Have they beaten anybody that you go into the chess moment? That's the thing. You brought up their loss.

How about their wins? What's their best win? Pit? You know, that's where you get into it. And then you go, well, Bama beat Georgia and Bama beat LSU and Bama beat. You know, you start comparing resumes and you go, well, what's SMU have to stand on? for their best win. All right, so let's go through the list of the better

ACCC teams. Did BYU play Syracuse this year? Excuse me, did SMU play Syracuse this year? No. I don't think so. I don't think so. Did BYU play Clemson this year?

Did BYU play Clemson? Why don't keep saying BYU? I'm sorry. SM I'll get these letters all mixed up. Did SMU play? Clemson? No, but they're going to. They'll play them Saturday. Okay. Did SMU play Miami this year?

No. So where is SMU's signature victory? It's Pitt. And Louisville was ranked when they played them. But that's how it doesn't do you any favors. Yeah, that's their two best wins. Stanford doesn't do any favors. Florida State certainly did you know favors.

I mean, this is what sucks because like I don't want to discredit them. They've had a hell of a year. Yeah. But if we're going to start comparing, like that's what people. people like to jump to what's your what's your worst loss well how much did you lose by the other argument is what's your best wins and I think you've got to put something on a resume

to say I deserve to be in because I beat X okay so if SMU loses to Clemson they're out you're thinking I think so me personally I would keep them in because I don't think Bama watching Bama just get shellacked by 6 and 6th Oklahoma who then in turn got their S beat at LSU like no

I'm sorry you didn't earn it Alabama in my opinion what if SMU said they had plane problems and they can't get to Charlotte for the game this one. They're going to play. I think they can beat Clemson. If they beat Clemson, that's a signature win and obviously they'll get in. Well, yeah, but that's a 50-50 proposition at this point, right? I mean, Clemson's been there, done that,

assuming this will be the biggest game they've had. I mean, look, Indiana had one chance to prove to the America they were good, and they got beat badly by Ohio State who then lost the final week to mission. And yet they're still going to get in the playoff. Why is that? Tell me why Indiana gets in over. SW. Because this committee doesn't value strength of schedule. They just value wins. They don't care that you beat Florida International and Charlotte. They just look at you got Ws.

But that's not the case against Alabama, though. I mean, with Alabama. Right. They're getting the love just because of the brand. But he asked why is Indiana in because they're 11 to 1. Okay. Mr. College football, this cannot happen. Alabama, if you're telling me if Alabama has three losses of which, how many of them are really, like the Oklahoma loss is super bad, right? The Georgia win is their best win. Okay. And then they beat Missouri when they were ranked and they beat LSU when they were ranked. Their losses were at Vandy, at Tennessee, and at Oklahoma.

So, I mean, two of the three losses aren't terrible. Well, Vandy and Oklahoma both finished six and six. So in my opinion, those are both bad losses. It's funny because Ward Manuel the other night, he was comparing BAM at LSU. He goes, well, that was three and one against teams in the top 25. currently. And I said, yeah, but what's their record against six and six teams? Oh, and two? Like, why are we not bringing that up?

They just ignore that. So Alabama's going to get in once once. So if SMU wins, is there any scenario of the teams in front of Alabama that Alabama with three losses doesn't get in? Here's the problem, where they positioned them.

They positioned them at 11. This is what's so stupid about. South Carolina that's won six in a row, is nine and three. They just beat number 12 Clemson on the road, and they moved up one spot. Bama turned the ball over four times against a bad Auburn team, beat them 2814, and moved up two spots. Bama got rewarded for beating a bad Auburn team, so they're 11th.

And so you can't move Bama down. I mean, they don't play a game this week. Like, they're going to, they can't move out of the top 12. In other words, nobody behind them can jump them. Miami doesn't play a game. They can't jump them. So here's what you need to do. Why don't we tell these conferences, not to play?

these conference championship games and they're going to like, well, that sounds great and everything, but we're getting paid millions of dollars by these TV networks to play these games. Yeah. And by the way, we're going to fill up Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte because SMU and Clemson are going to play, and all the Clemson fans are going to come down and root for my team and this team, and we're going to make more money. So it's frankly, Ross and and Gordy, it's a little bit of hypocrisy. These conference championship games are the Antichrist.

Well, you gain the revenue from it, and you're gaining the TV ratings, and you're getting the money from the networks for it. Well, Link, which way are you going to have it? Lane Kiffin was on to something. I mean, he made the case a few weeks ago. Why would want to play for a conference championship, play another game where I risk injury and all this? I'd rather take the by week,

host a playoff game the next week. And that's what Tennessee is going through right now. Tennessee is like Josh Heapel just wrapped up signing day. They're going through a little bit of practice. They get a little weak to rest. Get healthy. Like, it's actually a little bit of a benefit. Who wants to go play?

Like, watch what happens to Texas. Watch if they lose the conference championship and suffer a significant loss, like when yours gets hurt or something, Like, they're screwed. It would be the worst thing if Quinn got hurt. Well. Oh, listen to you.

That's true. I'm an art's truth. Listen to that. You are endorsing injuries on a major-on- That's not true. No, I'm not endorsing anything. Trey Wisner, the running back. I'm saying they have a capable backup so it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, Matt.

I just saw you just texted me. Can Al-Zis play for a... Suit-up for Georgia? For Georgia this weekend. I don't think he can. No, I didn't text you that. All right. So Monday.

and I won't be here, but when Gordy and you argue with Ross about this if you work Monday, what's going to be the biggest complaint? Who's going to be the loudest barker of all of everything? By the way, do you see Breton, your mark, the Big 12 commissioner said, we deserve a buy. We're the freaking

Big 12, we deserve a buy. There's no way, no how that a Boise State or anybody else, non-P4 should be getting a buy over us. Well, you ask who's going to be the biggest complainer in the room? Danny Connell

I mean that guy hates the SEC so much he is going to be bitching up a storm about how do you get four teams in Miami deserved to be in okay so Miami's gonna be mad SMU is gonna be mad I think so

as I you cleared are they are they good to go they're in Indiana's in yeah the big the big 10 has got four in no matter what so wait a minute you're telling me you were telling me you were telling me on strength of schedule I use strength schedule's terrible they had one chance to beat their chest and they couldn't

I agree but they're ignoring it. They're not looking at strength of schedule with the other teams. I mean, in Texas played the weakest strength of schedule in the entire SEC. It ranks 16 of 16. Oh, Roshy and nothing can get away with that? 16 and a 16 based on what,

opponent record or something? Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. How about you? Texas, you want to go... They didn't make the SEC schedule? If you want to go overboard, they played really only two true SEC road games all year, at Arkansas, at A&M. And they won them. Yeah, congrats. How about you go to Knoxville or Oxford or Bessler?

Ruse. I'm sorry. If Kyle Field's so easy to win and why didn't Ellis, you do it? That's a great. It's a great win. And Betty's so easy to win. How come Alabama didn't do it? Well, you guys were an onside kickaway from blowing that one. But they didn't. Yeah, congrats. Win is a win. You took basic math and got in A plus. We all took algebra three and we got DPs and Cs. They scheduled. They scheduled. Who's on the schedule? They didn't make it. Remedial math 2.0 next year. You get the same schedule. Congrats. Okay. Again, LSU didn't think Kyle Phil was.

so easy. They got their ass whipped over there. Here's what you need to thank. And the A&M didn't score a point. The Joe Jamel family, the Red McComb's family, all them passing dollar bills onto the SEC office going, thanks for giving us the easiest schedule at Oklahoma the toughest. Okay, yeah, Florida is so easy. That's why

Ellis, you got their ass beat by Florida. That's why Ole Miss got their ass beat by Florida. Go look at it. The week after you all, they suck. You'll beat Florida. I'm sorry the tigers are to par and they're losing bleeding recruits and you're very upset. I wish you well playing all these backup quarterbacks every week. It's great. Thanks for the DBs.

We appreciate you. Here's a spoiler. Carson Beck will not throw a pick this week. He will not. Georgia wins big. We'll see. That's why we brought Gordy in here. By way, Connor, do you regulate Gordy's microphone?

You know he always gets his microphone levels way high during this spirited conversation. Yeah, I've been moving it up and down as the volume gets louder. Man, Gordy, I don't know what Ross would you have planned for Monday, but you've got to bring Gordy in for least a segment. And y'all can just fight for half of them. He's busy. By the way, Texas next year, gets San Jose State, U-TEP, and Sam Houston. No way.

Is that true, Gordon? Is that true, Ross? I got some big ones. What happened to Sam Houston? Somebody must have backed out on him. And you didn't mention one other one. I said Sam Houston. Yeah, you open at Ohio State.

Oh, okay. Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. You're such a fraud. You didn't bring that up. Oh, they probably scheduled a tough game. Congrats. They went to Michigan this year.

year. You know the team that beat Ohio State? Oh, oh, guess what? Next year you've got to go to Kentucky. Look out. Yeah, tough. You got to go to Mississippi State.

Oh, my gosh. Startful. Hold on. I was the one that was told the SEC was the greatest conference in all time. If you play eight games against the SEC, that sounds like that should be a pretty difficult schedule. The greatest conference in the history of conferences. So if you play eight games in the greatest league, that sounds like it's tough.

The deepest and best. conference ever. Well, okay, you're playing eight games. You avoid the whole top half of this conference. I didn't make the schedule. Okay. I didn't do anything. You don't brag about it. It's like saying I beat Kansas and Baylor and I won the Big 12. Yeah. Come on. You beat A&M. LSU couldn't get it done. Okay, great. But you didn't play LSU?

You didn't play LSU. You didn't play LSU. You didn't play South Carolina. You didn't play Alabama. You didn't play Ole Misses. You didn't play Mizzu. You didn't play Mizzu. Conn't give you all a better fight. Okay. Well, they didn't. They weren't on the schedule. Well, that's what I'm saying. Thank you, Greg Sanky. the SEC office. You paid them well. They took care of you. Greased the wheels.

You're saying that money was paid from the Texas Longhorn's Athletic Department to the commissioner in order to get the schedule them. The Texas Edelman did not. Who did? CEO of Omni, the Red McCombes family. The Red McCombes family gave money to Greg Sankey to manipulate this

SEC schedule. That's what you're alleging? I can neither confirm nor deny. You're an idiot. Bob Rowling is worth $10.9 billion owns the Omni. where was SEC Media Days this year in Dallas? They weren't okay The proud Longhorn alum paid for that one

He paid money for that? Yes Gordy God I love this I just This is like radio sex It's how it's how good it is That is weird You know what I mean No I don't

You do I'm done Talk to you Monday Come in come in and talk Come in and fight with Ross for like an hour It'd be good Whatever To boost

So I can't fight with you like that Because my coogers, we first of all, we scheduled Big 12 competition tough. And then we got non-conference tilts like you wouldn't believe. We got a game at Rice. Got a home game with SFA. And then a tough trip to Oregon State. That's what I'm talking about. I'm going to mess around.