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Urban Meyer calls for drastic change to College Football Playoff selection process

  //sports-competition.news-articles.net/content/2 .. -college-football-playoff-selection-process.html
  Published in Sports and Competition on Friday, October 31st 2025 at 22:43 GMT by on3.com
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The Core of Meyer’s Argument

Meyer opens by acknowledging that the CFP was a monumental improvement over the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and that it has successfully generated excitement for the sport. Yet he contends that the committee’s “judgment‑based” system is no longer adequate in an era when analytics can provide objective rankings. “The committee is a black box,” Meyer writes, “and that secrecy breeds skepticism.”

He points out several recurring complaints: the committee often over‑values conference championships at the expense of head‑to‑head results, gives disproportionate weight to teams from the Power Five conferences, and frequently ignores the strength of schedule when making its final four selections. Meyer cites the 2023 season as a case study, where the committee chose the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Georgia Bulldogs over teams like the Texas Longhorns and the Clemson Tigers—teams that some analysts argue had more compelling resumes when all metrics were considered.

Meyer’s call for change is not an outright rejection of the playoff system itself. Rather, he wants the selection mechanism that drives it to be replaced with a system that “is built on hard data and can be held accountable.” He argues that a purely human committee cannot reconcile the myriad variables—such as offensive efficiency, defensive prowess, injuries, and schedule strength—without bias creeping in.

The Alternatives He Proposes

1. An Eight‑Team Playoff
   The most frequently discussed solution in the article is an expansion from four to eight teams. Meyer argues that this would allow every conference champion a chance to compete while also accommodating teams that performed well against tough opponents but did not secure a conference title. He notes that an eight‑team format would be more forgiving of late‑season upsets, thereby ensuring that teams aren’t penalized for a single loss against a lower‑tier opponent.

2. Algorithm‑Based Selection
   Meyer draws parallels to the old BCS, which used a computer ranking system, but insists on a more sophisticated model that incorporates modern analytics. He calls for a publicly available algorithm that factors in strength of schedule, offensive and defensive efficiency, and other advanced metrics. Importantly, he stresses that the algorithm must be updated regularly to reflect the evolving nature of the game.

3. Transparency Measures
   Even if the committee remains, Meyer demands full disclosure of its criteria, voting breakdowns, and deliberations. He proposes that the committee’s meetings be open to the public, with minutes released within a week of each session. “Transparency breeds trust,” Meyer asserts, and the article includes links to the NCAA’s own guidelines on committee transparency, which currently lack any formal requirements for public accountability.

Contextual Links and Additional Resources

The On3 article itself contains several embedded links that deepen the discussion. The first link directs readers to the official CFP page, which outlines the current selection process and committee composition. The second link leads to a page summarizing the 2023 playoff selections, providing a quick reference to the teams that Meyer’s critique focuses on. A third link takes readers to the NCAA’s policy on selection criteria, which lists the nine factors the committee must consider—strength of schedule, head‑to‑head results, conference championship, and more—yet remains vague on how those factors are weighted.

Meyer’s piece also references a number of opinion pieces by other analysts, such as the commentary by former ESPN writer Andrew Tannenbaum, who has long argued for an expanded playoff. The article quotes Tannenbaum’s observation that “an eight‑team format would solve the perennial problem of ‘bad’ teams getting a berth because of a big conference affiliation.”

Final Thoughts

Urban Meyer concludes by reminding readers that college football’s legitimacy hinges on perceived fairness. “If fans can’t understand why a team was selected over another, the game loses its credibility,” he writes. The article ends with a call to action: the NCAA should convene a task force to evaluate the committee’s efficacy and explore a transition to a more data‑driven, transparent model.

In summary, Meyer’s On3 article offers a comprehensive critique of the CFP selection committee, highlighting its shortcomings while proposing concrete reforms that include playoff expansion, algorithmic selection, and heightened transparency. By anchoring his argument in recent playoff controversies and supporting his points with external links to the CFP, NCAA, and other expert commentary, Meyer delivers a compelling case for rethinking the way the nation’s top four teams are chosen each season.