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By Ellis Williams
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Greg McElroy expected Texas to lead the SEC’s two-loss contenders in the first College Football Playoff rankings. Instead, the former Alabama quarterback saw his alma mater land two places ahead of the Longhorns.
Speaking on Always College Football, the ESPN analyst questioned the committee’s decision to put Alabama fifth and Texas seventh in Tuesday’s opening rankings. Both teams were 6-2.
“Texas at seven, this was also a surprise,” McElroy said. He had projected the Longhorns at No. 5 and believed their victories warranted the higher position.
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Texas has beaten three teams in the committee’s top 13. The Longhorns defeated Ohio State 24-23 and Ole Miss 34-27 at home, along with a 20-17 road victory over Tennessee. Ole Miss opened at No. 10, Ohio State at No. 12 and Tennessee at No. 13.
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Tennessee offers a particularly useful comparison. Texas won in Knoxville on Sept. 26, while Alabama lost there 26-10 on Oct. 17. The teams have not played each other this season, leaving their broader schedules and common opponents central to the debate.
Alabama has a significant result of its own. The Crimson Tide beat Kentucky 45-17 on the road, and the Wildcats entered the rankings at No. 6 with a 7-1 record. Alabama’s other defeat came against No. 2 Georgia, 20-17. Texas lost consecutive games to Oklahoma and Florida by identical 27-24 scores.
McElroy acknowledged Alabama’s strong efficiency metrics and suggested the committee might be placing greater emphasis on offensive performance. That was his interpretation of the ranking, rather than a confirmed explanation from the committee.
The CFP’s published evaluation guidelines call for consideration of a team’s full body of work. When teams are comparable, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and performance against common opponents are among the factors members weigh.
Both teams have a chance to strengthen their cases before the next rankings arrive Nov. 10. Alabama visits No. 14 LSU on Saturday, while Texas travels to No. 18 Missouri.
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