By now most, if not all of us, have head Joel Klatt's thoughts on the playoff committee and their selection this year. I thought he did a very good job of summing up my own person feelings towards it and I do not feel the need to re-hash what his spoke so eloquently. There was however, a point towards the end that I had not heard much before or focused much on. The assertion he presented was that the committee unfairly represented the college football landscape. In a year where mass debate over the electoral college exists, I find this notion a fascinating take. And if you are like me, you want to dive into this and find out just what he bases this claim off of.
Because of my curiosity, I have taken the liberty to go through the selection committee and look at potential factors, geographically, that could help persuade their vote. I thought I would share what I found in a concise manner with you fine folks of 11W. Consider the following table:
| Committee Member | Geographic Tie-in | Conference Tie-in | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyrone Willingham | multiple | multiple | born in NC, but spent most football days all over the north and west |
| Gene Smith | Midwest | B1G | Ohio State AD |
| Chris Howard | Midwest | - | President of Robert Morris University |
| Herb Deromedi | Midwest | MAC | former head coach of Central Michigan |
| Rob Mullens | West | Pac12 | Oregon AD |
| Tom Jernstedt | West | Pac 12 | University of Oregon graduate |
| Jeff Bower | South | C-USA | former head coach of Southern Mississippi |
| Kirby Hocutt | South | Big12 | Texas Tech AD |
| Frank Beamer | South | ACC | former head coach of Virginia Tech |
| Dan Radakovich | South | ACC | Clemson AD |
| Bobby Johnson | South | SEC | Vanderbilt AD |
| Jeff Long | South | SEC | Arkansas AD |
| Steve Wieberg | South | SEC | Univeristy of Missouri graduate |
Take a historical trip back to the Civil War era, recognizing which states were considered free and slave states. In general terms, this helps establish the ideas and mentality of what we consider "the south." This also explains how teams in Kentucky and Missouri can be considered south.
As we ponder that map and its relevance to college football, it is important to note that 7 of the 13 selection members have a direct tie to the south. And as Joel pointed out (despite suggesting only 6 members), when discussing Ohio State, Gene Smith must recuse himself. Thus leaving 7 of the 12 remaining members deciding Ohio State's fate with direct ties to the south.
While this is not a proof of any conspiracy or malpractice, it certainly, in the least, highlights the importance of representation. I would rather see the playoffs expanded and subjective opinions removed from the process of determining champions, but in the meantime, I find it absurd that we have let this system take on its current form. Our very country was founded on the idea of no taxation without representation and the electoral college was implemented to give a voice to those living outside the most populated cities. If it was purposely decided to run a country that way, would it not make sense that our college football playoff follow suit? The closet the northeast gets to having an opinion is west of Pittsburgh. There are 1700 miles between Lubbock, TX and Eugene, OR and there are no voices to be heard for anyone on that path. We have to do better. College football deserves better.
