Lane Kiffin slams CFP committee for Ole Miss ranking, attempting to make ACC ‘relevant’….
Lane Kiffin, the head coach of Ole Miss, recently voiced strong criticism of the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee for its ranking of his team and its efforts to boost the ACC’s relevance in the college football landscape. Kiffin, known for his outspoken and candid nature, didn’t hold back in his assessment of the CFP’s decisions.
Kiffin expressed frustration over Ole Miss’ placement in the CFP rankings, particularly when compared to other teams with similar records. He argued that despite a strong season, Ole Miss was undervalued in favor of teams from other conferences, specifically the ACC. The coach suggested that the CFP committee’s rankings were influenced by a desire to boost the perceived strength of the ACC, which has struggled in recent years to maintain the same level of prestige as conferences like the SEC or Big Ten.
In his critique, Kiffin pointed out the disproportionate rankings of ACC teams, claiming that the committee was trying to create a narrative that would make the ACC seem more competitive and relevant. This, he argued, was a strategic move to help the conference secure more representation in the CFP race, especially as the conference’s elite teams like Florida State and Clemson were still in the hunt for a playoff spot. The move, according to Kiffin, came at the expense of teams from stronger conferences, like Ole Miss, whose performance and rankings he felt were being downplayed.
Kiffin also voiced concern that the CFP committee’s decisions were damaging to the overall fairness of the playoff system. He implied that the committee was using rankings more for marketing purposes rather than based solely on on-field performance. In his view, teams like Ole Miss, which had demonstrated consistency and competitiveness in the SEC, were being unfairly punished while other teams received rankings that were artificially inflated to give the ACC a fighting chance at a playoff berth.
Kiffin’s comments reflected ongoing debates surrounding the CFP rankings and the perceived bias in favor of certain conferences. His frustration highlights the tension between schools from historically dominant conferences, like the SEC, and those from conferences seeking to increase their standing in the college football hierarchy. As the sport evolves and the playoff system continues to grow in importance, these kinds of critiques are likely to continue shaping the conversation around fairness and representation in college football.