When the confusion caused by the CFP rankings arises, it is understandable that the challenging landscape of the SEC becomes a topic of debate. The presence of Lane Kiffin and Kalen DeBoer, who appear to be struggling amidst fierce competition, evokes sympathy for those trying to navigate these difficult waters. Simultaneously, Clemson’s unexpected position in the rankings sparks curiosity, further intensifying the contentious playoff discussion. The relentless gauntlet presented by the SEC leads fans to question whether it is the strongest or merely the most unforgiving battleground.

Clemson Tigers getting a higher ranking than the Ole Miss Rebels and Alabama is something that is making everyone scratch their heads. Even on the November 27 episode of The Ruffino & Joe Show, Weekly College Football show host Blake Ruffino sympathizes with Lane Kiffin and Kalen DeBoer because Clemson is getting higher rankings even after not giving any impressive performances in a while.

“Clemson got road-housed by Georgia. Roadhouse, okay, I’ve seen Ole Miss beat… and I know transitive properties don’t work; I know that, and it’s a different time and a different place. But there comes a point in time where I’m looking at this, and my eyes can tell me that Ole Miss and Alabama are not the same as SMU. You know that. Take the SEC out of it, name another Big Ten team, name another team, Joe, SMU, and Clemson,” he said.

Well, that is a debatable insight. SMU has had a relatively easy schedule this season, facing only one ranked opponent, BYU. The Clemson Tigers, meanwhile, lost against the Georgia Bulldogs and also against an unranked team, the Louisville Cardinals. Yet, both teams are ranked higher than Alabama and Ole Miss in the playoff rankings, which is a bit confusing. As Ruffino put it, “It’s baffling.”

With this week’s playoff rankings, Alabama is in 13th position, followed by Ole Miss in the 14th position, and the committee has given 12th rank to the Clemson Tigers. Also, SMU Mustangs have climbed to the 10th spot in this week’s CFP projections. But the question still remains the same: in what world do these rankings justify themselves?

Does Ole Miss and Bama deserve these rankings?

Well, fans might wonder why Alabama is on a lower rank than Clemson, even though it’s tough to digest, but their loss against the Oklahoma Sooners and the three-point score is something that will surely show its side effects. Plus, in the case of Ole Miss, their loss against the Florida Gators has only made it worse for them. But is this the only reason for their dip against the Clemson Tigers and SMU, or is there more to the story?

Now an all-new perspective came to light after committee chair Warde Manuel made a recent revelation, saying, “Clemson slid up with some losses ahead of them by Alabama and Mississippi, and they had a win against Citadel, obviously, but that wasn’t the big reason….Obviously they’re at 9-2, with only two losses. The teams right behind them have three losses. We just felt as a committee as we looked at their body of work.” It looks like it’s not about how strong a team you face at the end; it’s your score and record that matter.