Last night was a crucial rankings release from the College Football Playoff committee in regards to the Tar Heels chances to make the field. Despite multiple losses ahead of them, they only moved up two spots to No. 13, which all but eliminated them from playoff contention.
The Tar Heels were ranked behind five two-loss teams, something that has fans around the program angry and rightfully so. At the least, they should be ranked ahead of an Oregon team who has suffered the most recent loss of the team’s in front of them and also has a 46-point loss to Georgia on their résumé.
No. 11 Penn State has losses to Ohio State and Michigan, with the loss to the Wolverines being a blow out. Their best win is a toss up between Purdue, Maryland and Minnesota, a group that is extremely similar to what the Tar Heels have faced to this point.
There is also a case to be made that they should be ahead of Utah at this point. The Utes win over USC is undoubtedly the best win between the two teams, but the loss to UCLA is on par with the Notre Dame loss and the Florida loss is the worst of the three if you combine them.
At the least, the Tar Heels should be 11th, but I think there is a legitimate case for this team to be inside the top ten. If they were, there would be a slim chance that this team could still make the CFP if they were to win out.
Instead, the committee showed what we all believed they thought: they have zero respect for the ACC. The lack of respect for the conference is somewhat understandable, but the committee contradicted itself by somehow leaving NC State, who may have suffered the worst loss of any Power 5 team this season on Saturday, in the rankings. The committee also appears to have way too much respect for a Big Ten that is having arguably a worse season all around than the ACC and a Big 12 that has simply devoured itself.
Look, either way, it was going to take some major chaos for the Tar Heels coupled with them winning out to get in the College Football Playoff. However, the No. 13 ranking behind two teams with two losses and worse résumés overall in just downright disrespectful to a group that has been about as clutch as any in the nation this season.