Iowa Football: If playoff rankings only reflected resume through Week 9

Teams in the Second tier of College Football

SMU has not played an FCS team to this point and that has helped keep them in the top 10. They also have four road wins, which is more than any other team to this point. Unfortunately, they likely have hit their peak, as they have no more Power 5 teams on the schedule. Still, the Mustangs being 8 spots higher makes them the most underrated team relative to the AP poll.

Baylor probably has the most upside of any team. Their schedule is backloaded with quality teams that would likely push them into the top 4 at year’s end. Still, they have one of the weaker resumes of all of the undefeated teams to this point.

The first team with losses to show up is the Auburn Tigers, and they do so with two losses, albeit to quality teams. Their two road wins as well as the 20 wins the opponents they’ve beaten have accumulated make Auburn the best team with a loss (or two, in their case).

Oregon likely would have been in the top 4 if they held the lead they had against Auburn. Alas, they did not, and their four Power 5 wins are only enough to keep them in the top 10. They are still the PAC12 team with the best resume right now.

Oklahoma is another team that would have been in the top 4 without their loss. Unfortunately for the Sooners, the 16 combined wins of the teams they’ve beaten are lower than everyone above them except Baylor (also with 16).

Florida is a team that probably has the most to lose when only considering their resume. Two of their wins are against FCS opponents, which this system rightfully does not recognize. Still, Florida has the third-highest ranked resume of one-loss teams. Being ranked below Auburn, a team that they beat head-to-head, highlights the discrepancy in the two teams’ resumes.

Michigan fans may want to wait on the calls to fire Harbaugh. Despite two losses, the Wolverines have one of the better resumes to date including a 13-3 win over the Iowa football team. With games still against Ohio State and 6-win Indiana, there are still opportunities to pad their accomplishments this year.

The Utes are the second-ranked PAC12 team but are not currently in a position to win their division with the head-to-head loss to USC. With that in mind, Utah does not, at this point, have the ability to boost their resume to a top 4 position.

After the Bearcats got demolished by Ohio State, the natural reaction was to overlook Cincinnati. They quietly rattled off five straight wins, two on the road, and now have the 15th ranked resume.