Boo Corrigan explains why Oklahoma Sooners was left out of NY6 Field
AllSooners asked the selection committee’s face why the Sooners were still trailing Missouri, Penn State, and Ole Miss in the final rankings.
On Saturday night, excitement began to build around Oklahoma’s improving odds of making the New Year’s Six bowl field.
Instead of the Cotton, Peach, or Fiesta Bowls, the Sooners will return to San Antonio for the second time in three years to face Arizona in the Alamo Bowl.
Despite a neutral-site victory over CFP-bound No. 3 Texas and a victory over American Athletic Conference champion SMU — the Mustangs upset No. 22 Tulane on Saturday night and jumped to No. 24 in the rankings — OU remained No. 12 in Sunday’s College Football Playoff rankings, trailing No. 9 Missouri, No. 10 Penn State, and No. 11 Ole Miss.
CFP selection committee chairman Boo Corrigan held a media conference call on Sunday afternoon, saying Texas’ win over CFP-bound No. 4 Alabama in September “was signifiant, that win in Tuscaloosa…. That was important as part of our protocol.”
But it didn’t help the Sooners’ credentials enough to propel them ahead of other teams that didn’t have anything close to as impressive a win.
On the conference call, AllSooners questioned Corrigan what finally kept OU out of the New Year’s Six field.
“I believe what you’re looking at, the way we do, is the teams around them.” Right?” Corrigan explained. “How did Missouri fare this year?” What action did Penn State take? Mississippi? As we looked at it, there were four pretty good teams surrounding them.
All four teams ended 10-2, but Oklahoma won the league race.
Missouri’s finest victories have come against No. 21 Tennessee (8-4) and No. 25 Kansas State (8-4) respectively. Penn State’s best win was a 10-3 victory over No. 17 Iowa. The finest win for Ole Miss came against No. 13 LSU (9-3).
Oklahoma’s most impressive victories came against No. 3 Texas (12-1) and No. 24 SMU (11-2).
“They were 4-2 against teams with winning records,” noted Corrigan. “The loss in Bedlam, the loss to Kansas, and as we weighed that in relation to Mississippi, Penn State and Missouri, the committee came in with Oklahoma at No. 12.”
Corrigan stated that OU’s quality wins were “very much a part of the conversation.” Missouri has wins over Kansas State and Tennessee, Penn State has two losses to Ohio State and Michigan, including a big win over Iowa — the team that everyone saw last night defensively is really good; to win that game 31-0 — and then Mississippi and their season.”
