Legendary head coach Urban Meyer reached the pinnacle of his sport by guiding Florida and Ohio State through what are arguably the two most demanding conferences in the country, so he is not going to have much sympathy for Group of Five teams. The three-time national champion does not believe James Madison should have a spot in the College Football Playoff just because it was one of the five-highest ranked conference champions.
Meyer wants the Dukes and other underdogs to earn their way into the tournament. He has an idea on how the CFP selection committee can infuse credibility while also maintaining a Group of Five presence in the festivities.
“I would mandate that a James Madison, or a non-Power Four, you have to play three programs in the top 50, or you can’t, you know, win your conference and win whatever (else), but you can’t be considered,” Meyer said on “The Triple Option” podcast, per On3’s Barkley Truax.
When Duke upset Virginia in the ACC Championship, it opened the door for nationally-ranked James Madison to slide into the No. 12 seed in the CFP draw. The Dukes are a huge underdog for Saturday’s first-round matchup versus No. 5 Oregon, while Notre Dame and other formidable teams like Vanderbilt, BYU and Texas watch the action from home. Their strength of schedule is 121 on ESPN’s College Football Power Index, which is why so many people want their CFP credentials revoked.
If something like Urban Meyer’s schedule mandate were to be implemented, the Group of Five representative could be more battle-tested and better prepared to take on Goliath in a do-or-die game. This proposal could create a superior product overall, while also ensuring that Cinderella gets to continue attending the ball.
Time will tell how the College Football Playoff selection committee handles this contentious issue, but if James Madison is obliterated in Eugene this weekend, then Meyer and other like-minded individuals will only feel further emboldened to call for change.
