CFP Selection Committee Chair Boo Corrigan explains Alabama over TCU, perception of Big 12

After the College Football Playoff Selection Committee unveiled the first Top 25 rankings of the 2022 season ahead of Week 10, new chairman Boo Corrigan – who also serves as the NC State athletic director – spoke with ESPN host Rece Davis. The two discussed what went into each marquee decision which made up the list.

The first look featured plenty potential topics of conversation, but none got the ESPN panel going more than the decision to rank one-loss Alabama – who also looked shaky in a number of other games early in the year – over undefeated TCU. Was it a matter of preference, or perhaps a display of the SEC’s value over the Big 12? Corrigan settled the debate.

“I think you look at TCU, and again we’re looking for a balanced team – offense and defense – and they have gotten behind in some games,” said Corrigan. “They’ve been able to come back and win those games.

“But when you look at Alabama in the wins against Mississippi State, at Arkansas, at Texas and obviously a three-point loss at Tennessee, as a committee we decided to go Alabama No. 6 and TCU No. 7.”

Again pressed on what the committee thinks about the Big 12 as a whole, Corrigan offered an answer about the four programs which featured in this week’s show.

“We really don’t look at conferences,” said Corrigan. “We’re looking at individual teams. A Kansas State win last week over Oklahoma State was really quite a win by them. But again, at the end of the day, we’re just trying to pick the best teams that we can and make sure that we slot them the right way.”

Boo Corrigan on debates amongst CFP Selection Committee

Some of the most difficult decisions the CFP Selection Committee had to make in the first week were at the top of the rankings with a number of deserving teams. Naturally, the Alabama vs. TCU issue and many other topics led to some heated debates among the committee.

“The thing about it, you’ve got 13 voices in the room,” said Corrigan. “And some people are advocated for Georgia, some people are advocating for Ohio State, others for Tennessee. It really does, it drives the conversation. And the goal of the meeting room if you will, and as the chair, is to have a light touch and make sure that what we’re doing is making the right decision with the knowledge that we have thus far in the season to make sure we get it right. One, two and three.”