Greg McElroy reacts to 2nd College Football Playoff Top 25 rankings, questions Texas Tech's spot

After he agreed with the first College Football Playoff rankings last week, ESPN’s Greg McElroy had a bit of a different tone this week. While he didn’t entirely disagree with the updated Top 25, he had one big question.

McElroy wondered about Texas Tech’s ranking at No. 6. The Red Raiders, the projected Big 12 champion in the 12-team CFP bracket, sit behind No. 5 Georgia in the second rankings release of the year. They got a resounding victory over BYU in Lubbock last week, which created some separation in the rankings.

But to McElroy, Joey McGuire’s group could have an uphill battle if it wants a first-round bye as a top-four seed. The former Alabama star thinks the Red Raiders have a chance to get there and certainly agreed with the decision to rank them over Ole Miss.

“It’s fine,” McElroy said of the second rankings reveal. “Here’s the thing. Honestly, I’m good with it. they stayed consistent. I can live with that – I really can. I think that with what we saw from Texas Tech, they had a real strong argument to be made for the top five because right now, it feels like they’re wedged out of the possibility of a first-round bye. And that, to me, I think Texas Tech is potentially a top-four team. … Definitely over Ole Miss.

“I think you can make the case that Texas Tech, by the time we get to the end of the season, should get one of those top four [seeds]. I don’t know if they will, based on how things are lining up in the Big Ten and the SEC.”

CFP chair: Texas Tech has better wins than Ole Miss

In a teleconference with reporters after Tuesday’s rankings reveal show, College Football Playoff selection committee chair Mack Rhoades discussed what separated Texas Tech from Ole Miss. The Red Raiders jumped up one spot past the Rebels this week.

Ultimately, Rhoades said the quality of wins was the separator. That’s why Tech came in ahead of Ole Miss in the second Top 25.

“Probably the longest discussion that we had in the room was Texas Tech and Ole Miss,” Rhoades said. “Texas Tech’s win just recently this past weekend against BYU, really convincing, both sides of the ball. Texas Tech defensively, really, really good. Offensively, moves the ball up and down the field. Kicked some field goals, so probably left some points off the board.

“But really looked at Texas Tech’s two top-13 wins, BYU, Utah. Ole Miss had the one win, a really good win at Oklahoma, also a win against LSU. But Texas Tech, highly regarded by the committee.”