LSU head coach Lane Kiffin believes the College Football Playoff committee should be willing to select a battle-tested 9-3 team over an 11-1 team with a weaker résumé.
Kiffin argued the committee needs to reach a point where it can say “that team that is 9-3 with their schedule is a better team than that 11-1 in a different conference.”
The comments immediately reignited the debate over what should matter most in CFP selection: wins or strength of schedule.
Supporters of Kiffin’s stance argue that surviving an SEC schedule is often more difficult than posting a gaudy record in another league. Critics, however, see the comments as suggesting that actual results should take a back seat to predictive metrics and perceived conference strength.
Ultimately, Kiffin’s remarks highlight one of college football’s biggest questions heading into the expanded playoff era: Should the committee reward who teams beat—or simply how many times they won?
