CFP Rankings Chaos: Ohio State Left Out, UCLA Snubbed & the Future of College Football

We took a week off. Apparently, the sports world decided that was the perfect opportunity to lose its mind.

College football has been delivering upsets almost every single weekend, the NFL is approaching its trade deadline with teams looking to completely remake their rosters, and the first College Football Playoff rankings have given everybody something to complain about.

And that's before we even get to whatever the hell is going on with the Denver Nuggets.

After a much-needed bye week, Niko Bryant and I returned for Episode 295 of the Far End of the Bench. We had our usual NFL Boom or Bust predictions, Fantasy Start/Sit discussions, and Pick'Em Draft. But we also had some unfinished business with the Nuggets and the NHL's new jerseys.

Then, following our main show, I took over for an extended edition of The Morning After to break down the college football chaos, the first CFP rankings, two massive upcoming games, and the ongoing debate over expanding the playoff to 24 teams.

There's a lot to get into, so let's get after it.

The Broncos Beat the Chiefs, and the NFL Trade Market Is Heating Up

First, we have to acknowledge something that Niko has been waiting a long time to celebrate.

The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

And based on how Niko opened the show, Chiefs fans are going to have to hear about it for a while.

Denver's 28–24 victory was significant beyond the standings. For years, Kansas City has been the team everybody in the AFC West has been chasing. The Broncos have been trying to prove that they belong in the conversation, and beating Patrick Mahomes at home is exactly the kind of result that helps change that perception.

Of course, Niko also had plenty to say about Kansas City's offensive line, the officiating, and the reaction from Chiefs fans afterward.

As a Bengals fan, I can't say I was particularly upset to see Kansas City lose.

But the bigger conversation around the league might be what's happening as we approach the trade deadline.

Jeffrey Simmons to Chicago Changes the Conversation

One of the biggest moves we discussed was Jeffrey Simmons leaving Tennessee for the Chicago Bears.

I actually found out about the trade while my students were working independently in class. I checked ESPN, saw the news, and immediately wondered what the hell Tennessee was doing.

Chicago already had an offense capable of making some serious noise. Adding a player like Simmons gives its defense another physical presence, and Niko was understandably impressed with the move.

The Colts were another major part of our conversation. With Quenton Nelson moving to Seattle and Jonathan Taylor's future being discussed, Indianapolis has become one of the most interesting teams to watch.

The trade deadline isn't just important for NFL front offices, either.

Fantasy managers are waiting to find out whether the players they've invested in are going to have the same roles next week, especially with teams beginning to look toward the future.

And that brings us to Boom or Bust.

NFL Boom or Bust: Jonah Coleman, Kyle Lemon and Some Fantasy Red Flags

One of the things I try to emphasize when we discuss fantasy football is that you can't simply look at the names on your roster and assume they're going to produce.

You have to pay attention to opportunity, matchups, injuries, and what's actually happening on the field.

Jonah Coleman Could Be Taking Over Denver's Backfield

My first Boom candidate was Broncos running back Jonah Coleman.

Coleman wasn't coming off some ridiculous 200-yard performance, but he had been productive in both the rushing and passing games. Against Kansas City, he was Denver's leading rusher and receiver.

With RJ Harvey dealing with an injury, Coleman has an opportunity to become a much larger part of Denver's offense.

I don't believe the Broncos can continue winning consistently if they cannot establish an effective running game. Coleman has shown flashes that suggest he could become an important piece of that solution.

Niko went even further, arguing that Coleman has an opportunity to become Denver's featured back unless the Broncos make a significant addition such as Jonathan Taylor.

That potential trade is something to monitor, but even without a major move, Coleman is a player fantasy managers should be paying attention to.

Niko's Sleeper: Mekhi Lemon

Niko brought up Mekhi Lemon, the Eagles receiver who has begun making a name for himself in a struggling Philadelphia offense.

The numbers Niko highlighted were encouraging: 19 fantasy points in one game, followed by another 11-point performance.

Philadelphia's offensive line has been a mess, and injuries have created additional opportunities in the passing game.

Sometimes a struggling team can still produce useful fantasy players because somebody has to catch the football.

Lemon is the kind of player who could become a valuable flex option if his opportunities continue.

Why We Don't Trust Baltimore's Offense

My Bust candidate was Zay Flowers.

It's not necessarily because Flowers suddenly forgot how to play football.

The problem is Baltimore's quarterback situation.

Lamar Jackson's injury creates an enormous problem for that offense. Without the threat Jackson presents as both a passer and runner, defenses can play Baltimore completely differently.

That also affects Derrick Henry.

Henry has had an incredible career, but I've watched him get stopped behind the line of scrimmage more frequently this season than I'm accustomed to seeing.

When defenses no longer have to respect the quarterback running game in the same way, those opportunities become even more difficult.

Niko also brought up the inconsistent fantasy production of Omar Cooper Jr., while we discussed the uncertainty surrounding Ashton Jeanty's role in Las Vegas and Tyler Warren's value in Indianapolis.

The lesson is simple: a player's draft position doesn't automatically make him a reliable fantasy starter.

Episode 295 Pick'Em Draft: Can I Finally Catch Niko?

I'm beginning to think Niko has made some kind of deal with the football gods.

Coming into this week's draft, he was sitting at 23–5 after another perfect 4–0 performance.

Me?

A beautiful, perfectly average 14–14.

I went 2–2 with my last selections, and the gap between us has grown to nine games.

But anybody who has listened to this show knows I'm not going to quit competing just because I'm getting my ass kicked.

I had the first pick, and I wanted the Seahawks.

Seattle has one of the strongest home-field advantages in football, and with Arizona coming to town, I felt comfortable trusting the Seahawks to handle their business.

Niko wasn't going to let me have all the obvious favorites, though, and we eventually settled on eight different games.

The Official Episode 295 Pick'Em Draft

Season records entering the draft: Jimmy 14–14 (2–2 last week) | Niko 23–5 (4–0 last week).

I felt particularly confident in Jacksonville taking care of Baltimore, especially considering the Ravens' quarterback injuries and Jacksonville's recent performance against Indianapolis.

Niko took a more interesting gamble with Houston over the Chargers, arguing that the Texans were better than their record suggested.

And for his final selection, he went with Buffalo over Minnesota, trusting Josh Allen and the Bills to continue their offensive success.

We'll see whether I can finally make this competition interesting again.

If Niko keeps going 4–0 every week, I might have to start investigating.

Fantasy Start/Sit: Don't Let an Injured Quarterback Destroy Your Week

Our Start/Sit discussion reinforced something every fantasy manager should remember.

If your starting quarterback is dealing with a significant injury, make sure you have another option.

Niko learned that lesson the hard way with Lamar Jackson.

Even a mediocre performance from a healthy backup can be better than getting almost nothing from a superstar who leaves the game early.

We also discussed Jacksonville tight end Brenton Strange as a potential streaming option against Baltimore.

Trevor Lawrence has shown a willingness to involve his tight ends, and with the Ravens dealing with injuries and defensive inconsistencies, Strange could be useful for managers searching for help.

Fantasy football isn't always about having the biggest names.

Sometimes it's about recognizing the opportunity before everybody else does.

Niko Has Had Enough of the Denver Nuggets

Now, I originally told Niko we'd only be recording together for about 30 minutes.

That plan didn't exactly survive contact with his opinions about the Nuggets.

I knew he was frustrated with Denver, but I don't think I fully appreciated just how much until we started discussing their season.

To understand where he's coming from, you have to remember what the Nuggets' championship meant to him.

He described that championship as one of the greatest moments of his life. That kind of investment makes watching a team struggle even more frustrating.

And from his perspective, Denver has been showing many of the same problems that contributed to its previous playoff disappointments.

Is Denver's Championship Window Closing?

Niko's biggest criticism wasn't simply that the Nuggets were losing.

It was the effort.

He questioned their defensive intensity, their aging roster, the consistency of Christian Braun, the impact of Cam Johnson's injuries, and even Nikola Jokić's willingness to challenge shots around the basket.

We also discussed the front-office decisions that have changed the roster since Denver won its championship.

Losing developed talent while committing significant money elsewhere creates real questions about how the team is being built.

Niko went as far as suggesting that Trevon Brazile could eventually deserve the starting power forward job over Aaron Gordon.

That's a strong statement, especially considering what Gordon has meant to this franchise.

But I understand the larger argument.

You cannot keep expecting championship results simply because championship players are still wearing the same jerseys.

At some point, performance, consistency, and effort have to matter more than what somebody accomplished three seasons ago.

It's still early in the NBA season, and there's time for Denver to get things figured out.

But Niko is not particularly interested in pretending everything is fine until that happens.

NHL Hometown Remix Jerseys: The Mighty Ducks Win Again

After that Nuggets conversation, we needed to talk about something a little more enjoyable.

The NHL's Hometown Remix jerseys.

I've always appreciated the way hockey teams embrace alternate uniforms and franchise history. Some of the best jerseys in professional sports have come from teams finding creative ways to bring older designs back.

The Colorado Avalanche have had some excellent looks over the years, particularly the Nordiques-inspired designs.

Their latest jersey looks better in person than it does in photographs, in my opinion. It's a clean design, even if it doesn't immediately become my favorite Avalanche jersey.

Niko, however, had absolutely no hesitation about his favorite.

Anaheim's Mighty Ducks-Inspired Jersey Is a Winner

If you've ever watched The Mighty Ducks, you probably understand why Niko immediately loved Anaheim's new look.

The green and purple color combination, classic Mighty Ducks logo, and connection to the movie uniforms make it one of the more interesting designs in this collection.

Niko called it a 10 out of 10.

No notes.

We also praised San Jose's use of shark teeth along the sleeves and Florida's coral-colored design.

But not everybody earned a positive review.

Boston's jersey was easily my least favorite.

The brown color and plain lettering just didn't work for me. There are ways to embrace a team's history without making the uniform look like it was designed during an elementary school art project.

Sorry, Bruins fans.

Actually, no. I'm not sorry.

The Morning After: College Football Has Become Absolute Chaos

After Niko signed off, it was time to get into the college football portion of Episode 295.

And there was plenty to discuss.

When I originally started thinking about a dedicated college football show, I expected plenty of big games and some unexpected results.

What I didn't expect was for the top of the rankings to get turned upside down seemingly every weekend.

We've had major upsets, teams losing their undefeated records, and now an initial playoff bracket that raises almost as many questions as it answers.

BYU's Collapse Against UCF

The Cougars were coming off a massive victory over Notre Dame and had climbed to No. 2 in the country.

Then they went to Orlando and lost to UCF, 39–31 in double overtime.

This is exactly the kind of result that drives coaches insane.

BYU entered averaging around 225 rushing yards per game but managed only 116 against UCF.

The Cougars couldn't consistently execute, made costly mistakes, and failed to capitalize on the momentum they had built with their Notre Dame victory.

College football is full of talented teams.

The difference between being good and being a legitimate championship contender is whether you can prepare and execute consistently after your biggest wins.

BYU failed that test.

USC Exposes Ohio State

The following weekend brought another huge upset when USC defeated Ohio State 30–18.

What makes that result interesting is that Ohio State produced plenty of yardage but couldn't turn that production into enough points.

Losing starting quarterback Julian Sayin certainly complicated things.

However, injuries don't automatically excuse every other failure on the football field.

You still have to execute, make adjustments, and find ways to put your best players in positions to succeed.

Ohio State wasn't able to do enough of that.

And with the committee's first rankings now released, that loss has consequences beyond a single weekend.

Other upsets included Cincinnati beating Texas Tech, South Carolina taking down Tennessee, Minnesota defeating Iowa, Wisconsin upsetting USC, and Syracuse beating SMU.

This is the kind of college football season where nobody can assume a game is won simply because of the number next to their school's name.

Miami vs. Notre Dame: The Best Offense Against the Best Defense?

One of the biggest games on the upcoming schedule is No. 1 Miami traveling to face No. 11 Notre Dame.

Miami's offense has been remarkable, averaging 47.6 points per game entering the matchup.

Darian Mensah has emerged as a legitimate Heisman candidate, and the Hurricanes have talented players around him, including Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher.

Notre Dame brings one of the country's strongest defenses into the matchup.

But my biggest concern with the Irish isn't whether they're talented enough.

It's whether they've consistently played at a high enough level.

When Notre Dame allowed Navy to control possession for long stretches, it raised questions about what might happen against an offense with Miami's explosiveness.

You can survive those situations against certain opponents.

Against the Hurricanes, you might find yourself down multiple touchdowns before you figure out what went wrong.

My pick: Miami goes into South Bend and stays undefeated.

The Fighting Irish have the defense to make the game competitive, but I trust Miami's offensive weapons to eventually create enough opportunities to win.

BYU vs. Utah: The Holy War Has Massive Playoff Implications

The other game I focused on was BYU traveling to Salt Lake City to take on undefeated Utah.

This is a rivalry that doesn't need additional motivation.

But with Utah ranked No. 3 and BYU sitting at No. 9 in the initial CFP rankings, the stakes are enormous.

The matchup I care about most is Utah's rushing attack against BYU's defensive front.

Utah has the offensive line, quarterback mobility, and backfield talent to make life difficult for opponents.

BYU has done a strong job limiting rushing production, which means Utah will have to earn its yards rather than simply relying on its normal advantages.

The Utes also get the benefit of playing at home.

For a rivalry like this, that matters.

My pick: Utah wins the Holy War and continues its undefeated season.

A victory would further strengthen Utah's case as a legitimate national championship contender and put the Utes in an excellent position as the Big 12 race develops.

The First CFP Rankings Are Out — And There's Plenty to Argue About

The first College Football Playoff rankings were released the night we recorded, giving us our first real look at how the committee views the season.

Here was the initial top 12:

There are some genuinely interesting decisions here.

UCLA was still undefeated and ranked eighth.

Alabama and Texas, both carrying two losses, were ranked ahead of the Bruins.

Notre Dame was sitting at No. 11 despite being much higher in the AP poll.

And Ohio State, despite being ranked twelfth, was projected to miss the playoff because of the automatic qualification rules.

That last one is particularly interesting.

The Projected 12-Team CFP Bracket

Based on the initial rankings and the qualification rules, these were the projected first-round matchups we discussed:

Miami, Georgia, Utah, and Indiana would receive first-round byes under that projection.

Boise State would qualify through the pathway reserved for a team outside the four major conferences, pushing Ohio State out despite the Buckeyes' No. 12 committee ranking.

Remember, these are November projections, not the final December playoff field.

But even this early look creates some fascinating possibilities.

An all-SEC first-round matchup between Ole Miss and Texas?

BYU traveling to UCLA?

Notre Dame having to win on the road against Kentucky?

There are plenty of opportunities for entertaining football.

The bigger question is whether this system does the best possible job of rewarding what teams accomplish during the regular season.

Notre Dame's Independence Comes With Consequences

I also spent some time talking about Notre Dame.

The Irish have chosen to remain independent in football, and that decision comes with benefits.

But it also comes with consequences.

Without a conference championship game, Notre Dame has fewer opportunities to add another major victory to its résumé at the end of the season.

If you're going to operate outside the traditional conference structure, you have to understand the importance of your regular-season schedule.

In my opinion, the Irish have very little room for error.

You cannot assume the committee will simply reward you because you're Notre Dame.

You have to earn your position.

Is College Football Really Ready for a 24-Team Playoff?

This is the conversation I wanted to finish the episode with.

We're still adjusting to the 12-team College Football Playoff, and discussions have already moved toward potentially expanding the field to 24.

There are valid arguments for expansion.

More schools would have an opportunity to compete for a championship. We would probably see more unexpected results, and teams outside the traditional powers could have a better chance to make meaningful postseason runs.

Niko likes the idea of seeing a lower seed put together a Cinderella run.

I understand that appeal.

College basketball has built an enormous amount of its popularity around exactly that kind of possibility.

But I'm not convinced college football needs to rush into doubling its playoff field.

Expand the Playoff, but Do It in Stages

I think there is a reasonable argument for eventually moving to 16 teams.

That gives additional programs an opportunity without immediately creating a 24-team tournament.

More importantly, it allows the sport to learn from what happens under the current format.

I also think we need to have a serious conversation about conference championships.

If we're going to expand the postseason dramatically, what happens to those games?

What happens to the significance of winning a conference?

And what happens to the value of the regular season?

Those aren't small questions.

Another possibility I discussed is eventually separating the postseason competition for the Power Four programs and the smaller conferences.

That would fundamentally change college football, and I'm not convinced it's the direction we should go. But it's worth discussing as the economic differences between programs continue to grow.

The transfer portal, NIL, conference realignment, television contracts, and playoff expansion are all changing the sport at the same time.

Some of those developments are creating opportunities.

Others are making the future much harder to predict.

My position is that we should give the 12-team playoff a real opportunity before racing toward 24.

If expansion is necessary, move to 16 first.

Learn what works.

Then make the next decision.

There is no reason to rush simply because more playoff games could mean more television revenue.

The regular season is one of the things that makes college football special.

We shouldn't sacrifice that without thinking carefully about what we're getting in return.

Episode 295: We're Back, and There's Plenty More Coming

This episode wasn't exactly the short show we originally planned.

But once Niko and I started talking, it became clear how much had happened during our week away.

We had NFL trades, fantasy football, our ongoing Pick'Em competition, a very passionate Nuggets discussion, and some beautiful — and absolutely hideous — hockey jerseys.

Then college football gave us enough controversy to fill an entire show by itself.

We've also reached six years on YouTube, and we're getting closer to another subscriber milestone. I appreciate everybody who's watched, listened, shared a clip, or joined a conversation during that time.

We're looking forward to getting back into our regular schedule with Far End of the Bench and The Morning After.

But before we get there, I want to hear from you.

Who did the CFP committee get wrong? Is a 24-team playoff too much? Can I finally start closing the gap on Niko in Pick'Em? And should Nuggets fans be as frustrated as he is?

Let us know what you think.

Watch or listen to Episode 295 of Far End of the Bench at feotbpod.org.

Follow @FeOTBpod for more football coverage, fantasy discussions, sports opinions, and clips throughout the week.

And make sure you're following All Gloves Off Sports Media for more content from across the network.

Strong body. Clear mind. Open heart. Attack the day.

— Jimmy Pallotto

Far End of the Bench | Episode 295 | Jimmy Pallotto & Niko Bryant | All Gloves Off Sports Media