Are Indiana and Army the most disrespected teams in the committee's first CFP rankings?

Nov. 5, 2024 will forever be remembered as the day that the first 12-team College Football Playoff rankings were released by the selection committee. After sitting on pins and needles to see where teams would land, we finally got some rankings that matter.

While most landed in spots that were expected and there is still lots of football left to be played, there were a few teams who were left scratching their heads due to where they fell.

Here are the two most disrespected teams in the first rankings released by the College Football Playoff committee for the 2024 season:

It is not really surprising to see Indiana come in at this spot, but I see it as a clear lack of respect due to the brand name, or lack thereof, that Indiana football has. 

While I understand the argument of having an easy schedule and that they have not played anybody, that is not fair in this case. Yes, they have not played the best competition in the country, but just look at what they have done to those teams. 

The Hoosiers have beaten each opponent with ease so far as not a single one of their wins has been by less than 14 points. Also, if you simply just watch an Indiana football game, they certainly look better than a No. 8 ranking and better than at least two (Tennessee and Penn State) of the five teams ranked ahead of them who already have a loss. 

I am sure where Indiana was slotted in these rankings was the last of head coach Curt Cignetti’s worries this week, but Hoosier fans have to feel the disrespect. Indiana will now have a chance to prove the committee right or wrong in the final weeks of the season as they play Michigan and Ohio State.

This is by far the biggest disparity between the committee’s ranking and the AP Poll where Army sits at No. 18. 

Looking at the big picture, I am sure the Black Knights would have been ecstatic if you told them before the season that they would make an appearance in the CFP rankings; but with the start they have had, 25 is disrespectful.

Army is currently 8-0 and has won every game in impressive fashion by an average margin of 26.6 points. Jeff Monken's team has been excellent thus far on both sides of the ball with an offense that ranks 15th in points per game and a defense that is in the top five of nearly every major category.

The Knights will get a chance to really improve their resume in three weeks when they meet with No. 10 Notre Dame, but after being slotted at No. 25 in these rankings, it appears to make it into the bracket with the Group of 5 bid they will need some help in the form of a Boise State loss.

With just four weeks left in the regular season, the playoff committee’s rankings will come out weekly every Tuesday with the final rankings set to be released on Sunday, Nov. 8.

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