It probably feels like we’ve talked a lot about college football lately in a part of the paper not normally associated with sports, but let’s face it: In the South in December, college football is almost as big as Christmas.

And when the penultimate College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night, I knew I had to write something – even if I’m the last person local Ole Miss fans want to hear from right now. But stick with me until the end. I’m on your side,…kind of.

For those not familiar with what’s happening, the committee that ranks college football squads and is responsible for naming the 12-team field that will compete in postseason play for a national championship, showed its hand a bit Tuesday when it chose Alabama as the No. 11 team in the nation over other “bubble” teams residing on the outside of the playoffs and looking in at the top 11. Those teams include, most notably, the ACC’s 10-2 Miami Hurricanes, but also the SEC’s South Carolina Gamecocks and Ole Miss Rebels.

Now, there’s a million different metrics we could talk about here, but there isn’t enough room or time to get into them all. Ole Miss, South Carolina and Alabama all have a 9-3 record. Bama and Ole Miss each beat South Carolina, but the Rebs destroyed the Gamecocks, while the Crimson Tide barely eked out a win. Despite losing to both Ole Miss and Bama, South Carolina is on a six-game winning streak, while the Rebels and the Tide dropped late-season games to unranked teams Florida and Oklahoma, respectively. 

Despite all of that, and plenty of other comparisons we could make between the four teams mentioned above, Alabama slid into the playoffs over a seemingly more qualified ACC team for the second year in a row, at least for now. So, what gives?

I think the answer is pretty simple. And it’s one we all know is a factor, even though no one on the committee will ever say it out loud. But, Tuesday’s rankings really show us just how much brand recognition and ratings actually matter to the committee. Again, it’s not as if we didn’t already know that, but it’s beginning to become clear that when it comes down to it, the folks in charge of picking the field will make an obvious money-grab choice and give us whatever metric they feel most justifies the pick.

Now, look. I’m not complaining. I’m an Alabama fan. I also think the Tide is talented enough to win it all if they play their best football. But, so is Ole Miss. Is South Carolina? Is Miami really back after two decades of mediocrity? I don’t know. And it doesn’t appear we’re going to find out this season. Even without Nick Saban on the sidelines in T-town, it appears the Tide is still the sexier choice in the eyes of the committee. And if I’m an Ole Miss fan, that makes me optimistic about the future. 

When it comes to what makes teams attractive to audiences, and in-turn the committee, high-flying offenses, a familiar logo on the side of the helmet and a magnetic personality somewhere on the team usually makes for a great combination. And with Lane Kiffin in Oxford, the Rebels have all of that. Certainly other teams like Miami do as well, but Ole Miss has the added benefit of playing in the SEC, which means its wins – and apparently even its losses – are more valued by the committee than those of teams in other conferences. 

At least that’s the logic the committee is using this year to justify the presence of the huge crimson elephant in the room.

Blake Bell is the general manager and executive editor of The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at blake.bell@vicksburgpost.com.