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The UCLA Bruins hold the No. 5 spot in both the AP and Coaches Poll, but the College Football Playoff selection committee placed them at No. 8 in its initial rankings released Tuesday. The Bruins found themselves trailing two-loss Texas, a decision that drew the ire of former Alabama running back Damien Harris.
Harris, now a college football analyst for CBS Sports and a former New England Patriots back, did not hold back in his critique of the CFP rankings. During a panel discussion breaking down the first rankings, he immediately highlighted why UCLA deserved a higher position than Texas.
"Does UCLA have more wins than Texas? They DO!" Harris exclaimed. "Everybody in their right mind knows that UCLA with [coach] Bob Chesney, [running back] Wayne Knight and this defense that's second in takeaways—they are better than the Texas Longhorns."
Harris continued his rant by asking, "What does Texas have to hang their hat on?" He then delivered a statement sure to resonate in Austin: "That Ohio State win is no longer impressive," noting that the Buckeyes also have two losses like the Longhorns.
Key Analysis
The Bruins are ranked higher in the other two major polls, yet they are not even the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the CFP. Indiana, the defending national champion, sits at No. 5 despite having one loss—to the same Ohio State team that Texas defeated. USC, a 7-2 Big Ten rival, earned the No. 20 spot. Alabama, another two-loss team, also landed at No. 5, while Kentucky, with a loss, grabbed the sixth slot. UCLA is the only unbeaten team ranked outside the top five of the CFP.
UCLA's path to the playoff remains clear: win out and they will secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 5 in Indianapolis, which would likely seal their place in the 12-team playoff field. However, a red-hot Minnesota team awaits on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium. The Golden Gophers already boast a top-25 win over No. 21 Iowa at home and took Indiana to the wire last week before falling 23-16. A Minnesota upset could make the CFP committee look brilliant for ranking UCLA lower—or expose the flaws in their initial assessment.
Originally reported by yahoo.