Computer models rank Tide's 2022 season differently than human polls

The college football world can agree upon the one thing that matters most: Georgia was the best team in college football in 2022.

Beyond that, the order of the season’s top five teams has been the subject of controversy and debate.

After being thrashed by Georgia in the national championship game, was TCU really the nation’s second-best team? Or was it Ohio State, which narrowly lost to Georgia in the semifinal? How far should Michigan have fallen after losing to TCU, which was exposed in the title game? But what about Michigan beating Ohio State back in November?

And where does Alabama fit into the puzzle after blowing out Kansas State in the Sugar Bowl, a team that beat TCU for a Big 12 championship? Should Alabama have made the four-team playoff instead of TCU or Ohio State? Should TCU’s loss to Georgia have made the Tide one of the four best teams in the final rankings?

Untangling the knotted mess and deciding upon the second-, third- and fourth-best teams in college football this season is no easy task.

Human polls have consistently ranked Alabama at No. 5 this week, the same spot where the College Football Playoff selection committee placed the Tide when it met for the final time in early December. Alabama was No. 5 in Monday night’s final Associated Press poll and No. 5 in Tuesday’s final coaches poll, although Nick Saban had his team No. 2 on his ballot. The Tide was also No. 5 in ESPN’s final power rankings as voted upon by its college football reporters.

Computer models tell a different story, with some ranking Alabama as high as No. 2 in their final versions this week. And some of those algorithm-based rankings — including ESPN’s Football Power Index, ESPN’s SP+ and Jeff Sagarin’s rankings — had Alabama among the top three teams in the country when the CFP committee met to decide its four-team field last month. On December 4, Alabama was No. 2 in ESPN’S FPI, No. 4 in SP+ and No. 3 in Sagarin’s rankings.

With bowl games and the playoff now completed, here is where the Tide ranked in various computer models, including five that once factored into the former BCS system:

ESPN Football Power Index final top 5: