Greg McElroy identifies program he most disagrees with in Week 11 CFP rankings

Greg McElroy critiques the Week 11 College Football Playoff rankings on Always College Football, arguing the committee overvalued a close loss and failed to weigh resumes consistently.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy disagreed with the logic behind playing this Big Ten program in the top 25 of the first College Football Playoff rankings this season. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings ahead of Week 11 placed the Ohio State Buckeyes in the top spot, followed by the Indiana Hoosiers, Texas A&M Aggies, and Alabama Crimson Tide. But among the 25 teams listed, ESPN’s Greg McElroy saw one inclusion that stood out for the wrong reasons.

During his Always College Football podcast, McElroy said his biggest disagreement was with the Iowa Hawkeyes’ placement at No. 20. While he respects the team’s organization and effort, he questioned how much credit the committee gave them for losing close to elite competition.

“Iowa is the one team that I'm having a tough time with, frankly. And I like Iowa a lot,” McElroy said. “They're a very, very well-coached, well-organized football team. But how much credit are they currently getting right now for losing close to Indiana? I don't think close losses against quality competition should be a resume builder.”

McElroy emphasized that while the committee has rewarded teams for competitive losses, that shouldn’t inflate Iowa’s standing. “When you lose close to a good team, that should not be something that we now utilize to prop you up,” he said.

Greg McElroy Questions Iowa’s No. 20 CFP Ranking

The Hawkeyes’ 6-2 record includes a narrow 20-15 loss to No. 2 Indiana and a 41-3 blowout win over Minnesota, their only victory against a team with a winning record. Iowa also lost earlier this season to Iowa State, a program now in free fall after dropping four straight games.

Despite those blemishes, the committee rewarded Iowa with a top-20 spot, a move McElroy found inconsistent. The former Alabama quarterback argued that the Hawkeyes’ resume lacked the quality wins seen from teams behind them, such as Michigan and Washington.

Iowa football head coach Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes are 6-2 overall, 4-1 in Big Ten play, and many would argue the team lacks a signature win so far this season. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Still, Iowa has opportunities to reshape its standing. A home matchup against No. 9 Oregon offers a chance for a signature win, and a later road trip to No. 19 USC could further define their postseason hopes. The Hawkeyes’ defense ranks second nationally in total yards allowed per game and fourth in scoring defense, keeping them competitive even when the offense stalls.

Iowa will have an opportunity to defend its rankings when they host Oregon on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.