Clark Lea, Candice Lee put up case for Vanderbilt football CFP inclusion

Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea and athletic director Candice Lee spoke to the media Dec. 1, arguing that the Commodores should make the College Football Playoff.

Last week, before a 45-24 win over Tennessee, Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2 SEC) was ranked No. 14 in the CFP committee rankings. A top-10 finish would be necessary to receive a bid.

Updated rankings will be released Dec. 2. It is unclear if Vanderbilt will move up after beating the Vols on Nov. 29; all but one team ranked ahead of the Commodores also won during the weekend.

Lee argued that Vanderbilt's ranking was that low because of bias, and "SEC fatigue" prevented the Commodores from being ranked higher. Lea read off a string of stats supporting their case, including strong point differentials and top offensive rankings.

"We just simply want to talk about the facts and we believe that data beats bias every day," Lee said. "And so there's more for Vanderbilt football to reach for. We think that opportunity should be and is in front of us."

Lee said that the Commodores check every box the CFP committee wants: a team playing its best at the end of the season; a high strength of schedule; and no bad losses. Lee and Lea both also argued that the presence of quarterback Diego Pavia, who Vanderbilt believes is the best player in the country, should give the Commodores a boost.

What Vanderbilt's numbers say

In several major computer rankings, Vanderbilt is just outside the top 10 ranking needed for an at-large bid. It is 11th in SP+, 14th in FPI, 11th in strength of record and 11th in Sagarin. It has the No. 22 strength of schedule, according to ESPN, which is below SEC rivals Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas, but ahead of other contenders like BYU, Miami and Notre Dame.

Lee was asked about the notion that the SEC would not put six teams in the playoff; she responded that it was another aspect of bias. (There is no official limit on the number of SEC teams that can make the playoff beyond the restriction of seven total at-large bids; it is unclear whether the committee has a soft cutoff of five SEC teams.)

"The fact of the matter is that we're the best conference in the country, and it shouldn't matter how many teams are coming from that conference if you're trying to put the best field forward," Lee said. "The question that has to be answered is, who has put themselves in position to compete for a national championship."

Clark Lea uses statistics to argue for CFP inclusion

Lea put forward several stats to argue for Vanderbilt's inclusion. Among them: It has the second-highest overall scoring differential in the SEC (behind Texas A&M) and third-highest in conference games (behind Texas A&M and Alabama).

He said that according to SportSource Analytics, Vanderbilt's offense was No. 1 nationally in efficiency and yards per play, and No. 3 in points per possession, third-down efficiency, big play percentage and offensive control rating.

"I think if the committee would look at it and take blind résumé into account, I know that's not part of the process, our team would benefit from that exercise," Lea said. " . . . Purely the quality of wins and losses, I think this group deserves to be competing for the national championship."

Could Lane Kiffin situation affect Vanderbilt CFP hopes?

Ole Miss, other playoff contender from the SEC, is without its head coach after Lane Kiffin left for LSU. It is unclear whether that will affect the Rebels' playoff seeding. They were No. 7 in the most recent CFP rankings and finished 11-1. The Rebels did not play Vanderbilt.

Though not mentioning Kiffin by name, Lee argued that the fact Lea signed an extension just before the Tennessee game to remain the Commodores' coach should be a point in their favor.

"I'm not here to talk about other schools or what other people are dealing with, but we have been consistent and the key elements for consistency are still in place," Lee said. "So I would think that that would just generate more confidence about why we should be included."

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Clark Lea, Candice Lee advocate for Vanderbilt football CFP inclusion